Subject: the KnowNet Initiative!

Over the last week, "KnowNet" has been inundated with queries, some very
encouraging feedbacks and offers of collaboration and remote
volunteering. It has been really motivating to find people finding the
products and services launched by KnowNet- namely KnowNet Weaver,
http://www.knownetweaver.org and TechKnowNet, http://www.techknownet.org
to be of interest and value.

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KnowNet Weaver Update (http://www.knownetweaver.org)

KnowNet Weaver is basically a Tool Kit for Communities, Non-Governmental
Organisations and Individuals to host local knowledge on the Information
Superhighway using freeware of shareware available on the net. It is
becoming a very popular site and we are getting around 135 hits a day.

This week we have added three more free software descriptions- Western
Languages Translation, Indian Languages Translation and an Email-to-Web
service.

It would be great if you could suggest resources which need to be added
to this database. The only criteria is that the software resources
should be available to the end user at ZERO Cost!

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TechKnowNet Update (http://www.techknownet.org)

"TechKnow" is a remote website designing course for individuals,
organisations and communities working towards sustainable development.
Under TechKnow, remote help is provided through emails to enable
organisations and individuals to design their websites absolutely
free-of-cost.

This week, we have made the Module 2 of TechKnowNet online and it will
teach almost 75% of entire website designing. Module 1 has already been
online and a lot of people have taken benefit of it.

Around 30 organisations and communities have signed up to take this
course through email and many more have benefited through direct website
course administration. The response has been very high from the African
Continent and KnowNet would be happy to help all of those who signed up.
SO KEEP THOSE MAILS COMING, WE CAN HANDLE THEM!

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KnowNet Initiative Update (http://www.knownet.org - coming up very
soon!)

Over time, the basic concept of KnowNet as it is emerging is three fold:

1. Recognising, valuing and giving SPACE on Information Superhighway to
the knowledge existing within the local communities and organisations.

This is to be done by helping communities/organisations host local
content on the web in a comprehensible format and sensitising people
about the local and global value of the knowledge possessed by them.

To do this, requires creation and dissemination of simple, yet effect
technologies to enable communities to upload the information they
possess. (Such as through local language based KnowNet Weaver Kits) And
through development of human capacities to manage the information on the
internet. Setting up of Intermediary organisations (even virtual ones!)
can play a strategic role in capacity development through remote
expertise administration for information management. (TechKnowNet is one
of the tools developed to fill up this need to some extent.)


2. Leveraging and advancing the mutual knowledge of people.

This is to be done by providing value addition to the local knowledge
through its  amalgamation with the existent knowledge pool and
databases, by opening a two-way channel for hosting and extracting of
knowledge.

A number of international, national and state-level organisations can
play a significant role in enriching the local knowledge by pro-actively
absorbing it and then coming out with empirical learnings which are
valid in different situations and conditions.

To do this, all the information being hosted by the local communities
needs to find a wider audience both within themselves and in the
external sphere which include research, academic and government bodies.
This would re-affirm the belief in locally existing knowledge, enrich
its value and would make it continously evolve with changing times.


3. Using Knowledge for catalysing the process of sustainable human
development.

This is to be done through using ICT and Knowledge for creation of
livelihood opportunities, holding power-bearers more accountable to
people, ensuring financial disciplines, impacting the local governance
processes etc.

What is required is fostering of innovative models - simple to complex;
based on mere transfer of information from private to public domain to
creation of strong virtual communities;  from mere information-seeking
models to employment generation and governance models; and the
opportunities are boundless...

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TechKnow Initiative is still building up and we are in the process of
setting up of decentralised virtual nodes.

We would really welcome VOLUNTEERS FOR THIS INITIATIVE who can customise
the broad initiatives of KnowNet.

And it will not be a very far-fetched vision to create a team of ICT-
volunteers to train one person in each rural village to open up a
two-way communication channel for extracting and hosting information on
the net.

The path ahead is long and there is no shortcut but the difficult way is
also the most beautiful way. Looking forwarding to hearing from you and
your FEEDBACK, SUGGESTIONS and INVOLVEMENT would be greatly welcome.

Regards

Vikas Nath
Innovator
KnowNet Initiative

KnowNet :     http://www.knownetweaver.org
TechKnowNet:  http://www.techknownet.org
email : knownet@knownetweaver.org