EMPOWERING PEOPLE THROUGH I C T 4 D

EMPOWERING PEOPLE THROUGH I C T 4 D

EMPOWERMENT ICT4D (Information and Communication Technology for Development) is a new and highly dynamic field of development cooperation. ICT4D is not just about giving people ICT skills, but helping poor and marginalized communities across the world to use the potential of ICT to improve the quality of their lives. ICT covers all technologies designed to access, process and transmit information and comprises the full range from traditional and widely used devices such as radios, telephones and television to more sophisticated tools like mobile phones, computers and the Internet. If used wisely, new technologies offer vast opportunities for socioeconomic development. Given the rapid development, working within the field of ICT4D is an ongoing learning process and many actors are there fore required to contribute their bit of knowledge and experience. 2 SPIDER CENTER SPIDER CENTER 3

ICT FOR THE MASSES Mobile technology is increasingly being recognized as the ICT for the masses. Worldwide, the number of mobile subscriptions has passed 2 billion and is expected to reach 3 billion in 2008. With users sharing subscriptions, communication will be brought to every corner of the globe reaching the majority of the world s population. While computers still have a long way to go, mobile technology is already the ICT for the masses. 4 SPIDER CENTER SPIDER CENTER 5

A network with clear objectives Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is an important tool for poverty alleviation. Rightly used, it strengthens democracy and transparency, empowers people to make their own decisions and increases income by giving poor people access to vital information and new opportunities. Providing support to ICT in developing countries is a broad subject, requiring extensive knowledge of ICT and development related issues. The activities range from development of infrastructure to training of manpower, implementation of information systems and development of organizational management structures. One institution, company or agency cannot cover the full spectrum. That is why SPIDER was created as a multi-stakeholder network consisting of a web of institutions, organizations, companies and individuals committed to promoting ICT for development by sharing resources and utilizing synergies. SPIDER believes local ownership to be one of the most important prerequisites for achieving sustainability in ICT4D projects. Equally, human capacity development needs to be an integral and fundamental part of sustainable ICT activities. The main goal of SPIDER is to support developing countries in harnessing the benefits of ICT. We believe in a world where place of birth and economic status do not determine the access to information, knowledge and communication. Together we will bridge the digital divide. The strengths of SPIDER: A unique commitment between the national development cooperation agency and a centre of excellence in ICT. A dynamic network including individuals, academia, private and public sectors, governmental organizations and NGOs. Extensive knowledge of development cooperation and developing regions. Access to expertise within all sectors of ICT. Active promotion of North-South, South-South and North-North cooperation in ICT4D. A comprehensive ICT4D Helpdesk function for Swedish authorities and Swedish Embassies. 6 SPIDER CENTER SPIDER CENTER 7

Building on a multitude of resources Three E s stimulating development E-LEARNING. Access to education is essential for human development. ICT can be used to improve the quality of teaching and learning, and has the potential to reach previously excluded groups. With e-learning, the quality and quantity of education can be improved while using considerably less human and financial resources. E-GOVERNMENT. With ICT, citizens can get better access to government institutions, information and services. This helps building confidence and strengthening ongoing public sector reforms to combat corruption, inefficiency and lack of transparency, which are shortcomings characterizing many government intuitions. E-HEALTH. Access to health clinics with competence in modern diagnostics and health treatments is often lacking in poor countries, particularly in rural areas. ICT provides the opportunity to share human, technological and economic resources, as well as bring increased quality medical care through the use of telemedicine. The uniqueness of SPIDER lies in the innovative collaboration between a national donor agency (the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida) and a centre of excellence in ICT (The Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, KTH). Through creation of a vibrant ICT4D network, SPIDER draws on resources from several important actors, including the academia, private and public sectors, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The private sector plays an important role in ICT for development, and its involvement is vital for achieveing long-term sustainability. One of the primary objectives of SPIDER is to support ICT initiatives in developing countries. By linking stakeholders in developing countries to the most appropriate ICT resources in Sweden and/or elsewhere, SPIDER acts as a development facilitator. PHOTO: KINA ROBBERTS/GLOBAL REPORTING 8 SPIDER CENTER SPIDER CENTER 9

Education, research and capacity building To increase the awareness and knowledge about how ICT can contribute to socioeconomic development, SPIDER has supported the establishment of an MSc in ICT4D. The two-year program is intended for students and professionals alike and is opened to bachelor graduates in ICT, business administration and social sciences. The program offers students initially studying ICT a better understanding of the development context, and gives those with business or social sector backgrounds better understanding of the opportunities that ICTs provide. In the fall of 2005, course modules relating to e-learning, e-health and e-governance were piloted in the 7,5 ECTS credit course in ICT4D. The interest demonstrated during the pilot course provided initiative for developing the complete international Masters program. Junior ICT-Expert Program In response to the needs for onsite ICT expert assistance in developing countries, SPIDER sends skilled and motivated junior ICT experts to organizations in developing regions. The developing country gains from knowledge transfer, whilst the individual experts broaden their horizons and learn to work in challenging environments with limited resources. The program is a collaboration with the nonprofit organization AIESEC that coordinates and recruits junior ICT experts for SPIDER development projects. PhD network SPIDER is supporting the creation of a network for PhD students in the area of ICT4D. The objective is to create a place where Swedish and international PhD students in this field can meet, discuss and organize activities. The network will create a dynamic and vibrant forum for brainstorming, as well as break the isolation of PhD students at smaller universities. Computerization of developing country universities Sida, through its department for research cooperation (SAREC), has launched a number of ICT projects at universities in developing countries where the aim is to computerize the university and connect it to the Internet. SAREC has entrusted SPIDER to be the counterpart for universities in Honduras (UNAH), Burkina Faso (UO and CNRST) and Bolivia (UMSA). SPIDER draws upon the ICT resource base in Sweden and abroad to find the most appropriate expertise to support the projects. Help-desk function for Swedish authorities SPIDER was created with a view to act as a Swedish resource base in the area of ICT, and thus one of its important functions is to provide advice and assistance to Sida, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Swedish Embassies in developing countries. 10 SPIDER CENTER SPIDER CENTER 11

BANGLADESH Virtual Classroom In Bangladesh, access to quality education is seriously lacking in rural areas. Distance tuition exists, but the dropout rate is high. The Virtual Class room project, run in collaboration with Örebro and Umeå Universities, and BRAC University in Bangladesh, focuses on using electronic means to enhance provision of education in poor rural areas. The project works on the premise that increased interactivity between teachers and students enhances both motivation and learning capabilities, and at the same time reduces dropout. Bangladesh has a full coverage low-cost GSM network and the use of mobile phones is soaring, whilst Internet use is still limited. Therefore, the project is based on mobile phone technology. An application for interaction between teachers and students has been developed, tested, and is currently implemented as an integral part of television based lectures at Bangladesh Open University. Through the development of an Educate the Educator program more interactive teaching styles will be introduced in a currently largely repetitive pedagogical culture. 12 SPIDER CENTER SPIDER CENTER 13

HONDURAS ICT in Higher Education The National Autonomous University of Honduras, UNAH, is the largest university in the country with more than 75,000 students in eight campuses spread throughout Honduras. UNAH plays a key role in improving the higher education in the country, but the need for reform is imminent. Today, the university lacks basic ICT functions for administration, research and tutoring. The objective of the cooperation between UNAH and SPIDER is to create a comprehensive Policy and Master Plan, as well as the design for a UNAH wide network. One important part in the process is to identify the different needs among students, researchers, teachers and other stakeholders. The ICT Policy and Master Plan will provide UNAH with an instrument for attracting external funding. Different donors could finance different modules of the ICT platform. The project is financed by the Department for Research Cooperation, SAREC, at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, Sida. UGANDA Farmers delight Uganda has very limited national data connectivity, but the cellular network reaches more than 75% of the country. The project intends to transfer the concept of ICT for poverty reduction into a practical reality with the help of SMS technology. The development of functional SMS applications capable of running on most affordable phones will not only provide cost effective means to acquire and dispatch information, but also address many of the local development needs. Using a mobile phone, farmers can learn about interest rates, prices for their commodities and keep in contact with family working away from home. The project will build a strong linkage between institutions of higher learning, mobile telecom companies and the broader market. This will drive the curriculum, courses and research to be more responsive to the needs of the communities. In addition, the process is expected to promote growth of the software industry in Uganda. Makerere University in Uganda collaborates with De La Salle University in the Philippines and the Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden. Local partners include the Uganda Development Gateway and Women of Uganda Network. PHOTO: CRISPIN HUGHES/SILVER PHOTO 14 SPIDER CENTER SPIDER CENTER 15

NETWORKING Expensive, narrow bandwidth and lack of connectivity are some of the major obstacles in developing countries. University networks such as the one in the Bolivian capital La Paz will not only bring academics together, but also create opportunities for other institutions to get better access to researchers at the university and Internet resources worldwide. Access to information makes development possible. 16 SPIDER CENTER SPIDER CENTER 17

SENDING AN SMS TO THE WORLD SMS is a vital part of the Philippine lifestyle. With 15% of the world SMS total volume, Manila is the SMS capital of the world. SMS can be an important tool for democracy and participation. During the height of the protest movement against former president Estrada in 2001, approximately 70 million messages were sent on a daily basis. This was a substantial 40 percent increase from the previous daily average of 50 million text messages. 18 SPIDER CENTER SPIDER CENTER 19 PHOTO: CHRIS STOWERS/SILVER PHOTO

ICT reduces poverty ICT increases transparency ICT strengthens democracy The Swedish Program for ICT in Developing Regions, SPIDER, was constituted in 2004. The mission is to assist developing countries with promotion and deployment of ICTs for combating the digital divide and reducing poverty, in line with the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). SPIDER is governed by a board with representatives from the EU Parliament, senior management of Swedish universities, private companies and Sida. www.spidercenter.org Production: Global Reporting, 2006. Text: David Isaksson. Graphic design: Lisa Jansson. Cover photo: Kim Naylor (the backside is a montage). Printed by Åsbrink, Sweden 2006 SPIDER DSV, KTH Stockholm Forum 100 SE-164 40 Kista, Sweden info@spidercenter.org Phone: +46 (0)8 790 60 00 This publication is financed by Sida. Sida is not responsible for the content.