Information and communication technology (ICT) has served as a remarkable tool for positive change and growth for numerous developing countries such as Namibia.
Evident results from access and efficient use of ICT has progressively tackled a wide range of health, social and economic issues. This includes supporting business development, facilitating access to education and health as well as promoting initiatives aiming for advantageous advancements.
ICT could help Namibian businesses and businessmen to network with stakeholders, strategically market, maintain fluid communication between clients, follow trends, monitor feedback and productively perform. The Ministry of Information and Communication Technology found that an alarming lack of ICT equipment and skills in rural areas still remains and challenges a majority of businesses.
The Owamboland Newsletter is an upcoming organization located in the Eheke settlement. The managing director for the Owamboland Newsletter, Oswin Kampala Iiyambo says that he just uses one laptop and his phone to run the business. For printing they use other businesses. Furthermore, he emphasizes that the need for more technology is dire. “Unfortunately we don’t know where we can get them from. I have been trying my very best to the financial institutions to assist us with some kind of loans, but we can’t get anyone. We can’t give up; we just use what we have.” Iiyambo says.
When it comes to ICT access and use, SME’s in rural areas solely run on mobile devices such as cell phones and laptops. The use of other machines and WIFI connection is slim to none. This means that most businesses have to increase costs by buying airtime on a regular basis and paying for services from others in order to operate. This stresses the need for more funding to financially assist SME’s in rural areas.
By Maria Haipinge
