In the recent issue of Good magazine, Iqbal Quadir, the founder of Grameenphone, and Nicholas Negroponte, the founder of One Laptop per Child, debate the merits of these specific technologies in the developing world.
Quadir argues that cell phones bring greater benefits for several reasons, including the fact that the voice communications do not require literacy and are thus more inclusive. Since cell phones are natural devices for networking, the inclusiveness gives rise to a network effect. The second important reason is that people find an immediate payback which leads to a willingness and capacity of paying for the cell phone services. This changes the economic ground realities and reaction produces greater traction for phones. The benefits proliferate organically.
Negroponte contends that a laptop is a window, a contemplative experience. He favors a long-term investment in children through laptops, while Quadir advocates an immediate payoff for adults through cell phones. They both advocate for long-term solutions.
WAKE-UP CALL: This debate raises good questions for nonprofits involved in bringing technology to a population that has not had access to technology before. Quadir sums it up nicely: “I think it is important to avoid separating technology from how it will actually fit into a community. The two are inextricably linked. If we “air drop” technology from above, it is less likely to take hold and spread naturally. That the cell phone penetration is far higher than the internet penetration in developing countries demonstrates that it is a technology that starts roots much more easily in poor countries.”
As a nonprofit, what assumptions do you make about your audience’s familiarity with technology or the services you provide? Do you demonstrate a “cultural competency” in understanding the needs of your audience and respect their natural ways of doing things?
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The concept of cultural competency is addressed in the blog post referenced above, which discusses hunger in America. One solution mentioned was a Breakfast in School program. Here is the relevant excerpt:
With a more comprehensive approach in mind, Joel Berg, Executive Director of the NYC Coalition Against Hunger, discussed expanding the breakfast schools for children, a successful program that addresses a critical need — 80% of kids nationwide don’t eat breakfast. Serving breakfast in the classroom has resulted in reduced tardiness reduced and improved attendance in addition to addressing hunger. As another benefit, this program takes the stigma off a child who is too poor to afford breakfast, and consequently can’t concentrate during the day. Solutions that address the collateral problems of the population result in other positive benefits.
It might be that a solution that combines a mobile phone into a PC so that both technologies are provided to everyone is the best solution?
I only know of WiHood (http://www.WiHood.com) that has such a solution that provides a complete virtual desktop with an embedded virtual mobile phone, WiHood Mobile.
WiHood seems to be the best solution considering it uses virtual and cloud computing technologies that do not introduce environmental waste or pollutants into these communities. This is something that “must be” considered when introducing new technologies into new markets to bridge the digital divide. Technology must not bear a negative health cost when implemented.