Benin Community in Touch with World

Banikoara Community Multimedia Centre (CMC) in Benin has provided many essential services to the large but isolated local community in this cotton-growing region since 2002, but until recently, it was hampered by poor Internet connectivity. Since UNESCO provided VSAT in September 2004, use of the CMC's telecentre has shot up. "Even though nine computers are available for email and Internet from 8a.m. until 11 p.m., queues often form and we frequently have to stay open until midnight", explained CMC director Mohamed Alidou.