[kictanet] The Soul Beat Issue 109: Mobile Phones for Social Change in Africa

Wed Jun 25 11:58:30 EAT 2008

>From the SOUL BEAT AFRICA partnership - Soul City and The

>Communication Initiative

...African choices...critical voices...crossing borders...African
stories...

===

According to the African Telecommunication/ICT Indicators 2008 (see
http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?cimo=1&r=http://www.itu.int/ITU-
D
/ict/publications/africa/2008/index.html ), the number of mobile
subscribers in Africa has increased dramatically over the last few
years. In 2007 the African continent added over 60 million new mobile
subscribers and mobile phones represented 90 percent of all telephone
subscribers. This issue of The Soul Beat shares a selection of
programme experiences, strategic thinking documents, and materials
related to the use of mobile telephones for social change in Africa.

If you would like your organisation's communication work or research
and resource documents to be featured on the Soul Beat Africa website
and in The Soul Beat newsletters, please contact
soulbeat at comminit.com

To subscribe to The Soul Beat, go to
http://www.comminit.com/en/user/register/38 or send an email to
soulbeat at comminit.com with a subject of "subscribe".

===

Please note: We'd like to encourage all those who have not yet
registered to register on the Soul Beat Africa website, even if you
are already a subscriber to The Soul Beat. There are features that are
only available to those who register; for example, there are polls and
questions that are only available to registered users, and in order to
tailor the information to you and your needs, registration will be
required. In addition, we'd like to make sure that our files are
updated so that we are aware of your specific interests and needs. To
register, please see http://www.comminit.com/en/user/register/38
(note: if you are already registered and signed in, this link will NOT
work for you. It is only for those people who are not yet registered).

===

PROGRAMME EXPERIENCES
http://www.comminit.com/en/africa/experiences.html

1. MyQuestion and MyAnswer - Nigeria
Learning about Living, a project that aims to use information and
communication technologies (ICTs) to educate young people on issues
around adolescent reproductive health, is running two information and
advice services for young people in Nigeria called MyQuestion and
MyAnswer. The project, launched in November 2007 by the charity
OneWorld UK, in collaboration with other key Nigerian health
non-governmental organisations (NGOs), allows young people to
request
information on reproductive health and HIV/AIDS through short
messaging system (SMS), by going online, or by phoning a hotline. It
also involves a competition which requires that young people answer a
set question related to HIV/AIDS each month in order to win airtime.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/269380/38 Contact Finola Robinson
finola.robinson at oneworld.net OR Learning about Living
info at learningaboutliving.org

2. Groots Kenya Mobile Phone Mentoring Strategy - Kenya
This project focuses on the protection of land rights of women and
orphans, many of whom are affected by HIV/AIDS. In order to achieve
their objectives, the organisation is making use of mobile phones to
advocate for and address women's and orphan's rights to own and
inherit property. The project works across 4 regions in Kenya:
Kakamega in western province, Kendubay in Nyanza province, and
Limuru
and Gatundu in Central province of Kenya. Mobile phones are being
used
by women and community watchdog groups to report cases of
land-grabbing in these regions, and to facilitate interaction and
knowledge-sharing between chiefs in the different regions.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/269010/38 Contact Everlyne
Nairesiae
grootsk at grootskenya.org

3. SMS to Treat TB - South Africa
A doctor in Cape Town, South Africa is using SMS technology to remind
patients to take their medication for the treatment of tuberculosis
(TB). This initiative is premised on the observation that TB patients
often do not take their medication simply because they forget. Names
of TB patients are entered onto a database. Every half hour a computer
server reads the database and sends personalised messages to the
patients, reminding them to take their medication. The idea is to use
technology to address a real need effectively, but in a simple,
affordable, and flexible way.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/125925/38 Contact Dr. David Green
david at on-cue.co.za

4. Village Phone Rwanda (Tel'imbere) - Rwanda
Launched in 2006, Village Phone Rwanda was created as a joint
venture
between Grameen Foundation and MTN Rwanda. The Village Phone
business
is called Tel'imbere, loosely translated as "telephone forward" in
Kinyarwanda, Rwanda's main language. It is designed to extend the
benefits of affordable telecommunications access in a sustainable,
profitable, and empowering way by offering villages opportunities to
access telecommunications through a sustainable business model.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/270294/38 Contact Grameen
Foundation
villagephone at grameenfoundation.org

5. Xam Marsé - Senegal
Launched by Manobi in 2001, Xam Marsé provides market information
about various products to Senegalese farmers, traders, hoteliers, and
others via internet and free, daily telephone SMS messages. Meaning
"know your market" in Wolof, Xam Marsé provides SMSs with real-time
information on the prices and availability of fruit, vegetables, meat
and poultry, on any of Senegal's markets. Manobi introduced the
service to increase access of producers to information that would
allow them to make better decisions about sales and purchases.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/266053/38 Contact Daniel Annerose
daniel.annerose at manobi.net

6. Mobile Dictionary (MobiDic) - South Africa
This is a project developed to enable South African dictionary users
to access dictionary content via their cellular phones. The project
works by sending a word for which the user needs an explanation to a
premium-rated short code number. They will instantly receive a
definition in return via SMS. Most definitions will be contained in
one SMS. On occasion, a definition will be longer than one SMS and in
those cases two return SMS messages will be sent without any
additional costs to the user.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/128965/38 Contact Danie Swart
swartdp at sabc.co.za

7. Using Cellular Technology to Monitor Rights Violations and Improve
Child Protection in Eastern DRC - Democratic Republic of Congo In
April 2005, Ajedi-Ka and the Watchlist on Children and Armed Conflict
(CAC) began work on a pilot project using cellular phones and internet
technology to facilitate existing Village Committees for Child
Protection (VCCP) in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to
monitor
and report on child rights violations. The programme aimed to empower
local organisations and community members to use the technology in
the
context of armed conflict, and make monitoring and reporting more
efficient. Cellular phones were used to relay information on child
rights violations from the VCCPs to Ajedi-Ka staff. Ajedi-Ka shared
detailed information about each of the fully verified cases with
Watchlist headquarters in New York.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/135290/38 Contact Bukeni Beck
info at ajedika.org OR bukeni at ajedika.org

8. Freedom HIV/AIDS Game - India, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique,
Namibia,
Tanzania, Uganda This gaming initiative uses mobile telephones to
engage people in entertaining, awareness-raising activities regarding
HIV/AIDS. Designed to appeal to different gaming mind-sets as well as
the psychology of mobile phone users, the games were crafted in such
a
way that both the casual player and the game enthusiast might be
drawn
to play. Sports is a central strategy for engaging players, especially
youth, and the first game, "AIDS Penalty Shoot-out" is based on
soccer. http://www.comminit.com/en/node/133100/38 Contact Bhanu
Sahni
zmq at vsnl.com

===

Rising Voices, the outreach arm of Global Voices, in collaboration
with the Open Society Institute Public Health Program's Health Media
Initiative, is now accepting project proposals for the third round of
micro grant funding of up to US$5,000 for new media outreach projects
focused especially on public health issues involving marginalised
populations. For more information visit the Rising Voices website
http://www.comminit.com/redirect.cgi?cimo=1&r=http://rising.globalvoic
esonline.org/about/

===

STRATEGIC THINKING
http://www.comminit.com/en/africa/strategicthinking.html

9. Mobile Activism or Mobile Hype?
by Firoze Manji
This paper, published in the Gender and Media Diversity Journal,
argues that while technology offers many opportunities, the push to
bridging the digital divide and harnessing the power of ICT often
neglects people as the resource that is most central to development.
The author proposes that while technology may provide tools that
people can use, it should not be over-rated as the solution to every
problem. Based on 2 experiences using mobile phones in Africa to
address women's rights and social development, the key lesson learned
is that mobile phones are only useful as one part of a strategy in
which people must remain at the forefront.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/270107/38

10. The Un-wired Continent: Africa's Mobile Success Story
by Vanessa Gray
This paper explores trends in mobile telephone use on the African
continent. According to the author, there is a persisting need to
provide access to those who have been excluded - mainly, rural
dwellers and lower-income citizens. Research suggests that low-income
households are prepared to spend relatively large amounts of their
revenue on telecommunications because it helps them save money in
other areas. The article also includes examples of the use of the
mobile phones and cites an example where farmers in Uganda have
used
them to find out about the latest crop prices.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/265616/38

11. Livelihood Changes Enabled by Mobile Phones: The Case of
Tanzanian
Fishermen by Jonas Myhr and Lars Nordström "Mobile phones have
had a
tremendous diffusion rate in Africa in recent years. This has brought
access to telecommunication to new user groups, among them
Tanzanian
fishermen. But how does mobile phone use affect the way fishermen
live
their lives, how they pursue economic activities and how they protect
themselves from vulnerability to risk?" This research shows that
mobile phone use empowers fishermen, both through increased
bargaining
power and increased control over external events. Mobile phones give
increased knowledge about market opportunities and the possibility to
work more efficiently. Furthermore, mobile phones give fishermen the
possibility to take measures to decrease the risks they are exposed
to, such as emergencies out at sea..
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/269625/38

12. Scaling a Changing Curve: Traditional Media Development and the
New Media The Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) at the
National Endowment for Democracy (NED) commissioned this study to
examine the use of information and communication technology (ICT) in
independent media development and to shed light on the state of
current practice with respect to media development and new
technologies. This document analyses the use of new media, including
blogs, social networking sites, cell phone messaging, and other
relatively new technology applications in communication for
development. It contextualises new media in the rapidly changing
global information industry, and offers recommendations on how
independent media-development programmes can take advantage of,
and
keep abreast of, these new global trends.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/268329/38

13. Enterprise Across the Digital Divide: Information Systems and
Rural Microenterprise in Botswana by Richard Duncombe and Richard
Heeks This paper explores the role of information and
information-handling technologies in rural microenterprises (MSEs).
Through a case study of rural MSEs in Botswana's economically
poorest
areas in 1999, the researchers identify social networks as the primary
information system among poor rural entrepreneurs. The vast majority
of MSEs surveyed could not afford individual access to ICT. Those who
used phones reported a reduction in their operational costs (e.g. by
substituting travels), increased income, or reduced uncertainty of
transactions with suppliers and customers.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/220054/38

MATERIALS
http://www.comminit.com/en/africa/materials.html

14. MobileActive Strategy Guide #1: Using Mobile Phones in Elections
and Voter Registration Campaigns by Michael Stein This series of
Strategy Guides is designed to equip organisations around the world
with the know-how to deploy effective mobile campaigns for a variety
of types of activism and advocacy. Guide #1 covers the use of mobile
phones in elections, both as voter registration and monitoring tools.
They can also be used to educate citizens on candidates and their
stances on issues and for fund raising in support of candidates.
According to the guide, "with 3 billion phones in circulation around
the world, in many countries mobile phones are the easiest and least
expensive way to communicate and are far more pervasive than the
internet". http://www.comminit.com/en/node/267971/38

15. MobileActive Strategy Guide #2: Using Mobile Phones in Advocacy
Campaigns by Michael Stein This guide, the second in the series of 3,
offers strategies, case studies, lessons learned, and a how-to section
for advocacy organisations considering using mobile phones to advance
their causes. It is intended to encourage the adoption of mobile
phones by non-profits to build their constituent lists, influence
political causes, and raise money.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/267969/38

16. Going the Last Mile: What's Stopping a Wireless Revolution?
by Panos
This is the fourth in a series of short briefing documents for
journalists on different aspects of ICTs and the 'information
society'. It is offered by Panos as a service to non-specialists, and
in particular to journalists wishing to cover information society
issues following the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in
November 2005. http://www.comminit.com/en/node/188878/38

EVENT
http://www.comminit.com/en/africa/events.html

17. ICTs for Civil Society Conference: Unlocking the Potential of
Mobile Technology for Social Impact (Oct 13-15 2008) Johannesburg,
South Africa SANGONeT, a South African based organisation that aims
to
support the effective use of ICTS among Southern African civil society
organisations, will focus their fourth annual "ICTs for Civil Society"
conference and exhibition on the theme "Unlocking the Potential of
Mobile Technology for Social Impact". The 3-day conference aims to
convene approximately 250 civil society, development, and technology
practitioners interested in the use and application of mobile
technology in support of social impact.
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/269907/38

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To view related previous issues of The Soul Beat newsletter see:

The Soul Beat 103 - Telecentres
March 12 2008
http://www.comminit.com/en/node/268000/38

The Soul Beat 84 - Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs)
for Education May 9 2007 http://www.comminit.com/en/node/264063/38

To view archived editions of The Soul Beat Newsletter see
http://www.comminit.com/en/africa/soul-beat-archives.html

====

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