Digital Villages

Digital Villages are e-centres that provide a suite of services to the public via computers connected to the internet, digital cameras, printers, fax machines and other communication infrastructure. These services include e-government services, banking and communication services, e-learning among others.
 
Kenya ICT board will ensure that the people living around the digital villages fully understand how and why they should take advantage of the services available. In this way, the Digital villages will this become a relevant and essential part of their daily lives, adding value and creating opportunities. It is expected that this will result in wealth creation, employment and poverty reduction.

Pasha Centers

Pasha centers provide a suite of services to the public via computers connected to the internet.
Who runs and owns the Pasha e-centres?

The Pasha Centers are run by private entrepreneurs who shall go through the training program which will be funded by Kenya ICT Board as advertised in the dailies on 2nd and 4th of April 2008. Prospective entrepreneurs who have undergone training will be eligible to apply for a Pasha development loan from a revolving fund set up by the Board.

The Pasha Centre support will focus on four main activity areas:

1. Training
2. Technical Support 
3. Bandwidth Capacity Support
4. Pasha e-centre Revolving Fund (soft loan)

The role of the Pasha Centres

The role of the PASHA Centres will include;
To provide Kenyans in rural areas with access to information. This will serve:

• To enhance information as communities shall be exposed news and trends that may positively impact their lives.

• Provide employment for Kenyans both directly through economic activity that the centre will generate and secondarily through the opportunities that the information will provide.

• Enhance provision of government services. Kenyans will be able to access government services such as NSSF statements, driving license application forms, police extracts among others, from the Pasha Centers.

The Pasha Centers models:

• Basic
• Standard
• Advanced

These are ratings that will be given to Pasha Centers with reference to the number of services that they will provide.

Capacity/Training Programs

The capacity development program is structured to ensure prospective entrepreneurs will attain relevant and applicable skills for business success.  The course content will cover the following modules as a minimum;

• Self – employment as a viable option
• Characteristics of a successful entrepreneur
• Stages of business creation
• Why some business fail
• Legal aspects of business creation
• Record/Book keeping in small businesses
• Sources of business finances
• How to start and successfully manage small businesses
• Basic computer training.

Technical Support

Over the first three (3) years the project will support the provision of technical and maintenance support to Pasha Centers. 

Bandwidth Capacity Support
This support will be provided for the initial 12 months to ensure sufficient internet connectivity at affordable rates.

Pasha Centers Revolving Fund
The funds allocated to each entrepreneur will be repayable over a three (3) year period. These repayable funds received by the entrepreneurs will be used to finance set-up costs and the required infrastructure (computers, printers, software etc).