Mobile Phone Use for Empowerment and Well-Being of the Physically Challenged in Nigeria

Part 2: Digital Platforms for DevelopmentInternational audienceNational and economic benefits of mobile phone use in developing countries has been a well-articulated research domain over an extended period. This can be attributed to the ubiquitous nature of mobile phones and their increased penetration in developing nations. However, the potential benefits of mobile phones for empowerment and well-being of people with disability (PWD) has been ignored. This paper focuses on the well-being of the physically challenged in Nigeria and how mobile phones can be employed to empower them. The link between ICT and human development has been well researched, but minimal research has attempted to link ICT, mobile phone and disability using the Capability Approach as a theoretical lens. The critical realist ethnographic study approach is employed in this study to show how mobile phones can be used to empower and impact on the well-being of the physically challenged. Data were collected from the Adamawa skill acquisition center for persons with disability, Nigeria. It is argued that mobile phones have the capabilities to empower and impact on the well-being of the physically challenged. Thus, the findings illustrate that mobile phones play significant roles in the well-being and empowerment of the physically challenged

A Framework for Understanding the Empowerment Effects of Telecentres on Rural Communities in Developing Countries

Part 1: Communities, ICT-Enabled Networks, and DevelopmentInternational audienceThis paper proposes a framework for understanding how individuals empowered by telecentres, in return, empower their rural communities. The issue is that although ICT4D projects such as telecentres are viewed as a vital way to foster social economic development, their effectiveness on reducing digital exclusion is continuously being questioned. This research suggests that the way telecentres users empower communities is key to understanding how communities can harness ICTs (Information and Communication Technologies) to fight against digital exclusion. The study adopts qualitative research methods and targets two telecentres in Malawi. The study will help understand how individuals empowered by the use of ICTs such as telecentres can then empower members of their community. Hence, this study will provide insights of how ICTs can also become means to generate collective empowerment