ESCWA I T , E

United Nations
Economic and Social Commission for Western
Asia (ESCWA)
ESCWA INITIATIVE ON
TECHNOLOGY, EMPLOYMENT AND POVERTY
ALLEVIATION (TEPA)
BUSINESS PLAN FOR A
MULTIPURPOSE TECHNOLOGY COMMUNITY CENTER
PILOT PROJECT
Draft version 4.0
Prepared by Wajdi Mattar
June 2003 – Beirut
PREFACE
This business plan aims at promoting multipurpose technology community centres (MTCCs) in ESCWA
member countries. It strives to strengthen the capacity of communities by empowering them to take forward
their own operations and achieve sustainable development. It is one of the first visible outputs of the initiative
launched by ESCWA in collaboration with ILO, namely, the Regional Agenda for Action “Technology,
Employment and Poverty Alleviation” (RATPA).
The business plan seeks to enable local communities in ESCWA member countries to realize their potentials
through:
a. Promoting investment in community facilities and assets;
b. Improving community services and access;
c. Working with local non-profit organization and ESCWA to reduce unemployment and poverty;
d. Securing funds as well as maximizing the return and amount of granted funds;
e. Cooperating with key local partners from private sector to develop local capacities;
f. Bridging the digital divide.
The business plan provides all the elements needed for setting up a pilot MTCC, including an estimated cost for
operating it. The final cost for launching and operating a pilot MTCC depends on the offers and labor cost in the
specific targeted communities. In some cases, it is possible to arrange for special grants as mentioned in footnote
2 on the second page of this document, whereby ESCWA secured from Microsoft free licenses for Tal Abbass
pilot facility.
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CONTENT
I. AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................................1
II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PILOT PROJECT ......................................................................................................3
III. PILOT MTCC SERVICES.................................................................................................................................4
A. BASIC SERVICES ..............................................................................................................................................5
B. EXTENDED SERVICES .......................................................................................................................................6
IV. SELECTED LOCATION AND MARKET .......................................................................................................8
V. THE COMPETITION .........................................................................................................................................9
A. VOCATIONAL TRAINING SCHOOLS ...................................................................................................................9
B. COMMUNITY CENTERS ...................................................................................................................................11
C. INTERNET CAFES ............................................................................................................................................11
VI. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT ....................................................................................................12
A. IMPLEMENTATION PHASE ..............................................................................................................................12
B. OPERATIONAL PHASE ....................................................................................................................................13
C. LEGAL STRUCTURE ........................................................................................................................................14
D. INSURANCE ....................................................................................................................................................15
E. MANAGEMENT ISSUES ...................................................................................................................................15
F. HUMAN RESOURCES .......................................................................................................................................16
VII. FACILITIES, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE LISTS............................................................17
A. FACILITIES .....................................................................................................................................................17
B. FURNITURE ....................................................................................................................................................18
C. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE EQUIPMENT ......................................................................................................18
VIII. FINANCIAL PLANNING ............................................................................................................................20
A. SETUP COST ...................................................................................................................................................20
B. OPERATIONAL COST ......................................................................................................................................22
C. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ....................................................................................................................................22
APPENDIX ............................................................................................................................................................27
APPENDIX A – HIGH LEVEL PROJECT PLAN FOR LAUNCHING ............................................................................27
APPENDIX B – SURVEY OF AKKAR AREA IN NORTH LEBANON .........................................................................29
APPENDIX C – SAMPLE MTCC SCHEDULE ........................................................................................................31
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I. AN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This pilot project is part of the ESCWA Initiative aimed at building and developing member
country capacity to harness new technologies in combating unemployment and poverty (refer to
frame 1).
Frame 1: Summary on the Initiative and the Forum on
Technology, Employment and Poverty Alleviation
The Initiative:
The initiative launched by ESCWA in collaboration with ILO, namely, the Regional
Agenda for Action “Technology, Employment and Poverty Alleviation (RATPA),” aims at
harnessing selected new technologies for employment creation and poverty alleviation. It is
to act as an umbrella to a host of national and regional programmes designed to promote
new technology inputs emphasizing new ICTs, selected biotechnologies and new materials
technologies.
The Forum:
ESCWA held a Forum on “Technology, Employment, and Poverty Alleviation,” in
collaboration with the International Labor Organization (ILO), Beirut, July 16-17, 2002.
The Forum was attended by a group of outstanding scientists, technologists and
economists, including the Nobel Laureate, Professor A. Zewail, together with a large
group of high-level policy and decision makers from the member countries. The Forum
highlighted the need to: formulate a new vision of science, technology, and innovation
(STI), create new institutional forms, promote research and development, and to overhaul
educational systems. The Forum’s recommendations were adopted by a resolution of the
Twenty-Second ESCWA Session, held at the United Nations house in Beirut from 14th to
17th April 2003. In addition to endorsing the need for the above task groups, the
resolution adopted by the Session underlined the need for:
-
-
The establishment of a new institutional framework in ESCWA member
countries, with the focus on centers of excellence, technology parks, technology
incubators and services and productive communities, all supported by high
technology;
The strengthening and coordination of research and development endeavors and
increasing of the amounts allocated thereto in ESCWA member countries;
The development of the national education and vocational training systems, with a
view to eradicating traditional and technological illiteracy.
One line of action adopted by this Initiative seeks to design and launch Multipurpose Technology
Community Centers (MTCCs) targeting the use of selected ICTs and new technologies in
unemployment and poverty reduction in impoverished communities. MTCCs are being planned
and implemented as pilot projects in cooperation with prominent nongovernmental organizations
(NGOs) and local authorities, mainly municipalities.
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Two essential aspects will be addressed in the design and management of intended pilot MTCCs:
(a)
Facilitating access by disadvantaged communities to technologies with a view to
creating gainful employment;
(b)
Helping enterprises achieve higher efficiencies and lower costs as they communicate
with one another and with regulatory authorities, improve their sourcing, and access to
markets; hence enhancing their competitiveness and possibilities for creating new
employment opportunities.
Pilot MTCC projects are conceived as business ventures that do not seek immediate profit. Rather,
the present approach targets sustainable operation, with some possibilities for further expansion,
both in terms of geography and physical presence as well as range of services and facilities
offered.
The present document presents a business plan for a pilot facility to be established in the Akkar
region in North Lebanon. See appendix B for a survey of Akkar area.
Cost sharing will be adopted whenever required to cover the establishment of pilot MTCC and
their running costs. In-kind contributions by local NGOs, ESCWA, and other collaborating
bodies1 will be accounted for prior to execution of the MTCC programme and will be re-evaluated
at its conclusion for auditing purposes and future reference.
With this in mind, requirements for establishing national pilot MTCC facilities will be considered
in this business plan. The proposed plan will provide technical and financial data required by
concerned institutions for the design and management of pilot MTCC projects in the domains
addressed by the programme.
The estimated cost for one MTCC is summarized in figure 1 below.
FIGURE 1: ESTIMATED COST FOR A PILOT MTCC PROJECT IN LEBANON’S AKKAR REGION2
Locally assembled PC with one-year
guarantee
$20,200.00
$3,000.00
Setup cost
Cash as initial working capital
Operational cost
1st year $
23,200.00
2nd year $
24,100.00
3rd year $
24,100.00
Replacement cost of major hardware
at end of 3rd year
6,000.00
Note: Numbers are rounded up to the neasrest hundred
1
Such as municipalities and governments.
The numbers presented could very based on several factors case; for example, ESCWA has secured free Microsoft licenses
for the pilot MTCC to be hosted in Tal Abbass municipality, thus reducing the setup cost by USD 3,924.00.
2
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II. DESCRIPTION OF THE PILOT PROJECT
Multipurpose Technology Community Centers (MTCC) have proven to be an effective
mechanism for empowering individual and for supporting community development. The proposed
MTCC, located in rural areas, will be managed by staff from local communities in cooperation
with national experts to provide various opportunities for community development. Typical
location will be in municipalities and schools. The project’s mission statement is to:
“Provide livelihood benefits to impoverished segments of the population as well as local
enterprises through the various use of new technology inputs including ICTs; the design of the
MTCC will be put forth in such a way that it will eventually become a self-sustainable business
unit.”
Pilot MTCC projects are conceived as business ventures that do not seek immediate profit. Rather,
the present approach targets sustainable operation, with some possibilities for further expansion,
both in terms of geography and physical presence as well as range of services and facilities
offered.
The target markets will be rural areas where similar centers are not present. The final location will
be deduced from the feedback and recommendations of both local non-government organizations
(NGOs) and third party consultants hired from ESCWA to conduct a survey of the designated
area. The location needs to be a focal point serving several other neighboring villages, and an
adequate number of citizens in order to generate profitable operation on the long run (Appendix A
provides a high level project plan). The project will not compete with local firms but rather
provides complementary services. Targeted populations include youth, women, in general and
entrepreneurs.
MTCCs are intended to deliver a wide range of services, this flexibility is required to provide
competitive edge and to capture new opportunities as well as adjust to market changes. Section IV
provides a complete list of services. However, certain basic services are being targeted as core
services in order to improve the learning curve and lower overhead cost. Pilot MTCC services will
include Internet public access, training in secretarial duties, basic computer training and
certification, such as International Computer Driving License (ICDL). Plans are being finalized for
delivery of literacy programmes, basic accounting skills and tele-centers services.
Project Partners
This pilot project is based on a tripartite partnership, involving local NGOs and community civil
servants in order to acquire early ownership and share responsibility for the project’s success. All
parties are expected to allocate financial and/or in-kind contributions. Local NGOs will provide
indigenous insight with regard to local communities needs and advise on the selection of the
project’s location. The three main parties involved for launching this pilot project in the Akkar
region are:
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ESCWA3
The Economic Commission for Western Asia (ECWA) was established by Economic and Social
Council resolution 1818 (LV) of 9 August 1973 as the successor to the United Nations Economic
and Social Office in Beirut (UNESOB). In 1985, the Commission was redesignated the Economic
and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in accordance with Economic and Social
Council resolution 1985/69 of 26 July 1985, in order to acknowledge more fully the social aspect
of the Commission's activities. It is one of the five regional commissions that report to the
Economic and Social Council, the principal organ of the United Nations responsible for
coordinating economic and social activities in the United Nations system.
ESCWA promotes economic and social development through regional and sub-regional
cooperation and integration and serves as the main general economic and social development
forum within the United Nations system for the ESCWA region. It formulates and promotes
development assistance activities and projects commensurate with the needs and priorities of the
region and acts as an executing agency for relevant operational projects. ESCWA coordinates its
activities with those of the major departments/offices of the United Nations at Headquarters and of
specialized agencies and intergovernmental organizations, with a view to avoid duplication and
ensure complementarity, synergy and exchange of information.
Issam Fares Foundation4 (local NGO)
The Fares Foundation is a private, non-profit institution registered under number 117, 15 August
1987, in the Lebanese Ministry of Interior. It acquired “Public Interest Status” through Presidential
Decree #5308, 26 June 1994. It was founded by Issam M. Fares in order to organize his donations
and contributions and ensure their continuity.
The Foundation is active in the fields of human and social development in Lebanon. It pays
particular attention to underprivileged groups, communities, and regions, and includes programs
and services in health, education, humanitarian aid, culture, infrastructure, research, and
conferences. A large part of these activities are prepared and implemented by the staff of the
Foundation. The Foundation also seeks cooperation from other organizations and institutions to
implement these activities.
Local municipalities
This party plays an important role in the operations and future success of the project. It will host
the pilot MTCC project and provide basic services and support for its day-to-day operations. It
will also ensure that the pilot MTCC is open to the community as well as coordinate with other
parties in assigning a suitable manager for the pilot project.
III. PILOT MTCC SERVICES
The pilot MTCC is designed to deliver a wide range of services, this will enhance competitive
edge and help capture new opportunities as well as adjust to market and other changes. The
schedule for delivering these services must respond to community needs, reflect focus areas
determined by this initiative5, and must be realistic in terms of the demands it makes of staff,
space, and budget (refer to appendix C for a sample MTCC schedule). However, basic services
3
4
5
Source: http://www.escwa.org.lb/
Source: http://db.fares.org.lb/profile.asp
Use of technology for unemployment and poverty reduction.
4
need to be identified as core services in order to increase the learning curve and thus lower
overhead cost. All basic services are fee-based services that help to cover expenses for literacy
courses for members of the community. The next paragraphs describe the basic and extended
services for a MTCC.
A. Basic services
The basic services are grouped in three main categories, namely: language and literacy courses,
information technology courses, and office administrative skills courses.
1. Language and literacy courses
a. Literacy programmes:
Teaching literacy (and non-native languages) using computers can be a good solution to further
enhance the learning process. The use of user friendly and intuitive software that relies on icons
and pictures rather than words can be instrumental in designing a hybrid classroom-computer
curriculum. Students undergo orientation on the use of the mouse and very simple language
learning software. After orientation, students are able to continue learning at their own pace and
on their own. With a self-paced yet engaging setup the students are motivated to learn literacy
skills or a new language. This course is for free.
b. Self-paced language courses:
Self-paced language courses using computer-based training allow professionals and literate
people, with minimal computer skills (basic computer training course), to learn a new language
at their own pace. With a few orientation sessions on the software, the trainees are ready to start
learning a new language on their own. The tool focuses on reading, listening, writing, and
speaking skills previously described in the illiteracy training section. Most professionals find it
difficult to attend regular classes and prefer self-paced training.
2. Information technology courses
a. Basic computer training:
Basic computer training as a prerequisite for success with any computer based training. This
course targets literate people that are computer illiterate. Although some parts are similar to the
illiteracy course regarding mouse and keyboard skills, the two courses definitely target different
audiences and run at different paces. The basic computer training gives the minimum skills to
start using a computer and introduces the student to the most important concepts and
applications. This course is one week long and is merely an introductory course.
b. Computer skills certification course
The International Computer Driver’s License (ICDL) is a course and exam that thoroughly
covers these computer skills. The ICDL syllabus is comprehensive and describes the Basic
Business Skills course at a micro-skill level. The ICDL test provides a measurable assessment of
the success rate for this course. Test results provide a way to measure performance of the
trainees as well as the trainers. The test can provide statistics at the micro-skill level. This will
allow center managers to identify sections in courses given by specific trainers that need to be
improved. These skills course can be expanded further with the ICDL advanced modules.
Candidates who successfully pass the ICDL exam receive a recognized certificate as proof for
the acquired computer skills.
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c. Hardware and software support courses
A hardware and software support course can be offered on a regular basis at the community
center. The course will no doubt yield employable skills and build capacity in the community to
promote using technology.
The hardware part of the course would cover issues related to setting up and connecting a
computer, the basic components inside the computer, troubleshooting of hardware problems and
can easily extend to assembling new computers. Assembling parts locally significantly reduces
the cost of the computer. Computer assembly is a demanded skill that can create jobs in the
community.
The software part covers configuring the BIOS, installing and troubleshooting operating system
and applications problems. The trainees are informed of licensing and intellectual property
issues, and are taught to respect them. Options for the use of open source, freeware and
shareware software are introduced to the trainees.
3. Office administrative skills courses
a. Tele-center and public access area
Public access area allows users to access the Internet, word process, print and scan documents
and practice what they have learned. Computers with access to the Internet and a printer provide
a very attractive service to a wide range of people. The public access area does not have to offer
computers only; photocopying machines, faxing, phones and other services can be offered for a
fee to individuals and small businesses that cannot afford their own equipment.
b. Basic accounting skills for small and micro enterprises (SMEs)
The course offers an explanation of fundamental accounting terms and functions as well as
provides participants with skills in recording financial information using basic accounting
principles. It aims at developing a greater understanding of financial reporting practices,
preparing basic accounts, and becoming familiar with financial statements6.
c. Secretarial skills
The course delivers secretarial skills and management support such as advanced keyboarding,
time management, organizational ability, communication skills, meetings and minutes
preparation.
B. Extended services
1. E-health
E-health brings new technologies’ benefits to delivering healthcare to the society. It empowers
poor communities with access to health related information that could mitigate the consequences
of certain epidemic diseases. Furthermore, it reduces cost of basic healthcare services in
impoverished areas through the use of ICT-based solutions such as telemedicine (refer to frame 2).
Services will focus on two main areas, namely:
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Such as: balance sheets, income statement, cash flow statement, and bank reconciliation.
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Personal Health: Alcohol, tobacco and other drugs; alternative medicines/natural products;
disease prevention; nutrition; mental and emotional health; physical activity and fitness;
safety issues; violence prevention; etc.
Parent and Child: Breast feeding; child nutrition and fitness; childhood obesity; parenting;
poison prevention; prenatal care; etc.
Frame 2: Telemedicine application
This application will provide villages with Internet kiosks connected to webcams
that are operated by a trained civil servant or by a private firm. The trained
operator will carefully record the symptoms of the patient using templated
questionnaires; in addition a voice-record of the patient and a picture can also be
attached to the questionnaire in order to assist the doctor to better diagnose the
disease7. Then the records are sent via Internet to either a contracted doctor or
hospital. This project does not necessary have to be operated in real time, records
can be sent via Internet and replies can come back later based on the severity of
the patient’s case. On-line doctors can call back the Internet kiosks or conduct an
on-line chatting to gain more information from the patient. In case a physical
checkup or a hospital admission is required, the doctor will give an appointment
for the patient to get a treatment.
Source: WSIS regional preparatory conference paper on “Promoting e-health
applications towards an Information Society in ESCWA member countries”,
Reference E/ESCWA/ICTD/2003/WG.1/7
2. E-government
E-government applications are used to offer greater convenience to the citizen and the business
society by providing more governmental transparency. Two main areas will be of interest to
impoverished communities:
Government-to-Citizen: job search services, social security, personal documents, declaration
to the police, public libraries, birth certificate, and employment services.
Government-to-Business: License renewal, business registration, social contribution for
employees, submission of data, environment-related permit, regulations, and import/export
customs.
3. E-commerce
Proposed solutions need to cater local market demands as well as serve SMEs. By targeting niche
markets, e-commerce is capable of delivering new marketing channels. The most commonly
traded products or services in are the following:
Business-to-Consumer solutions such as promoting local craftsman and artisanal products.
Business-to-Business solutions such as connecting farmers to supermarkets and grocery
stores.
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In India, Aravind Eye Hospital in the city of Madurai, has implemented such a solution to provide telemedicine to patient
with eye diseases. Doctors also give appointment at the hospital where patient get free treatment.
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In each of the above three categories, MTCC needs to investigate the feasibility of each solution as
well as seek implementation partners8.
IV. SELECTED LOCATION AND MARKET
Six localities have been chosen to cover the all-geographical districts of Akkar. The selection is
the result of exhaustive meetings between ESCWA and a local NGO, based in Akkar. Description
of each locality and reasons behind our recommendations are summarized as follow:
AL-MKAYBLEH: is a town with a population of 4000 peoples and located just outside the main
road between the area of Wadi Khaled and Mashta. It is considered as the gate of Wadi Khaled
and it is the only town in the area with a municipal council. The rented town hall is easily
accessible and located on the main road toward Wadi Khaled and the room available for the IT
community center is almost 4x8 square meters. This community center will serve the citizens of
the town as well as the citizens of the 17 towns of Wadi Khaled and Mashta. The population
served by this center is around 50,000. The town has an active municipal council and telephone
lines installed.
JDIDET ALJOUMEH: is a town located near Halba and closely connected to several towns like
Miniara, Zawarib, Sheiktaba, Quantara, Mazraa and Karmasfour. It has a municipal council with a
municipality building just located off the main Halba highway and easily accessible from the other
surrounding towns. The municipality also hosts the town sport and cultural club as well as a
meeting hall with a capacity of some 200 seats. Telephone lines are readily available in the town
and Internet services are provided by two Internet cable companies. The center is expected to
serve a population of around 15,000.
AL-BOURJ: is centrally on the main Al-Joumeh road between Aynyacoub, Bazbina, Beino,
Iyyat, Ouyoun, Akkaratika and Dawra. It has a municipality and the municipal building is located
in an old house in the middle of the town. The municipality is willing to rent a suitable space for
the recommended IT community center. Telephone lines are readily available in the town. The
center may serve a population of 40,000 people.
TAL-ABBASS: is the biggest town with a municipal council in Al-Sahl district. It has a two-story
newly built municipal building. Tal-Abbass is surrounded by tal-Abbass Sharquy, Tal-Birri, Hissa,
Massoudieh and Kouyakhat with easy access between these villages and Tal-Abbass. Tal-Abbass
is the business center of the district with an active sport and cultural youth club. Telephone lines
are available in the town. The center may serve a population of 25,000 people.
BEBNINE: is a large town with a population of around 20,000 people. It has an active municipal
council and located on the main road leading to the three towns of Quarqaf, Jadideh and WadiJammous. Bebnine is a poor town with a large number of educated unemployed young people.
There is an active women association involved in agro-food fabrication and marketing. The offices
of the municipality are located in a rented space with a 5x5 sqm room available for the
recommended IT center.
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One option would be to set up a B2C solution to service SMEs in specific communities. The solution could be provided by
private ICT firms that lease their applications based on revenue sharing scheme. The recommended platform for delivering
this service would be through the use of multipurpose technology community centers.
8
MAJDALA: is a town wit a population of around 3,000 people. It is located between Saysouk,
Hmayra, Daydallom, Dahrhaddara and Berkayel. It has a municipality but does not have a
municipal building. The municipality is willing to rent a suitable space for the required IT center.
Telephone lines are available in the town.
Figure 2 illustrates the six recommended locations for setting up MTCC in Akkar area, in north
Lebanon.
FIGURE 2: LOCATION OF RECOMMENDED MTCCS
V. THE COMPETITION
A. Vocational training schools
There are 15 vocational training schools in Akkar involved in providing formal teaching and
training in the field of computing and information technology (refer to appendix B Table B-1).
Four of these schools are government schools and the rest are private institutions. They all teach
the official program set by the Ministry of Education leading to formal certificates in computing,
information technology and electronics. Certificates granted by these schools are named TS
(Technique Superior) and BT (Baccalaureate Technique). TS is equivalent to three years of
university education and BT to grade 12. Students registered in these programs undergo training in
computer programming, software development, hardware setup, computer networks, Internet and
electronics principles and applications as well as training in using Microsoft office software.
Students also are taught some computer languages such as COBOL, C+, and BASIC.
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The Akkar vocational schools can be characterized as follows:
1- They are geographically well distributed to cover the whole area of Akkar with some
concentration in the Halba area (Halba is the center of Akkar).
2- Most of them offer summer continuing education courses in computer applications. The number
of these courses depends on the availability of students and they consist of an average of 40 hrs of
instruction and training with a cost that varies between US $100 and $125. Students taking these
training courses are taught how to use the computer and some related software such as Windows,
Word, Excel, and PowerPoint etc. People enrolled in these courses are regular students,
housewives, unemployed people, and employed people willing to improve their skill. The number
of people enrolled in each of these courses is between 4 and 10. Only introductory level computer
courses are taught during these sessions.
3- Total number of students in IT field is around 20 on the average in each school.
4- Most of these schools have no Internet connection and some have a temporary one to be used
only during Internet teaching sessions. In other words Internet is not a part of their daily life.
5- Some vocational training schools in Akkar have independent buildings and the rest are
operating out of rented spaces in residential buildings.
6- There are between 6 and 12 computers in each school. Most computers processors are either
Pentium III or Pentium IV.
Figure 3 illustrates the location of the identified volitional training schools in Akkar area, in north
Lebanon.
FIGURE 3. LOCATION OF VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS
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B. Community centers
There are six IT community centers in Akkar (refer to appendix B Table B-2): three in Halba, two
in Quobayat and one in Rahbeh and they are used mainly by students to prepare and type their
projects. Internet access is available in these centers. Some of theses community centers are also
used for computer training. The one in Rahbeh is well established and run by the municipality. It
consists of some eleven personal computers and provides Internet access and computer training
courses for symbolic charge (only 13 USD per course). The one in Quobayat is a small one and
consists of three computers and it is part of the town public library. The second one in Quobayat is
set-up by Safady Foundation and it is about to start its services. Halba hosts three IT community
centers. A small one in the public library and consists of 3 computers .The second in the building
of Arc-En-Ciel, a non-profit organization helping physically challenged people. This center
consists of six computers and operates for long hours depending on the availability of volunteers.
It offers between three and five computer training courses per year free of charge. Internet is also
available and free of charge. 25% of people benefiting from this center are physically challenged.
The third one in Halba is a community-training center directed by Safady Foundation and provides
three daily courses in computer instruction and training at introductory level with one hour every
day for research using Internet. Figure 4 illustrates the location of the identified IT community
centers in Akkar area, in north Lebanon.
FIGURE 4. LOCATION OF IT COMMUNITY CENTERS
C. Internet cafes
Fifteen Internet cafés are operating in Akkar and are located in all districts of Akkar except the
areas of Wadi Kaled and Al-Sahl. The Internet cafes of Akkar are normally frequented by young
people and used mainly for games, e-mail access and chatting. Owners of these cafes estimate that
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around 10% of clients are using their facilities for school and university research projects (refer to
appendix B Table B-3). Sometimes, local people use these Internet cafés to communicate with
relatives immigrated in Australia, Canada and other countries. The charge fees range between 1.30
and 2.00 USD per hour and clients are charged extra fees for using printers and others facilities.
The number of computers in each Internet café is between 4 and 10. Figure 5 illustrates the
location of the identified Internet cafés in Akkar area, in north Lebanon.
FIGURE 5. LOCATION OF INTERNET CAFES
VI. ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT
The organization and management of MTCC will go through two phases as described below:
A. Implementation phase
ESCWA will supervise closely the implementation phase. Local partners, such as local NGOs, are
also expected to assist in this phase. ESCWA team will also evaluate and fine-tune the design,
budget, and plans of the pilot facilities for future implementations. The following is a list of the
pilot project’s key milestones:
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1. Letter of intent from partnership with local NGO or local and central government
authorities;
2. Surveys;
3. Pilot facilities design;
4. Letter of intent from local municipality to coordinate on this project;
5. Municipality official decision to host the MTCC (legal requirement for local authorities);
6. Memorandum of understanding on contributions from all parties;
7. Delivery of goods and services;
8. Employment contract;
9. Training trainers;
10. Delivery and adaptation of training manuals;
11. Legal and fiscal documents;
12. Pilot facilities established;
13. Document confirming launching pilot facilities;
14. Troubleshooting reports;
15. Audit reports.
B. Operational phase
Two bodies will be in charge of monitoring and evaluating operations; namely an executive and a
supervisory body (refer to figure 6 below).
FIGURE 6: ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
Supervisory board
Executive board
Basic services
Extended services
Executive body will be in charge of the following:
Supervising the day-to-day operations of the pilot facilities;
Coordinating with local audit firm to issue yearly audited financial statement to supervisory
board;
Issuing quarterly financial statement9 to supervisory board;
Improving quality of work;
Suggesting new services and adjusting program to serve community better;
Assuring that operations reaches and maintains sustainable operations;
Providing feedback for supervisor body on need basis;
Hiring and managing staffs allocated to operate the facilities;
Approving purchase orders and verifying delivery of goods or services;
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Namely balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow.
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Reviewing performance of facilities;
Evaluating customer feedback;
Validating measurable indicators and statistical data gathered from the facilities;
Investing profit to improve facilities.
Members of the executive body will include local NGO, representative from municipality,
representative from public schools, and other members from community.
Supervisor body will be in charge of the following:
Evaluating facilities based on measurable indicators;
Reviewing yearly audited financial statement;
Reviewing quarterly financial statement10;
Deciding to launch new facilities or to terminate non-sustainable ones;
Fine-tuning the facilities design model;
Conducting random health checkup on operations of facilities and verifying that they meet
minimum desired specifications;
Providing fund for launching new facilities (optional);
Offering in-kind contribution (optional);
Setting minimum standards for facilities.
Members of the supervisory body will include ESCWA, local NGO, and audit firm. Committee
members should not be less than three members assuming the following positions: supervisory
body chair, supervisory body secretary, and supervisory body treasurer.
Measurable indicators to gauge progress:
Tangible evidence needs to be produced by executive and supervisory bodies for each of the
following information as a source for verifying progress:
1. Number of extended services launched: How many became sustainable? How many are still
non-sustainable? How many failed?
2. Number of citizens benefiting from services provided per MTCC: data will be compiled per
year and will grouped by gender and age.
3. Number of created jobs and reduced unemployment.
4. Records of training carried out.
C. Legal structure
One of the first issues the supervisory committee must address is the legal structure of the MTCC.
Committee members must agree upon a framework under which the MTCC will operate and they
must specify the nature of the decisions that are to be the responsibility of the different
components of that framework.
Since the MTCC will be located in municipalities, the most likely option is that it will be under the
management control and criteria set by the laws governing municipalities. In all cases,
municipalities must recognize that the MTCC must be governed as a non-profit organization.
10
Namely balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow.
14
Two lines of defense against fraud and corruption for MTCC (MTCC governance):
a. Supervisory committee. This group is responsible for making sure the MTCC remains
faithful to its mission, protects its assets, and operates in the public interest.
b. Private watchdog groups. Private local groups and local NGOs will monitor the behavior
and performance of MTCC.
D. Insurance
Each MTCC must have the following insurance coverage:
a. General liability insurance that covers the MTCC capital expenditures against fire, theft, and
property damage as well as insurance against other liabilities such as participants or visitors
injuring themselves in the center;
b. Employee insurance coverage.
E. Management issues
Local Technical Support: A contract should be made with a company from the private sector to
commission the equipment, install the software and train the center staff on the use and support of
all the services purchased. The local technical support company will also provide on call support
and conduct regular visits during at least the first six months of operation.
Financial Considerations: The biggest challenge facing community centers is that of economic
sustainability. There are few models of economically self-sufficient MTCCs, and those MTCCs
that are self-sufficient, usually have unique circumstances that are not broadly replicable. Each
MTCC has to determine what mix of extended services to provide for its community. Last but not
least, MTCC should not price its commercial services below the market price, in order not to
compete with public or private institutions that provide similar services.
Security and janitorial services: The property owner, in this case the municipality, will provide
these two services. These services will cover all utility expenses including the provision of
electrical power generator.
Rules: It is necessary to set rules for the MTCC. These rules should explicitly cover policies on
handling equipment, downloading software, printing, chatting and meeting with strangers from the
Internet, email and attachments, virus protection, and “adult” materials. The rules must be clear to
participants before they begin their activities.
Opening hours: From 7:00 am till 10:00 pm from Monday till Saturday. A possibility to change
opening hours is based on availability of resources and community needs. However, the
recommended opening hours aims at providing sustainable operation of the MTCC.
MTCC protocols:
Management will respect the mission of the center and will assist in reaching sustainable
operations;
Quality of services will be maintained throughout the project life cycle;
No discrimination will be applied within the center;
Management will make sure that reported results are valid;
Facility will always be clean with properly ventilated;
Restroom is made available and properly maintained;
All equipment and furniture will be properly maintained.
15
F. Human resources
The success of the center is subject to the quality or work and performance of its staffs. The latter
should be practical, friendly, helpful, dependable, and flexible to assume a variety of tasks. This
section describes the procedures pertaining to managing the MTCC’s human resources.
The MTCC will have four types of staff, namely salaried, volunteers, consultants/part time, and
janitorial. In accordance with the mission statement of the MTCC, it is mandatory to refer to local
community resources to fulfill any of the tasks needed by all types of staffs. In case needed skills
are not available locally, one solution could be “train the trainers” for the salaried staff and
providing hands-on transfer of know-how to volunteers.
Salaried: The salaried are the fulltime staff; they will abide to the labor law and will have the
duties to fulfill their tasks with their best performance. Since the center opens for 15 hours per
day, two people in charge are needed to cover two shifts: from 7 am to 3:30 pm and 3:00 pm to 10
pm. An overlap of 30 minutes between 3:00 pm and 3:30 pm has been allocated so that proper
coordination and handover is done. One of the two staff will hold a slightly more administrative
position and will assume a center manager position. The other staff member will report to the
center manager and will hold an assistant position. Both staff should be able to perform a number
of tasks that belong to the following main categories:
a. Administrative;
b. MTCC facility and equipment maintenance;
c. Clerical and support services;
d. MTCC core services (such as delivering basic computer training)
Volunteers: They usually deliver a number of supportive services such as assisting in the clerical
and administrative tasks. It is also common to find volunteers who are capable of delivering
training or provide expert services for a specific topic. In all cases, it is strongly recommended to
encourage center participants to become themselves volunteers by choosing the most devoted ones
to assist the staffs. Volunteers who do not do a good job or violates MTCC rules will be asked to
end their services.
Consultants / part time staff: They provide special skills that are usually not frequently used or
that are too expensive to hire on a fulltime basis. Usually, they deliver extended or advanced
services. It is recommended to cooperate with other MTCCs or training centers in the area to
either share cost of the consultant or to create a reliable demand to motivate the consultant.
Janitorial and security: The municipality will provide necessary resources to fulfill these tasks.
As far as recruiting is concerned, the executive body is in charge of this process. It is its
responsibility to conduct the following tasks:
a. To locate resources from the local community;
b. To take applications for screening purposes and for keeping basic information about staff;
c. To conduct interviews even if very informally, in order to assure that the center and the staff
are a good match, and that the candidate has the interest, qualifications, and commitment
necessary for the position;
d. To make sure that staffs have no criminal record;
e. To consider the staff for a probation period;
f. To orient the staff to the mission and goals of the MTCC, its executive body members, its
rules, and its standard operating procedures manual.
16
VII. FACILITIES, CAPITAL EQUIPMENT AND FURNITURE LISTS
The section provides a description of the needed resources for setting up a MTCC. The following
will be covered in details:
1. Facilities
2. Furniture
3. Hardware and software equipment
A. Facilities
A typical minimal setup could consist of 8 student computers and 1 teacher computer networked
and connected to the Internet11. The computers are connected together through a hub in order to
share files, Internet connection, laser printer, and a scanner. The room should have a power outlet
for all set-ups, a phone outlet for the dialup Internet connection, a fire extinguisher, and an air
condition. The layout of computers is flexible as there is no projection on the wall. The need for a
projector has been eliminated through the use of lab management software. The elimination of a
projector will also eliminate the need for dim lighting using heavy curtains. The only concern that
needs to be addressed in this setup is the glare that might come from windows around the room.
It is also important to mention here that the room should not be directly near a street or an
electrical generator or any source of high noise level as it affects the performance of language
learning software and the general atmosphere in the room. Additionally, physical accessibility to
center for elderly and the physically challenged must be taken into consideration. New services
that require separate facility will be allocated additional room; the size of the latter depends on the
service provided. Figure 7 illustrates a layout of main information technology equipment used in
the MTCC.
FIGURE 7. COMPUTER LAB (5x4 METER ROOM)
11
Rule of thumb: Each computer requires 2 sqm of space.
17
B. Furniture
TABLE 1: LIST OF FURNITURES
Description
Student table
Teacher table
Closet
Chairs
White Board
Water cooler and vending
machine
Fire extinguisher
Air conditioner
Qty
5
1
1
10
1
Minimum specifications
150 x 72 cm, one table for every two students
150 x 72 cm
150 x 80 x 35 cm, with key lock
150 x 90 cm
1
1 For electrical equipment
1 16 btu, split unit
C. Hardware and software equipment
The MTCC will be equipped with locally assembled PCs in order to minimize setup up costs. A
Pentium III processor is enough to run all necessary applications for the center. The following
tables summarize the main items needed for setting a MTCC.
Description
Student Computer
Teacher Computer
TABLE 2: HARDWARE REQUIREMENT
Qty Minimum specifications
8 Pentium III, 128 RAM, 20 GB HD, 15 " monitor, CD
ROM, ethernet card 10/100.
1 Pentium III, 256 RAM, 20 GB HD, 15 " monitor, CD
read/write, internal modem, ethernet card 10/100.
Laser Printer with Cable
Scanner
Network Cables
RJ 45 Plugs
Hub 16 ports 10/100
UPS
Headsets (with Microphone)
1 B/W, 600 resolution , 12 ppm, A4 size
1 A4 size, USB connector, flat bed scanner
1 Catergory 5, box of around 80 meters.
1 Box of 100 pieces
1
9 300 VA backup UPS
9
18
TABLE 3: SOFTWARE REQUIREMENT
Description
Ms Office (OEM)
Windows (OEM)
Rosetta Stone
NetOp School 1 + 10
Clean Slate Lab
Freeware software
Qty Minimum specifications
9 XP Home edition version OEM
9 XP Home edition version OEM
9 Educational software for English and Arabic language
9 To take over other PC screens during training
9 Reset computer to standard format at reboot
9 Tutorial software
TABLE 4: OTHER EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENT
Description
Photocopy
Fax
Telephone
Electrical power stabilizer
Generator
Qty
1
1
1
1
1
Minimum specifications
B/W
laser fax
3 KVA
19
VIII. FINANCIAL PLANNING
A. Setup cost12
TABLE 5. MTCC SETUP COST
Summary per center
Description
Furniture
Hardware
Software: Operating system and office tools
Software: Training and education
Training trainers
Setup and installation fees
Telecenter equipment
Total setup cost per center
Furniture
Description
Student Table for two
Teacher Table
White Board
Chairs
Pens, eraser, & paper
Closet
Fire extinguisher
AC
Hardware
Description Using Locally
Assembled Hardware
Student Computer
Teacher Computer
Laser Printer with Cable
Scanner
Cables
RJ 45 Plugs
Hub 16 ports 10/100
UPS
Headsets (with Microphone)
Supplies ( such as toner)
12
Total
$2,630.00
$5,610.00
$4,274.00
$3,035.00
$1,950.00
$1,200.00
$1,460.00
$20,159.00
Unit Price
$150.00
$200.00
$90.00
$50.00
$50.00
$250.00
$90.00
$850.00
Qty
4
1
1
10
1
1
1
1
Total
Total
$600.00
$200.00
$90.00
$500.00
$50.00
$250.00
$90.00
$850.00
$2,630.00
Unit Price
Qty
Total
$400.00
$550.00
$500.00
$100.00
$50.00
$25.00
$125.00
$80.00
$10.00
$250.00
8
1
1
1
1
1
1
9
9
1
Total
$3,200.00
$550.00
$500.00
$100.00
$50.00
$25.00
$125.00
$720.00
$90.00
$250.00
$5,610.00
Source: Study carried out for ESCWA by S.P. Habash on “ICTs and human resources development”
20
Table 5. MTCC setup cost (continued)
Software: Operating system and office tools
Description
Unit Price
MS office small business edition
$316.00
Clean Slate Lab
$350.00
Windows (OEM) XP version
$120.00
Qty
9
1
9
Total
$2,844.00
$350.00
$1,080.00
Total
$4,274.00
Software: Training and education
Description
Rosetta Stone
NetOp School 1 + 10
Unit Price
$265.00
$650.00
Qty
9
1
Total
Total
$2,385.00
$650.00
$3,035.00
Training trainers
Description
Computer Literacy
Computer Skills
Unit Price
$850.00
$1,100.00
Qty
1
1
Total
Total
$850.00
$1,100.00
$1,950.00
Setup and installation fees
Description
Electrical power stabilizer
Cabling, installation, connecting
Unit Price
500
$700.00
Qty
1
1
Total
Total
500
$700.00
$1,200.00
Telecenter equipment
Description
Photocopy
Fax
Telephone
Unit Price
$1,250.00
$165.00
$45.00
Qty
1
1
1
Total
Total
$1,250.00
$165.00
$45.00
$1,460.00
21
B. Operational cost
TABLE 6: OPERATIONAL COST FORECAST
Description
Rent
cost of advanced courses (including trainer + manuals)
Utilities (electricity, water, janitorial, generator)
Salary for one manager (including social security) + one
support staff
Internet dial up telephone charges for 300 hrs per month
(avg 10 hrs/day)
Internet connection dial up membeship
Stationary and supplies
Maintenance telecenter equipments at 10% per year
Per year
per month
1 st year
2 nd year
3 rd year
for free
$
$
$
$ 1,000.00 $ 12,000.00 $ 12,000.00 $ 12,000.00
$ 100.00 $ 1,200.00 $ 1,200.00 $ 1,200.00
$
500.00
$
6,000.00
$
6,000.00
$
6,000.00
$
$
$
264.00
20.00
50.00
$
$
$
3,168.00
240.00
600.00
$
$
$
$
3,168.00
240.00
600.00
196.00
$
$
$
$
3,168.00
240.00
600.00
196.00
Maintenance UPS, printer, and scanner at 10% per year
$
196.00
Maintenance of PC at 10% per year
$
500.00
Subtotal
$ 1,934.00 $ 23,208.00 $ 24,100.00
(No inflation rate or replacement cost of damaged equipment are included in the above forecast )
$
196.00
$
500.00
$ 24,100.00
C. Financial analysis
This section depicts three scenarios for the MTCC financial performance, namely the “worst”,
“expected”, and “best” case for the forecasted sales revenue. The MTCC is expected to maintain
sustainable operation if it meets its expected sales target; the MTCC would be able to renew major
hardware equipment by the end of 3rd year. This forecast does not take into consideration setup
costs because it assumes the three involved partners in this project cover them.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Since the MTCC is based on a flexible and dynamic business model for delivering services, an
analysis for every potential revenue sources must be separately investigated. The major revenue
sources are the following:
Basic computer training;
Commercial use of facilities by SMEs and for employment enhancement;
Internet connection;
Advanced Certification.
Figure 7 illustrates the above-mentioned three cases. Note that all literacy courses and personal
use of the center for learning are for free.
22
TABLE 7. FINANCIAL ANALYSIS
Assume average 12
working hours per day
(other hours are for
maintenance and idle time)
Assume average 25 working
day per month
hour
per
day
Total numbr of available hours per
computer
Available services
Basic computer training
Personal use of facilities for learning
SMEs and employment enhancement
Advanced Certification
Internet use
Total
Worst
average number of
computer used
4
12
Qty
24
8
working days
per month
25
Average
required hours
10
3 hrs/day
3.5 hrs/day
24
4 hrs /day
months
per year
12
Total
240
900
1,068
192
1,200
3,600
total hours
per year
This service is
provided for free
3600
percentage
usage
7%
25%
30%
5%
33%
100%
Revenue per computer
Revenue per Revenue per
hour
year
$
$
$
$
$
1.50
2.00
5.00
1.30
$
$
$
$
$
$
360.00
2,136.00
960.00
1,560.00
5,016.00
Forecasted scenarios
Expected
Best
average
average number of
average
average number of
average
revenue
computer used
revenue
computer used
revenue
$ 20,064.00
6
$ 30,096.00
8
$ 40,128.00
23
1. Pro-forma income statement
TABLE 8: INCOME STATEMENT
MTCC
Income Statement
For the end of the first year 1/9/2004
Worst
Sales Revenue
Cost of goods sold
Grossprofit
20,064.00
15,408.00
4,656.00
$
$
$
6,000.00
1,200.00
3,401.80
400.00
600.00
180.00
11,781.80
Operating Income
Income tax
Net income
operating expenses
Salaries
Utilities
Depreciation
Insurance
Supplies
Marketing material
Maintenance
Rent
Total operating expenses
$
Expected
Best
30,096.00
15,408.00
14,688.00
$
$
$
6,000.00
1,200.00
3,401.80
400.00
600.00
180.00
11,781.80
$
6,000.00
1,200.00
3,401.80
400.00
600.00
180.00
11,781.80
$
(7,125.80) $
2,906.20
$
12,938.20
$
-
$
(7,125.80) $
$
$
$
$
2,906.20
$
40,128.00
15,408.00
24,720.00
$
$
12,938.20
Remarks:
1- Worst case assumes 4 out of 8 computers are used
2- Expected case assumes 6 out of 8 computers are used
3- Best case assumes 8 out of 8 computers are used
4- No inflation rate or replacement cost of damaged equipment are included
24
2. Balance sheet
TABLE 9: BALANCE SHEET
MTCC
Balance sheet
September 1st
2003
2004
Assets
Current assets:
Cash
Supplies
Prepaid insurance
Total Current Assets
$
$
$
$
Property, plant and equipement (PPE)
Equipment: H/W, S/W and other
Furniture
Less accumulated depreciation
Total PPE
$14,129.00
$2,630.00
$
$ 16,759.00
$14,129.00
$2,630.00
$
3,401.80
$ 13,357.20
$ 20,409.00
$ 21,965.20
Liabilities
Current liabilities:
Accounts payable
Wages payable
Total liabilities
$
$
$
$
$
$
Stockholder's equity
Retained earning
contributed capital
$
$ 20,409.00
$
1,056.20
$ 20,409.00
Total liability and stockholder's equity
$ 20,409.00
$ 21,965.20
Total assets
25
3,000.00
250.00
400.00
3,650.00
-
$
$
$
$
7,958.00
250.00
400.00
8,608.00
500.00
500.00
Filename: MTCC business plan v4.0
3. Cash flow statement (for expected case)
TABLE 10: MONTHLY FORECASTED CASH FLOW STATEMENT
month 01
$ 3,000.00
month 02
$ 3,525.67
month 03
$ 4,051.33
Cash Flow statement for the first year
Expected scenario 6 out 8 PCs are used
month 04 month 05 month 06 month 07 month 08
$ 4,577.00 $ 5,102.67 $ 5,628.33 $ 6,154.00 $ 6,679.67
Cash in
Internet
Basic computer training
Advanced Certification
Commercial use of facilities
Accounting skills
Literacy eradication
Total Cash in
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
$ 780.00
$ 180.00
$ 480.00
$ 1,068.00
$
$
$ 2,508.00
Cash out
Basic salary + Social security
Facility insurance
Telephone
electricity
water
Generator
rent
security
Janitorial
Stationary
Internet member ship
Advance course fees
hardware consumables
Equipment maintenance
Mkt materials (pamphlets)
Total Cash out
$ 500.00
$ 33.33
$ 264.00
$ 60.00
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$
$
$
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 30.00
$
$ 15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$ 33.33
$ 264.00
$ 60.00
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$
$
$
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 30.00
$
$ 15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$ 33.33
$ 264.00
$ 60.00
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$
$
$
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 30.00
$
$ 15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$ 33.33
$ 264.00
$ 60.00
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$
$
$
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 30.00
$
$ 15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$ 33.33
$ 264.00
$ 60.00
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$
$
$
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 30.00
$
$ 15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$ 33.33
$ 264.00
$ 60.00
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$
$
$
$ 20.00
$ 20.00
$ 1,000.00
$ 30.00
$
$ 15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$
33.33
$ 264.00
$
60.00
$
20.00
$
20.00
$
$
$
$
20.00
$
20.00
$ 1,000.00
$
30.00
$
$
15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$
33.33
$ 264.00
$
60.00
$
20.00
$
20.00
$
$
$
$
20.00
$
20.00
$ 1,000.00
$
30.00
$
$
15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$
33.33
$ 264.00
$
60.00
$
20.00
$
20.00
$
$
$
$
20.00
$
20.00
$ 1,000.00
$
30.00
$
$
15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$
33.33
$ 264.00
$
60.00
$
20.00
$
20.00
$
$
$
$
20.00
$
20.00
$ 1,000.00
$
30.00
$
$
15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$
33.33
$ 264.00
$
60.00
$
20.00
$
20.00
$
$
$
$
20.00
$
20.00
$ 1,000.00
$
30.00
$
$
15.00
$ 1,982.33
$ 500.00
$
33.33
$ 264.00
$
60.00
$
20.00
$
20.00
$
$
$
$
20.00
$
20.00
$ 1,000.00
$
30.00
$ 700.00
$
15.00
$ 2,682.33
525.67
525.67
525.67
525.67
525.67
525.67
525.67
525.67
525.67
525.67
525.67
(174.33)
3525.67
4051.33
4577.00
5102.67
5628.33
6154.00
6679.67
7205.33
7731.00
8256.67
8782.33
8608.00
Beginning cash
startup
$ 3,000.00
Cash Flow
Ending Cash
3000.00
Page 26
month 09
$ 7,205.33
month 10
$ 7,731.00
month 11
$ 8,256.67
month 12
$ 8,782.33
Filename: MTCC business plan v4.0
APPENDIX
Appendix A – High level project plan for launching
Figure A.1 below provides a preliminary high-level project plan for launching a
pilot facility along with six other centers. A more detailed break down of the
project plan is recommended before starting the pilot project.
The pilot facility constitutes the first of three phases for launching the first MTCC
in a given impoverished area (in this case Akkar Area). The second phase is based
on expanding the scope of the MTCC to include additional services based on local
community needs. The third phase finalizes the prototype for the MTCC as a
prelude to disseminating the final model to other villages within the same area. The
following is a summary of each phase:
Phase 1: Launching pilot facility
Phase 2: Expanding scope of MTCC services
Phase 3: Finalizing prototype characteristics
- Duration: 2 months
- Duration: 7 months
- Duration: 3 months
It is recommended to complete a full year cycle before launching other MTCCs
within the same area in order to fine-tune the selected services and to optimize the
revenue structure based on maintaining sustainable operations. The full year cycle
will provide better insight on local market demands as well as on seasonal
fluctuations affecting revenue streams and services’ breadth /depth.
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Filename: MTCC business plan v4.0
FIGURE A.1: HIGH LEVEL PROJECT PLAN FOR LAUNCHING PILOT MTCC
AND FOR ROLLING OUT OTHER CENTERS
Month 8
Month 9
Month 10
Month 11
Month 12
Month 20
Month 21
Month 22
Month 23
Month 24
Month 7
Month 6
Month 5
Month 4
Month 3
Month 2
Month 1
First year
Pilot site
Phase 1: Launch pilot facilities
Phase 2: Expande scope of services
Phase 4: Finalize prototype characterization
Rollout other sites
set up 2nd site
set up 3rd site
set up 4th site
set up 5th site
set up 6th site
Troubleshoot / fine tune
Page 28
Month 19
Month 18
Month 17
Month 16
Month 15
Month 14
Month 13
Second year
Filename: MTCC business plan v4.0
Appendix B – Survey of Akkar Area in north Lebanon13
TABLE B-1: LIST OF VOCATIONAL TRAINING SCHOOL IN AKKAR
List of Vocational School in Akkar
Name
Halba Technical Institute
National Center for Technical
Education
Bara’ah Technical School
Lebanese Technical Institute
The High Institute for Education
Shama’il Technical School
Akkar Technical School
Al-Joumeh Institute
Abou Bakr Al-Saddik Technical
Institute
Qobayat Institute for Sciences
and Computer
Al-Fares Institute
Bzal Government Technical
School
Meshmesh
Government
Technical School
Halba Government Technical
School
Al-Hishah Government
Technical School
13
Address
Halba
Halba
Telephone
06-691914 ; 03-606225
06-693688
Director
Mr. Michel Jabbour
Mr. Hamza Ahmad
Fneidek
Abdeh
Halba
Berkayel
Halba
Aynyacoub
Berkayel
06-895666; 03-346696
03-606225
06-693924
06-825895
06-693542
03-831748; 03-570400
06-825880; 03-227390
Mr. Sameeh Abdelhay
Mr. Amin Al-Jabali
Mr. Camille Jameel
Mr. Yahya Zohby
Mr. Habib Khoury
Mr Jamal Abdelkader
Mr. Ridwan Al-Hassan
Qobayat
Al-Bahsah
06-880950;
880850
03-278842
Mr. Ahmad Fares
Bzal
06-370512
Mr. Mahmoud Al-Abboud
Meshmesh
06-895317
Mr. Abdelraheem Youssef
Halba
06-293148
Mr. Ragib Al-douhayby
Wadi
Kaled
03-591141
Mr. Ahmad Al-Saj
fax:06- Mr. Jameel Asaad
Source: Study carried out for ESCWA by Y. abdel Massih on “Preliminary Survey of New Technology Needs and
Opportunities in Akkar Region”
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TABLE B-2: LIST OF COMMUNITY CENTERS IN AKKAR
List of IT Community Centers in Akkar
Name
Arc-En-Ciel
Address
Halba
Telephone
06-693030
Halba Library
Halba
Qobayat Library
Safady Center
Qobayat
Halba
06-895666 tel/ fax
03-531955
Not available
06-693920
Safady Center
Qobayat
Not available
Rahbeh
Rahbe
06-890300
Type
Non-Profit
Organization
Physically Disabled Persons
Public Municipal Library
Public Municipal Library
Community and Training Center
Safady Foundation
Community and Training Center
Safady Foundation
Community Center
Municipality of Rahbeh
TABLE B-3: LIST OF INTERNET CAFES IN AKKAR
List of Internet Cafes in Akkar
Name
Josepf Najjar
Masoud Dib
Bara'ah
Bara'ah
Kamal Yacoub
Yahya Zohby
Tony Chediac
Mazhar Mansour
Tony Koussa
Ata Koraan
Address
Miniara
Jadideh
Fneidek
Hrar
Sheik Mohammad
Mafrak Berkayel
Qobayat
Qobayat
Rahbeh
Rahbeh
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Telephone
06-692777
06-690728
06-895666; 03-531955
03-531955
06-691908
06-825895
03-906253
03-730658
06-890210; 03-812010
06-890574
for
Filename: MTCC business plan v4.0
Appendix C – Sample MTCC schedule
Monday
center
7:00 AM
7:30 AM maintenance
8:00 AM SMEs services
(such as
8:30 AM
secreterial
9:00 AM
9:30 AM
skills)
10:00 AM
10:30 AM Employment
11:00 AM enhancement
11:30 AM
12:00 PM
12:30 PM
1:00 PM
Open access
1:30 PM
2:00 PM
2:30 PM
3:00 PM
3:30 PM
After school
4:00 PM
recreation
4:30 PM
(learning,
5:00 PM
Internet, etc.)
5:30 PM
6:00 PM
6:30 PM
7:00 PM
7:30 PM
8:00 PM
Basic training
8:30 PM
9:00 PM
9:30 PM
10:00 PM
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
center
maintenance
center
maintenance
center
maintenance
center
maintenance
center
maintenance
SMEs services
(such as
secreterial
skills)
SMEs services
(such as
secreterial
skills)
SMEs services
(such as
secreterial
skills)
SMEs services
(such as
secreterial
skills)
Employment
enhancement
Employment
enhancement
Employment
enhancement
Employment
enhancement
Advanced
training
Open access
Advanced
training
Open access
After school
recreation
(learning,
Internet, etc.)
After school
recreation
(learning,
Internet, etc.)
After school
recreation
(learning,
Internet, etc.)
After school
recreation
(learning,
Internet, etc.)
Open access
Basic training
Open access
Basic training
Page 31
7:00 AM
7:30 AM
SMEs services 8:00 AM
(such as
8:30 AM
secreterial
9:00 AM
9:30 AM
skills)
10:00 AM
Employment 10:30 AM
enhancement 11:00 AM
11:30 AM
12:00 PM
12:30 PM
Advanced
1:00 PM
training
1:30 PM
2:00 PM
2:30 PM
3:00 PM
3:30 PM
4:00 PM
4:30 PM
5:00 PM
5:30 PM
6:00 PM
Open access
6:30 PM
7:00 PM
7:30 PM
8:00 PM
8:30 PM
9:00 PM
9:30 PM
10:00 PM