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These days, I have been thinking how to use infocomm technology to solve the world's problems, achieve the Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, and in the process, bring us a step closer to saving the world.
It seems like a lot have been done already, there're numerous websites on raising awareness on poverty, initiatives to link people from all over the world together. However, what else can we do to solve practical problems? How do we raise the standard of living of people living on less than US$2 a day using technology? This baffles me. The point is, we take for granted what is in our world. The Internet, Google, use of mobile technology have made our lives easier, and we forget how fortunate we are.
Yet, these technologies are not available to the poor people in less developed countries. For instance, I went on a youth expedition project a year back to a village in South East Asia. Life there was peaceful and laid back. Every morning we had coffee and bread for breakfast, carried on our work painting and building a kindergarten for the villagers, and learnt much about life in the village. The village had stuff like water pumps, but still relied on wells. They had no gas stoves, and used basic methods to cook their food. There were no computers, very few television sets, and the villagers used scooters and bicycles to get around.
There's a huge gap between what the MDGs want to achieve and how our technologies can help to achieve the MDGs in a practical way (not just awareness, fundraising etc.)
Any ideas, anyone?
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
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From your description of the village, I think that poverty is not the real issue. Are you referring to lack of modernization instead?
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the evils engendered by today's modern society are less than poverty. So, modernization is only part of the answer. Simply empowering the underpriveleged with technology won't take us far. To achieve the MDGs, we the people need to be aware of the world beyond us, spare a thought for those not as lucky as we are, and make an effort to help them. Once that foundation is laid, technology is our friend.
Hey Adhiraj, yes, lack of modernization may be more apt to describe my experience.
ReplyDeleteThere's just one gripe about awareness however - that is, we've been raising awareness for years and I think that has been fairly successful. Unfortunately, I do not think that it is possible in our lifetime to change people's mindsets and make them less self-centred, so that they would make an effort to help the less privileged. We have made progress, but I doubt we will reach the level that is desired/required to effect major change.
Empowering the underprivileged is a solution, for it enables them to help themselves and lift themselves out of the poverty cycle. Yet again, how do we empower them without the help of governments, NGOs and filthy rich people with a heart?
we've been raising awareness for years and I think that has been fairly successful.
ReplyDeleteAnd then what? People are aware, but it has to be followed by action.
I do not think that it is possible in our lifetime to change people's mindsets and make them less self-centred
We're not here to change others, but through our actions be the change we want to see.
Such changes are slow. However, there is no attitude so strong that it cannot be changed. Every bit counts and it is the accumulation of events and actions and people over generations that make it happen.
Empowering the underprivileged is a solution, for it enables them to help themselves and lift themselves out of the poverty cycle.
I did not deny that. I meant that it's only part of the solution, not the solution itself. There are to be rectified other things more fundamental, without which technology is a handicapped giant.
Well, I can't disagree with you on the points as mentioned. :)
ReplyDeleteI'll like to hear your views on this:
Yet again, how do we empower them without the help of governments, NGOs and filthy rich people with a heart?
Naturally we cannot do without support. If not from the government, then from the people.
ReplyDeleteHow can we use technology for upliftment? I don't have an idea yet, but people continuously come up with novel ways. Check this out.