Centres for Action in Rural Development (CARDERs)

The project aims to strengthen the capacities of women civil servants by helping organise training programmes that teach women how to use computers and the Internet to collect information that could be useful in their work with other rural women.

To undertake this project, the National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin (INRAB) contacted the managers of 6 regional centres to explain the purpose of the project. Each manager then selected 6 women from each centre to participate in the training. In each CARDER home town, a cybercafe was identified to serve as a training venue. These cybercafes were then invited to propose a training programme, based on specifications set by the National Institute of Agricultural Research of Benin's (INRAB)'s Public Relations and Outreach Service (SRVP) to ensure that the 6 courses were comparable. Each programme consisted of basic training in text and data processing using software such as Word and Excel, and a course in the use of the Internet as a communication and research tool.

Women, Gender, Technology.

Organisers indicate that, "In Benin, access to Information Communications Communication (ICTs) is still rather unequal, and many information and communication services remain inaccessible to women, especially those living and working in rural areas."

"At the end of the course, the 36 participants were required to perform a test, which all of them passed. Each of them now has an electronic mailbox so that they can send and receive email messages, they can surf and search the Internet, and they can prepare documents and use spreadsheets. The participants were generally very satisfied with the training programmes, and recommended that follow-up courses be organised to enable them to keep abreast of technological developments."