"The root of wealth or poverty lies in the ends we have in mind, not in the means to those ends. If the hand is ready then finding the instrument of action should not be difficult" -- Rabindranath Tagore

Bytes for All (B4All) is a networked space for citizens in South Asia. It experiments, highlights and organizes debate on the relevance of ICT to development activities. South Asia - often considered as an ICT powerhouse, is also the home of highest number of poor people in the World. Poverty is not just about income or GDP, its also about human development, access to better life, education, health, opportunities, empowerment and human rights. In human development index, South Asia doesn't stand brighter either. We do not create the hype that technology will solve all problem overnight. Rather we emphasize that causes to poverty are related to socio-political issues such as, un-equal distribution mode of a society, unfair trade regime, lack of good governance etc. Then what technology can do? We believe, technology can play an important role in facilitating the objectives of this socio-political solutions. Therefore when we talk about ICT solutions to poverty, we are not devoid of context and reality. We refer ICT as a process that can help achieving certain objectives more effectively, quickly and without the need of any gate keeper. To our view, ICT doesn't replace the need of good governance or people's rights to get equal opportunities, rather ICT can complement this process. When you read Bytes for All, please understand this is our spirit.

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INDIA: TRAI allows Internet telephony; STD tariffs may drop

Wed, 08/20/2008 - 01:54 — admin

Re: INDIA: TRAI allows Internet telephony; STD tariffs may drop - We are faced with a very peculiar scenario. On the one hand, telephony (in India) is becoming more ubiquitous, leveraging the Net, and on the other, access to [BytesforAll Readers Forum]

Not all Asian Telecom Regulators value the power of web

Sat, 08/09/2008 - 04:23 — admin

Not all Asian Telecom Regulators value the power of web - Not all Asian Telecom Regulators value the power of web   They spearhead perhaps the fastest growing industry at national level, not to mention the sector’s [BytesforAll Readers Forum]

Mobile Phones in Sri Lanka: Everyman's new trousers?

Sat, 08/02/2008 - 22:59 — admin

This one was from Nalaka Gunawardene of TVE Asia Pacific in Sri Lanka.

 Mobile Phones in Sri Lanka: Everyman's new trousers?

"Make no mistake: the mobile is the trouser of our times -- and thus
becomes the lightning rod for class tensions, petty jealousies and
accumulated frustrations of an elite that sees the last vestiges of control
slipping away."

New donor on BiG Tech program

Tue, 07/15/2008 - 09:07 — Manasi

BiG Tech is a Nasscom Foundation (NF) initiative in partnership with TechSoup ( www.techsoup.org ), a San Francisco-based non-profit technology capacity building organisation. It assists NGOs and charities by offering access to free software donation programs of donor partners.

NGOs can log on to http://www.bigtech.in to request a product donation from donor partners listed there.

Rolled out in September 2007, the programme so far has distributed 1,011 software products worth Rs 1.34 crore through the BiG Tech portal.

Wireless Technology for Social Change: Trends in NGO Mobile Use

Thu, 05/01/2008 - 04:05 — admin

Wireless Technology for Social Change: Trends in NGO Mobile Use - Apologies for cross-posting! We are pleased to announce the release of a new report on Wireless Technology for Social Change: Trends in NGO Mobile Use - [BytesforAll Readers Forum]

Information Fair at Panchpir Pallitathya Kendra, Gaibandha

Mon, 04/21/2008 - 17:52 — mosi

 Day long information fair was organized by GUK-Pallitathya Kendra on March 31, 2008 at the Panchpir village, Gaibandha. The fair was inaugurated by Mr. Khorshed Alam Pramanik, Chairman, Chandipur Union Parishad, Gaibandha. Four booths were opened for the rural people to provide livelihood information and direct consultation facilities. Agriculture, health, law and educational experts attained in the booths to provide the consultation services.

Three Computer Literacy Centers (CLCs) have been inaugurated at Chittagong

Mon, 04/21/2008 - 17:32 — mosi

Three Computer Literacy Centers (CLCs) have been inaugurated on April 19, 2008 at Padua A.C.M. High School, Adhunagar High School and Chunati High School under Lohagara Upazila in Chittagong district sponsored by Bank Asia Ltd. D.Net has undertaken a long-cherished promising initiative - ‘Computer Literacy Program' (CLP) by Volunteers Association for Bangladesh, New Jersey Chapter (VAB-NJ)- to facilitate access to ICT knowledge for the rural disadvantaged people, particularly youths, with the prime objective to make ICT work for them. Under these initiatives, Bank Asia Ltd.

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