PCDI CAMEROON
BRIDGING THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN CAMEROON: THE COMPLICATIONS

“Many developing countries remain poor largely because they had let the Industrial Revolution pass them by. They can ill afford to miss the information technology revolution”. M. S. Swaminatham (ICT for Poverty Reduction: Myths, Realities and Development Implications)

Information Communication Technology (ICT) is the modern day driver of economic growth and poverty alleviation. PCDI embraces this principle and works at bridging the digital divide in the rural communities of Cameroon through a multi-pronged approach. Firstly through IT training.

PCDI runs a school where software and hardware courses, and full time and part time courses are run. In fitting with PCDI’s objectives, places at the school are offered at no cost to vulnerable women and children. During our last graduation, we were proud to graduate one of these students and we will continue to offer her the necessary support so as to allow her to develop herself.

Secondly through offering internet access (PCDI is the only provider of such services in the division of 13 villagers).

However the reality is much more complex than these text book solutions suggest.

The proclaimed revolution in Mobile Phones technology is indeed being felt in Cameroon. It is rare for an individual to not have a phone. But it is equally rare for the normal populace to be able to afford to make a call. The phones are sold on a pay-as-you-go basis and people cannot afford to purchase the credit. So communication is via a system of “beeps”, whereby one person calls another but before the receiver can pick up the phone, the caller has hung up. This is a message to the second person that the first person wishes to communicate and if the second person has credit they should call back. Normally they do not have credit to return the call.

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