Asia

Saints Among Us

It were the mid 1980s. I was not yet a teenager. And one warm night in Lahore, I listened to this elderly man, give a passionate speech. He sported a long white beard and wore ragged black kamiz shalwar, and in a soft but stern voice, he declared, “I will build a network of health centers over the 1500 km main highway connecting Karachi to Peshawar. And after every 50 kilometers there will be a small basic health center manned by an ambulance. These services are for all mankind free of cost.”

Everyday in the news media in India one reads of Indian companies acquiring global companies, both big and small. Then there are press releases of FDI, Fortune 500 companies coming to India, Indian companies collaborating with global companies, startups being invested in or VCs going after companies whose technologies will leverage local opportunities, the list is endless.

I landed safely in Pakistan after a 36-hour journey from San Francisco to Islamabad, Pakistan on March 19. This is my first visit to my home country after the devastating earthquake in October 2005. Just a few hours after my arrival, the northern Pakistan, including, Islamabad was shaken with yet another moderate earthquake of 5.0 magnitude. Even though there were no deaths or destructions reported this time, but it is a reminder that I have arrived in the earthquake active zone. Already, there have been over 1780 aftershocks that have been felt through the region since the devastating earthquake in October 2005. Last week, an earthquake of 5.2, had caused the death of at least one individual and injury to 16 people in Pakistan’s Kashmir region.

There is much to be learned about creating interfaces for non-literate populations. Since this is not a group that most companies target, very little hands-on research has been done with non-literate user groups. Most of what I have learned is theoretical, based on user research on sight-impaired users, or is from very limited case studies. Some of the best information has come from other the projects of RDVP fellows and the work they have done. (Thanks, Aman.)

Electronic Governance, in simplest terms, it refers to those governance processes in which Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are playing an active role in delivering governance related products and services.

Digital Governance Initiative is a virtual network of over 2800 E-governance policymakers and practitioners from developing countries. The Initiative identifies and propagates innovative e-governance models which are suited for developing countries. The models are based on strategic application of knowledge and information technologies to create an e-governance system which is citizen specific and addressess a particular development concern, viz: lack of information, corruption, bureaucracy etc.

It was interesting to note how the poor can work hard against all odds.

I came across the story about an Afghan woman - Shakila - who through her influence and strong believe in work hard, influenced several others to join hands in changing their lives. This goes along to confirm the fact the poor are poor not by choice but by circumstance and, given a choice, they will do all they can to get out of it.

Candle Light Vigil for Earthquake Victims in Pakistan

The situation in Pakistan is still worse. People are still suffering and dying. Aftershocks are still rocking the country and making it impossible to work and live. 

On the morning of October 8th, 2005, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck 60 miles north of Islamabad causing utter devastation throughout the region. Tremors were felt as far away as Kabul to the west and Delhi to the east. The main areas affected by the destructive earthquake are regions of Azad Kashmir and Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province (NWFP). Currently, the estimated death toll is 40,000, yet this figure continues to rise, as many areas affected by the region have yet to be reached. More than 60,000 people are injured, and 4.5 million people have been left homeless. More than 80% of Muzaffarabad (capital of Kashmir) has been destroyed, and many villages and towns (Balakot) have been completely wiped out.