Tackling the digital divide is an enormous task, and no one group could solve the problem on its own. Bridges.org has examined the ICT-based development field and considered what works, and what does not work -- and why. It has built on its own experience and the thinking of a number of other organizations to design a holistic, integrated strategy it calls Real Access/Real Impact (RA/RI). This framework sets out the determining factors in whether there is Real Access to ICT: access that goes beyond computers and connections so that technology use makes a Real Impact on socio-economic development. It is not about a specific technology application that is used in a certain way. Rather, the RA/RI framework offers a roadmap to the digital divide that can be used to improve the way that ICT is integrated into initiatives in healthcare, education, small business development, government services and other programs in the countries and communities that have the most to gain.

This Toolkit provides relevant background and related resources specifically targeted to support policy-making in Africa. The toolkit promotes an approach that aligns FOSS policy and strategy with broader objectives for social and economic development. The toolkit is split in two parts.

Implementation and policy-making to optimise public access to ICT

The first study of its kind in Africa, this report provides information and advice to people who want to make sound software choices for public computer labs in Africa. The two-year study looked at the software environments in 121 public-access computer labs in Namibia, South Africa and Uganda. The findings examine the factors that affect software choices, the realities of the current situation in Africa, and the long-term implications of software choices for Africa, considering both ground- and policy-level issues.

This study considers the use and usefulness of e-readiness assessments, based on an in-depth evaluation of the e-readiness assessment initiative of the World Bank Information for Development Program (infoDev). Top-down, international initiatives waste money and effort on poorly conceived and under-supported e-readiness assessment programs and can be better targeted toward concrete development goals, such as the Millennium Development Goals. The focus needs to move from “how much bandwidth?” to “how much bandwidth is needed for remote diagnosis to reduce child mortality?” Even before this report made it to final publication, the infoDev e-readiness initiative was retired and many of the statements made in this report are now taken as a given.

This study evaluates a project led by On Cue, a small company based in Cape Town, South Africa, which sends SMS messages to patients via mobile telephones, reminding them to take their tuberculosis (TB) medication at pre-determined times. This service aims to provide an affordable solution to improve patient adherence to TB treatment and reduce the associated costs of the directly observed therapy system for both patients and clinics. This report presents the lessons learned so far, as well as other uses of cellular technology in the healthcare sector.

A number of organizations have conducted e-readiness assessments in developing countries using a variety of tools. One report looks at where e-readiness assessments have been carried out, and by whom; a companion report evaluates the various assessment models used including what they measure, their definitions of e-readiness, and their underlying goals and assumptions which shape their outcomes. These reports provide a resource to policy-makers and others who want to use e-readiness assessment results to plan for the integration of technologies in society, and to organizations that are considering new assessments.

A first step in any approach to the digital divide problem is to consider a country's ability or "readiness" to integrate information and communications technology (ICT), in order to provide a baseline that can be used for regional comparisons and planning. It is important to understand what it means for a country or economy to be "e-ready" and conduct an evaluation based on objective criteria to establish basic benchmarks. It means considering whether the necessary infrastructure is in place, but also looking beyond that to whether ICT is accessible to the population at large and whether there is an appropriate legal and regulatory framework to support its use. If we are to narrow the digital divide, all of these issues need to be addressed simultaneously in a coherent, achievable strategy which is tailored to meet the needs of a particular country.

This guide describes the steps involved in opening a computer refurbishment centre in Africa and managing it into productivity. It is intended to distill best practices and provide information on proven methods that could be replicated in refurbishment centres across the continent.

Bridges.org, in partnership with Cape Town IT company DGE, was commissioned by the City of Cape Town to conduct an assessment of the City's digital divide. The project's goal was to help the City better understand the current IT landscape in Cape Town -- including current access and usage of IT, the demand for services, and realistic constraints to improvement -- in order to better target its proposed policies and initiatives to lessen the divide. The project examines traditional measures to gauge e-readiness such as access to technology, affordability, and skill levels, as well as often overlooked issues of relevant content and services, and socio-cultural factors that impact effective, sustainable access.

Small enterprises are often the backbone of the private sector in the developing world, creating jobs and providing a tax base for local government. This report looks at 16 initiatives that support entrepreneurship and what they provide. Although the list covers a wide range, it emphasises international initiatives that work at a community level because that approach is growing in prominence and proving to be effective in development aid.