Computer technology for developing areas: Difference between revisions

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'''Computer technology for developing areas''' is a field focused on using technology to improve the quality of life and support economic development in regions with limited access to resources and infrastructure. This area of research seeks to address the digital divide, which refers to the gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not, and the resulting inequalities in education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.

Computer technology is often given to developing areas through donation. Many institutions, government, charitable, and for-profit organizations throughout the world give hardware, software, and infrastructure along with the necessary training to use and maintain it all. <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-86854-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html# |title=Refurbished Computers in SchoolNet South Africa — a Comparative Study |access-date=2010-12-31 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100308130513/http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-86854-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html# |archive-date=2010-03-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Opportunity==

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===Focusing on Africa===

====Exploring the introduction of computer technology in Africa====

Africa presents a unique cultural climate for the introduction of computer technology not only because of its diverse population, varied geography and multifaceted issues but also because of it singular challenges. Africa is composed of 53 countries many gaining independence since 1950 containing 75 unique ethnic groups and approximately 700 million people. It has been colonized and hence influenced strongly by Europeans from France, Portugal, Britain, Spain, Italy and Belgium except for the countries of Ethiopia and Liberia. Martin & O'Meara<ref name=martin>{{cite book|author1=Martin, P. |author2=O'Meara, P.|title=Aftrica|year=1995|publisher=Indiana University Press}}</ref> describe Africa's diversity and some of the issues that it presents: ethnicity, geography, rural/urban life styles, family life (class levels), access to developed world products, education, and media.

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A pressing problem is also the misuse of [[electronic waste]] in dangerous ways. Burning technology to obtain the metals inside will release toxic fumes into the air.<ref>[https://abcnews.go.com/WN/discarded-computers-poisonous-african-children/story?id=9266722 How Discarded Computers Are Poisoning Africa's Kids (12/7/2009)]</ref> (Certification of recyclers to [[e-Stewards]] or [https://web.archive.org/web/20101004004645/http://www.r2solutions.org/ R2 Solutions] standards is intended to preclude environmental pollution.)

Finally, while countries may receive many donations of hardware, software, training, and technical support, internet penetration in developing countries is often extremely low compared with the developed world. However, in recent years, mobile internet has had massive growth in these regions and has become the primary way most people access the internet. Mobile internet penetration is not equal however, with rural areas often having much lower rates of internet access. This furthers the economic and cultural divide between urban and rural areas in developing countries as internet access is becoming more essential to everyday life.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rodríguez-Castelán |first1=Carlos |last2=Ochoa |first2=Rogelio |last3=Lach |first3=Samantha |last4=Masaki |first4=Takaaki |title=Mobile Internet Adoption in West Africa |date=9 March 2021 |doi=http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3798904}}</ref>

==See also==