Practical Insights on Mobile Phones

How can mobile phones help poor people?

Mobile phones can be used in ICT4D (Information and Communication Technologies for Development) to help poor people.

Mobile phones can be a powerful tool for promoting development and improving the lives of people in developing countries, by providing access to information, opportunities, and services. For example:

  • Healthcare: Mobile phones can be used to access health information and services, including telemedicine and other remote healthcare services. This can help to improve access to healthcare, especially for people in remote or underserved areas.
  • Education: Mobile phones can be used to access educational resources, including online courses, educational videos, and other materials. This can help to improve the quality of education and expand opportunities for learning.
  • Employment: Mobile phones can be used to find and apply for jobs, as well as connect with potential employers and clients. They can also be used to start and run businesses, providing a source of income and economic opportunities.
  • Communication: Mobile phones can be used to stay connected with friends and family, and to access news and information from around the world. They can also facilitate the exchange of ideas and facilitate collaboration with others.
  • Political participation: Mobile phones can provide a platform for people to engage in political discourse and participate in the democratic process, helping to promote transparency and accountability in governance.
Gender Assessment of ICT Access and Usage in Africa

Gender Assessment of ICT Access and Usage in Africa

Published on: Jul 20 2011 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on Gender Assessment of ICT Access and Usage in Africa
Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) are widely seen as having the potential to contribute positively to economic growth and development and to improve...
ReelHealth: Storytelling with Mobile Video for Impact

ReelHealth: Storytelling with Mobile Video for Impact

Published on: Jun 01 2011 by Guest Writer - 2 Comments
You don’t have to be a professional filmmaker to tell a powerful story, and you don’t need bulky, expensive equipment. With 5 billion cell phone subscriptions...
What the Nokia-Microsoft Deal Means for Nigerian Software Developers

What the Nokia-Microsoft Deal Means for Nigerian Software Developers

Published on: May 18 2011 by Loy Okezie - 2 Comments
It is no longer news that Nokia’s market share has been suffering. Even the company’s CEO once said that Nokia is failing to compete and losing ground to competitors...
mLearning: A Platform for Educational Opportunities at the Base of the Pyramid

mLearning: A Platform for Educational Opportunities at the Base of the Pyramid

Published on: Apr 04 2011 by Wayan Vota - 4 Comments
Education is a key investment in human capital: no variable from 1900 better explains economic success in 2000 than investment in education. Yet today 69 million...
USAID Lessons Learned in Using Mobile Money to Enhance Agriculture Development

USAID Lessons Learned in Using Mobile Money to Enhance Agriculture Development

Published on: Mar 18 2011 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on USAID Lessons Learned in Using Mobile Money to Enhance Agriculture Development
Where agriculture development projects find access to financial services a key constraint to success, m-money and m-banking services are potentially important tools...
5 Ways ICT Can Support the Millennium Development Goals

5 Ways ICT Can Support the Millennium Development Goals

Published on: Dec 27 2010 by Linda Raftree - Comments Off on 5 Ways ICT Can Support the Millennium Development Goals
I’ve been putting together my thoughts around girls, child rights, information and communication technologies and the Millennium Development Goals. The angle...
Yoza Excites African Teenagers to Love Reading Using Mobile Phones

Yoza Excites African Teenagers to Love Reading Using Mobile Phones

Published on: Dec 24 2010 by Steve Vosloo - Comments Off on Yoza Excites African Teenagers to Love Reading Using Mobile Phones
We’ve all heard the hype about eReaders bringing digital books to the masses. But often those “masses” are high-end consumers in the developed...
Why is IVR more popular in South Asia, while SMS is more accepted in Africa?

Why is IVR more popular in South Asia, while SMS is more accepted in Africa?

Published on: Dec 17 2010 by Wayan Vota - 4 Comments
Recently at an mHealth meeting, I overheard an interesting comment. One of the speakers mentioned that Interactive Voice Response (IVR) is popular in South Asia...
Kenya’s Mobile Data Price War Results: 116% Growth in Mobile Advertising

Kenya’s Mobile Data Price War Results: 116% Growth in Mobile Advertising

Published on: Dec 15 2010 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Kenya’s Mobile Data Price War Results: 116% Growth in Mobile Advertising
BuzzCity, a mobile media company, is charting the impact of the mobile data price war between Safaricom and Bharti Airtel. Buzz City serves mobile ads, and in the...
Mapping with mGESA: Mobile GEographical Services for Africa

Mapping with mGESA: Mobile GEographical Services for Africa

Published on: Nov 29 2010 by Linda Raftree - 1 Comment
mGESA mobile mapping tool stLight.options({publisher:'b9de7637-ad14-4428-a74a-3b3ba4db6282'}); I wrote about a mobile mapping tool called mGEOS a few months ago,...