Comments on: Geek fests and the US Third World http://polizeros.com/2007/08/14/geek-fests-and-the-us-third-world/ Musings on politics: anti-war, global warming, peak oil and otherwise Wed, 15 Oct 2008 22:21:34 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: DJ http://polizeros.com/2007/08/14/geek-fests-and-the-us-third-world/#comment-140051 DJ Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:47:33 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2007/08/14/geek-fests-and-the-us-third-world/#comment-140051 In 1994, a man named Harsha Liyanage began exploring the idea of putting computers in villages in Sri Lanka. There were many challenges to be overcome, reliable power being first on the list. And there was a great deal of discussion as to how this would actually help the villagers. I have to admit, I was skeptical. Yet this experiment developed into the Sarvodaya Village Telecentre programme (See <a href="http://www.sarvodaya.org/users/situ/" rel="nofollow">http://www.sarvodaya.org/users/situ/</a>). There are now telecentres all over the country, accessible to anyone, and providing training as well as access to technology. I am still skeptical as to how much impact these telecentres actually have on the life of a village farmer. But they found a way to bring tech to some of the poorest people in the world and make it usable for them. And in terms of communication within the organization, it has literally moved to light speed (rather than public bus speed). In 1994, a man named Harsha Liyanage began exploring the idea of putting computers in villages in Sri Lanka. There were many challenges to be overcome, reliable power being first on the list. And there was a great deal of discussion as to how this would actually help the villagers.

I have to admit, I was skeptical. Yet this experiment developed into the Sarvodaya Village Telecentre programme (See http://www.sarvodaya.org/users/situ/). There are now telecentres all over the country, accessible to anyone, and providing training as well as access to technology.

I am still skeptical as to how much impact these telecentres actually have on the life of a village farmer. But they found a way to bring tech to some of the poorest people in the world and make it usable for them. And in terms of communication within the organization, it has literally moved to light speed (rather than public bus speed).

]]> By: John Couzin http://polizeros.com/2007/08/14/geek-fests-and-the-us-third-world/#comment-140041 John Couzin Tue, 14 Aug 2007 10:22:30 +0000 http://polizeros.com/2007/08/14/geek-fests-and-the-us-third-world/#comment-140041 At last a breath of fresh air from the techie empowered regarding the disempowered, the means of communication should lead to a wider field of mutual aid not the building walls to strengthen the towers of the techie elite. At last a breath of fresh air from the techie empowered regarding the disempowered, the means of communication should lead to a wider field of mutual aid not the building walls to strengthen the towers of the techie elite.

]]>