Information services provided by Maarifa Telecentres to rural communities in ASALs in Kenya
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Date
2019
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
Telecentres are established to provide information, to bridge the information and
digital gap, foster development and confront the requirements of the poverty
stricken in remote and isolated rural areas in developing nations. The purpose of
this study was to explore information services provided by two Maarifa centres to
rural communities in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) in Kenya. The specific
objective was to establish the information needs of ASAL communities served by
Maarifa centres; to explore information services provided by Maarifa centres to
ASAL communities; to analyse the challenges and prospects of Maarifa centres in
the provision of information to rural communities in Kenya and to make
recommendations for the improvement of information services to ASALs
communities in Kenya. The study employed a multiple case study research design
as an overall strategy and drew upon multiple data sources to develop a
triangulation of methods. Qualitative research was administered as a predominant
approach. Data was gathered through interviews from a sample of 20 respondents
from each Maarifa centre: Isinya in Kajiado and Ng’arua in Laikipia counties. In
addition, two focus group discussions were administered with the respondents of
the two Maarifa centres. Key informants included directors and programme
coordinators of Maarifa centres and government agencies who provide
infrastructural support to the telecentre project. This study was informed by the
Department for International Development’s (DFID’s) theoretical framework
namely: the ‘Sustainable Livelihoods Approach’ (SLA) framework. The findings of
this study suggest that Maarifa centres are points of Arid Lands Information Networks (ALINs) engagement with communities living in ASALs. People
appreciate Maarifa centres as places to access information, acquire ICT skills, and
improve livelihood activities such as agriculture and businesses and for social
communication. The challenges are mainly infrastructural such as poor
connectivity and Internet access. This study revealed that Maarifa centres have
solved most of the community’s information related challenges through egovernment services, e-commerce and agricultural development and knowledge
creation, resulting in improved livelihoods. The study contributes to knowledge
because it adopts a community-centred approach that focuses on the views of
users of Maarifa centres.
Description
Peer reviewed article published under Inkanyiso journal, Volume 11 Number 1, p.50 - 68, November 2019.
Keywords
Telecentres, Maarifa centres, Information services, Rural communities, Arid lands, Economic development
Citation
Chege, C.W., Kiplang’at, J. and Rotich, D.C., 2019. Information services provided by Maarifa Telecentres to rural communities in ASALs in Kenya. Inkanyiso, 11(1), pp.50-68.