Inveneo

Uganda deployment with our partner ActionAid

Uganda deployment goes live June 8th, 2005

At 11:10am PST on June 8th, with a VoIP phone call from the Community Knowledge Center to the village of Nyamiryango, Inveneo's first solar and pedal powered communications system went live in the Bukuuku sub-county, Kabarole district of Western Uganda. This successful deployment was completed in partnership with ActionAid, and enables villagers to use a phone, computer and the Internet for the first time ever, empowering them to use communications and technology to improve their lives dramatically.

Inveneo has setup five systems. One in the Community Knowledge Center acts as the hub station, connecting the stations in the villages to the local phone network (since no landlines are available in this part of Uganda, a interconnect to the GSM network was established using GSM terminal units) and the Internet (utilizing the existing Internet connection at the Community Knowledge Center). All the remaining four communications stations are installed in villages with no access to electricity or phone lines. All stations are connected with 802.11 wireless network links ranging from 2 to 6 km. distance.

Inveneo's systems utilize open-source software (Linux, KDE, OpenOffice) for Internet access and productivity tools. The phone connections are established using SIP VoIP signaling protocol and the Asterisk open-source PBX system. Each village has it's own extension and voice mail box. The PBX system allows for free calls among the connected villages. Any phone in the world can call the stations in the villages and calls to any phone in Uganda are possible from the village stations.

All systems have been installed with strong participation and support of the local communities and ActionsAid's local staff. Inveneo has trained ActionsAid's IT Officer (Jane Nabwire) as well as other staff members in installation, maintenance and troubleshooting of the system. ActionAid will train the users from the locoal villages in the use of the stations and how to apply the system to improve their situation.

Check back as we add more pictures and details from our team in Uganda. Click on the pictures below for larger images.


Inveneo and ActionAid staff install an antenna at the Community Knowledge Center for Empowerment and Literacy.


Local villages are helping to carry the equipment to Nyarukamba village in the foothills of the Rwenzori mountains.



Villagers participate in the setup of the equipment in Nyarukamba, here installing the solar panel.



While the system is being installed, the villagers watch the progress.



A closer view of the house in which the system is being housed and the antenna in the background.



Jane Nabwire, ActionAid's Project Local IT Officer, connects cables on a building in the village of Namiryango.



An old tree trunk is being used as a antenna mounting pole in Karago.






A 35 ft. high pole / tower had to be contructed at the Community Knowledge Center.






In Nyamiryango village, an avocado tree was used to mount the antenna.






In Kiguma village, the system was installed in the local parish hall. A WiFi relay system was used (see the 2 directional antennas) to connect a site behind a hill.



The villagers are very interested and excited once the systems are put into operation.










Map of the Bukuuku sub-county, showing the Mugusu, Bukuuku and Kichwamba sub-counties.

Our partner ActionAid

An international development agency whose aim is to fight poverty worldwide. Formed in 1972, ActionAid has been growing and expanding to its worldwide coverage today - helping over 13 million of the world's poorest and most disadvantaged people in 42 countries worldwide through a staff of over 1700 (89% from developing countries) and an 2003 income of 116 million Euros.

The current situation

ActionAid has operated successful programs with villages in remote areas of Western Uganda for over 6 years. Participants have had no access to electric power or telephone. The programs focus on education, HIV/AIDS related issues, local empowerment/awareness and income generating activities. ActionAid uses a unique democratic approach called the "Reflect Methodology".
Lack of communication infrastructure among villages limits the impact of the programs as well as the ability of villagers to pool their resources.

Deployment scope and Application

Site survey completed to confirm feasibility.
Initial deployment of Inveneo's “Central Hub Station”, “Relay station” and five “PC & communication Stations” to be completed in the second quarter of 2005. The network will be extended to include 20 more villages upon successful deployment of the first five villages.

Expected results

  • Increased village income (as much as 100%) through improved access to market prices for crops.
  • Ability to cooperate between villages to pool resources (increased buying power, coordinating a truck hire to transport goods/crops, etc.)
  • Locally accessible database of traditional medicines for treatment of AIDS-related opportunistic diseases.
  • Villager’s research of government and NGO grants and programs, and online grant application.