Whether hosting his show on national television or knocking on doors of potential partners, Claude Ntanta is a visible advocate for the emerging online generation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Exposing women's groups and students to the power of information systems, Claude is helping the war-torn country step into the digital age. Increasing access to information and communications technology is particularly important as the Congo starts to rebuild devastated institutions and social and economic infrastructure.

From his base at the National Cisco Academy at the University of Kinshasa, the Congolese UN Volunteer has worked with over 60 network administrators and students, training them on how to install and operate local computer networks and link them to the Internet. At the Academy, students attend computer courses and hook up to the Internet under an educational initiative for least developed countries set up jointly by Cisco Systems, UNDP and UNV. Drumming up support for ICT and development, Claude holds debates and interviews government officials, ICT experts and students during his Saturday afternoon television slot, and explains in simple terms how people can get the most out of their computers. His ideas are catching on, and a number of NGOs, private sector companies and academic institutions are looking to set up and host local ICT learning centres - a significant move to foster high-tech skills and create jobs.

• In Uzbekistan, where less than one per cent of the population uses the Internet, UN Volunteers recruit talented young people from universities with computer skills to help local organizations as part of a United Nations Information Technology Service (UNITeS) initiative. The volunteers have assisted more than 20 organizations by providing training in basic computer skills, helping create web sites and databases and repairing broken computers.
• Easing communications in those areas of mountainous Bhutan where roads and airplanes often cannot reach, UN Volunteers set up computer networks and share ICT skills at central and district levels in key government institutions. Although Internet services in Bhutan were only first introduced in 1999, ICT is already seen as a major tool for political and administrative decentralization . bringing decision-making closer to the people.
• Creating opportunities for the disabled, UNV, under a Japanese-funded ICT initiative in Mongolia, provides computer training for deaf people to increase their chances of getting a job. In addition, UN Volunteers work with other volunteers and NGOs to build rural information resource centres and provide training for future computer teachers at the State Pedagogical University.