Internet Access and Training Program (IATP)

Technology Tools for Civil Society

IATP provides civil society organizations, government agencies, small business owners, and NGOs with essential technology tools. These tools allow them to better reach and serve their constituents. IATP assistance and collaboration increases the effectiveness of local initiatives, expanding their impact and enhancing community development. Some highlights include:

Georgian Government Officials Respond to Humanitarian Needs through Online Forum

Tea Gogishvili is a young woman from Gori, Georgia, who lost her husband and child during the Russian-Georgian war. Before an IATP-sponsored online forum concerning the needs of Georgian citizens, she had received no government assistance. After sharing her story with the other online forum participants, however, the Georgian government was able to rapidly respond to her basic needs. The forum brought together state officials, NGO leaders, and almost 40 concerned Georgian citizens, including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). IDPs used the event to advocate for better conditions and learn more about available humanitarian assistance. The event, which took place from September 15-19, included Georgia’s Minister for Reintegration Temur Iakobashvili, Justice and Freedom Association Director Irakli Sesiashvili, Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF) Director Tamar Kaldani, and Ministry of Refugees and Displacement representative Mariana Nanobashvili.

georgia center

The online discussion (http://forum.iatp.ge) allowed forum participants to hear the guest experts’ opinions on the recent conflict, question NGO leaders on their plans for supporting IDPs, and report on those currently housed in Tbilisi shelters. For example, villagers from Tirzvnisi and Eredvi raised the issue of refugees being subjectively charged for using public transportation. Nanobashvili assured them that traveling by the metro and other public means were still free of charge for IDPs. In response to a question from an IDP from Tirzvnisi Ketino Kebadze about government plans to help those made homeless by the war, Nanobashvili said, “The government intends to restore every ruined building and meet the urgent needs of families.”

The online forum also provided an opportunity for the Ministries to explain some of the problems and considerations surrounding humanitarian aid provision. After a group of IDPs temporarily housed in the Tbilisi Kindergarten #39 building complained about unsatisfactory living conditions, a Ministry of Refugees and Displacement representative visited to investigate the problem. Upon learning that the complaint stemmed from the type of foodstuffs available, the official ordered more diversified food deliveries to the shelter.

This forum was one of the 30 online forums hosted by IATP in Georgia since 2007. The event yielded 1,347 viewers, 57 postings and over 40 participants.

Government Agencies Go Online, E-Initiatives Increase Local Government Responsiveness

Following IATP-sponsored training, state organizations in Tajikistan have created and launched websites in order to keep citizens informed about their work. In Ukraine, public servants are utilizing technical training and information access to develop their institutions and engage in activities which better serve their community. Highlights from these countries include:

The Committee for Youth, Sports and Tourism (CYST) in Tajikistan launched its official website (http://www.kjvs.freenet.tj/), which contains information about the committee’s structure, state programs and grants, international cooperation, and sports news. The website is the result of IATP-sponsored web design training, completed by five members of the committee’s staff in fall 2007. The CYST intends to make ongoing improvements to its e-government initiatives. “We will not stop in this [progress] and in the future we will try to improve the website, add more useful information, and get in touch with youth from foreign countries,” remarked Hasan Yorov, head of the committee’s information center.

Panjikent City Administration’s Architecture Department (PCAAD) went online (http://www.arkhitektura.freenet.tj) after staff completed Web design training at the IATP center in Panjikent, Tajikistan. The website contains information about department regulations, staff, activities, and achievements. Chief architect Ruziboy Mahmudov stated, “The website will enable us to disseminate information about our department, new projects, and recent news, and thus, I hope, attract foreign investment.”

Representatives from several businesses and NGOs, including DRIAST, Lola Farming, Business Partner Company, IQCSAST, Gender Education Center and NFAT, attended specialized mobile training courses at the Dushanbe, Tajikistan IATP center where they learned how to update and improve the quality of their websites.

Following IATP Web design training and incorporating the recommendations of local stakeholders, the new website of the Nadvirna District Council (http://www.msnad.if.ua/), was presented to the public in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. As an interactive website, local communities and guests can now communicate with government officials online. Citizens can also submit comments and online forms. The council plans to add an online discussion component. Prior to the launch, six government officials and three system administrators learned a variety of computer skills during an eight-part IATP training course conducted from April to October 2007.

The creation of the website was a collaborative process: Igor Serediuk, Deputy Head of the Nadvirna District Council, initiated the training. During the website design phase, trainees discussed content with stakeholders such as Volodymyr Ivanchuk, Head of the District Council, who suggested that the site include information on other governing bodies such as city and township councils. The regularly updated site contains information on the local self-governance development plan, district council resolutions, and links to the cities and towns of Nadvirna district.

Because of a collaboration between the IATP center in Zhytomyr, Ukraine, and UNDP’s Municipal Governance and Sustainable Development Programme (MGSDP), 15 government officials from the Zhytomyr region improved their institutions’ websites. These enhancements will allow involve and inform clients and constituents about the Programme’s work. With the support of MGSDP, IATP Site Administrator Anatoliy Kovtoniuk and IATP Volunteer Andriy Morozov trained officials from the Zhytomyr and Novograd-Volynskyy city councils to administer, edit, and update the existing websites of the city councils in Zhytomyr (http://zt-rada.gov.ua/) and Novograd-Volynskyy (http://novograd.org.ua/). MGSDP began operations in Ukraine in April 2004, seeking to promote democratic governance and improve the quality of urban life in Ukraine.

Ukrainian Doctor brings International Standards to her Hospital

Vinnytsia, Ukraine’s Doctor Hanna Oliynyk is Chief hematologist of the Vinnytsia Department of Health and head of the Vinnytsia Regional Hospital. After attending several professional development conferences in Europe, she is now implementing the latest treatment methods for her patients and improving patient care. An active IATP user, Oliynyk learned about these opportunities after employing IATP training and resources to access information on the latest medical techniques and conferences.

As a result of her extensive training in Europe, Oliynyk has introduced new methods and medications for the treatment of blood disorders that comply with international standards. The new treatment resulted in increased treatment effectiveness and improved patient recovery. Oliynyk shares her expertise widely among her students and hospital colleagues, at regional and national conferences in Ukraine, and through the local medical journal. “I am proud that Ukrainians get the same treatment for blood diseases as the patients in Europe and the US,” remarked Oliynyk.

Through English-language online resources, Oliynyk learned about European training programs for medical professionals. Also, together with her colleague, another IATP trainee, she was invited to bring five doctors from her department to share their hematology experience at medical training conferences in Florence, Italy, and Brussels, Belgium. In addition to these accomplishments, Oliynyk also represented Ukraine in 2006 at the International Medical Workshop in Salzburg, Austria – the second time in 12 years that a doctor from Vinnytsia was selected to represent Ukraine to the 43 participating countries at the workshop.

Oliynyk underwent extensive IATP training in preparation for a study tour in the United States on HIV/AIDS prevention in September 2003. During her visit, she observed how ICT opens new doors for doctors’ professional development. Oliynyk is also a graduate of a two-year English language course that allowed her to leverage her ICT skills in accessing additional online resources on new diagnostic and treatment methods. Thanks to her ICT and English-language skills, Oliynyk discovered opportunities to involve her hematology department in international research and exchange programs, broadening their knowledge and improve their standards of care. Upon her return to Vinnytsia from Brussels, Doctor Oliynyk remarked “We plan to continue our cooperation with IATP to further develop professional expertise, improve our IT skills, and communicate with colleagues from other countries.”

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