Refresher training on “Mobile Infomediary” held from July 28-31, 2008 at Gaibandha under Abolombon II project. Mobile Infomediaries from different Pallitathya Kendras participated in the training. Mr. Abdus Salam, Execitive Director, Gono Unnayan Kendra (GUK) inaugurated the training session. He was delighted to be the host for this type of training in GUK. He expressed GUK’s interest to operate Eee-PC/classmate PC based 50 mobile telecentre in Gaibandha district. 

In the first day of the training mobile infomediaries shared their challenges which they faced during helpline operation in the field level. They also expressed their expectations from the training. Debate contest on “Women are not appropriate as mobile infomediary” was organised among the mobile infomediaries to understand their current mindset. They enriched their knowledge and concept to deliver livelihood information using ICTs at the door steps of community people.  

In the second day, participants visited 2 villages and drawn social map that helped them in identifying the location of household and available resources, existing source of information and existing service providers in the locality. They knew how to draw a complete map covering their Pallitathya Kendra catchments area, which will help them to provide door steps information services using ICTs. The third day of the training session was focused to deliver livelihood information at the door steps of villagers. Mobile infomediaries moved door to door with mobile phone, laptop, Eee-PC, internet connectivity and necessary documentation systems. More importantly laptop and Eee-PC played a vital role to deliver information using internet, mobile phone and skype asked by the villagers at their door steps. As for example, a mobile infomediary find out a question relation to the problem of a girl with her backbone when she sits on a chair for study. Mobile infomediary connected the patient with the doctor at helpdesk, Dhaka by using Skype. The girl got necessary suggestion and information from helpdesk.

Participants are doing exercise in the training session

Challenges and expectation of mobile infomediaries were addressed in the last day of the training session. D.Net will produce a TOT module soon based on the training experiences.