By Dalitso Kampira
Starsat, through its project aimed at increasing access to information, has resumed the installation of satellite dishes, television channels, and the distribution of decoders to community members and public institutions.
We want enhance access to information PIC Dalitso Kampira
Speaking in an interview on Monday, Starsat Sales Manager Precious Banda explained that the initiative is designed to provide rural communities, especially those in villages, with better access to information.
"In Thyolo, we will cover eight villages using a selection process that prioritizes areas with public institutions such as hospitals and schools. In each village, we begin by installing a special satellite dish at the home of the village chief, regardless of whether they have electricity. After that, we select 20 households to receive a dish and decoder," Banda explained.
Banda added that once installed, the beneficiaries are provided with a two-month subscription. After that period expires, they will need to start paying for the service.
"However, for chiefs and public institutions, the subscription remains active indefinitely, and we only step in for repairs if there's any damage," he added.
Group Village Head Chibwana 1, from Traditional Authority (T/A) Nchiramwera, expressed his appreciation for the project, stating that it has made it easier for the community to access information at a lower cost.
"Thanks to these satellite channels, we can now watch MBC TV and other international networks at an affordable rate," he said.
However, Chibwana mentioned network failures as one of the challenges the village faces and urged the company to improve service connectivity as they continue installations in other areas of the district.
The project, which started in 2018, initially targeted 500 villages. However, the focus has now been narrowed to 200 villages, with funding provided by the Chinese government.
Comments