The International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD) is a non-profit foundation that specialises in information and communication technology (ICT) as a tool for development. IICD creates practical and sustainable solutions using both modern media (such as computers, Internet, email and multimedia) and traditional media (such as radio and television) to connect people and enable them to benefit from ICT, thereby contributing to the Millenium Development Goals. For more on IICD visit IICD. IICD has been running a country programme in Uganda since 2000 with the mission of supporting Uganda in the use of ICT as a strategic, self-sustaining tool for poverty alleviation.The objectives of IICD in Uganda are to:
To set ICT on the agenda as an enabler for each sector via sector policies, strategies, formulation of implementation plans and to contribute to the national ICT policy and implementation strategies.
To have a demonstration and catalyst effect by realizing a direct positive impact on end- users in pilot projects and share these experiences/lessons learned.

IICD has implemented over 17 projects with 60 up country centres in uganda under the thematic areas of Education, Good governance, Livelihoods and Health. I-Network has over the years collaborated with IICD in the project design through the faciliatation of round table processes, project support and advisory services to the pilot projects.I-Network works with these project partners on a regular basis to support them achieve their intended objectives as well as extract and document lessons learned and implementation processes for the purposes of knowledge sharing with other project implementers in the country. For more information on how I-Network collaborates with IICD visit our partners page . Information on what services I-Network offers can be found on the about us page.

Map of Uganda indicating location and detail of pilots under IICD

1. Livelihoods Projects: IICD’s livelihoods sector projects arepredominently agricultural livelihoods projects and are aimed atimproving the incomes of small-scale farmers and improving levels ofefficiency in the agricultural sector, using ICT. There are 4 projectsin the livelihoods sector, the projects focus on the use of ICT toimprove the livelihoods of Ugandans especially those in the ruralareas. the most prominet of these is the Rural Information System,which is implmented by Uganda Commodity Exchange (UCE) and currently getting advisorry syupport for upscaling and rollout through out the country by I-Network. the Rural information systemis providing two information flow of market information for farmers toget better prices for their enterprises and is also providing farmerproduction information to traders and other staekholders. The projectis currently being rolled out by UCE in partnership with SNV (a dutchNGO) and National Agricultural Advisory Service (NAADS). More information on livelihoods projects at IICD can be found here

Contact information for Livelihhods projects

2. Education projects: These projects are focussed on enhancing the competencies of the teacher, improving the quality of learning materials, developing young people’s learning skills and an overall improvement of the learning process through ICT.  Kyambogo university together with IICD set and implmeneted the "ICT Basic Skills Project" and "ICT based education content project". In collaboration with UICT, a project to introduce ICTs in voacational training was also carried out. The main objective of this project is to develop capacity to provide ICT technical support in upcountry towns, by training technicians in Uganda Technical Colleges (UTCs) in the three locations upcountry. For more information on IICD education sector projects can be found here .

Contact information for Education projects

3. Governance Projects: IICD has facilitated the improvement of data and work flows by enhancing information flows between and within local communities and districts,In Uganda IICD implmeneted the DistrictNet project with 4 districts in Uganda, Kayunga, Mbarara, Mbale and Lira. The objective was to introduce vocie and data communication between the districts and lower governments to ease planning and communication between the districts and the lower governments. The Information Flow and management project was also implemented with the ministry of Toursim Trade and Industry to ease communication and data storage and access within the ministry and its affilaited institutions. More information on projects in the governance sector can be found here

Contact information for Governance projects 

4. Health Projects: IICD’s health projects are principally aimed at improving the health of populations in small urban centres and remote rural areas through ICT. In Uganda, IICD collaborated with Cordaid in the set up of a project with Uganda Catholic Medical Bureau on "Information And Data Management For Rural Health Units" The project contributes to attaining an improved quality of Health Services delivered by the targeted UCMB Health Units to the population of Uganda. The improved quality of health services is achieved thanks to the contributions offered to the health workers by the use of ICT for accessing CME contents. Another project "Promoting CME for Rural Health Workers using ICT" was set up with Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi with the aim od developing ICT based content for health workers continoue eductaion. More information on IICD supported and funded health projects can be found here .

Contact information for Health projects