A Pasha Centre is a Digital villages Project (DVP) whose key functions are to provide a suite of services to the public via computers connected to the internet. The Pasha Centres are run by private entrepreneurs who have gone through the training program initiated by Kenya ICT Board. Prospective entrepreneurs who have undergone training are eligible to apply for a Pasha development loan from a revolving fund set up by the Kenya ICT Board.
Pasha is a Swahili word meaning "to inform". The Pasha Project's key role is to provide Kenyans in rural areas with access to information across the country.
Introduction
Most of the ICT facilities in Kenya have been in urban areas, this has resulted in glaring disparities between urban and rural areas in the distribution of ICT facilities. To redress the disparities, the Kenya ICT Board has embarked on a Digital Villages project (DVP) under the Kenya Transparency Communications Infrastructure Project, which will see a creation of networks of information facilities across the country. Digital villages are centres that provide a suite of services to the public via computers connected to the internet, digital cameras, printers, fax machines and other communication infrastructure. The digital village project (DVP) is an integral part of an innovative public-private partnership (PPP) for taking ICTs to the rural communities in Kenya. DVP seeks to harness the vast untapped potential of the rural sector by making ICTs more accessible and affordable to the wider population through the development and utilisation of ICT facilities in the rural areas.
The services to be provided by the Digital Villages will include government services; community-based services as well as a host of commercial services. Pasha is designed and facilitated by the Kenya ICT board in conjunction with key non-commercial partners.
Eligibility criteria
Eligible criteria to be a Pasha centre broadly will be: The centre should be an existing community centre Should be providing services to the community currently, this service need not necessarily be in ICT related service. The vision or strategies of the centre should have synergy to the overall Pasha Project and Kenya ICT Board objectives and Vision. Should have interest in becoming a Pasha Centre Willingness to be a research centre for the Pasha project
Selection criteria
The Pasha centres are run by private entrepreneurs who obtain training in business and information technology from a certified training program. The training programs are run by the Kenya ICT Board. The provision of training programs in business and information technology from the certified programs will be supported by the DVP project. Prospective entrepreneurs who have obtained certification will be eligible to apply for a Pasha Development loan from a revolving fund set up by the Board.
Role of Pasha Centres
The Pasha Centres are designed to model a community-focused format that will be self-sufficient by using technology in the form of a Web 2.0 collaborative online platform for the Digital Village Pasha Program, led by the board.
The role of the Pasha Centre is to provide Kenyans in rural areas with access to a world of information in a community-focused format that is self-sufficient: This will serve: To enhance both their business skills and knowledge as well as expose them to world news and trends that may positively enhance their lives. Provide employment for Kenyans both directly through economic activity that the centre will generate and secondarily through the opportunities that the information will provide. Enhance provision of government services. Kenyans will be able to access government services such as NSSF statements, driving license application forms, police extracts among others, from the Pasha Centre. These services will all be online.
Pasha Centres will ultimately open up cost-effective access to government and private services for remote farmers and entrepreneurs who would otherwise have to travel extensively to achieve this.
About Kenya ICT Board
The Kenya ICT Board was established by HE President Mwai Kibaki, as a state corporation under the State Corporations Act Cap. 446 on 19 February 2007.
The achievement of an information-based society is one of the main priorities of the Government towards the realisation of national development goals and objectives for wealth and employment creation. ICT is one of the fastest growing sectors in the country. Harnessing of ICT will therefore help the Government to realise a number of its key public policy objectives.