By APCNews

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, 25 November 2003

ArabDev is a non-profit based in Cairo, Egypt dedicated to spreading information and communication technology (Source: APC">ICT

) knowledge and skills among poor communities in Egypt, particularly women and youth. ArabDev aims to help these communities find better livelihood opportunities, through improved APC Internet Rights Charter">access to information

and its use in skill development as well as small and micro enterprises.

An initial selection of community-based organisations with an excellent developmental track record were approached by ArabDev to become part of a phase one plan -now completed- that would build the ICT capacities of the community-based organisations that form the SearchTelecom.com">backbone

of the ArabDev initiative. In addition to offering substantial in-kind contributions, each organisation had to dedicate two of its most promising staff members to attend ArabDev training workshops on computer and Source: TechSoup Glossary and GenderIT.org">internet

usage, as well as web development to become the trainers/focal points for their organisations in the ArabDev network. The organisations are based in the various governorates of Egypt - Menia, Assiut, Cairo, Alexandria and Sinai.

ArabDev joined APC in September and was particularly welcomed into APC as our first member from North Africa and an Arab "government" in this glossary). As a general rule, "state" should not be capitalised.

Source: Governance for sustainable human development: A UNDP policy document (Glossary of key terms) and Wikipedia">state

.

(END/2003)