IDRC doctoral research grant : research report

With each new ICT emerging in the developed world, new hope arises as to how it can transform the fortunes of the poor in developing countries. Currently, with their small size, relative ease of deployment, relative low cost and easy usability, mobile phones have become the latest champions of poverty reduction. This research project investigated uses of mobile phones by subscribers in Ghana, and concludes that the link between ICTs and poverty reduction can be found in how poor people use communication technologies to connect to those resources they consider useful in their daily activities. Mobile phones play an important role in helping people gain some level of economic and social sustainability in their livelihoods, this role being largely that of connectivity and accessibility to others, which provides users with a sense of well being, the ability to take advantage of opportunities when they arise, and a lifeline to help in times of special need. On the other hand, direct use of the mobile phone for income generation, such as providing payphone services, is a tenuous proposition for poor people because as micro-entrepreneurs they are vulnerable to shocks from changes taking place in the volatile ICT industry

The Impact of Public Access Venue Information and Communication Technologies in Botswana Public Libraries

Objective – A study on the impact of Public Access Venue (PAV) Information andCommunication Technologies (ICTs) was conducted in Botswana libraries with Internet connections. The main objective was to determine the impact of ICTs in public libraries. Methods –Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework as a theoretical lens, the study used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to investigate the impact of PAV ICTs in 4 study sites, resulting in data from a total of 39 interviews and 4 focus groups.Methods –Using the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework as a theoretical lens, the study used semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions to investigate the impact of PAV ICTs in 4 study sites, resulting in data from a total of 39 interviews and 4 focus groups. Results – The results of the study show that PAV ICTs had a positive impact on users in the areas of education and economic benefits. Within educational and economic impacts, social benefits were also found, pertaining to the use of social media and the Internet for formal and informal communication. The study also revealed a slight difference between school going users and non-school going elderly users where the use and acquisition of computer skills was concerned. Elderly non-school going users tended to rely on venue staff for skills more than the younger school going users.Conclusion – The study recommends that PAV facilities should be improved in terms of skills offered and resources availed so as to appeal to both the younger school going generation and the older non-school going users. It is also recommended that education on ICT be improved to help curb rising unemployment in Botswana; such skills would enhance the income generation skills of the unemployed users as well as school leavers

Literature review on the impact of public access to information and communication technologies

This document summarizes preliminary findings of a literature review of research on the impacts of public access to information and communication technologies. The report was prepared by Araba Sey and Michelle Fellows for the Global Impact Study

Literature review of how Telecentres operate and have an impact on eInclusion. Exploratory study on explanations and theories of how Telecentres and other community-based e-Inclusion actors operate and have an impact on digital and social inclusion policy goals

This report includes the results of the research project ‘Exploratory study on explanations and theories of how Telecentres and other community-based e-Inclusion actors operate and have an impact on digital and social inclusion policy goals’. This study was commissioned by IPTS to feed into a forthcoming 2-year research project: Measuring the impact of eInclusion actors on Digital Literacy, Skills and Inclusion goals (MIREIA). The literature review presented in this report was designed to capture the theories and explanations represented in the existing body of research in order to: provide a comprehensive and multidisciplinary landscape on theories and analytical frameworks; analyze the value of these theories and analytical frameworks based on predefined criteria and; Develop recommendations on the most promising theoretical pillars that could inform the future research mentioned above. A two-phase research approach was designed: 1) An extended mapping of the literature from the last ten years in which over 100 articles, reports and books were reviewed, coded and identified the most dominant and/or common explanations in relation to the work of e-Inclusion actors; and 2) a selection, categorization, and in-depth coding of these explanations vis-à-vis different impact areas, as well as in relation to institutional capacity. As a conclusion it has been noted that although a lot of the research on eInclusion is set out to measure impacts, in reality studies often end up with some measures of usage and analysis of why expected impacts were not achieved. In addition, there is a large proportion of available literature on telecenters and other such eInclusion actors which is based more on perceived potential than on demonstrated fact and highly contextualized studies, making it difficult to identify valid or reliable trends. These findings will be taken into account in the development of the different tasks of the MIREIA project.JRC.J.3-Information Societ

Acacia Research and Learning Forum, Dakar, Sénégal, October 4-8, 2009 : narrative report

This narrative report evaluates the Acacia Research and Learning Forum through the lens of the program’s Theory of Change. After twelve years of research capacity development, network building, and contributions to policy dialogue and scholarly publications, Acacia is experiencing both triumphs and tensions. Internet access and broadband infrastructure are major issues in many African countries. Acacia supports relevant ICT4D research that can be communicated to the public, the media and policy makers in order to effect positive social, economic, political, and cultural change, and spur technical and social innovation in Africa

Mapping policy and capacity for artificial intelligence for development in Africa

The report covers activities, outputs and outcomes of the project, with embedded links to policy papers and briefs. Overall, it aimed to improve understanding of Artificial Intelligence (AI) policy and capacity in Africa, and to support responsible artificial intelligence for development (AI4D). The project entailed mapping the application of AI on the continent in three thematic areas: (1) digital ID and biometrics; (2) computer vision and video surveillance; (3) capacity and workforce development. Each of the thematic areas included consideration of gender implications. A fourth thematic area examined trends in AI and fintech. Fintech refers to the integration of technology in financial services from a gender perspective

Public access to ICTs : sculpting the profile of users; working paper

Based on a survey of public access ICT users in five countries, the preliminary analysis indicates that while many public access ICT users are young (40% under 20 years old), male (65%), students (44%), with at least secondary education (82%), there is a fair amount of diversity in user characteristics. The significance of public access ICTs is demonstrated in the finding that most users’ first contact with computers and the internet was in a public access venue. The Global Impact Study of Public Access to Information and Communication Technologies was a five-year project (2007-2012)

Crafting, Communality, and Computing: Building on Existing Strengths To Support a Vulnerable Population

In Nepal, sex-trafficking survivors and the organizations that support them have limited resources to assist the survivors in their on-going journey towards reintegration. We take an asset-based approach wherein we identify and build on the strengths possessed by such groups. In this work, we present reflections from introducing a voice-annotated web application to a group of survivors. The web application tapped into and built upon two elements of pre-existing strengths possessed by the survivors -- the social bond between them and knowledge of crafting as taught to them by the organization. Our findings provide insight into the array of factors influencing how the survivors act in relation to one another as they created novel use practices and adapted the technology. Experience with the application seemed to open knowledge of computing as a potential source of strength. Finally, we articulate three design desiderata that could help promote communal spaces: make activity perceptible to the group, create appropriable steps, and build in fun choices.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure. In Proceedings of the 2020 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI'20

Mobile communication and development: a study of mobile phone appropriation in Ghana

"A dissertation presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School, University of Southern California in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy (Communication)This thesis examines the processes involved in the introduction, adoption and use of mobile phones in Ghana, towards understanding the link between information and communication technologies (ICTs) and socio-economic development in low-income countries. From the perspective of poverty reduction, major long-term benefits of mobile telephony are to be derived from its use as a livelihood resource. The delivery of mobile phone infrastructure and services, and the actual use of the technology for global development are factored into the relationship between ICTs and the development process from a user-centered perspective

Namibia Regional Library performance evaluation: Component 1 report

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) contracted the Technology & Social Change group (TASCHA) at the University of Washington to conduct a performance evaluation of the Namibia regional libraries, officially the “Regional Study and Resource Centers (RSRC) Activity.” This evaluation has been designed to serve the needs of two major stakeholders, MCC and the Namibia Library and Archives Service (NLAS). The evaluation comprises a set of quantitative and qualitative data collection efforts divided into two categories: Component 1 and Component 2. This report presents the findings for Component 1 only, focusing on evaluating the regional library planning and implementation activities leading up to the end of the MCA-Namibia Compact in September 2014