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.

In 2002, the World Economic Forum (WEF), the New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) and the e-Africa Commission created the e-Readiness Policy Programme to help African countries address policy issues that affect information communications technology (ICT) use in the region. Bridges.org worked on the Programme to assess the current status of technology-related policies in Africa and to drive government, private sector and civil society stakeholders into ICT policy discussions. This report is intended as a first stage in a broader process to advance ICT policy and decision-making across Africa by building partnerships that inform and engage stakeholders in policy processes.

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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.

A guide to free resources available to NGOs and businesses to use computers and the Internet

There is a wealth of free resources available for individuals, NGOs, and businesses to use computers and the Internet. The problem is finding out about them. This document provides a brief introduction to some of the most important resources, including where to get free or low cost computers, where to get free email accounts, how to develop and host your website for free, and where to get free software.

Bridges.org partnered with the World Economic Forum (WEF) and Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in 2001-02 to hold a consultation among stakeholders on e-readiness issues, and draft a report that looked at how ready SADC countries are to adopt information communications technology (ICT) in terms of infrastructure, legal frameworks, and sectoral development.

This report reviews basic facts about ICT access and use, examines approaches to the problems, and provides an extensive list of resources for further information. It reflects on what is working best and what is failing—and why. It illustrates the key elements necessary for integrating technology into society in an effective, sustainable way so that people can put technology to use to improve their lives: what we call “real access” to technology. Originally published in 2001, this bridges.org seminal piece continues to be cited as one of the most influential reports in the field.