Online chat enthuses Katine residents

Initially curious, but not overly so, nine Katine residents sat in twos and threes, eyes glued to the computer screens in the community media centre, each giving answers to questions posted by visitors to the Guardian's Katine website during Wednesday's online chat . With time, they started asking questions of their own and they watched, with broad smiles, as their views were instantly posted and their questions answered. In the end they all left happy, stopping to thank us for having supported them during the chat. Although this was the third online chat involving Katine residents and people from around the world, it was the first involving adults. The first two involved primary school pupils and young footballers. Computer literacy is very low in Katine and many of the visitors to the community media centre have not used a computer before. Even regular visitors to the centre – most of whom have only basic literacy and a modest command of the English language – have generally not warmed up to the idea of giving their opinions on matters being debated on the website. So the level of excitement generated by the chat was a touching indicator of the potential for growth in IT skills. The major challenge we had was how fast we could get the views on the web. Although the participants have received some training in typing and using the mouse, it will be some time before they can type with any speed. So, we and four members of Amref staff helped to type the views as dictated by the participants. This did the trick. "I did not know we could interact immediately with other people on the computer," said Christine Agwero, a councillor representing women from Ochuloi parish in Katine's sub-county council. "It has been very interesting. I feel like adding more education─ I will actually continue coming to learn more computer skills." Agwero participated in the online chat along with her husband, John Ogalo. It was even more interesting and motivating for Ogalo, who has shot some films using cameras provided by the Guardian, which are now on the site. Bloggers appreciated his films and this made him so happy. "Eh, this one is about my films," Ogalo said, shifting on his chair to get a better look at the blogpost. As he left the media centre, he said: "They want more films, we shall give them [more films]." Sophie Angwedo, a business studies student at Uganda College of Commerce in Soroti, said: "It is my first time to participate in such a chat. I have enjoyed it and felt like the chat should not end ─ it was very interesting." During the chat, one participant, mrwalker, asked what kind of leisure activities Katine residents would like to see introduced in their area. Angwedo's answer was "staging gospel music show because it helps us become good people and reflect on the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ." This surprised mrwalker, who thought people would be talking about things like football. But Angwedo and Agwero invited him to attend a church service in Katine so he could see how much fun it can be. For Emma Olege, a farmer and businessman, the chat offered an opportunity to understand what the world beyond him has to offer. That is also how O-level student Regina Achen felt: "It is interesting to know how people in London live, knowing their hobbies and whether they are interested in the African way of life. It is something very exciting to me." Katine resident Philip Egonyu arrived late for the chat, as his bicycle developed a puncture on the 30km journey from Soroti town where he had gone for some personal business. He looked disappointed on finding that his colleagues had nearly come to the end of the chat. Fortunately, it was not too late and he managed to post some views. "Now I am also happy," he said at dusk, as he became the last community member to leave the media centre.