The potential implications of this project are mindboggling.
In India, a computer scientist, Dr Sugata Mitra has come up with the idea to give internet access to the illiterate children living in a slum next door to his modern, air-conditioned office.
He placed high-speed computers in a wall separating his part of town from the slum. Within hours and without instructions, the children started to browse the web. They were quick to figure out how to point and click.
Dr. Mitra is convinced that computers can bring prosperity to the world’s poor. It was his Hole-in-the-Wall project to inspire Vikas Swarup, the author of Slumdog Millionaire, the book that became a multi-Oscar-winning movie.
Half of India’s population (1 billion) is illiterate. 350 million among them live on less than a dollar a day. We can only begin to image what would happen to India’s society (and to those of other emerging economies) if Dr. Mitra is right.
Is technology really going to help us make poverty history?
Hole-in-the-Wall is a great example. It is people like Dr. Mitra corporate communicators need to partner with for their international CSR work.
Photo: Thanks to Bill Kerr
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