Chronology of USAID's Leland Initiative

This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.

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LELAND ACTIVITY UPDATE

DATE	EVENT
Jan. 31, 2000	National Internet Gateway in Eritrea is operational.
Dec. 14, 1999	Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Government of Uganda.
Dec. 09 - Dec. 01, 1999	Leland provided Internet trainer at the Association for the Development of Education in Africa (ADEA) annual conference in South Africa.
Nov. 30 - Nov. 15, 1999	Train-the-Trainer Internet Training was hosted by Leland Rwanda.
Nov. 26 - Nov. 08, 1999	Train-the-Trainer Internet Training was hosted by Leland Tanzania.
Nov. 26, 1999	Leland Malawi secondary city High-Speed Internet POP in Mzuzu installed and operational.
Nov. 25, 1999	Leland Malawi secondary city High-Speed Internet POPs in Lilongwe and Zomba installed and operational.
Nov. 24, 1999	Leland Malawi national Internet gateway in Blantyre installed and operational.
Nov. 16, 1999	High-Speed Internet POP to Antsirabe, Madagascar installed and operational.
Nov. 13, 1999	High-Speed Internet POP to Tamatave, Madagascar installed and operational.
Nov. 09, 1999	Second Round Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Government of Madagascar calling for High-Speed Internet POPs in two secondary cities.
Nov. 01 - Oct. 26, 1999	Leland ran an Internet cafe at the African Development Forum Meeting in Addis Ababa.
Oct. 29 - Oct. 25, 1999	Leland provided Internet trainer for 25th anniversary symposium of the Commonwealth Regional Health Community Secretariat (CRHSC) for East, Central, and Southern Africa.
Sep. 13, 1999	VSAT connection at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology (K.I.S.T.) in Rwanda installed and operational.
Sep. 10, 1999	VSAT connection at Rwanda's National University in Butare installed and operational.
Aug. 26 - Aug. 16, 1999	Train-the-Trainer Internet Training was hosted by Leland Madagascar.
Aug. 06, 1999	MOU signed between USAID and Eritrea.
July 01, 1999	Leland's Web Tutorial Page launched.
June 25 - June 22, 1999	The Internet Society's annual Conference receives Leland funding to bring African networkers for Internet training.
June 11 - June 09, 1999	Leland Coordinator Conference held in Washington, DC.
June 10, 1999	Second MOU signed between USAID and Rwanda supporting two University connections.
June 04 - June 02, 1999	AFCOM - The Eighth All Africa Telecommunications, Informatics, and Broadcasting Conference receives Leland funding.
June 02, 1999	MOU signed between USAID and Kenya.
May 14 - May 03, 1999	Train-the-Trainer Internet Training was hosted by Leland Mali.
Apr. 23 - Apr. 08, 1999	Leland Internet trainers conduct Internet training in Tanzania. 122 of USAID's key partners trained on Internet uses for their development programs.
Apr. 16 - Apr. 05, 1999	Leland Internet trainers assist USIS/Chad and the Association for the Development of Education in Africa train several African Education Ministers and Chadian University officials on the use of the Internet.
Apr. 14, 1999	Leland launches the photo gallery.
Apr. 12, 1999	Leland Malawi Plan of Action approved by the Malawi Post and Telecommunications Company. National Internet gateway equipment for Blantyre and POP equipment for Lilongwe, Zomba, and Mzuzu will be shipped in June.
Mar. 26 - Mar. 11, 1999	Leland Internet trainers assist USAID/Haiti and their NGO partners through multiple Internet training courses.
Mar. 18 - Mar. 16, 1999	Leland hosts the Telecommunications, Information Technology, and the New Economy Session for the State's Department's African Ministerial Conference.
Mar. 05 - Feb. 22, 1999	Two School-To-School partnership resource assistants work with Ghanaian and Beninese schools.
Feb. 18 - Feb. 12, 1999	Three secondary city VSAT sites in Guinea were installed. See pictures of Labe, N'Zerekore, and Kankan.
Feb. 17 - Feb. 16, 1999	Leland co-sponsored and presented at the New Information Technologies and Inequality Conferenence at the University of Maryland - College Park.
Feb. 17- Feb. 08, 1999	Leland and four local private sector ISPs in Benin co-finance ISP training workshop.
Jan. 10, 1999	Leland launched a web based version of our Internet Training Manual. Please download a copy and use the manual in your Internet based trainings.
Dec. 18 - Dec. 16, 1998	Leland presented at the Africa wide Internet Development Conference hosted in Benin.
Dec. 18 - Dec. 07, 1998	Leland measured results and worked with ISPs and PT&Ts in Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, and Benin to expand the Internet in their countries.
Dec. 03 - Nov. 30, 1998	Leland supported and participated in National Workshop on ICT Policy Strategy in Rwanda.
Nov. 22, 1998	Our newly created Internet Resources Page in English or in French are launched. In either language, the pages list Internet reference material by subject, such as Agriculture, Business and Trade, Democracy, Education, Environment, Health, Humanitarian Assistance, and Women. There are also sections for General Development Information, Internet in Africa, Links to Search Engines, and a Question Form. Don't forget, we have specific country links on the country pages and Internet Case Studies and USAID Telematic Programs using Information Technology linked from the Internet Resources Page.
Oct. 28 - Oct. 19, 1998	Leland conducts Internet training and "train-the-trainer" seminars in Cote d'Ivoire. 83 people were trained on the benefits of the Internet.
Sep. 15, 1998	The Ghanaian Central Region Network ("CRnet") was launched. This is one of the first African Intranets designed to support the operation of decentralized democratic government. Using a combination of networking and telecommunications technologies, CRnet will connect districts in Ghana's Central Region, improving communications and increasing efficiency. These efforts will strengthen regional and district administration while increasing local autonomy. For more information, please see the September 15th, 1998, press release or visit RTI's web site directly. For related types of pioneering Internet development work in Africa, please see our Development Applications page.
Sep. 11 - Sep. 09, 1998	Leland worked with numerous African Telecom Ministries and PT&T delegations during the AFCOM Conference held in Washington, DC. Select USAID Missions provided financial support for the Conference.
Sep. 09, 1998	MOU signed between USAID and Malawi.
Aug. 31 - Aug. 17, 1998	Leland conducts Internet training, "train-the-trainer" seminars, and works on School-to-School partnerships in Benin. 115 people were trained on the benefits of the Internet.
Aug. 04, 1998	Second MOU signed with Guinea which will extend high speed Internet to three secondary city sites.
July 25, 1998	Tragic premature passing of Jim Lowenthal, one of Leland's catalysts.
July 14 - June 25, 1998	Leland conducts Internet training, "train-the-trainer" seminars, and works on School-to-School partnerships in Madagascar. 129 people were trained on the benefits of the Internet.
Apr. 02, 1998	MOU signed between USAID and Senegal.
Mar. 25, 1998	Benin ground station operational.
Feb. 04 - Feb. 02, 1998	Leland Internet trainers return to Ethiopia following up on the 9/97 training. They find 18 of 19 organizations interviewed have "connected to the Internet and are using it successfully ... The group overwhelmingly stated the training they were given gave the basis for establishing Internet within their organizations."
Feb. 03 - Jan. 26, 1998	Leland conducts Internet training and "train-the-trainer" seminars in Guinea-Bissau.
Jan. 15, 1998	Cote d'Ivoire ground station operational.
Dec. 18, 1997	MOU signed between USAID and Zambia.
Dec. 19 - Dec. 01, 1997	Leland conducts Internet training and "train-the-trainer" seminars for 154 participants in Mali.
Nov. 20, 1997	President Konare of Mali and J. Brian Atwood from USAID sign Mali's second MOU which will extend high speed Internet to secondary sites.
Nov. 17, 1997	Leland extends the Internet from Ghana's capital city Accra to the University of Ghana via a wireless link.
Nov. 14 - Oct. 06, 1997	Leland conducts Agri-business and Private Sector Internet training for 120 associations in Madagascar, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Oct. 31- Oct. 27, 1997	Teams from four West African countries met to discuss decentralization issues and how they can form a collaborative network using Internet as their medium.
Oct. 18, 1997	Rwanda ground station operational.
Sep. 24, 1997	Ms. Brisco (former Leland) launches Leland ground station in Mozambique.
Sep. 24 - Sep. 22, 1997	USAID and UNDP co-sponsor international policy and practices seminar where high-level Guinean policy makers discuss opportunities to utilize Internet.
Sep. 20, 1997	Malian telecom leaders officially launch the Mali ground station during a four day USAID sponsored high-technology fair.
Sep. 29 - Sep. 16, 1997	Leland trains 70 representatives from Ethiopian NGOs and government on the use of the Internet and 20 person special delegation from Eritrea.
Sep. 12, 1997	President of Guinea officially launches Leland ground station.
July 23, 1997	Guinea ground station operational.
June 04, 1997	Mozambique ground station operational.
May 16, 1997	Madagascar ground station operational.
Apr. 04 - Mar. 24, 1997	Leland Initiative trains Network Operating Center (NOC) staff from seven countries.
Feb. 18 - Feb. 10, 1997	Internet for Development: Applications and Training Workshop for 200 Ghanaian institutions and individuals.
Jan. 10, 1997	MOU signed between USAID and Guinea-Bissau.
Jan. 09, 1997	MOU signed between USAID and Benin.
Dec. 31, 1996	MOU signed between USAID and Guinea. Mali ground station operational. MOU signed between USAID and Ghana.
Dec. 05, 1996	MOU signed between USAID and Cote d'Ivoire.
Oct. 24, 1996	MOU signed between USAID and Government of Mozambique.
Sep. 16, 1996	MOU signed between USAID and Government of Rwanda.
Aug. 07, 1996	Formal Leland country agreements (MOUs) executed with Mali and Madagascar.
Jun. 05, 1996	Public launch of the Leland Initiative hosted by Vice President Al Gore.
May 18, 1996	Internet Memorandum of Understanding Drafting Team visits Mali.
Apr. 20, 1996	Leland Initiative sends first Country Assessment Teams to West Africa.
Apr. 03, 1996	Inaugural Ad Hoc Committee of the International Telecommunications Advisory Group (ITAC) convened.
Mar. 01, 1996	Commencement of project implementation activities.
Feb. 28, 1996 - Oct. 01, 1995	Implementation planning.
Sep. 29, 1995	Leland Initiative authorized.
Sep. 29 - Jul. 27, 1995	Leland Initiative designed.
Jun. 30, 1995	USAID Leland Initiative strategy document finalized.
May, 1995	Vice President Al Gore invites USAID to lead U.S. effort to "bring the GII to Africa".
April, 1994	Demonstration of distance learning through video conferencing between Texas A&M University, Kenya and Zimbabwe, in honor of Mickey Leland.

Leland Links
Project Description		Partner Countries
Leland Activity Update		Internet Resource Center
Leland Photo Gallery		Leland Initiative Inauguration
End-User Applications		Business Opportunities
Memorandum of Understanding		Internet Gateway Design
Biography of Mickey Leland		Contact the Leland Initiative
*"Making the Connection Count: Effective Use of the Internet in Seven Steps"* Leland Initiative Home Page

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