[Afghanistan] Linux Progress Report

Article from the BBC (English)

"The United Nations is training civil servants in the intricacies of the software to help them get government computer systems up and running."

Although Afghanistan's infrastructure had been destroyed by 20 years of wars, and the Taliban had banned the use of the internet (article from 2001), things are changing this year and there are signs of progress. There are also some efforts being made towards training:

"UNDP and Cisco Systems created the Cisco Networking Academy Progam at Kabul University, which is now run by local faculty. UNDP has also helped to establish ICT training centers in Kabul, Kandahar and Mazar-e-Sharif, offering training to civil servants as well as to private citizens, with a special emphasis on women."

It's hard for us to imagine life in Afghanistan. Here's a snapshot from an article focusing on a call for community radio:

"Afghanistan has a 70 per cent illiteracy rate (85 percent among women), devastated infrastructures and a largely rural population