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Report of a workshop that explored the sustainability of ICT-enabled development interventions. The discussion centred around the 'classic' or organisational and developmental factors, indicating that ICTs are not inherently more or less sustainable than other instruments. It also focused on some of the specific characteristics of ICTs - such as their fast pace and the effect of this acceleration on business processes and decision-making, and the illusion of the 'quick fix'. The report also pulls out the impact of basic infrastructure on the impact of ICTs in addressing poverty. It concludes with eight 'steps' or guides to enhancing the sustainability of ICT-enabled interventions

This study is a brief but sobering analysis of the impact of ICTs and health information in the developing country environment. The author notes that despite its massive potential, the current global information explosion has had little impact on access to practical information for frontline healthcare workers in developing countries, especially those working in primary care and district hospital settings. The author notes that healthcare workers in developing countries continue to lack access to the basic information they need to learn, to diagnose, and to save lives. However, it is shown that this can be improved through access to and use of ICTs

A number of health NGOs in Kenya, interested individuals and the Ministry of Health came together for a workshop in April 2000 to explore how they might harness ICT for community health, recognising that individually none had adequate solutions. A consortium, later called AfriAfya, was established to explore means of turning good ideas into practical realities. The consortium consisted of seven of the large health NGOs in Kenya - Aga Khan Health Services, Kenya; African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF); CARE Kenya; Christian Health Association of Kenya (CHAK); SatelLife HealthNet Kenya; PLAN International; and World Vision International, Kenya - along with the Ministry of Health. This report explains the initiative and explores its results, lessons and impacts

Presents the findings of a research project that focused on the information needs of the urban poor, and the information sources they access. The study found that the main sources of information were social networks, key informants, and infomediaries. It considers the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs), and impact assessment methods. It ends with suggestions for development agencies seeking to share their knowledge and information with the urban poor

This paper presents a set of methods and tools that can be used to assess the community networking and information needs of specific communities and thereby influence the design of ICT projects. It describes a strategy that uses a range of both qualitative and quantitative research methodologies to undertake such an assessment, and provides a specific case study of an ICT project in rural Tamil Nadu, India. The study gathered data on the following topics: socio-economic status, agricultural marketing and price search, availability of information on agricultural problems, employment availability and search, media use, household spending, and use and satisfaction with government services. These data are used to construct an 'information and communications profile' that depicts current ICT and media usage and existing sources of information for various community agents (farmers and producers, laborers, government, etc.). The methods and costs at which agents obtain information, as well as gaps and information needs are analysed. These analyses demonstrate opportunities for community and economic development through improved information access, and identify critical issues that should be considered in the design of ICT projects