The current issue of Developments - The International Development Magazine features the impact of mobile phones on people in poverty. One phone executive comments, “When you get a mobile phone it is almost like having a card to get out of poverty in a couple of years.” The article sketches the very rapid multiplying of the devices even in some of the poorest regions of the world. Specifics are given from Bangladesh, Morocco, Bosnia, China, African countries and elsewhere. I found reading the full article well worthwhile, and uplifting. It is full of good news like this:
. . . . in poor countries, mobile phones have no obvious downside and have already delivered remarkable benefits, in terms both of economic growth and personal empowerment. They may even enable poor countries to leapfrog over some of the traditional stages of the development process. . . .
In conclusion, then, it is time to update the favourite motto of development policymakers. Yes, it is better to teach a person to Ô¨Åsh than to give him a Ô¨Åsh. But give him a mobile phone, and you’re really talking.
Comments
@ 10:55
We have already witnessed the effective “personal empowerment” mobile phone provide the Egyptian people, wether they live in Cairon or far away from the cities.
The same, concerning economic growth is patent in Zanzibar (we all remember the report on the fishermen using their mobile phone to decide wether to sale their catch in Zanzibar or in Tanzanioa, depending on the price of rhe fish.
The same again in South Africa and Botswana.
But the main thing seems to me to lie in the leapfrog over the stages: haven’t we all seen this with the way the 5/10 years old take control of computers, versus their parents and grand-parents?
Mobile phone is not use out there for petty things, it is an important tool for survival and growth, but also for a certain degree of freedom
@ 11:28
I think there is definetely some misunderstanding as to mobile phones and empowerment. Empowerment of whom. Not of the masses of people who buy mobile phones. Some of course will be able to get jobs with cellphone retailers and cellphone service providers as people start buyimng cellphones. But to say that everybody who buys a cellphone becomes better financially is some what farfetched. A majority of people who use cellphones spend money for making calls that they can’t afford to spend unless they get these services free. Would they use these phones to make job contact. I doubt that people will call oall on mobile phone and ask for job and they will get it. I doubt people will just walk around with a mobile phone and they will get a job invitation. This is misconception.
Ofcourse the cellphone owners will be able to call for an ambulence if they become sick on the country side and may get an ambulence to come pick them up. But that’s not empowerment.
Maybe empowerment would mean buying a Laptop and applying for jobs by posting resumes. This would become easier if the technology was developed so that the surfing of the web would become possible by the use of cellphone without the necessity of both laptop and the cellphone.
I do believe people have misconceived notions about empowerment. I hope I’ve set the record straight.
@ 13:58
Mobile Phones as Development Catalyst
We’ve made the point repeatedly here that mobile phones represent a critical leapfrog tool for the developing world. They provide access to information, contact with…
@ 02:29
I agree with Satish. Yes 2 billion phones worldwide, but landline numbers are falling in places like S.America. What effect upon fixed line access? What % of these new owners use pre-paid cards only, simply using phones to receive calls (as they cant afford to make calls). While pre-paid users account for only 5-8% in the US, its betwen 80-90% in Latin, South America. Personal empowerment - maybe as an extension of self and status but economic growth - maybe for the phone makers.