On the following pages, you will read about initiatives that
are successfully narrowing the digital divide around the globe.
In five countries on three continents, new wireless broadband
capabilities are connecting residents of formerly isolated villages
to the world’s largest knowledge library, medical resource, and
marketplace—the internet. In five diverse locations, each with
its own unique hurdles and solutions, enormous progress was
made in just a short time, while ongoing projects and new plans
carry hope into the future.
These successes were built on the powerful concept of public-private partnerships. They are a testament to what can happen
when regional players in business, government, non-governmental
organizations, education, and technology join forces—each taking
on key responsibilities to bring the benefits of ICT to their
developing communities.