Can I get information relevant to my work in a developing country through computer networks?
Yes. On-line and off-line access to information useful to NGOs is available from numerous sources. Especially relevant to NGOs are APC conferences, newsgroups, mailing lists, and the Gopher. These information sources are explained later in this section and in Part 1 of this handbook.
What computer conferences are available and useful to NGOs?
The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is a consortium of networks serving the NGO community worldwide. It runs a large number of conferences on environmental sustainability, universal human rights and social and economic justice. These conferences allow on-line dialogue, and include events calendars, newsletters, legislative alerts, news releases, action updates and late-breaking stories. Conferences are participatory, and are networked to host computers in many developing countries. You can also subscribe by e-mail, for a small fee, to specific conferences, so that all postings to that conference will be sent to your e-mail address. A number of networks listed in the directory in Part 3 of this handbook are either APC members or make APC conferences available to their users.
Bulletin Boards on Geonet affiliated networks
These networks, mostly based in Europe, provide public bulletin boards on environmental sustainability, universal human rights, labor issues and social and economic justice. For further information send an e-mail message to: support@geo2.geonet.de.
To which newsgroups or mailing lists can I subscribe and how?
There are many special interest newsgroups in existence. Here are two:
Volunteers In Technical Assistance (VITA) runs a development and technical assistance-related newsgroup called DEVEL-L. You can subscribe to this Usenet Newsgroup by sending an e-mail message to listserv@american.edu. The body of the message should include the text sub devel-l your name.
ACTIV-L
Another useful newsgroup for activist NGOs is called ACTIV-L; it is based at the University of Missouri and can be subscribed to be sending an e-mail message to listserv@mizzou1.missouri.edu. The body of this message should include the text sub activ-l your name.
Before subscribing, you should note that some of these lists are very active; you can end up receiving 20 or more messages a day. For e-mail users who pay for the mail they receive, this can become a burden.
Some subscribers to mailing lists from developing countries have been frustrated by the sheer volume of incoming messages, many of them containing very little useful information. You may want to check with your service provider or with other NGOs before subscribing. In many cases network providers discourage individual subscriptions. If a number of users are interested in subscribing to a particular mailing list, providers may arrange to subscribe in the network s name, thus allowing all users to benefit from a single subscription.
One way to reduce the amount of material received (without missing out on what is being discussed) is to follow the instructions sent to you by e-mail when you first subscribe. These tell you how to receive a list of the day s titles; you can then order specific items of interest by e-mail.
In short, you should be careful before deciding to subscribe to a mailing list. It can be frustrating to receive inappropriate information (and to pay a premium for the privilege). Please remember to keep the instructions on how to unsubscribe to a mailing list, which are usually sent along with your initial subscription.
What databases are available and useful to NGOs?
United Nations and the World Bank
Both of these organizations make a large body of information such as official documents, project reports, press releases available on-line. This information can be accessed by Gopher, which is explained in Section II of Part 1. To connect on-line to these databases, you need a computer with full Internet access. The Gopher program can be used off-line via e-mail as well.
APC databases
Some APC networks offer members their own databases, which include alternative publications, bibliographies, information on grant-making foundations, Third World Resources, Greenpeace press releases, Agenda 21, shortwave radio transcripts, the United Nations Information Service, and the Pesticide Information Service.
Geonet Databases
Some Geonet systems, particularly the one used by NGOs in the UK and other European countries, offer access to a number of databases on health and safety, environmental protection, Agenda 21 and so on. A subscription to these networks is required to access the databases interactively.
The above sources are just a few examples. Numerous others, particularly university databases, are available. Most are based in the United States and Western Europe.
Are other information sources accessible via e-mail?
Yes. Many networks have set up an automatic mechanism which responds to e-mail requests for information.
Where should I start in order to access remote databases by e-mail?
Here are two good starting points:
Back to Part 2 Section I: Computer Networks for NGOs
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