Centers give Aceh youth access to computers
Centers give Aceh youth access to computers
Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Lhokseumawe, Aceh
The only thing that 14-year-old Erlina knows about computers
are what they look like.
"We could ... draw with them?" the junior high school student
in Syamtalira Aron in North Aceh, said with a puzzled look when
asked what computers could do.
Erlina was surprised to learn that with computers, people
could read news from faraway lands and send letters in a matter
of seconds.
Soon Erlina and her friends will get a chance to click online
and find out more about their favorite actress -- television soap
star Marshanda -- or research their school projects at a
community learning center (CLC). The center was opened at the
Murtadha Mosque by Minister for Communications and Information
Sofyan Djalil last week.
The center is equipped with 10 computers connected through a
server and a dial-up connection for the internet. Three other
CLCs were also opened simultaneously in Matang Kuli, Tanah Luas,
and Lhok Sukon districts in the same regency, sponsored by
Microsoft Indonesia and ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia and
operated by the Pakta foundation.
All of the CLCs are built within or close to mosques, regarded
as the ideal place for new ideas to bloom.
"What the Acehnese lack of is not rice, but information," said
Faizullah, a local Muslim youth leader who heads the CLC in
Matang Kuli. Faizullah admitted to knowing little about the
computers himself before being trained in computers Medan.
"That way, should there be any problem in the future, they can
try to fix the computers themselves," said Syahril Amir, Pakta
foundation's CLC program director.
Although young people, as first-time users, may initially only
use the world wide web to chat or read the news, organizers are
hoping that the centers will contribute more than this.
"We're building a website called 'pustaka tani' (the farmers'
library) which will include data on the weather, agricultural
prices, research and farmer success stories," Syahril said.
As the CLCs are expected to be operate independently within
two years at the latest when they would start charging for
certain services. Internet usage in the "information hour" --
about two hours every afternoon -- would be free of charge, but
night time chatting would eventually cost users some money.
Another expected source of income is videotaping local events
and then disseminating them on the internet. Every center also
gets a video camera along with video editing software. "We have
already received an order for the farewell party of an army
officer here," said Syahril.
The CLCs also plans to train people in Microsoft Office and
other basic programs.
For selected groups, the training will be free of charge, but
others would have to pay.
They will also cater the needs of schools, which are yet to
have such facilities.
Apart from the online resources, there is also a decent
physical library and Erlina says she is happy with the service.
"Our headmaster told us to come here," she said as she flipped
the pages of the book she was reading. "We don't have a library
in our school. I'd like to come here on other days if I could."