Tech for Development Basics

Technology provides unparalleled opportunities for making an impact in the lives of poor families around the globe. For many of us, making a phone call or logging on to the Internet is just an ordinary routine in our daily life.  However, for millions of people in developing countries, such limitless access is still out of reach.  By improving access to information and communications in these communities, technology can help create more economic opportunities, enable people to participate more fully in civic society, and connect them to the wider global community.

For example, using just a basic cell phone, a farmer can get market prices for his goods, a job seeker can connect with a potential employer in a nearby village, and people in remote communities can participate in call-in radio shows about local issues.

Over the past decade, there has been a growing worldwide effort to bridge the digital divide in underserved communities.  Information and communications technology for development (ICT4D) is playing a central role and is a key part of the United Nation’s efforts for meeting the Millennium Development Goals in 2015.  In conjunction with those efforts, the International Telecommunications Union has also launched a “Connect the World” campaign which is aimed at “connecting the unconnected by 2015.”