Connecting Yambio to the World

To the west of Kenya and Uganda and just north of the Democratic Republic of the Congo sits Yambio, the capitol of Western Equitoria State in Sudan. While being the centre of commerce and government for this state, which will become part of the new Republic of Southern Sudan should the 2011 referendum pass, it has no landline phones, no central electrical power and few amenities.

As of June, however, they have a thriving internet café and computer training centre. The project, MIKESE Internet Café, has received micro financing from four members of Delta Partnership. While doing NGO work in Southern Sudan last year, Ken Ideus, co-director of Delta Partnership, met an enterprising young official from Yambio, who with his brothers had a dream of connecting Yambio to the world. Ken first agreed to help them form a vision and business concept, then coached them through the development of a business plan.

Having a business plan and a clear picture of what they wanted, the Moudie brothers came to Ken to help organise financing for the project. Realising that funding would be next to impossible to obtain, Ken and his wife Carolina agreed to be their financeers. Upon hearing about the project, two other Delta members, Lyn Richards and Derek Minor offered to put up funds for the project as well. This was not set up as a charity however. Before funding was distributed, revised business, construction, technical, accounting and banking plans had to be submitted. The Moudies along with a local technical advisor, born in Sudan then trained at Greenwich Univeristy, met all the requirements.

Through no small effort on the part of three young individuals from Southern Sudan, the internet café and training centre was built and opened in early June. Government officials from around the state have visited and praised the project as a very needed and special development for Western Equitoria. Should the project proceed as planned and become fully self funding, the model can be used to build further centres in Southern Sudan. To get one strong success going, however, is the first step.

The project demonstrates that a combination of trust, coaching, business fundamentals and a good cause can go a long way.

Footnote: Ken and Peter Curran will be going back to Southern Sudan later this summer to implement a second phase of the their work there. The second phase was funded by the DFID largely based on the success of their work in 2007.