Practical Insights on India

1.5 Billion Reasons You Need A WhatsApp Business Strategy for Your Programs

1.5 Billion Reasons You Need A WhatsApp Business Strategy for Your Programs

Published on: Feb 21 2018 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
Facebook recently announced that WhatsApp has more than 1.5 billion monthly active users – 20% of the world’s population! – sending more than...
What Digital Development Future Do You Want to See in 2030?

What Digital Development Future Do You Want to See in 2030?

Published on: Feb 15 2018 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
What is the world you want to see in 2030? What do you want it to look like? I ask this question because I am concerned. I am worried. I am afraid. What will our...
Four Lessons Learned in Piloting Mobile Money for Paying 8 Million Work Days

Four Lessons Learned in Piloting Mobile Money for Paying 8 Million Work Days

Published on: Dec 11 2017 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on Four Lessons Learned in Piloting Mobile Money for Paying 8 Million Work Days
From 2013 to 2016, I worked on a pilot to pay 8 million of work days in two districts in India through mobile money. The Government of Odisha in India decided to...
Is Zero-Rated Internet Access Connecting the Unconnected?

Is Zero-Rated Internet Access Connecting the Unconnected?

Published on: Aug 21 2017 by Wayan Vota - 1 Comment
As the debate around zero-rated services (like Facebook’s Free Basics, Twitter Access, and Wikipedia Zero) and other emerging mobile data models continues, data...
What is the Matthew Effect on Khan Academy in India?

What is the Matthew Effect on Khan Academy in India?

Published on: Oct 20 2016 by Guest Writer - 3 Comments
Many scholars have identified an interesting phenomenon that manifests when introducing educational technology to populations in developing countries. The Matthew...
Surprise! Fishermen Using Mobile Phones for Market Prices is the Largest Lie in ICT4D

Surprise! Fishermen Using Mobile Phones for Market Prices is the Largest Lie in ICT4D

Published on: Jun 03 2016 by Wayan Vota - 25 Comments
We all know the story. Fishermen use mobile phones to call ahead to different markets to find the one with best prices, so they can sell their catch for the largest...
Where is Your Marketing Budget in ICT4D Programs?

Where is Your Marketing Budget in ICT4D Programs?

Published on: Mar 25 2016 by Wayan Vota - 3 Comments
Recently, I was rural India with VSO International checking in on Samadhan, a citizen engagement software program that connects marginalized communities to the...
TRAI to India’s Poor: Let Them Eat Cake

TRAI to India’s Poor: Let Them Eat Cake

Published on: Feb 09 2016 by Wayan Vota - 25 Comments
India’s digital elite is rejoicing with the news that the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has officially banned zero-rating, where telecommunications...
8 Economic Barriers Responsible for India’s Gender Digital Divide

8 Economic Barriers Responsible for India’s Gender Digital Divide

Published on: Jan 27 2016 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on 8 Economic Barriers Responsible for India’s Gender Digital Divide
The mobile phone is one of the most widely used information and communication technologies in the developing world. For instance, in India, as of December 2013,...
Be Honest: You Hate Free Basics Because It’s Facebook

Be Honest: You Hate Free Basics Because It’s Facebook

Published on: Jan 14 2016 by Wayan Vota - 34 Comments
Yes, it is true. You don’t like Free Basics simply because it is a Facebook initiative. You may feel the need to hide your anger behind flowery language...
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