LearnLink Projects: JAMAICA

Project Name: Jamaica National Family Planning Board

Through a Task Order issued by USAID/Kingston, LearnLink computerized the operations of the Jamaica National Family Planning Board (JNFPB) to increase its communication and information sharing capacity and enhance its educational outreach programs.

JNFPB works to keep population growth rates low, promote family planning, and improve the general health and well being of Jamaican society. The Board provides training and support to other family planning organizations and is responsible for a nationwide family life education program. One of its most important responsibilities is to supply a network of 350 government, private, and NGO family planning clinics with contraceptives, technical assistance, and education and social marketing materials.

Started in September 1997 and completed a year later, LearnLink’s work involved a series of sequenced tasks, including:

• evaluating hardware, software and infrastructure needs;
• installing computer equipment, establishing a local area network (LAN) at Board headquarters, and connecting the Board’s five main offices to the Internet for email communication and research;
• training JNFPB staff to use the computer system, basic software, email, and Internet resources; and
• carrying out training to enable staff to integrate the new technology into administrative, communications and organizational systems.

A forty-node LAN was designed for JNFPB’s main office with remote dial-up connections for its regional offices. An independent Internet service provider (ISP) was selected for its ability to provide inexpensive Internet access to the field and the reliability of its satellite services. The design also called for the head office’s telephone system to be upgraded to include a dedicated phone line for email and Internet access.

Staff received nine weeks of training in basic computer use, software applications, email, and Internet resources. Additional training emphasized how organizational behavior might change and how the Board’s staff could maximize the savings in time and cost benefits offered by the new technologies.

The Board’s new computer network and improved communications capabilities have the potential to increase the organization’s ability to provide more effective family planning information, technical assistance, education programs and social marketing materials to its clients.

For more information, contact ict@aed.org