Archive for the ‘asia’ Category
Mobile Web, Digital Divide, and Development
PC World has an enlightening article from Kiwanja’s Ken Banks about the growing disconnect between mobile applications envisioned for development and the realities on the ground.
Gender and Economic Empowerment: The Role of ICTs
As part of the Sustainability Development Network week from Feb 19-29, World Bank had an educational and inspiring seminar on how ICTs can play a role in the economic empowerment of women. Yeah, OK, I am probably biased because the event incorporates three of my favorite areas – ICT, women, economic empowerment. But it really was all that and more.
Lots of real-world examples and case studies from all over world were presented at the seminar. Here is my brain (and link) dump from the event.
Dialing for Development
A benefit-feasibility quadrant from the December 2007 working paper on “Going Wireless: Dialing for Development. How Mobile Devices are Transforming Economic Development at the Base of the Pyramid” by David Lehr, Acumen Fund.
Facebook User Statistics (Nov 2007)
Overall country rank, user numbers, and gender break-down of Facebook users (as of Nov 2007)
- 42,966,780 total users
- 15,521,660 (36.12%) male; 18,118,600 (42%) female; 9,326,520 (21.71%) unspecified.
GrameenPhone’s Success, Phone Ladies’ Loss
Who has not heard of Grameen phone ladies? In 1997, GrameenPhone (a for-profit affiliate of Grameen Bank) piloted an innovative concept called the Village Phone Program. GrameenPhone would lend money to village women under this program. Women buy a cell phone and airtime from GrameenPhone to become phone ladies. They start a service business renting out their phone and airtime to other villagers. Villagers talk to their friends and family dispersed all over the world. Villagers pay money to phone ladies. Phone ladies make a handsome profit. Phone ladies buy more airtime from GrameenPhone. GrameenPhone makes a good profit. And everyone lived happily ever after. Read More »
Afghanistan Cell Phone Statistics (Aug 2007)
Afghanistan cell phone usage and industry statistics:
- Amirzai Sangin, Afghanistan’s Minister for Telecommunications, reported that cell phone service providers are signing up new users at a rapid clip. The country adds about 150,000 new subscribers every month.