US Agency of International Development (USAID), Leland Initiative Program: E-Learning

USAID's Leland Initiative awarded IBEX USA a contract to provide e-learning solutions to 6 different universities in 5 African countries (Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria). The effort consisted of installing Sun Systems networks and associated workstations. This effort takes advantage of the African Virtual Open Initiatives and Resources (AVOIR) project, whose purpose was to unify software developers, educational specialists and others in Africa in order to produce educational software while providing software design, development, and support capability to the higher education sector.

The AVOIR Program provides Sun Microsystems at greatly reduced prices.  IBEX installed, tested, and verified these systems and provided Sun Systems training to the staff of the following Universities:

• Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda
• University of Dar es Salaam in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
• University of Jos in Plateau State, Jos, Nigeria
• University of JKUAT in Nairobi, Kenya
• Uganda Martyrs University in Kampala, Uganda
• Edulane University in Maputo, Mozambique

To enhance capacity at these universities, IBEX offered the following services:

• Provided the capability to develop e-learning applications based on the KEWL.NextGen open source application development system, which was designed by The University of Western Cape, in South Africa.
• Provided Sun Microsystems Computer infrastructure upon which to develop and run the applications.
• Installation services for the Sun Systems hardware, operating systems and the application (with assistance from the University of Western Cape).
• Provided initial Sun Systems training.
• Provided support for the hardware, operating system. and applications.

US Agency for International Development (USAID): Mali Health Program

This program involves several varieties of communication and Information technology (IT) equipment and hardware services (computer equipment procurement network design, hardware installation, cabling, telephone system installation etc.)

US Agency for International Development (USAID)/ Academy for Educational Development (AED): Satellite Internet Connection

The use of this program will help to provide access to ICTs by those within the education sector.This will help to provide any one or more of the following capabilities:

• Supporting teacher professional development through computer-mediated networks that facilitate tele-collaboration.
• Developing networks that promote student collaboration both within their country and with students abroad.
• Using computers in classrooms for online access to the latest textbooks and teaching materials.
• Developing education management information systems (EMIS) to improve the administration of the education setting.
• IBEX Provided the planning, Network design and installation for Satellite high speed internet connection to 10 rural communities learning information centers (CLIC) in Mali.

US State Department/TSS/ EDDI: LAN/Distance Learning

In a project entailing both hardware and software, IBEX provided planning, analysis and design for a distance learning applications network (ISP Computer Lab) for the US Department of State. In this program, IBEX planned, designed and implemented an ISP Computer Lab, cabled the facility, and installed all the hardware (including LAN and WAN) and the software, into a Windows 2000 Server-based system. The system, as configured, was then fully tested, both hardware and software, by IBEX, and configured into the Distance Learning Lab, via the installation of the learning programs applications software.

The benefits of this program should help to provide access to ICTs by those within the education sector, and assist in the following activities:

• Supporting teacher professional development through computer-mediated networks that facilitate tele-collaboration.
• Developing networks that promote student collaboration both within their country and with students abroad.
• Using technology to break down entrenched rote based teaching practices and to support educational reform towards more student centered learning.
• Developing education management information systems (EMIS) to improve the administration of the education setting.

IBEX initiated the WARP project to provide for design, installation and training for a computer system, in the African nation of Burkina Faso. This system is comprised of Sun systems Servers and workstations. In this program, IBEX also provided and installed an accounting package called SunSystems, for the purpose of managing resources.

It is hoped that there will be an enhancement of ICT capacities and capabilities within the country of implementation (Burkina Faso). The advantages from having the augmented IT and communication capabilities are expected to be used to advantage by those having access to the equipment and software. Second, by providing these various systems, access from the under-served populations is expected to improve.

Also in the WARP program, implemented for USAID, IBEX initiated the AGRIMED project to provide a Web-Enabled Wide Area Network (WAN) to the African nation of NIGER. This allows the nation of NIGER to share information from the countries of MALI and BURKINA FASO.

Through the use of this program, we hoped to develop enhance institutional and individual ICT capacities through the provision and sharing of information among those who use the program.

European Union Private Satellite Network Program: Voice and Data Traffic Project

In the European Union Private Satellite Network Program, implemented for the European Union, the contractor PSI-SYS, Inc. awarded a service subcontract to IBEX, to provide site surveys, cutovers and installation, support and training as called upon, for thirty-five sites earth stations, for voice and data traffic throughout Africa on the Equant private network, using technical, training and managerial professionals from both the US and Africa. Via these systems, IBEX provided the capability for voice communication over the Internet utilizing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). In this program, IBEX has overcome such obstacles as arranging import of the equipment, obtaining telephone lines and interfacing with disparate target user groups.

Through the use of this program, we were able to help in satisfying, for the European Union, the conditions put forth in the USAID goal of providing ICT access, in particular, to Under-Served Populations.

IBEX was tasked with providing for Telecommunication and Broadband services for the country of Mali. In 1999 IBEX was contracted by SOTELMA to provide a turn-key telecommunication system for four remote locations in MALI; a task which offered rural telephony via satellite, implemented using Voice-Over-IP (VoIP) technology. IBEX’s engineering team designed the satellite network, provided project management and conducted site surveys throughout the country, and then installed and configured the entire network, utilizing solar energy systems to power the remote network locations. IBEX also managed site excavation and battery room construction and performed the installation and system diagnostics and testing.

Through the use of this program, we were able to help in satisfying, for the Government of MALI, conditions put forth in the UASID goal of providing ICT access, in particular, to Under-Served Populations.

IBEX was awarded a contract from USAID MALI Office of Accelerated Economic growth, to provided high speed internet services to the University of Mali agriculture faculty located 45 miles from Bamako the capitol city where the faculty has four different research laboratories (Biotechnology, Forestry, animal reproduction, seed development ).

IBEX Provided the planning, Network design and installation for Satellite high speed internet connections for the entire university campus, using wireless LAN technology.

Through the use of this program, the gains expected are those of fostering ICT access and of developing institutional and individual ICT capacity, and if possible, promoting the development of innovative ICT applications, particularly within the fields of agriculture, education, environment and the like.