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Digital Dividend Digest vol. 40
March 31, 2004
CONTENTS
1. The Economist Publishes Article on “Bridging
the Digital Divide”
2. New in the Digital Dividend
Clearinghouse: B2Bpricenow.com, Mayan Treasures, DELTA
3 . Special Opportunities:
Bellagio Study and Conference Center, Tech Museum Awards
1. The Economist Publishes Article
on
"Bridging the Digital Divide"
An article in the recent March 11, 2004, edition of
The Economist discusses the role of the private sector in
meeting the needs of poor communities and bridging the digital
divide. Several new technologies being implemented by projects
in the Digital Dividends Clearinghouse community are highlighted.
The article also references the earlier-published Harvard
Business Review article co-written by Digital Dividends' Director,
Dr. Allen Hammond, "Serving the World's Poor Profitably."
2. New in the
Digital Dividend Clearinghouse: B2Bpricenow.com, Mayan
Treasures, DELTA
Eleven new projects have been entered since the last Digest.
Among the highlights:
B2Bpricenow.com
Marketing to an ever-growing number of mobile phone subscribers
and Internet users, the Philippines-based b2bpricenow.com
has harnessed the potential of IT and brought it to low-income
farmers and traders. The Web site offers SMS-based price updates
for farmers and cooperatives as well as an online marketplace
where commercial transactions can be conducted. 3.7 billion
pesos (US$66 million) worth of transactions have already been
completed using b2bpricenow.com.
Mayan Treasures
Mayan Treasures was founded in 1998 as an initiative of the
FAFIDESS Foundation, a private Guatemalan non-profit development
organization which also offers microcredit, business skills
training, and commercialization programs to more than 5,000
Mayan women. Mayan Treasures promotes the sales of Mayan handicrafts
in both domestic and international markets, and also trains
artisans in micro-business, quality assurance, and marketing.
DELTA
Delta is a fair trade exporter of handmade, high-quality products
from Peru. With its network of over 120 artisans located in
towns throughout rural and urban Peru, Delta is able to offer
customers a wide range of handicrafts representing a variety
of different materials, cultures, and skills particular to
Peru.
3. Special Opportunities: Bellagio
Study and Conference Center,
Tech Museum Awards
Bellagio
Study and Conference Center: The Bellagio Study and Conference
Center, located on Lake Como in Italy, offers one-month stays
for 15 residents at a time in any discipline or field. Since
its opening in 1959, scholars, scientists, artists, writers,
policymakers and practitioners from all over the world have
pursued their creative and scholarly work at the Rockefeller
Foundation-sponsored center. Applications are reviewed based
on the quality of the proposed project, the importance of
the proposed work in its field and discipline, the qualifications
of the applicant, and the suitability of the center for the
proposed activity. The center strives for geographical diversity
in its residents, and encourages applicants from developing
countries to apply. Acceptance to the program includes room
and board, and, for developing country participants, travel
assistance and a US$500 stipend. Application deadlines vary
throughout the year; the May 10, 2004, deadline corresponds
to an April-June 2005 residence at the center.
DEADLINE
APPROACHING -- Tech Museum Awards: The Tech Museum Awards
currently seeks nominations for innovators from around the
world who are using technology to benefit humanity. A unique
and prestigious program, The Tech Museum Awards will honor
25 laureates at The Tech Museum Awards Gala on November 10,
2004, in San Jose, California, USA. Awards are presented in
the categories of education, equality, environment, economic
development, and health. One laureate in each category will
be awarded a US$50,000 cash prize. Nomination deadline is
April 5, 2004.
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