The impact that mobile communications is having on economic and social development in East Africa is akin to that of other major enabling infrastructure like roads, ports and railways. All stimulate trade, create jobs, generate wealth and enhance social welfare. Mobile communications, in particular, is making a profound impact by:
- delivering universal access - mobile networks cover the vast majority of East African citizens, and operators are investing substantial amounts in further network roll out;
- delivering universal services - mobile phones account for around 95% of all telecoms connections in East Africa; and
- boosting GDP - recent analysis by Deloitte shows that a 10% increase in mobile penetration leads to a 1.2% increase in GDP in the long-run across developing countries.
With mobile voice and data communication, Dertu's nomadic pastoral community of more than 5000 people can now build on the economic and social gains it has made since a mobile network was installed in the village. Rather than making the 100km journey by dirt road to the larger city of Garissa, many people from nearby communities go to Dertu to make calls, access improved health services and take advantage of new businesses -- making the village an economic hub for the region.
More than 3000 phone minutes are logged daily, with new markets springing up for SIM cards, second-hand phones, charging and accessories. Transport costs have also gone down thanks to mobile ordering and invoicing.
Residents use mobiles to find out about good pastures, which are often hard to come by in this arid region. Socially, families can be closer to distant relatives, and health care and remote education are now within reach. In case of an emergency water shortage, a mobile phone call brings help more quickly.
Challenges: Perspectives on constraints of ICT in Africa
Back at the Web4dev conference in February, Grant Cambridge made a very interesting presentation called: Access to Information. Challenges and Obstacles – a Rural African Perspective. Cambridge describes in his presentation the situation in rural South Africa, where:
- There is virtually no access to computers
- There is limited access to knowledge and information
- A child’s potential to learn is directly proportional to the knowledge of the teacher
- Many people have never even typed their names on a keyboard
- Where the edge of your world is as far as you can walk in a day
What opportunity does it set for AIESEC?
Since the begining of AIESEC in Africa, one of the main challenges for the region has been the limited accessability to our cutting edge technologies.
Our current system is the main tool supporting the realization of more than 5.500 exchanges per year -Africa contributes with aprox. 300 internships and 200 interns-. It provides to our members the opportunity to network, learn and match their opportunities with people around the world.
The lack of general infrastructure, like broadband connection, makes it very hard and expensive for our members to access the system.
One way the we can improve this situation as Global Organization is by migrating key features of our system to the proper technology that can be access through mobile technology.
I am sure funds can be raise within our network, within organizations interested in the development of the region or within organizations looking to increase their mobile presence in the region.
This is a new challenge for the AIESEC Network to overcome!
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Drop your ideas here or send them to the future AIESEC International Director for Africa at: cindyr@ai.aiesec.org
Yes Sir. I am on IT. It wouldn't only benefit Africa though. So the idea makes a lot of sense in terms of inclusion and revolution of the way we are operating.
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