Tribute to my favorite org serving Africa
11:50, 5 May 2005
.. Posted in Development, Relief and Advocacy Efforts.. Link
This is long overdue: to sing the praises of the Women Of Uganda Network (WOUGNET). "WOUGNET's goal is to promote the use of information and communications technologies (ICTs) by women organisations and individuals for the better being of Ugandan women." But unlike so many, many (most?) ICT-for-development initiatives, WOUGNET is actually doing what they state they want to do. WOUGNET maintains a mailing list and web site, which are administered by Dorothy Okello (Google her -- she's truly a digital heroine) and supported by both onsite and online volunteers. I subscribe to the WOUGNET newsletter, and it's one of the very few that I read from start to finish: I love reading the profiles of different women's organizations in Uganda that are doing amazing work (and the list of such organizations just grows and grows and grows). I get a real sense of what is happening in Uganda, and what is possible. The richness and quality of the programs profiled by WOUGNET have me ready to go visit Uganda so that I can learn from all of these amazing initiatives. I wish every country in the developing world had its own version of WOUGNET. The media is packed with negative stories about Africa -- if you want your Western stereotype of African women turned on its head, check out WOUGNET.
