Google is starting to enter the world of ICTD (Information and Communication Technologies and Development) by funding initiatives to bring internet to small, rural villages in Africa. One such project, implemented by three engineers from University of Michigan, involves installing satellite dishes powered by solar panels to hookup computers in the local community to the rest of the world.
The head of Google’s East Africa office, Joseph Mucheru, notes that “building infrastructure is not necessarily Google’s objective, but if you look at all the areas that Google has gone into, in many cases it has been to fill a gap… The market should see the opportunity.”
Google’s entry into ICTD seems to be an especially appropriate fit for a corporate social responsibility strategy. Google can help rural villages get “online,” and also ensure their place in a new market.
It will be interesting to see if internet adoption in Africa and other developing country follows the same trajectory as mobile phone adoption – e.g. leapfrog over “standard” infrastructure like electricity grids by using solar-powered mobile phone towers.
The New York Times recently published an in-depth article about a poverty-fighting program called Oportunidades in Mexico. Instead of traditional government welfare programs that offer subsidized food or healthcare, the program gives the poor cash on the condition that the money is spent on “activities designed to break the culture of poverty and keep the poor from transmitting that culture to their children.” Some examples of these conditional cash transfer activities include:
Money for school fees, contingent on the child’s attendance record
Money for food, subject to preventative health checkups
Money, on conditions of attendance at monthly educational workshops on health topics (like purifying drinking water)
Initial objections about Oportunidades stemmed from the program’s potential to increase domestic violence, given the machismo culture of poor, rural Mexico. The program is targeted towards women who are the primary spenders in the family.Women must leave the house to receive payments, attend workshops, and visit the clinic. Workshops are about women’s rights and self-esteem. Women also get their own money and control how it is spent. Indeed, the stories reflect the shifting balance of power between the husband and wife; transitions that are fraught with tension and anger in the beginning, but fade over time when the program’s benefits are realized.
Overall results have been impressive thus far. In Mexico, rates of malnutrition, anemia, and childhood and adult illnesses have dropped. Children enrolled in the program drop out less frequently, repeat fewer grades, and stay in school longer. In some rural areas, the percentage of children entering middle school is up by 42% and 85% for high school.
Similar programs are being rolled out in 30 other countires (mainly in Latin America) including Turkey, Cambodia, and Bangladesh. New York City is also starting a pilot program under Mayor Michael Bloomberg called Opportunity NYC.
We had a great turnout and we are all very excited about the possibilities for this year. A big thank you for all the graduate students from programs across Berkeley that came to join us for the info session!!
I have posted our slides from the info session below. Please check them out.
If you want to get involved in Global Initiatives, here’s some key next steps!
2. Write a $20 check to Global Initiatives and put it in Megan’s mailbox in the MBA student lounge (just off the Bank of America Forum)
3. Join us for our first club meeting on September 17th at 4pm. The purpose of this meeting is two-fold.
- Get-to-know each other and meet the 2nd year leadership team. We’ll also go into more detail about the planned fall events.
- Get-in-the-know what’s happening on campus and in the bay area with regards to international business and development. We’ll review a list of relevant UC Berkeley and Bay Area email listserves, UC Berkeley faculty and classes, UC Berkeley centers and upcoming events. That way you’ll be up-to-speed and dialed-in asap.
4. If you want to start to meet others wanting to discuss global issues, come to the Faculty Club for breakfast next Thursday morning (Sept. 18th) at 8am. Please email Roxanne if you’re interested in attending.
We’re looking forward to a great year!
- Megan and Roxanne
Posted by cindy333 
Posted by cindy333 
Posted by roxannemiller 
