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Digital Dividend Digest vol. 28
August 22, 2003
CONTENTS
1. Resource Marketplace Updated: Four
New Resources Added
2. New
in the Digital Dividend Clearinghouse: Afghan ICT
Training Centers for Women, SMS-based Commodity Pricing, and
the Indigenous Tribal Culture Virtual Museum
3. Special Opportunity: GKP
Youth Award
1. Resource Marketplace Updated:
Four
New Resources Added
At Digital Dividends, we often receive requests for help in
identifying sources of funding, free computers and software,
Web development assistance, and other resources. The
Resource Marketplace highlights some of the most useful
resources within and outside the Clearinghouse that help address
these needs. Four new resources have been added to the Marketplace
since the last Digest. Highlights include:
Aidbase
Under development at Cambridge University and aimed at developing
country users worldwide, Aidbase provides access to Internet
information 35 times faster than conventional methods.
Handbook
for Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries
This handbook is for entrepreneurs running small businesses
in developing countries. It aims to help entrepreneurs understand
new information and communication technologies, and their
applications in business.
If you know of resources that should be included in the Resource
Marketplace, please e-mail us at dividends@wri.org.
2. New in the
Digital Dividend Clearinghouse: Afghan ICT Training
Centers for Women, SMS-based Commodity Pricing, and the Indigenous
Tribal Culture Virtual Museum
Fifteen new projects have been added to the Clearinghouse
since our last edition of the Digest. Among the highlights
are:
Afghan ICT Training Centers for Women
In conjunction with the Women's Affairs Ministry, UNDP
has opened the first in a series of computer training centers
targeted at serving women. The first courses offered by the
centers will emphasize skill building, teaching basic accounting
and word processing skills to government and NGO employees.
Hardware for the project came from the International Labor
Organization, with funding from the European Commission.
SMS-based Commodity Pricing
The Kenya Agricultural Commodity Exchange (KACE), in conjunction
with mobile telephone company Safaricom, has developed a system
to keep farmers better informed of commodity market prices
using Short Message System (SMS) technology. The SMS system
allows farmers to bypass middlemen, who often offer below-market
rates to farmers with few other options for selling their
crops.
Indigenous Tribal Culture Virtual Museum
The Mirror Art Group has partnered with UNESCO to launch an
initiative to develop a virtual museum of Thai indigenous
culture. Designed to accompany a museum in village of Ban
Jale, the virtual museum will use an Internet link powered
by solar technology, and will feature digital pictures, digital
videos, and an online talking dictionary for the Akha, a tribe
that does not have a written language.
4. Special Opportunity: GKP
Youth Award
The inaugural Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) Youth Award
aims to bring international recognition to the outstanding
work of young people who have used ICTs for the promotion
of development projects around the world. Youth-led projects
that have been in existence for more than a year are welcome
to compete for the USD 10,000 prize. Deadline for entries
is August 31, 2003. Full details are available on their Web
site.
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