Wednesday, March 08, 2006
Village: Global, Currency: Information
By Thrishni Subramoney
What would you say is the key to eliminating poverty, illiteracy, abuse and poor health care? More likely than not you did not answer "communication". Perhaps a decade or two ago, the idea would've seemed outlandish and ridiculous at best. But today a heart surgeon can perform life-saving surgery on a patient a continent away and a child in one country can starve to death based on the performance of another nation's stock market. It truly is a global village and information it seems is the currency of choice.
The combination of NGOs and ICTs promises to be powerful formula. The team-up seems logical. NGOs provide a voice to the otherwise marginalized, communication technologies broadcast voices the world over. Yet in traditional personality, the two sectors seem worlds apart. One the domain of those in need, the other the playground of those in power.
So far, the most fitting personification of this hybrid has been a brightly coloured mobile computer unit parked in front of the conference center at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, Johannesburg. Inside civil society groups are for the second time in two years thrashing out ways to bring the non-profit sector into the information society.
The bus is intriguing in it's curious mixture of warmth and technology (generally perceived to be not quite as warm). This promise seems to have been embraced passionately by SANGONeT and it's partners. The small exhibition features new age solutions to age old problems. From connecting donors and beneficiaries to putting out vital information, the possibilities, it seems, are endless.
But in practice, the road ahead is a bumpy one. David Barnad, chair of SANGONeT's board of directors says all is not well in the civil society arena. In a country where much needs to be done, he spoke of NGOs shutting down and disappearing. It's a truth that's hard to swallow when looking at the delegates at this gathering. They all seem earnest, warm and committed to their respective causes. The digital age it seems will provide bring as many benefits as it does perils. And at this point, the biggest peril seems to be getting left behind.
What would you say is the key to eliminating poverty, illiteracy, abuse and poor health care? More likely than not you did not answer "communication". Perhaps a decade or two ago, the idea would've seemed outlandish and ridiculous at best. But today a heart surgeon can perform life-saving surgery on a patient a continent away and a child in one country can starve to death based on the performance of another nation's stock market. It truly is a global village and information it seems is the currency of choice.
The combination of NGOs and ICTs promises to be powerful formula. The team-up seems logical. NGOs provide a voice to the otherwise marginalized, communication technologies broadcast voices the world over. Yet in traditional personality, the two sectors seem worlds apart. One the domain of those in need, the other the playground of those in power.
So far, the most fitting personification of this hybrid has been a brightly coloured mobile computer unit parked in front of the conference center at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, Johannesburg. Inside civil society groups are for the second time in two years thrashing out ways to bring the non-profit sector into the information society.
The bus is intriguing in it's curious mixture of warmth and technology (generally perceived to be not quite as warm). This promise seems to have been embraced passionately by SANGONeT and it's partners. The small exhibition features new age solutions to age old problems. From connecting donors and beneficiaries to putting out vital information, the possibilities, it seems, are endless.
But in practice, the road ahead is a bumpy one. David Barnad, chair of SANGONeT's board of directors says all is not well in the civil society arena. In a country where much needs to be done, he spoke of NGOs shutting down and disappearing. It's a truth that's hard to swallow when looking at the delegates at this gathering. They all seem earnest, warm and committed to their respective causes. The digital age it seems will provide bring as many benefits as it does perils. And at this point, the biggest peril seems to be getting left behind.
Comments:
Post a Comment
