I spent a week in rural Zambia visiting one of the rural success stories in Africa. I visited the Macha Works project, a community owned initiative to bring not only ICT but also the internet to people in rural areas. The purpose of my visit was to establish how they manage to be successful and to investigate the potential of introducing a similar concept in South Africa.
Macha is an isolated rural community in Zambia and the place where the innovative approach has been tested and successfully implemented. Macha is situated in the Southern province of Zambia, 75 kilometers from Choma and 380 km by car from capital Lusaka. The area is mainly wooded and is at an altitude of 1000m. Macha has a tropical climate with a rainy season from the end October till the beginning of April. A limited number of people in Macha have electricity but in the rainy season there are power cuts several times a day.
Macha Works is an international organisation that was launched in the Netherlands. In Murumbinda (Zimbabwe) and Macha (Zambia) a unique and also successful approach has been developed geared towards isolated rural communities in Africa. These rural areas often face complex problems. There is a shortage of supplies and young people lack opportunities. Because of this many talented locals flock to the cities. Qualified people, often young and with great potential (future doctors, teachers and entrepreneurs), are migrating from rural areas to the cities in search of a better future and, in many cases, do not succeed. This is a great loss of talent, because in rural areas, in their own village community, they could have been of great value.
Macha has proved that talented locals are the key to effective development. Macha Works challenges, exposes and inspires these talented youngsters to define the priorities for their community and implement the solutions within the proper context.
Not only was the visit to this remote area truly inspiring but it has proved to me that internet connectivity can indeed be achieved in rural areas. It further demonstrated to me that once a community embraces the use of technology to solve every day issues, the opportunities are endless. In Macha people walk around with the understanding that the introduction and use of technology is the key to a better future. Not only does it bring them opportunities to further their studies, but it introduces a world beyond the rural community to them. And most importantly, it encourages the community to create new and unique money generating opportunities.
I am currently working with the people from Macha Works to identify a suitable area in South Africa to establish a similar project.
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