Abstract:
For over three decades telecentres have been promoted as a means of reducing
digital exclusion. However, their relevance is inconclusive. In this paper we investigate
how telecentre users empower rural communities in Malawi. We adopt a qualitative
approach and report preliminary findings from users and indirect beneficiaries of one
telecentre. The findings indicate that empowerment effects of telecentres go beyond users.
Specifically, when users use the telecentres, they get empowered and, eventually,
empower other community members by, for example, teaching ICT, sharing knowledge,
and raising awareness of problems and providing solutions within communities, thus
generating collective empowerment. The study further indicates that community
empowerment is influenced by such factors as social connections, self-growth, and
beneficiaries’ willingness to receive help. However, empowerment was also beset with a
series of constraints such as limited resources.
