Full Coverage: ICT

08.05.2008 To provide counselling and protection services, a toll-free national Child Helpline was launched recently in Lesotho, a landlocked country in southern Africa. Last year the government and UNICEF in their joint survey had found more than 90% children suffering from various forms of violence like hunger, exploitation and rape.

07.05.2008 Erive Community Radio is bringing a change in the lives of young girls in Maganja da Costa. The UNICEF-supported station has led to a rise in enrollment in primary schools through its programmes promoting girlsÂ’ education. The station is run in partnership with MozambiqueÂ’s Social Communication Institute.

07.05.2008 New mobile text message service called Reuters Market Light has made it easier for poor farmers in western India to get farm-related information. By subscribing to the service they can get regular updates on their mobiles about weather forecasts, pest attacks and daily market prices for their produce.

06.05.2008 Intel will work with Sheikh Muhammed Foundation to expand its Teach programme in Arab countries. Apart from training 2 million teachers by 2011, Intel also hopes to educate and develop the talent of Arab youth in the region.

06.05.2008 Open Access to Knowledge and Information: Scholarly Literature and Digital Library Initiatives – the South Asian Scenario released by UNESCO, New Delhi illustrates South Asian initiatives to bridge knowledge gaps in the region. The book is a useful source for building up necessary information infrastructure for development.

05.05.2008 FREE FM, a community radio meant for prisoners in Jamaica, is now available to anyone interested in listening to it from anywhere in the world. Launched in June 2007 by UNESCO, Canadian International Development Agency and others, it was meant to encourage rehabilitation and education of prisoners.

05.05.2008 Africa today presents the most promising opportunities and perspectives for the ICT industry. International Telecommunication Union is organising Telecom Africa 2008 which will bring together technologies, topics, leaders, speakers and networking opportunities for growth and investment in the continent.

05.05.2008 Celebrating 15 years of its creation, World Wide WebÂ’s inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee believes that the technology is still in a nascent stage. However, as a result of various international collaborations, the Web would be of great help in managing the planet.

02.05.2008 Environmental website kidsRgreen is in the final rounds for the prestigious Stockholm Challenge Award 2008. Promoting environmental awareness, this unique educational initiative by India based Centre for Environment Education takes young minds beyond classroom teaching by engaging them in various interesting learning tools.

02.05.2008 ASSOCHAM, IndiaÂ’s apex industry body is organising a global telecom summit on May 23-24, 2008 in New Delhi, India. The event will provide a platform for experts to discuss challenges confronting the Indian telecom industry and develop possible solutions.

02.05.2008 The Department of Education in Andaman & Nicobar Islands, an Indian Union Territory, is introducing IT hobby centres in 24 schools during the summer vacation. The free of cost centres will encourage use of computers in the learning process.

01.05.2008 Rural health practioners in Alaska are being facilitated through videoconferencing to cater to the needs of the mentally ill. Through lectures and consultations, the health providers will build their technical skills related to nutrition and surgeries.