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Reaching urban youth in Africa through mobile technology

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  • Lauren Grau  
  • Mon, 10 May 2010 03:33AM EDT
  • urban, youth, kids, africa, mobile, technology, education  

Let's brainstorm this idea into reality!

At this point I am collecting information, especially about possible partners (IT, cellphone companies, cellphone producers, other distance learning NGOs, etc). Also I would like to put together a good brainstorming group including one or several member schools and student clubs. GBSN Connect will be useful in mobilizing talent. GBSN's institutional role would likely be mainly on the curriculum side, in partnerhsip with a local business school that knows local culture and languages. I believe this is an innovative concept focused on bottom of the pyramid youth.

What do you think?

Any ideas?

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Guy Pfeffermann  , Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:56AM EDT

When I was in Nairobi in April I was stunned to learn that almost 100% of the people living in Kibera, one of Africa's largest slums, have access to mobile phones - either they own one or they buy time from others. There is no doubt that basic financial living skills are taught poorly or not at all - this is true in "advanced" economies as well as in Africa and other low-income parts of the the world. Neither parents nor schools teach kids "how bread comes on the table", much less the meaning of saving and so forth. How to take advantage of widespread access to mobile phones in order to disseminate basic financial literacy  ? The main obstacle may be technological. Until now cell phones that low-income persons are able to afford have no internet access and very limited texting capability, probably less than is needed for a basic interactive course. Once that obstacle is overcome, as I have no doubt it will be, the gates will be open to developers of simple financial literacy courses. The kids at the Bottom of the Pyramid who do well with such courses are likely to become tomorrow's entrepreneurs.