Stories about Development from July, 2010
Qatar: Residents survive change to eight-digit phone numbers
In an effort to meet future demand, Qatar changes most mobile and landline numbers from seven to eight digits. Residents complain, but find the transition to be easier than expected.
Nicaragua: 2.0 Meeting of Blogs and New Media in Managua
On August 12 and 13 the event 2.0 Meeting of Blogs and New Media (2.0 Encuentro de Blogs & Nuevos Medios) will take place in Managua, with the participation of communication and new media experts from various countries in the region, including some Global Voices authors.
Haiti: Displaced Women and Girls Victims of Gender Violence
In the aftermath of the devastating Haiti earthquake, women and girls are still facing gender violence, as some of them not only experience rape, but then have to face an absent judicial system and less than adequate medical care.
Taiwan: Manhattan”s” in Taipei
Pomelo(鉑鎂鑼) criticizes the vacuum promises(zht) made by Taipei mayor Hau Lung-pin who promises to build one Manhattan in Shezi region, yet another Manhattan in the basin of Danshui river before the coming election.
Bangladesh: One Child to Rebuild a School
All it took was one child to talk about his destroyed school in front of a camera: through the following months, thanks to Shawn Ahmed of the Uncultured Project and Nerdfighters, the world rallied through YouTube and raised enough money to rebuild the school.
Nepal: No Toilet, No Citizenship
XNepali Blog reports that as a part of the sanitary awareness program in rural Nepal, the Kaikot district council “has formulated a requirement in which every citizenship certificate applicant need to have a toilet at home”.
Ecuador: Youth in Ambato Get Their Own Venue for Art, Culture and Education
Close to the celebration of International Youth Day, Ecuadorian youth from Ambato are happy they can express their own thoughts in a space of tolerance and mutual respect, after three long years of hard work, writes Gabo of Ambato Loco [es]. With the creation of a “Casa de la Juventud” (House of/for...
São Tomé & Principe: Political Background for a Voting Day
The 25th of July 2010 is a voting day for local and regional government in São Tomé & Príncipe. Blog OPLOP posts a report about the political system and the current electoral situation in a country that celebrates its 35th anniversary this month [pt].
Brazil: Collaborative Website on Street Dwellers
Maria Frô talks about the new website FalaRua [Street Talking], dedicated to the street dwellers of Brazil. The online community offers information about the Project for Training and Strengthening of Street Dwellers and invites everyone to participate through a quick registration. [all links in Portuguese]
Africa's Hunger Hardships Spur Biotech Debate
Many solutions have been proposed to help combat hunger in Africa, but one in particular remains controversial: biotechnology. Many experts suggest that genetically modified organisms could help ensure food security. Others claim there are numerous risks associated with adopting GMOs in Africa.
Taiwan: Rice fields outside the Presidential Office
On July 18th, Taiwanese farmers transformed the Presidential Office into rice fields, not for creating a city garden, but for a protest to the Land Expropriation Act.
Iran: A village in the middle of rocks
Kandovan is a ‘strange’ Iranian village in Eastern Azarbaijan province where houses are in the middle of rocks. Watch the photos.
Brazil: Training Citizen Media in the Suburbs of São Paulo
A new citizen journalism project is underway in the poor, marginalized suburbs of São Paulo. Journalist Bruno Garcez launched blog Mural [pt] where he posts citizen media tips and interacts with his students. The new citizen reporters are also invited to publish their reporting and explain the process they have...
Malawi: An eye on charcoal trade
An eye on the charcoal trade in Malawi: “Like the rest of the world, forests in Malawi play a vital role. They are the engine of survival to millions of poor Malawians, but at the rate with which forests are being cleared, mainly through illegal logging and burn agriculture, the...
Niger: Offering choices to unheard voices
Niall Tierney writes Concern Worldwide and hunger in Niger: “Concern launched an early, groundbreaking response using “short-harvest” seed varieties, mobile phone technology and cash, and emergency nutrition programs to reach the most vulnerable before the food ran out…”
Armenia: FrontlineSMS and health care for all
FrontlineSMS says that more than 50,000 alerts on health care service have been sent using its open source software by international development organization Oxfam. The post includes a video report.
Africa: Maker Faire Africa 2010 T-Shirt Design Competition
“In celebrating African creativity; Maker Faire Africa 2010 and African Digital Art network are partnering up to encourage designers throughout Africa to showcase their talent through a T-Shirt Design Competition,” writes Ghanaian blogger Mac-Jordan.
Mozambique/Brazil: “Ethanol diplomacy” meets criticism
NGOs furiously denounced last week's trilateral accord between Brazil, Mozambique and the European Union promoting ethanol production in Mozambique for the European market. The blogsphere provides some background to this "ethanol diplomacy" and questions its future social and environmental impacts.
Africa: Brain drain and African governance
Gregory Simpkins argues that African governments spend an average of US$4 billion a year to hire about 100,000 Western experts to handle functions, which could have been performed by the African professionals in the Diaspora.
Philippines: Manila Water Crisis
Metro Manila, the national capital region of the Philippines, is now experiencing a water shortage crisis with millions enduring water supply rationing. Filipino bloggers try to make sense of the crisis.
Bangldesh: What Youth Think About Mobile Phones
Mobile Youth went to Bangladesh and produced a video where local youth “talked about their preferences for handsets and operators, which packages worked for them and which brands did they recommend to friends.”
