The document discusses Community Driven Information Centers (CDICs) in Sri Lanka, which aim to provide public access to ICT services and applications to promote education, personal, social, and economic development in rural communities. Some key challenges to establishing CDICs included a lack of economic and communication infrastructure in rural areas. The objectives of CDICs are to build communities' capacity for community-driven development, empower them to manage resources using ICT, and promote rural livelihoods. The Gemidiriya project in Sri Lanka established over 650 CDICs across 7 districts. Benefits included increased computer literacy, transparency and accountability, and opportunities for employment and business. Lessons learned stressed the importance of community ownership and responding

1. Community Driven Information Centers for Social Transformation R.M.Samanmalee Swarnalatha Dr. Gamini Batuwitage SRI LANKA

8. Structure of Gemidiriya People’s Company Procument Committee Finance Committee Social Audit Committee Company Board of Directors vsco Households and Small Groups Clusters Gemidiriya People’s Company Community Information Center Village Savings and Credit Organization

9. Community Driven Information Center Communication and Capacity Building Committee Capacity Building Facilitator District Capacity Building Facilitator Capacity Building Facilitator Gemidiriya Foundation Village Level National Community Professional Learning and Training Center Community Professional Learning and Training Center Hub Level District Level National Level broader structure within which the center operates and linked

13. Post conflict Fund ICT for Estate secter Idalgashinna Diaraba

14. Nanasala 12 Nanasala from ICTA Jayaminigama Redipokuna

15. e-Social Development Initiative Project 08 Projects From ICTA a

16. ICT Community Professionals

17. Community Radio Pilot Project A Community Radio that is owned and governed and programmes planned by the community

18. Experimental Transmission

19. Participatory Community Video

20. Training

21. Photography Developing Community Professionals

22. Digital Story Telling

23. Web Site www.gemidiriya.org

25. Job data base www.lankayouthjobs.com

26. Lanka Country shoping

27. Community Radio www.communityradio.lk

32. Lessons Learnt Availability to broad band connectivity plays a motivating role and the government and the private sector should ensure such connectivity to rural areas for the rural youth to benefit from the communication tools available for the use of ICT

33. Conclusions It is not possible to specify a unique model of community information and technology Centre The essential characteristic of successful centers is that they reflect the needs of the communities that they serve

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