This initiative forms part of a five-country study in Botswana, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia
and Zimbabwe to provide opportunities for dialogue among Southern African key players in ICT
for Development. The discussions will focus on national challenges and opportunities in ICT4D
over the next five to ten years and will aim to develop a comprehensive understanding of
national ICT4D issues through in-country research processes, stakeholder consultations, and
discussions of these findings on a country level through fora (called Thetha Fora).
Each of the five participating countries has undertaken preparatory research, led by a team of
local researchers. This report is the result of that effort in Botswana and was undertaken during
the latter part of 2009 and early 2010.
The Thetha project has been ongoing since 2003, when the Southern African NGO Network
(SANGONeT) undertook a series of Thethas in South Africa. This was followed by a second phase
in 2005-2007 which included five Southern African countries (Angola, Botswana, Lesotho,
Namibia and Swaziland). The Thetha project now continues with funding from the Open Society
Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA) and the Embassy of Finland (South Africa), The ongoing
regional roll-out of the Thetha project will provide an important opportunity for a broad range of
ICT stakeholders, including government, private sector, academic and Civil Society Organisations
representatives, to engage with the ICT challenges and opportunities relevant to the future
development of the Southern African region.