UN Volunteers Partnership Includes ICT Volunteering for Niger

UN Volunteers Partnership Includes ICT Volunteering for Niger - July 2003

The French association Congé Solidaire and the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) have launched their first mission in Niger under a new joint initiative to field technical experts with enterprises in developing countries.

Under the accord, employees of French corporations are able to participate in missions identified by UNV and offer services free of charge during their annual leave. On this first mission, volunteer Catherine Chevalier from France Telecom Longue Distance will evaluate and update information systems at the main hospital in Niger's capital, Niamey, from 21 July to 4 August. Ms. Chevalier will also train staff members in the more efficient use of the software.

"The hospital suffers from a lack of information specialists," said its director, Dr. Sabou Ibrahim. "After several years of use, the programmes are out of date and need to be adapted to new uses and the financial management of the institution."

The Congé Solidaire-UNV mission is part of a comprehensive hospital reform programme covering all management, equipment and personnel issues which was initiated in early 2003 at the request of the Ministry of Health and with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

"These reform measures will allow the hospital to fulfill its mission as the country's central referral hospital and assume its place within the current context of evolving health technology," Dr. Ibrahim said. "Such assistance is necessary and should be seen as a process encouraging technical training of national health specialists."

The United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS), hosted by UNV, supports onsite ICT volunteers working in development and promotes volunteer involvement as a fundamental element of successful ICT4D initiatives. The UNITeS web site features updates about volunteers -- mostly from UNV, but often from other organizations as well -- engaging in ICT4D activities.

For more information:

Official press release