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This is an example press release from Africa Source 2. See the Media Outreach Plan for more information on how to communicate information about the event.

Africa Source II -
Free and Open Source Software for Local Communities
Kalangala, Uganda - Jan 08-Jan 15, 2006

Africa Source II is Africa's premier Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) specialised hands on skills development event focused on the Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) sector. Bringing together over 120 NGO support professionals, staff and software experts, the participants will examine how information technologies and FOSS can strategically impact and build civil society organisations on the continent.

Participants will learn how FOSS can help to increase access to vital information for their communities, along with providing inexpensive and efficient ICT infrastructure in non-profit organizations. They will also have a perfect opportunity to developa deeper understanding of FOSS, explore the challenges and future potential of its applications.

Sessions are expected to focus on:

  • How to help NGO's plan and implement FOSS applications in order to increase their capacity
  • How to use FOSS applications to handle information, publish content using citizen's media tools and engage supporters
  • How FOSS can increase accessibility through localisation, translation into local language and dialects


The workshop shall run from January 8th - 15th 2006 at Pearl Gardens Beach (http://www.pearlgardensbeach.com) located on one of the world's best kept secrets, Kalangala Island in Lake Victoria, Uganda.

Collaboration to organise the content of the workshop is between an unprecedented group of organisations focused on technology use in the NGO sector that work internationally, regionally and locally; The Association for Progressive Communication APC (regional network), Fantsuam Foundation (Nigeria), Schoolnet Africa (regional network), Translate.org.za, WOUGNET (Uganda), Linux Solutions (Uganda), Creative Commons South Africa, Aspiration (US) and The Tactical Technology Collective (the Netherlands). The project partners are committed to examining the challenges of implementing FOSS in the African context, stretching its potential to fit the needs on the ground, and building local capacities to realise this. Local implementation partners are Linux Solutions, WOUGNET and East African Center for Open Source (EACOSS).

Africa Source II is possible thanks to the soppurt from: the Open Society Institute Information Program, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), OSISA - Open Society Initiative for South Africa, Hivos, and InWent.

Previous Source events have taken place in Croatia - September 2003, Namibia - March 2004 and India - February 2005. Future source events will take place in Central Asia and Middle East. These events have been an integral part of a growing global movement on integrating FOSS with civil society organisations in the developing world.

More information & Contact: [contact]

Last edited by: phi
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