The problems we see | What we are doing about it | The steps we take to get there

The problems we see

The inability of ground-level organizations to put ICT to effective use is one of the most critical issues facing the world today. And a failure to foster local entrepreneurship to support ICT places the sustainability of donor-funded activities at risk.

The massive scale of modern problems requires holistic and systemic solutions, whether you are talking about global climate change, the urgent need to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, indescribable health crises, threats to national security, or any other of the frightening scenarios that threaten the future of our species. Poverty exacerbates all of these problems, and education is clearly a crucial element. So where does information and communications technology fit in? In the modern world, ICT is a required tool that must be a part of the solutions to any of these problems in order to achieve the level of information sharing, coordination, and scale needed to make a global impact.

ICT can increase efficiency and improve service delivery for social programs just like it does for business. But so far ICT is failing to deliver on its potential to improve development because many initiatives lack experience with ICT and fail to integrate it effectively into what they do. During recent years, much attention has been focused on the issues of the digital divide and ICT as a key enabler of socio-economic development, but there continues to be more talk than concrete results. There are many initiatives to bring technology infrastructure to developing countries, yet many people do not use it because of simple realities: they do not understand it, they are uncomfortable using it, they cannot afford it, or they cannot see its utility.

The problem of integrating ICT into development is complex and manifests itself in different ways in different countries. It presents both practical and policy challenges. Moreover, it is apparent that solutions that work in the developed countries cannot simply be transplanted to developing country environments; solutions must be based on an understanding of local needs and conditions. Numerous government and ground-level initiatives are helping to put technology to use for social good, but too often they neglect factors that limit their success. Development initiatives need more pragmatic solutions that weigh the real tradeoffs and opportunities of using ICT to enhance existing services.

What we are doing about it

The desire to drive change at a systemic level is at the heart of our mission. Bridges.org addresses these broad issues by acting as a catalyst for reform and promoting its holistic, integrated Real Access /Real Development /Real Impact strategy. We leverage our influence at both the international and local levels to promote new models for development, and act as an example of ICT-enabled development that is driven from the ground up. We push for development-aid efforts to be based on local needs and requirements, call for the private sector to think progressively about the developing world, and insist that governments engage with their citizens and organizations. We seek an end to the waste of limited resources, staggering levels of duplication, and solutions that are imposed rather than locally developed. We apply common sense and say what needs to be said.

We also recognize that improving the way that ICT is used for development is an enormous task, and no one group could solve the problem on its own. We work closely with other organizations to fully understand the realities of ICT use and raise awareness of how ICT can be used to support their activities. We help shape and promote sustainable, replicable models for community ICT use, grounded on the needs, interests, and active participation of local residents.

We support local entrepreneurship to identify and address business opportunities. We provide tools for government policymaking to provide coherent long-term plans for prosperity, and work at the highest levels of policymaking by informing national and international leaders about the ground-level realities that need to affect, and are affected by, their decisions. We provide facts about ICT access and use, create information toolkits, and offer grounded advice. We are committed to increasing awareness, establishing best practice, reducing duplication, and building local capacity. Our work provides thought leadership to improve the thinking about ICT and development, which in turn affects its implementation.

The steps we take to get there

• Focus attention on the policy issues that come hand-in-hand with technology use and promote policymaking that fosters technology use.
• Bring people in developing countries and disadvantaged communities into technology policy discussions, by leading a local dialogue among stakeholders to foster understanding of the social, economic, and political implications of the widespread integration of technology in society, and helping them distribute and obtain information to coordinate their efforts both locally and internationally.
• Assist in efforts to develop sound legal and regulatory frameworks to support technology use.
• Support the local and global use of technology by people in developing nations and disadvantaged communities, in particular to support efforts that employ technology tools in areas such as healthcare, education, local economic development, environmental protection, and managing resources for food, water and energy.
• Provide liaison, legal and technical assistance to organizations and individuals working to put technology to use to address social and economic problems.
• Gather a body of knowledge about the digital divide and related issues through research, analysis, and recommendations, and help to spread the word about developments and activities in the field.
• Serve as an information clearinghouse and use online access, papers, publications, conferences, and workshops, to foster the exchange of information about the effects of technology integration in developing nations and disadvantaged communities and the key factors in maximizing the opportunities offered by technology.
• Study the effects of technology use on economic development, human rights and democracy, and the impact of national technology policies on these issues.
• Provide public education about technology use focused on training, business practices, and social issues, so that people are better able to work in the information economy and to participate fully in the information society.
• Sponsor workshops, training sessions and conferences about the local and global use of technology for economic and social development.
• Promote technology solutions that empower global users to be effective in their technology use.
• Design and implement programs to influence long-term planning for the use of technology in developing countries and disadvantaged communities.
• Bring a global perspective to local problems and ground our work at the community level through partnerships with local groups.