The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Government of Finland have announced the third Technology in Government in Africa (TIGA) Awards for 2011. These awards recognise African governments’ effective use of ICTs for public services. One of the awards – in the category on Improved Educational Services Through the Use of ICTs – is organised jointly with the eLearning Africa Conference and Scholarship Trust.
The competition for the Technology in Government Awards (TIGA) 2011, organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and supported by the Government of Finland, has opened.
The awards are presented to African governments and institutions based on the continent that are engaged in initiating, developing and implementing ICTs for public service, thereby contributing to the development of the Information Society in Africa.
The aim of the TIGA awards is to raise awareness for the role of ICTs in public services and for the development process within the framework of the African Information Society Initiative (AISI).
In 2009, twelve innovative projects from ten African countries have won the TIGA awards, for example the “Women Healthcare Mobile Unit Project” of the Ministry of Communication and IT of Egypt which provided educational resources and tools to radiologists, radiographers, surgeons and other health professionals in managing breast cancer. Botswana’s Ministry of Communications, Science and Technology was rewarded for its “Connecting Communities – Kitsong Centre” project which enables rural communities gain access to eServices and develop an ICT culture.
Launched in 2007, this pioneering African programme publicly recognises innovation, excellence and leadership in Africa’s public sector eGovernment development and its deployment. It is currently acknowledged as an honour to be nominated for the TIGA Awards, and a significant career achievement for team members to be selected as award winners.
The inaugural TIGA Awards recognised twelve innovative projects from nine countries, while the second, which was organised in 2009, singled out innovative projects from ten countries in recognition of achievements that led to changes in the use of ICTs in government service provision.
The TIGA Awards is a biennial event. Further information about categories as well as terms and conditions for entering the competition is available at www.uneca.org/tiga.
Receiving this prestigious TIGA Award recognizing the impact and importance of the Speaking Book is a great honor for all of us, and not to forget all our sponsors that support this low literacy program enabling disadvantage communities throughout Africa to receive and understand critical health care education.