Dear Sir/Madam,

First of all, we would like to thank you for your constant support and encouragement to carry out the activities of Nepal Rural Information Technology Development Society (NRIDS). The enthusiastic group of youths assures to bring Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Revolution in Nepal provided your care and love for NRIDS and our country Nepal.

Nepal Rural Information Technology Development Society (NRIDS) was established in 2004 with the objective of bringing ICT awareness and services to people living in rural areas throughout Nepal. The fact that Nepal has failed to embrace the Information Revolution over the last ten years means that as a country we have fallen further behind the developed world, rather than gaining ground. Everyone would agree that Nepalese people who are involved in agriculture, education, construction, and tourism can benefit greatly from access to the Internet and e-commerce, just as residents of other countries have. We would like to be an agent to help open eyes, to show how businesses can prosper, and student’s education can flourish. The problem is that much hard work is needed to provide computer access and training to rural areas of Nepal, and, as it stands, very little is being done to rectify the Information shortage.

This work began with the endorsement of Engineering students and local communities of Syangja, the members of NRIDS. The team has been formulating a blueprint to convert Syangja into the model district for an ICT Revolution in Nepal. The blueprint is based around the establishment of Community Information Centers (CIC) in villages where there is currently an extreme shortage of Information. A CIC with the involvement and support of local business people, teachers, serviceman, and young people, have been established in different villages. With the go of time, this movement has been extended in Mayatari, Karendada, Bagalthok, Helu, Lampata, Bayatari, PragatiNagar, Rajesthal, Badkhola, ThuloPandera, PokhariChaur, Dahathum, Sirsekot, Methabhurum, and Agrikharka, in Syangja, Kaskikot and Astam in Kaski, Rampur , Laxmipur in Dang and Lamtun in Parbat. In coming days, we will extend it to other rural parts of Nepal.

NRIDS is under a process to form ICT Task Force of youth living inside and outside Nepal. Currently, there are 50 ICT Engineers and IT Professionals involved in the ICT Task Force to carry out the various research activities for the ICT Revolution in Nepal. More than 150 intellectual domain experts are also involved with the NRIDS. There are more than 500 people from different parts of Nepal who are actively working to aware and empower their communities with ICTs. All these activities are being carried out voluntarily by the members of NRIDS. We are simply requesting you to be a part of this mission to revolute Nepal through ICTs by joining hands with us. Our working method is totally different from the traditional approach where finance and fund is the primary requirement. We believe in a network and the common goal of all of us to see Nepal as one of the developed country. Thus, we work with belief of `By the community for the community and with the community`. We empower the rural communities to practice ICTs in their lives, to make it as tool to expand their business by effective communication. We simply introduce them to the Internet then their journey starts in world of Networks. Let us imagine the farmers selling their product by the use of e-commerce, performs online conference with the different customers through Internet. This imagination is beyond our reach. But, the fact never to be forgotten is that `Dreams come true for those who work while they Dream`. The members of NRIDS are in the workflow and call you to generate the workflow to revolute Nepal through ICTs. The one and only alternative for development of Nepal is through implementation of ICTs.

We call all the Nepalese to be a part of this mission by talking about ICTs, providing voluntary support in any rural areas of Nepal and writing suggestion to NRIDS. NRIDS is not asking for money and donations but for joining hands to connect rural Nepal to the Global Village. If all of us have a common concept that ICT is the best alternative for the development of Nepal, it would be the great pleasure and big achievement. NRIDS is requesting just for 5 minutes of your valuable time in a day for ICTs possibilities and implementations in your country ‘Nepal’.

Let’s try to establish one CIC; where computers and Internet facilities are available, in your own village. We will provide the free consultancy and initiation startup. Let’s connect all the CICs of villages to a central portal and make a good environment for the rural community to share and learn the best practices around the world.

For your kind information,
NRIDS represents Nepal for UNESCAP, Asia-Pacific Regional Knowledge Network of Telecentres.
NRIDS represented Nepal on ‘The First Tech Day in Asia’ (October 31, 2007) organized by HUMANINET, ADRA NEPAL and Caritas at Hotel Himalayan, Kathmandu, Nepal.


Sincerely

Sudip Aryal
President
Nepal Rural Information Technology Development Society (NRIDS)
Kathmandu, Nepal
Phone: +977-01-4334086
Mobile: +977-9841470726
Email:sudiparyal@gmail.com


References:
http://www.lenversduregard.com/en-perspectives/index.php?itemid=29
(French journalists featured about NRIDS
http://kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=126063
(Kathmandu Post-English National Daily publish about NRIDS) http://kantipuronline.com/kolnepalinews.php?nid=110397
(Published on Kantipur National daily)
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnepalinews.php?nid=126058
(Published on Kantipur National daily)
http://syangja.com
http://nridsnepal.org.np (This site is under construction)
http://nridsnepal.blogspot.com

How much would you pay for a laptop computer which is claimedcan last a lifetime, needs no maintenance and doesn’t need to be upgraded? Gerry Morgan, a 54-year-old former teacher from Canada, claims he hasinvented such a computer, which he is marketing through his company,InkMedia Inc. [Image Caption Hassle free alternative: Morgan showing the prototype of hisInkMedia laptop.http://thestar.com.my/archives/2007/11/9/nation/n_p29morgan1.jpg] The laptop, named the InkMedia, uses a Freescale processor with 512megabytes of RAM (Random Access Memory) and the Linux operating system. Ithas an 8.6in SVGA screen that is capable of displaying 800X600pixel TrueColour graphics and comes with four USB ports. It also has a WiFi port forwireless Internet access. The price for the InkMedia is a mere US$300 (RM1,000). The Freescale processor and Linux operating system, which is free for anyoneto use, contribute to the lower price of the laptop. Morgan, who was in town, told The Star earlier this week that he got theidea for the laptop while he was working as a technology consultant in Indiaabout 10 years ago. He said he didn’t like watching people spend a lot of money on computersthat they then threw away after a few years. Morgan said he designed his laptop to not have a hard disk, which is astandard component on regular computers. The hard disk stores a computer’soperating system, applications, and other data, such as photos, MP3s anddocuments. All the applications a user would need, such as a word processor and webbrowser, are contained in the InkMedia’s ROM (read-only memory) chip, whichcannot be modified or corrupted. “Because it does not have a hard disk, my laptop will never fall victim to acomputer virus (which would need to modify application files to pose athreat),” Morgan said. Without a hard disk, however, InkMedia users will need to move informationthey want to keep to thumbdrives and other external storage devices. He claims the 980g laptop is durable and can withstand accidents, such as aspilt drink or a drop. Morgan, who is founder and managing director of InkMedia, sees the laptop asa tool for bridging the digital divide – the gap between the technologyhaves and have-nots. According to him, students at the HELP Institute here would be the first inthe world to test the InkMedia laptop in January. For more information on the laptop, go to www.ink-media.com.

Source: www.ink-media.com.

New York, 1 November - The United Nations, Google and Cisco today unveiled a pioneering online site that tracks progress towards decreasing global poverty by 2015, a global campaign known as the Millennium Development Goals, or MDGs. Visit the website at www.mdgmonitor.org

Senior officials from Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal have agreed to collaborate on a subregional information communication technology (ICT) project to improve connectivity among the four countries.

The agreement by the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) countries was reached at the fourth ICT working group meeting to discuss the proposed SASEC Information Highway Project in New Delhi, India on 8-9 October 2007.

The joint statement issued at the meeting reassured the four countries' commitment to promote closer cooperation for development and applications of ICT, and to improve social and economic participation through better access to appropriate support and infrastructure. The project will mark the first multi-country investment project in South Asia supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), if it is approved by ADB’s Board of Directors in December.

“The SASEC Information Highway Project will help SASEC countries more efficiently and effectively connect to each other by broadband and bring the much needed social goods to communities in South Asia – especially to often underserved rural areas,” said Mr. Kunio Senga, the Director General of ADB’s South Asia Department at the conclusion of the meeting.

The SASEC Information Highway Project consists of three key components. It will establish the SASEC regional network to integrate member countries and reduce Internet costs, particularly for the land-locked countries of Bhutan and Nepal. It will also build the SASEC village network to expand broadband wireless connectivity to rural communities and enable them to better access services such as tele-medicine, distance learning, and e-government services. In addition, it will set up the SASEC regional research and training network to facilitate the flow and integration of information, knowledge, and services among member countries through directly linking communities, businesses, and research institutes.

These networks will be established and operated through the public-private partnership with a strong focus on entrepreneurship development.

The South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation was established in 2001 by Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal with ADB’s support. It aims to promote the subregion’s economic cooperation in the priority areas, including transport, tourism, and ICT.

Source: http://www.adb.org

Soon after returning back from the Consultative Meeting for the Establishment of Regional Knowledge Network of Telecentres in Asia-Pacific, 27-28 September 2007, Bangkok, Nepal Rural Information Technology Society (NRIDS) organized a ICTs Workshop in Syangja on 4th and 6th October 2007 in coordination with District Development Committee Syangja, Ministry of Local Development, Nepal Government. Village Development Committee (VDC) Secretary form 60 VDCs took part in the workshop. The Workshop focused on the ICTs promotion in the rural areas and E-Governance. I was found that most of the VDC secretaries were not well acquainted with usage and importance of ICTs. So first of all the VDC Secretaries were briefed about the Importance of ICTs in Syangja District context. Photos, videos and audios of the activities of NRIDS in Syangja were demonstrated. Then the activities of other related projects in Nepal were demonstrated. The experience shared and knowledge gained from the Consultative Meeting in Bangkok organized by UNESCAP was also shared among the Secretaries of VDC. Local Development Officer, other NGOs representatives, Journalists were also present in this workshop. As the outcome of this workshop the all the VDCs agreed to prepare Village Profile. Also the agreement has been done to make the District web portal to manage all the VDCs activities. All the VDCs agree to establish Community Information Centers (CICs).

There was an agreement between NRIDS, Syangja and District Development Committee, Syangja to jointly carry out the ICT promotion activities in the whole district. Both organizations agreed to establish 10 new Community Information Centers (CICs) in the remote areas of Syangja district. Also 40% investment responsibility is taken by DDC, Syangja. However remaining 60% is to be managed by NRIDS by Lobbying with the donor agencies or by any other means. In this regard we seek relevant assistance from all the concerned donor agencies.