Iqbal Quadir, founder of Grameen Phone in Bangladesh believes that technologies such as mobiles empowere people because they connect them. The company has more than 3.5 million subscribers, with more than 115,000 phones in villages across the country.
Laying great stress on the connectivity,Quadir opined that What was key about a technology as simple as the mobile in a rural village was that people's voices, not just those in authority.
The Grameen Phone scheme has had a big impact is on the lives of people especially women. Known as Grameen phone ladies, these women provide villagers with a vital link to services such as hospitals and to relatives both at home and abroad.
Quadir is also engaged in a project that is about developing village-based micro-power plants, fuelled by cow manure. The project combines access to micro-credit with low-cost energy generation technology to see if rural entrepreneurs can manage mini power plants in villages.
More
|
