May 16th, 2008 at 4:14 pm | posted by Nora Coghlan
New statistics from the GSM Association reveal that cell phone usage is taking off across Africa. The GSMA reported that African cell operators added 70-million users in the past year (a growth rate of 33%) and expanded cell phone coverage by an area the size of France. Around 66% of Africa’s population is now reached by a mobile phone signal, up from 62% in 2007. Some African countries, such as Egypt, Kenya, Rwanda and Uganda, already have coverage rates well above 90%.
Cell technology has enabled poor African countries to bypass the messy infrastructure and expensive start-up costs of setting up fixed-line systems. As a result, wireless technology is reaching isolated rural areas where fixed lines were never able to penetrate: while the number of African cell phone users reached 282 million in 2008, there are still only 35 million fixed lines on the continent.
For Africa, these new connections have the potential to reap widespread development benefits. Where roads are bad, fixed lines nonexistent and email rare, cell phones are forging communications links that are vital to economic and social progress. Everyone from farmers to health ministers to market vendors is coming up with innovative ways to harness cell technology. In Kenya, for example, the Kenyan Agricultural Commodity Exchange (KACE) linked up with Safaricom, the country’s largest cell phone company, to help farmers access market prices over their phones. For about 20 cents, farmers can use text messaging to get current prices for goods at markets throughout Kenya, allowing them to reduce transaction costs and bypass middlemen, who often charge below-market rates.
Donors are getting the hint that cell phones can help overcome deficits in Africa’s health infrastructure. PEPFAR, for example, is working with African health ministries and the private sector to set up the Phones for Health program, a $10 million initiative that will allow health workers to use cell phones from the field to input health information to a central database. The program is modeled after TRACnet (http://www.pepfar.gov/pepfar/press/84654.htm), an impressive web-based system in Rwanda that collects and disseminates antiretroviral treatment program reporting, drug shortages and CD-4 tests across the country.
In the long term, coverage and usage must expand significantly if African countries are to realize the full economic potential of cell technology. Evidence indicates that high levels of cell phone usage can fuel economic growth and even attract foreign investment. One widely-cited study found that a developing country with an average of 10 more cell phones per 100 people has 0.59% higher GDP growth than an otherwise identical country. Seizing upon this opportunity will require prioritization by both the international community and African governments, who must continue to combat regulatory bottlenecks that constrain the competitiveness of cell operators across the continent.
April 9th, 2008 at 10:02 pm | posted by Virginia Simmons
They’re now showing footage from DAUGHTRY’s recent trip to Uganda. You may notice Chris and his band wearing ONE shirts. All of the members of the DAUGHTRY band have been incredible advocates for ONE and the fight to end global poverty.
Below is some brand new footage of DAUGHTRY talking about their time in Uganda and the ONE Campaign.
March 14th, 2008 at 3:25 pm | posted by ONE.Partners
(Mariana Blanco, Invisible Children’s filmmaker and editor, joined 1,000 young Americans to lobby Congress on the crisis in Northern Uganda.)
I had never been to lobby in DC before, and now that its been a few weeks, the best way I can describe the Northern Uganda Lobby Days is in familiar terms–it was like a film, I think Rocky: Day one was the training montage; day two the fight on Capitol Hill, the fight to get our voice heard. I am a filmmaker for Invisible Children, and the world on Capitol Hill always struck me as cryptic and intimidating; but for two days at the end of March, I met person after person, sincerely excited to be involved in our effort.
Let’s skip to action. On day two, 800 individuals met with more than 200 staffers and Congressmen, making it one of the largest lobbying groups for Africa. I started the day surrounded by mostly young students in suits, practicing their speeches. There was urgency in the air – the LRA and the Ugandan government had made significant steps toward peace just days before. The day suddenly became weighted and relevant.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:36 pm | posted by Virginia Simmons
I also got a note from ONE’s Katherine Jollon today who visited Tigers Club, a program that works with street children in Kampala, Uganda.
According to the Consortium for Street Children there are 10,000 street children in Uganda. “Underlying causes of children’s problems in Uganda include armed conflicts, diseases (HIV/AIDS), lack of education, inadequate services and entrenched poverty.”
From Katherine:
“Today was my favorite day yet - our last stop was to the Tigers Club project which works with street kids in Kampala, Uganda to leave street life behind and transition into a caring family environment. They engage the kids through football (American soccer), and through that experience teach and counsel them to get off the streets. The results are overwhelming - 87 percent of the kids transition back into family homes. What most amazed me was the kids themselves - their smart, quick humor, their courage to turn their lives around, and their energy. The children reminded us how and why we can help - that difference is made one child at a time and that these community-level programs change lives every day.
March 11th, 2008 at 2:20 pm | posted by Virginia Simmons
Several members of ONE’s staff are traveling through Uganda and Rwanda this week. I just received an email from ONE’s Margaret McDonnell who met with beneficiaries of a Kampala, Uganda microfinance program today.
Before her email, a little background on microfinance:
Because it is often difficult to find paying jobs in poor countries, many people earn a living by starting and operating their own small businesses. Examples of these types of businesses could be selling fruits or vegetables at a local market, or providing basic services such as sewing clothing. Often these small businesses can’t access credit or other financial services to grow and develop their business and provide for their family and community.
Microcredit and microfinance programs like these described below are especially important for women, who often don’t have access to financial resources in the way that men do in these countries. U.S. funding for microcredit/microfinance programs in recent years has been approximately $200 million annually.
And now Margaret’s post:
“This afternoon we met with Swabrah Scovia, who works with FINCA, the Foundation of International Community Assistance. She brought us to visit beneficiaries of one of their microfinance programs in the Naguru neighborhood in Kampala, Uganda.
The 12 women shared their stories about how the loans have helped them start or grow their own businesses, ranging from vegetable stalls to second-hand clothing shops. Loans start at the equivalent of 25 dollars and can grow to 5,000 dollars over time and with proven credit. The women have become very close and operate like a team, meeting bi-weekly to share their business plans, meet their financial commitments, and help each other through daily life challenges.
I will never forget the pride on the womens faces when they described being able to provide food for their families and to send their children to school.
March 10th, 2008 at 9:54 am | posted by Virginia Simmons
Visiting TASO
Today, ONE Staff visited “The AIDS Support Organization” (TASO) in Kampala, Uganda.
TASO was founded in 1987 and today is the largest indigenous NGO providing HIV/AIDS services in Uganda, Africa. The organization has 11 service centers, and 13 more “mini-TASOs,” throughout the country.
A note from Kimberly:
We just visited the good people at TASO Kampala. We were able to visit some of the people they provide treatment to in their homes.
The woman that Marjorie, Josh and I met with was diagnosed in 1999 but didn’t begin receiving ARV treatment until 2002. Because of the ARV treatment, she is healthy enough to work and care for her grandsons (she has 4) and support her son who just entered his first year of university.
She was very pleased we came to hear her story. She wanted us to convey her thanks to all of those people that make it possible for her to be on treatment.
March 10th, 2008 at 9:33 am | posted by Virginia Simmons
On Saturday a crew of ONE staff left for a week-long trip to Uganda and Rwanda. Several are sending in posts to the ONE Blog throughout the trip, so I’ll do my best to get them up a.s.a.p.
Below, updates from our own Josh Peck and Kimberly Cadena.
Saturday, 5:47 PM
We’re off.
We’re sitting in Dulles Airport waiting to board our flight to Uganda. Margaret (on the left) is emailing her family using Katherine’s phone because she dropped hers in the toilet.
We’re really excited, but we’ll see how that holds up as we make our 20 hour journey to Entebbe.
-Josh Peck
10:30 pm Sunday night
The ONE team has just landed in Entebbi, Uganda. After making it through customs, grabbing our bags and looking for the first lost item (Josh Peck is down a jacket), we boarded a bus and headed to our hotel.
It’s going to be an early night, because at 7:00 am tomorrow morning we’re heading to a TASO facility. We’ll meet with the staff, all HIV positive themselves, that are treating people in their community with the virus. We’ll also be joining them on some home visits in the afternoon.
We’ll check in again after the morning briefing to give you more details about the day ahead.
P.S. Our bus driver is wearing one of the first white ONE bands!
The ONE Blog is a daily log of the anti-poverty movement. The site is operated by ONE staff, volunteers, members and coalition partners.
The content of each post and each comment represent the views of that author and does not necessarily reflect the views of the ONE Campaign or ONE Action. ONE does not support or oppose any candidate for elected office, and any posts expressing support or opposition for a candidate is not endorsed by ONE.
