Raising the Numbers | Online

CHONG ZI LIANG
Fact: Nepal ranks 110th in the worldwide list of countries with the lowest internet penetration, below Zambia and Ghana. The figure becomes even more discouraging when translated into actual number, which tally at around 3,37,000 users.

A bunch of young IT professionals are doing what the authorities should have – they are providing free personal websites to 10,000 Nepali citizens. The objective is pretty straightforward; to promote the usage of internet and its implementation on daily lives.

"The figures are discouraging. This will directly increase the user base and make Nepal's presence felt in the World Wide Web," says Ashim Pradhan of Redsun Technologies & Research Centre (RTRC), the firm behind the project. "Through the use of personal websites, the user base will directly increase, and so will the use of computers. The result couldn't be more straightforward than this," says Ashim. Under the project titled 'Proper Use of Internet in Nepal', RTRC has already created 1800 websites, many of which are of high profile ministers, lawyers and lecturers.

All of the staffers at RTRC are young college graduates. The project took shape out of frustration because the data of the total internet penetration and the use of computers in Nepal are extremely low. "We wanted to act rather than to contemplate," says Rabindra Thapa, CEO of RTRC.

To qualify for the free website, the applicant must be a Nepali citizen. One time registration fee of Rs. 125 is required. Once the domain name and registration get sorted out, the website will go live. All this takes about a week's time and RTRC will host the website permanently.

When asked how personal websites differ from blogsites or even the social networking sites, Ashim explains, "Personal websites will help boost the creation of contents and ideas on a local basis. Local users and even other users can benefit form locally created contents, rather than to depend on foreign sites." He further clarifies, "For example, if a user in a remote place put up the recipe for a local food item in his site, internet users from Nepal and elsewhere can benefit from it."

But people, who even include other IT professionals, are skeptical about the project. "Many said we were wasting our time and to get a proper job. But we wanted to create a difference, even if it maybe small and insignificant," says Rabindra.Adding to this zeal, Ashim further adds, "We would be proud even if we could make minute increment on the total percentage. That would mean a great achievement for us." Ashim and fellow staffers of RTRC even chip in for the amount needed for the project, spending countless hours on the research and the development of these sites.

Whatever the results maybe, this young bunch of enthusiastic professionals are working towards making a difference, and that is more of a achievement in itself than anything.

For more information visit: www.rtrc.org