The use of information and communication technologies by rural communities: an overview of Kitsong centers in Botswana

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are believed to improve and better the lives of communities globally. People living in the rural communities are now beginning to access and make use of the ICTs to carry on with their daily activities such as education, business, leisure and even entertainment. Governments all over the world are implementing ICT strategies and policies, with the intension of bridging the digital divide gap between the rural and urban communities. Various ways of availing ICTs to the people have been put forth. Bringing ICTs to the rural communities through the telecentres is one example. This is common in developing and undeveloped countries. Botswana like other developing countries has come up with ways in which ICTs could be availed to its communities. One of these ways is through provision of ICT facilities such as telecentres mostly known as the Kitsong centres. This paper gives an overview of the Kitsong centres in Botswana. The paper is based on document and literature analysis. The paper highlights how the Kitsong centres are established. The paper also outlines the benefits the Kitsong centres offer to the communities and the challenges which come forth with the running of Kitsong centres.

The significance of this paper might be in assisting the government of Botswana on her ICT policy implementation strategies. It can help the government reflect on its progress so far on the Kitsong centres initiative. The findings will also help to identify the pitfalls, problems and the challenges it has encountered in the Kitsong centres initiative. The paper would also be helpful to the researchers and scholars who wish to know more about ICTs for developments. It can also be used as a starting point for entrepreneurs who wish to have an understanding of how Kitsong centres are operated as well as the benefits and the challenges involved in running such businesses.