Kasambya Computer Center — From community initiative to self-sustainable enterprise

IT is viewed as a tool that provides extended opportunities for developing countries in poverty reduction, education and health care improvement and thus, assists in a more dynamic economic and social development. There has been a large wave of investment over the past decade in ICT for development (ICT4D) in African countries, and particularly, in creation of ICT or telecenters in rural areas. While such centers have provided valuable services to their communities, they often fail to maintain their financial sustainability when donors funding withdraw. This paper addresses this issue by investigating innovative technology-enabled business model adopted by Kasambya Community Computer Center in Uganda, examining contextual characteristics that influenced its adoption, and by testing Amit and Zott´s e-Value creation framework in order to identify factors facilitating financial sustainability of the Center in Ugandan rural community context. The study concludes that, if expended by adding `knowledge of local context´ and `transparent business strategy´ elements, Amit and Zott´s model could be used as a framework for long-term financial sustainability of rural ICT centers. Presenting and leveraging the model the authors share her experiences and offer a proof-of-concept to be transferred cross-border in developing countries. Since ICT adoption by the rural poor is a national concern in Uganda, this study could particularly contribute to national efforts to provide increased access to ICT in rural communities in Uganda.