Photo: Heidi Attwood (2008)
“The business is where it is now because of CLIQ” (NkuluF24).
“I learn the knowledge about how to run a business. They were not providing us only with the knowledge of the computer” (NonkuF26).
During the final IIDI, participants who managed to start or improve their small business noted how inputs on small business during phase 2 training,
helped them. NkuluF24 saved money by starting to do her cooperative’s monthly reports herself, instead of paying someone else to do it. She felt that CLIQ’s business training also
“opened her mind for her business” because she learnt about managing and marketing her business. Inputs and discussion guided by the trainer on competition and choice of business, together with goal-setting activities led MankeM24 to change his business goal from starting a lodge, to starting a construction company, after he reflected on services already available locally. Box 7-4 details how small business training helped MthembeniM28 to transform his tiling business.
NonkuF26 ran a small business selling cool-drink and vegetables from home. With the money she got from temporary work in the community (partly accessed because she was a CLIQ participant) she managed to expand her business, to sell a wider range of foodstuffs.
Nonku’s quote illustrates CLIQ intervention provided more than just an opportunity to learn ICT skills; it made the ICT skills that they did learn, relevant to their lives i.e. ICTs as tools to assist human
development.
Box 7-4: MthembeniM28 (eMpumalanga) Mthembeni had a tiling business when he
joined CLIQ. He used to wait outside tiling stores and follow customers to their car to ask for work. “(The trainer) gave us the skill of running the business by providing skills for typing pamphlets, emailing clients. My business ‘grew up’
because of the skill I received. I am always thinking about CLIQ because in these days many things of life is linked to the computer, if you not using cell-phone, emails, business will not be running smoothly.”
Mthembeni explained how he applied CLIQ’s training on costing: “If I buy the tiles for a customer, I have to calculate the money I used, and my time, before I charge that customer, I can’t charge without calculating”. He also applied business training to the calculation of payment for workers. He has expanded his customer base to include people outside of his area, as he is able to keep in contact with them through email. Because of CLIQ, he made pamphlets with all his information on it, which he would leave near the cashier at tile stores. By 2010, he employed six people and bought tiling equipment.
“If you don’t know something, ask the computer!” (NganeM24).
“Internet helped me to look at clothes at Foshini and look for lower prices at Shoprite trading stores” (SliF30).
Information from the internet:
As expected, participants who learnt to use
computers and the internet in particular, accessed
specific information that was useful to them. NikiweM34, a member of the local policing forum and self-described family-man, searched for information that fitted with his sense of self and role in the community. “I learnt more about our area and find the latest news, development and job opportunities” (NikiweM34). While ShellyF32 used computers to search for job opportunities, she also used it for reading the newspaper as she liked to know what was happening around the world. In particular, she enjoyed viewing images of art and people.
A number of eMpumalanga participants noted that to get a newspaper, they have to travel to Manguzi, costing R60 return. Many participants started reading Isolezwe (a popular SA newspaper) on-line, which saved them money and travel time. In eNingizimu, where newspapers were readily available, many participants opted to read newspapers online, also citing reasons of saving money and travel time. Only one case (from eNingizimu) was found where CLIQ contributed to a family member’s income, namely that of S’boF52, who found a job opportunity for her daughter on the internet. SonkeF22 found a job for herself
volunteering at a local hospital (which paid a stipend) through information searches on the internet. MinenhleF33’s life improved mainly because she was able secure funding to start an orphan project. CLIQ did not contribute to setting up the project, but she did use the internet to search for information on orphan care which assisted her project. She notes that her access to money has not increased but that she is happier doing the orphan project.
Participants who become comfortable using the internet, accessed a wide range of information relating to their personal circumstances, such as SliF30 who used it to look for jobs, for information for her sewing
co-operative, to investigate and register for tertiary education, and for more shopping. By searching the internet participants found out about different aspects of the world beyond their geographical area, bringing new ideas and happiness.
“I was always at home doing nothing – didn’t know much about life in general, but when CLIQ came along it opened another world in my life and I gained more knowledge about things that I never thought I would know, in the computer”
(KhethaF21).
“...the information I got from the internet was not useful at all because the websites had jobs for educated people. It was hard for me to find a website that suited me and had the kind of job that I qualified for” (MabasoM23).
“I never imagined that a small thing like a computer can make a world look so small.
Before CLIQ I only knew that computers were not for people like me who are from a poor family. I did not have a positive thing about computers – they were only for people who studied at tertiary places or for richer people, so I never bothered myself about computers. I didn’t know what it could do… Now I see it as something that can change the life of a person as long as he is given the relevant information” (MbonaM22).
Some did not find the information they were looking for. MabasoM23 was despondent after searching for jobs on-line. He found that he did not qualify for the advertised jobs. However, this is not limited to
job searching via the internet as
DarshinM25 also noted discouragement from searching for jobs in newspapers, also because he did not qualify for the posts advertised.
An open mind: The experience of searching for information on the web in the context of the project process, led to participants gaining more than information.
MbonaM22, who was a soccer player and wanted his own club one day, searched for soccer information on the web. His comment from 2010 reflects his access to information as empowering and contributing to his
questioning of the way poorer people experience the world, compared to richer people. JabuF20 (who wants to study nature conservation) regarded the internet as the most important thing to learn on the
computer “because you can read about what is
happening around the world”. Khetha’s quote provides a sense of how a number of participants conceptualised their increased general knowledge as an opening of the mind.
Together, changes in self-perception; knowledge alternative sources of information; the extent of
information available; and skills to use digital sources of information as a result of CLIQ engagement, empowered some participants in a manner akin to conscientisation and a rights-based approach to ICT.
Box 7-5: JabulisiweF22 (eNtshonalanga, 2009)
Jabulisiwe noted no change in her well- being. Her time was spent doing domestic chores, including fetching water from the river and playing netball. After her chores and sport, she would read the dictionary to learn new words. She did not have money for further study and had applied for jobs using her CV but was not successful. In 2009, she had hope for a better life: “After having the computer certificate I will be empowered with different information.”
Unfortunately Jabulisiwe did not attend CLIQ computer training, and we were unable to contact her for the final-QLA.
.
FET and hunger for knowledge and skills:
It was common for participants to include further study as part of their goals. Participants appeared hungry for further knowledge, but most (like Jabulisiwe, see Box 7-5) did not have the money to further their studies. JikileF23’s story is similar – she reads her siblings’ schoolbooks for knowledge, but wanted to study catering. Jikile had to return home from Durban where she was looking for work, because her mother was too ill to look after Jikile’s child. Both Jikile and Jabulisiwe did not return for the much-delayed phase 1 training or
the final-QLA. These examples of young women from the very rural area of eNtshonalanga, give insight into how under-resourced, yet motivated some participants were (and here I refer to reading the dictionary) to be educated. The feeling from MusaM21’s story is quite different (see Box 7-6). He found numerous avenues to further his well-being, through engaging with CLIQ and visibly grew in confidence over the two years.
Differences to note though, between the stories of Jikile and Jabulisiwe, and Musa’s story are that their different genders, and the different quality of the CLIQ process in eMpumalanga compared to eNtshonalanga (see Table 6-3, p154). The example of
SynthiaF21 (see Box 7-8) from eNingizimu also contrasts that of Jikile and Jabulisiwe (from eNtshonalanga). Differences in the density of human settlement, available infrastructure (including transport and satellite coverage), and the social norms between rural
Box 7-6: MusaM21 (eMpumalanga) Computer use was vital in facilitating Musa’s study. He searched the internet for information on Durban to see if it was a place where he wanted to stay while studying, as this would influence which institution he chose to study through.
Persevering with efforts to find a scholarship (after no initial success), his use of the internet between the mid and final-QLAs, helped him secure a bursary. Musa also made use of his free hours to type his assignments and to communicate with lecturers and students via email.
When away from eMpumalanga, he used internet cafés.