Global Leadership Meeting Rajendrapur, Dhaka Asif Saleh Youth and Technology Global Leadership Meeting Rajendrapur, Dhaka Asif Saleh

What are they celebrating? Context is Bangladesh

Early Adopters Which sector saw the biggest success in technology adoption in public service delivery in Bangladesh? Education Use of SMS as university application Results via email and SMS

Lessons “So my final hope for 2012 is that technology becomes so intrinsic to the development process that we no longer feel the need to separate it out. We never had p-health (paper health), or b-learning (blackboard learning). ICT4D will only have truly succeeded when it becomes invisible, intrinsic and yes, ultimately works its way out of a job” - Ken Banks, Founder, Frontlline SMS

What Youth Wants Voice Access Service Networking

Framework – What Youth Wants Springboards, Reinforcements, Linkages Technology can support all three

Framework – What Youth Wants Springboards / Voice Reinforcements / Linkages Access Service Technology can support all four

Lessons from around the world – Spring board Ushahidi Arab Spring RTI activists in India Quantify demand Missing Voice Works as catalyst

Lessons from around the world – Reinforcements / Linkage Remote entrepreneurs network in Bangladesh Rise of the Facebook

Lessons from around the world – Access Jobs / Souktel Jobs infor via mobile Access to market E-chaupal Access to information

Lessons from around the world – Service Public Service Education - Khan Academy Social Safety - NID based safety net Health – remote diagnosis Training -- distance learning

Local Context - Bangladesh Stratified society Access is usually controlled by a few Privileges and benefits of citizens are big city centric Voice is contained

What Technology Enables Takes the face off the interaction Puts the control to the individual Democratises access Makes Geographical distance irrelevant

My Drishtipat Experience Served as a plaftorm for diaspora Linked with the larger peer group

Trends Internet connection grew almost 12 times in 2 years Massive rise of online blogs in local language Internet viewed as the most democratice media currently existing

Opportunities Public-Private-Social sector to collaborate on bringing solutions Creating virtual community around common shared goals Creating an echo-system for innovation and entrepreneurship where small network get linked in with larger global network

Closing Thoughts Country lacks infrastructure, so a purely technology intervention may be a divider Effectiveness may increase in complimentary role online-offline ‘Hole in the Wall’ effect is widely seen Realizing potential for many is now possible more than ever in a ‘smaller’, more connected world