1.8m C-Band VSAT Equipment at the SME Development Network Centre

The Computer Training Room with WLAN installed

LCD Message Player installed at the SME Development Network Centre

About SME Development Network
The SME Development network was established by TOTAL E & P to provide a range of business development services to entrepreneurs in the Egi clan and other surrounding communities. The centre also provides ICT Training and consultancy services in the area.
The centre is located at the ONELGA Secretariat Complex Obite Outpost in Rivers State, Nigeria.

Cloudspace  recently provided internet services to the Obagi MAP Centre via a C-Band VSAT equipment. The project involved the installation of a C-Band VSAT equipment and wireless network for the entire facility.

1.8m C-Band VSAT Equipment at the MAP Centre, Obagi

NGSL Staff installing 6U Rack

About MAP Centre Obagi
The HP MAP Centre located at Obagi is a partnership between TOTAL E & P and UNITAR to provide a world class Entrepreneurship Training Facility utilizing the renowned MAP curriculum. MAP is acronym for Microenterprise Acceleration Programme, the curriculum uses ICT as a tool to empower entrepreneurs.

Incidents like this are increasingly becoming a routine job for Inveneo, which is responsible for bringing computers and its related world to the most remote places of Cameroon, Nigeria, Burkina Faso and other developing African countries. The projects of the organization target schools, hospitals, community centers and aid camps. Inveneo is partnering with local people because to work in Africa, you need to have the perspective of what will work in that area. The local populations are the best guide in that matter as Mr. Marks Summer, CEO of Inveneo said in a recent interview. The organization started a certified partner program a few years back, which has worked in the favor of the company to a great degree. Kristin Peterson, chief development officer of the group admitted that it is the involvement of the local people that has helped the organization to set up and maintain its computer network. He gave, as example, the solution a local partner thought of for protecting the solar panels (an integral part of Inveneo’s computer set up) from rocks thrown by children for fun.

Knowing the difficulties of working in Africa, Inveneo has developed their own line of computers. The company has corporate partnership with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Cisco systems, but it claims it is “technology-neutral organization” i.e. it uses company or system that helps them to build a better performing computer for the harsh and difficult terrain of Africa. They also have to be cost-effective. At present, for setting up a network of 15 to 25 computers in different schools of East Africa, the estimated cost was $15,000 to $35,000 per project. Unforeseen incidents push up the cost of installing and maintaining these networks. In one project goats ate up the Ethernet cable and the organization had to find and implement ways to keep such incidents from repeating itself. As for the software part, the company does not like to get tangled in global IT issues like the fight between Microsoft and Linux. That is why it uses open-source programs, but installs specific programs if the client asks for it. Inveneo also makes it sure that the software is easy to understand and the population using it can relate to it. So, it looks for new software and trains the member to use it. That is a great achievement for Inveneo, because it is totally based on volunteer work, donations and grants. What motivates the member of this extra-ordinary organization to travel bumpy roads, face killer bees or tackle Ethernet-chewing goats is the feeling that they have made a difference by changing people’s lives forever!
By Dan Nystedt, IDG News Service\Taipei Bureau for http://www.computerworld.co.ke/articles/2008/05/19/inveneo-braves-goats-killer-bees-it and http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/146061/inveneo_braves_goats_killer_bees_for_it.html.

The reflection of this growing trend can be seen in the recent joint partnership announced between Kenya Data Networks (KDN) and Inveneo, a US-based non-profit organization. KDN is an infrastructure provider that is expanding into the areas not served by national power grid. Through Inveneo, the company hopes to present computers to rural areas, which can be operated by solar, wind or bicycle power. The aim of the company, as its Managing Director Mr. Kai Wulff pointed out, is to bring economic growth to areas that are now lagging behind for being cut off from basic communication technologies. As a part of the program, the partners will provide free computers to rural communities by using the re-engineered computers, which Inveneo will provide. The computers need as low as 12 watts to run! This will be provided in the provinces and towns, which already have KDN’s network, will receive at least 20 such computers. Through this endeavor, KDN hopes to reach schools, clinics, community centers, field offices and internet cafes with its range of computers. Earlier, Vodafone also declared that it is developing a similar range of gadgets that can be run on alternative energy source to target the rural areas.

Particularly designed to be used in rural locations, the Inveneo Communications Station provides facilities of computing, telephony and networking essentials. It has very low power consumption, helping it operate even in remote areas. With open hardware design and open source software, developers can customize solutions as per their requirements, with the help of information available in their website. Its solid state design, without any fans and moving parts, makes it suitable for all extreme conditions.