Accessplus is working to improve access and use of the Internet and ICTs along the Uganda – South Sudan border communities to enable access to information for informed  decisions making to meet the needs of the border communities and access to services that would normally not be available physically but rather available online. 

Through its activities, AccessPlus is promoting the use of ICTs for purposes of trade, communication, information sharing and promoting peace, cohesion and development among Border communities and enabling access to communities that are generally difficult to reach.

1. Karamoja Sector (Kaabong-Torit Border)
2. Lamwo – Magwi Boder
3. West Nile – Kajokeji and Morobo Border
4. Amuru-Nimule Border

1. Establishment of community Networks along border communities along Uganda and South Sudan.
2. Training on use of Information and communication technologies.
3. Facilitate access to information and accountability among border communities.
4. Promote cross border trade through use of ICTs
5. Promote education in border communities

The overall goal of the project was to promote women’s access and use of ICT in order to build resilience and coping mechanisms to COVID-19 in the fishing and farming community of Oyimai and Katine Parishes in Soroti District. The project will assess the impact of COVID-19 on women livelihood, create awareness and build capacity of women, youth and local government leaders on use of community networks.

The Local Networks (LocNet) initiative, led by APC in partnership with Rhizomatica, is supporting 15 projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America, selected through its 2021 Community Network Grant Programme. The project “Building Women’s Resilience to Improve Adaptation to COVID-19 Using Community Networks (Uganda)“, led by AccessPlus and Tango Consult, is one of the initiatives selected.

AccessPlus provided 10 smartphones to the individual women of the Gwokke-keni community in Patongo. The availability of the phones has made 8 of the 10 women who received the new phones to own phones for the first time, acquired sim cards,  registered for mobile money, and are now able to access the internet. Some of the beneficiaries were students who were excited to get online to understand how people search the internet for educational materials.

Considering the fact that every household has an average of 7 members, the 10 phones given to the 10 families translate to an average of 70 people who are directly and indirectly benefiting from the mobile phones.

We have however, not stopped our efforts to acquire smartphones to support rural women. We welcome donations in the form of smartphones, or cash to purchase them. If interested, you can reach us on admin@accesspluss.org for further guidance.