Project Pillar: Governance

Project cost: N/A

Project Status: ICT Club Active

Documentation:

Needs: We accept financial contributions as well as in-kind donations to expand the scope of this project tin Ghana.

Support Project

Location: Winneba, Ghana

Background: With the help of the OneVillage Foundation Ghana, on September 27th, the, Winneba Linux Users Group (WILUG), the third tertiary LUG in Ghana, was launched. Kafui Prebbie, the head of this project and the administrator of the ICT Center at the University of Education (the primary Un iversity for teachers in Ghana), has gathered a critical mass of 15 students to start this chapter. At the WILUG launch, 4-5 thin clients, provided courtesy of Linux Africa User Group (LAUG) were used to demonstrate how Linux powered servers can power many thin clients cheaply and reliably.

Mission and Vision of WILUG: The Winneba Linux User Group was formed in particular because its founders concluded that Linux along with a whole range of open source solutions provides a powerful antidote to the digital divide that can rapidly address not only technological imbalances between the world's developing and developed regions but also resource and income imbalances.

Rationale and Strategy: We believe that a well thought out FLOSS program can address the digital divide more effectively than would a proprietary Windows based Information Development approach. Because of its location at the University of Education Winneba Ghana, teachers when they graduate from the University can take Linux and open source solutions to the rest of the country. WILUG will lead to the establishment of a full service multipurpose learning and small business incubation center promoting best practices relevant to local needs.

Program Design: WILUG seeks to promote a whole range of free/open source solutions. The reasons for this are several; they not only reduce software costs for ICT projects (which is a major consideration particularly in developing countries) but also promote more reliable and dependable systems. WILUG is designed to promote training and education that offers on a practical level superior performing FLOSS and Linux Software. Located at the University of Education Winneba Ghana, members of WILUG after graduating from the University can take Linux and free/libre open source software solutions directly to the rest of the country.