Developing Countries being held back by prescriptive technology strategies

Currently, I am preparing a number of submissions to various prominent mobile associations regarding the use of mobile technologies/applications for developing countries. It seems everyone is now considering the value of using mobile in providing the social and economic services desperately needed in these communities. All of the above are viable, important and necessary reasons for consideration, but there are numerous 'white' papers prepared to contextualise and guide submissions that are written in a way that almost prevents success of many of these programmes. Mostly because of what seems to be the need to replicate first world technologies aesthetically and functionally, lest the developing world claim a way of doing mobile technology on its own terms and as it happens - successfully!

Long has philosophical discourse surrounded the propensity of Westerners to dictate to developing countries and certainly Africa on how to think and pursue the successes layed out for them by their much more advanced and economically empowered counterparts. Yet I believe that Africa is and most certainly has defined many a product or methodology that has not only worked for them, but given the rest of the world something to think about. Now this blog is not about justifying Africa (or any other developing country's ability) but it is to point out that despite many attempts to re-educate the west about its approach, I am still reading documentation that is prescriptive rather than embracing of evidence clearly visible to everyone in those countries.

How does this all relate to my topic? Well for one there are proponents that are promoting the desire to use mobile technology to supply services that will uplift communities, while at the same time trying to find answers to supplying the Internet to these communities via a specified forms such as html. There are question surrounding how will they encourage the uptake and penetrate larger communities way down the economic ladder with the appropriate handsets? The problems stated are bizarre to me. The obsession with getting developing countries to consume the internet in the same way as on a PC and how to give them access to multi-media video and other rich media seem profoundly misguided.

Here it is....the answers are just very simple, which is why WAP based portals are reaching such high numbers in these countries. Nothing can produce a revolution like communication (which is a catalyst for change and development) and should be regarded as the first and most important step to engaging real development in these communities. These people are not looking for entertainment, they are looking for tools to improve their daily lives, they are looking for commonality and support and information and access, no matter how condensed. They want to express their individuality and be heard!

I have no reason to support WAP technology over any other, except for its ubiquitous nature in terms of accessibility, affordability and sustainability for developing countries to gain what they so desperately want and need. So come on the rest of the world, give us what we need and not what you want us to need.