Since its inception in January 2006 the Information and Communication Technologies GIG members have been supporting Peace Corps Thailand volunteers in the field. By collecting online resources the members have assisted volunteers in a variety of areas, including community-based organizations and curriculum improvement. We are making a collaborative effort to consolidate e-resources for volunteers and to connect Thailand-based volunteers with the larger Peace Corps community. The GIG has adopted as one of its missions to leverage technologies in its work. The GIG strives to reduce paper consumption by promoting electronic resources as well as introducing innovative mediums of communication. In its inaugural meeting in March 2006, for example, GIG members, along with the Peace Corps staff liaison, conducted an online conference.

Beginning in February 2006 the ICT GIG and the other four groups initiated discussion about creating, developing and maintaining an all-GIG website. After drafting a project proposal for funding, ICT GIG members received a generous donation from two private donors. Each GIG created and uploaded their respective website, and will continually maintain and refresh them with new, relevant information to support volunteers and their Thai counterparts in the field. The website was publicly launched on July 4th, 2006.

In 2007 the ICT GIG's theme was ICT as a tool. In other words, technology is a means to an end but not the end itself. Therefore, the group sought collaboration with other GIGs in PC Thailand. The ICT GIG proposed collaboration with the HIV/AIDS GIG, which led to an ICT component about murals and community radio included in the November Positive Networks Conference hosted by the HIV/AIDS GIG. In the same vein of support, the ICT GIG initiated Project Gold-digger, whose goal was to unearth the golden project information from PCVs that was buried and lost without a easy, dynamic place to organize and access it. The result of Project Gold-digger was the creation of a wiki website for Thailand volunteers. The wiki at PCThailand.Wetpaint.com was intended as a user-friendly platform for volunteers to share information regardless of their technical skills.

Detailed History Chart

The detailed history describes major developments in the ICT GIG on a month-by-month basis.