"L’ordinateur et le djembé - Entre rêves et réalités / The Computer and the Jembe - Between Dreams and Realities"

This essay on African ownership and application of new ICTs is a great example of local content production in Burkina Faso. Focusing on daily-life analyses and stories on the impact of ICTs in Africa in general and Burkina Faso in particular, the theme of the book, and also its lively style, make it a fresh and entertaining read. From his considerable university and field experience, Sylvestre Ouedraogo questions the appropriateness of ICTs to the current African context. Intellectual with a good sense of humour, Ouedraogo advocates for a sensible mix of tradition and modernity in Africa. We believe this collection of essays and stories may have a positive impact in Burkina Faso, but also in the international discourse on the ’digital divide’ and the relationship between communication and development.

Publication of the book in French/English has been supported by IICD (the International Institute for Communication and Development) in The Hague, The Netherlands.

The original idea was for this book to be disseminated at the WSIS. 150 copies have been distributed at the Summit, after the official promotion of the book, which happened on 10 December at the BDO Village. However, this book serves more than the WSIS purposes : it is a challenge to all those involved in ICT enabled development in countries which are still traditional, rural and yet faced with new technologies.

The book can be ordered at l’Harmattan, 5-7 rue de l’École-Polytechnique, 75005 Paris, and costs 22 EUR (+ shipping costs ?). For any questions, please refer to information@iicd.org

Sources : http://www.iconnect-online.org