The Digital Divide In The US

The Digital Divide In The USA – How Bad Is It?

by with No Comment Awarness

The Digital Divide in the USA

The digital divide in the USA refers to inequalities between individuals, households, and other groups of different demographic and socioeconomic levels and the knowledge and skills needed to make effective use of the information gained through access and connectivity to information and communication technologies (ICTs).

Does the Digital Divide Exist in the USA?

As humanity becomes more dependent on the internet, millions of Americans, from the countryside to inner cities, still find it difficult to access high-speed broadband service.

In my previous article entitled THE DIGITAL DIVIDE IN GHANA-HOW BAD IS IT? I discussed some causes of the digital gap in education in Ghana and preferred possible solutions to the problem. As much as many people in the developing countries especially those in Africa envy the West for the strides they have made in information communication technology, for example, all cannot be said to have been perfect or rosy for those Western countries many count as developed.

It is quite fascinating and amusing to note that the USA, the much envied USA does not have a hundred percent digital coverage. Come with me as we examine the facts together.

                Let’s  Scrutinize the Statistics

The US comes third in the use of the internet in the world, with 313 million regular users of the internet nationwide.90.8% of Americans have access to the internet.276.8 million people use mobile internet in the USA. The most popular digital activity among internet users in the USA is Email. The most widely used multi-platform web property in the US is Google Sites.

The most popular channel to access digital media properties in the US is a smartphone. The number of social network users in the US is 295.48 million. The percentage of the US  population currently using social media is 82%.

The Digital Divide In Education in the USA unmasked Big-time During the COVID-19 PANDEMIC

According to www.bcg.com, when American K-12 public schools in all fifty states closed their doors in March 2020, the inequities and scale of the digital divide were abruptly unmasked. According to BCG Research in 2020, co-authored with common sense, roughly 30% of children in grades K-12(15 to 16 million students) did not have adequate internet service or e-learning devices to effectively continue their studies from their homes.

When the pandemic broke out, many states and districts hurriedly mobilized to cater for the needs of their digitally underserved students, frequently making use of the emergency funding endorsed in March by the CoronaVirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES)Act.

They procured devices, hot spots, and other resources and collaborated with providers to offer sponsored services at no cost to eligible households, among other measures. Yet BCG research showed that while those measures were significant, up to 12 million K-12 students nationwide remained inadequately connected at the start of 2021. More than 75% of such initiatives will end between the next one to three years.

How Does Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated Come In?

Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated, a no-profit, non-governmental organization seeking to help with the bridging of the digital divide in Ghana and the USA, especially in basic public schools hereby solicits support in the form of sponsorships and partnerships in building ICT Labs for needy rural schools. Donations of ICT tools and equipment are also welcome.

The organization will gladly do onward presentations of such received donations to impoverished schools and, or students in order to help them be at par with the advantaged minority, in Ghana’s case, and the advantaged majority in the USA.

What’s the Way Forward?

Even as learners go back to school personally, dealing with the digital divide permanently is vital. Lack of access at home significantly negatively affects students learning, which translates to income losses and can last throughout their lives.

Conclusion-Closing the Digital Divide For Good

To close the digital gap for good, we must address the three major barriers to access; affordability, availability, and adoption.BCGs research found that up to 60% of students without digital access (9 million), especially disconnected Black and urban students, are unable to afford it. Up to 25% (4 million)lack access to readily available and reliable broadband service, a barrier that disproportionately affects rural and Native American students. Finally, up to 40%(6 million), face adoption challenges such as digital literacy and language barriers.

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The Importance of ICT In Governance, Security, and Safety Issues

by with No Comment AwarnessEducation

Importance of Security    

Governance, security, and safety issues in the societies of our world have been through many phases and are very important. The security of nations and their people, especially in these times, when religious fundamentalism and extremism, and terrorism are on the increase is very paramount. Nations and their governments will stop at nothing to ensure that their people are safe, and that, their territorial integrity is never breached. Governance issues are more than before been discussed and scrutinized.

Good Governance

Good governance is an issue of global interest. The Fraternity of nations means that whatever happens in Afghanistan is of equal concern to the world just like what happens in Guinea. No business wants to invest and base in an unsafe country. Job seekers do not enjoy working in an unsafe environment.

In this article, I shall discuss the role and impact of ICT in Governance, security, and safety issues.

Some Merits of ICT in the Governing and Security “ Business”                                   

ICT helps reduce or combat corruption in governance. In Rwanda, it is an established fact that, in order to check corruption and improve efficiency and transparency, a lot of the human interface has been removed and replaced by digital interfaces eg., in the acquisition of land, the process has been automated. The automation of the tax regime is another way of ensuring efficiency, transparency and accountability. By effectively deploying ICT in governance, citizenship participation can also be greatly enhanced.

Security alarm systems and tracking devices are preventing and tracking thefts and criminals. National security apparatus of nations rely heavily on ICT-based gadgets to detect security threats, including terror threats. Critical installations are fitted with IT tools so as to protect them. Militaries of advanced nations are deploying precision missiles, drones, and even robotic dogs among others for maneuvers and surveillance.

Ghana as a Case Study

During the 2021 Ghana housing and population census, enumerators were trained on how to do their enumeration using tablets. This has not been the story growing up in Ghana. The enumerators in times past used to do their work using forms in hardcopy. That certainly took more time and was more difficult to do.  Citizen participation was greatly enhanced too. Elections around the world, especially in Ghana have seen a taste of ICT as verification was done digitally in the 2020 general elections. The drawing of policies has not been this easy.

ICT In Day-to-Day Administration of  Regional and Sub Regional Peace and Cooperation

Information handling and dissemination have become easier. Governments around the world have websites with loads of relevant information for the public. It is common to behold world leaders and leaders of nations even within West Africa holding important deliberations on current trendy political issues like the coup in Guinea via conferencing apps such as Zoom, Skype, etc.

Louder Voices of the Masses in Decision Making By ICT

With ICT, particularly, on social media, the governed or the ruled can be heard more conspicuously as they make their opinions known. Debating controversial policies to see if they sit well with the populace or not before rollout has also become more popular with the citizens because of social media and digital TV and radio.

The Digital Divide a Real Challenge

Now, how do the young people of developing countries especially, position themselves so as to be able to continue to use ICT, whether as the governed or governing to positively impact society in governance, security and safety matters? They, no doubt need to have some form of ICT knowledge, skills, and competencies. It is however very well known that many developing countries are not able to provide the necessary environment in their basic schools to satisfy this condition.

Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated as  a Wheel to Bridging the Digital Divide

To help create this ICT learning Environment in their own small way, Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated, a nongovernmental, nonprofit organization that focuses on alleviating the plight of impoverished schools in the area of ICTs in Ghana, hereby respectfully calls on anyone that wishes and is capable to join them in this noble cause by providing any form of assistance to it.

The assistance could be in the form of cash donations, grants, sponsorships, partnerships, donations of ICT and IT tools, facilities such as ICT Labs, etc. Lit Empowerment  Support Incorporated believes that, together, they would be able to help position some young people to actually take advantage of ICT to positively impact society in governance, security, and safety matters.

More Merits of ICT in Governance and Security, safety-Policing

Again, citizens have in recent times been able to put a searchlight on the activities of law enforcers (police) with regard to excesses while performing their duties. Cell phones with built-in cameras enable this. Body cams of security personnel elsewhere in the world have aided investigations and provided answers to pertinent questions about certain crimes and occurrences that would have been hard to solve minus the body cams. Some advanced countries are seriously conceiving and piloting groundbreaking innovations in fire fighting and emergency situations.

Early Warning Systems

Early warning systems are being deployed to forewarn jurisdictions of impending imminent natural disasters. Earthquakes, floods, volcanoes, tornadoes, and such like them. In social security, ICTs are helping nations manage and use funds more profitably. In monitoring and evaluation, the GES and other agencies have taken to ICT. Facial and hand recognition technologies are being built as security features for critical installations and infrastructure. Need I say more?

Educational Content and Broadcasts

During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Ghana, the government kept in touch with the people closely, giving updates and announcing interventions. The Ghana public broadcaster, GBC was tasked to do public broadcasts of curriculum instructions for all students at home due to the lockdown. Schools that had basic IT tools resorted to virtual classrooms to teach their pupils and students. Currently, there’s a raffle draw being run by The Daily Graphic, the number one state-owned daily newspaper on its anniversary. A man in far away Sunyani won a car because he was able to enter the draw by means of his cell phone.

ICT in Health Insurance Administration

Still, in Ghana, the much-acclaimed health insurance scheme has taken a digital dimension. Clients can perform some actions right on their phones, tabs, and laptops without necessarily visiting the NHIS National Health Insurance offices. All of these innovations in ICT have the ability to promote transparency, lower corruption tendencies, and increase citizen participation and efficiency.

    

The Digital Divide In Ghana

The Digital Divide In Ghana – How Bad Is It?

by with No Comment Awarness

The digital divide is generally and empirically worse, if not worst in developing countries. Ghana happens to be one of those countries that have a huge inequality in its population, with regards to the number of citizens who have access to ICT and those who do not.

With the nation’s finance minister announcing a 1.75% tax on all digital financial transactions, the government has come under a barrage of fierce and fiery criticism and backlash aimed at pressuring the authorities to withdraw the new tax or drop it to 1% and also, probably cap the amount that should exact the said tax.

There has been a lot of fire directed at the vice president, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who has become the champion of digitization and digitalization of Ghana’s economy. Having spearheaded and inaugurated several digitization and digitalization interventions such as paying via the QR Code, MOMO Interoperability, and now, linking all other identity cards to the Ghana card, citizens have expressed fears that the proposed tax would take away greatly from the digitization and digitalization agenda currently in the fore.

In Ghana, the digital divide is wide because of many reasons. The digital divide also cuts across different areas, spheres, sectors, and groupings of society. In this article, I will take a cursory look at the digital divide in Ghana, paying attention to the trend in education and analyzing trends in general internet users and non-users.

              Some causes of the digital divide

Some common causes of the digital gap that appear in many submissions on the subject include but not limited to;

i) expensive data as against low incomes.
ii) Inability to access computers. A fairly functioning laptop in Accra costs between ¢700-¢1500. Not many people in Ghana can afford that kind of money.
iii) there’s also a huge lack of usage skills and knowledge of computers.

               What is the state of affairs?

The state of affairs is that many rural and low-income communities around the world, including those in large urban centers, lack dependable, affordable internet access. According to www.weforum.org, these people will be further denied technology access as more devices and systems reliant on the internet come up.

                             Do you know?

Did you know that still, about four billion people do not have internet access?

               What are the facts of the matter?

Of poor households in Ghana, only about 1 in 7(14%) have a computer.6 out of 10 Ghanaians (61%) never or rarely (less than once a month) use the internet. Fewer than one in four go online at least a few times a month’. In a study of students and teachers in Cape Coast who have access to computers or the internet, the following came out; a greater percentage of SHS students have access to the internet at school, but the majority of students with access to the internet hardly use it.

It also became clear that the majority of teachers have access to the internet in their schools but hardly use it. It became evident that the few who use it do that mainly for their personal development. It is also obvious that a majority of schools are undecided on having ICT policy whiles a great number of schools have an ICT policy but do not have a budget to implement it.

     Trends in the digital divide in education

It is generally known that the higher an individual’s education level, the better their access to computers and the internet. So, post-graduates tend to have more access to technology-integrated education. Then undergrads and those in the colleges follow. The (SHS) Senior High School students are the next group of students whose access to computers and the internet is a bit high.

Basic schools, primary, and JHS is the last but one category of people whose access to computers and the internet is low. The lowest percentage of computer and internet access is occupied by those who do not have any formal education at all. I wonder if anything can be done to help improve access on the part of those who fall in the lowest percentage group, the informally educated or uneducated. With the primary and JHS students, however, much can be done to improve access. It is in this vane that governments have launched diverse programs meant at improving access to basic school children.

               Timely interventions

Even though some governments, especially in developing countries like India, Rwanda, and a few others are doing exceedingly well in implementing technology-integrated education, many more are lagging behind against their will. This is where nonprofit, non-governmental organizations such as Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated, an ICT-based philanthropic set-up come in strongly to augment what central governments are doing in Ghana and the United States.

Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated invites governments, donors, financial and educational institutions, businesses, NGOs, philanthropists, and individuals to partner with it to provide ICT Labs and tools to schools and students on the worst end of the digital divide in Ghana and the USA respectively.

How can the digital divide in education be bridged?

Governments, more particularly those of developing countries should be able to roll out measures aimed at making data affordable for the masses. The same should be done in the case of the pricing of computers and IT tools. Taxes and duties on imported electronic and digital devices at the ports should be slashed drastically to help control prices.

By so doing, the average man in the streets can also buy and own a computer. When people are able to own their own computers, some sort of myth around their use gets broken over time. Reliable internet networks should be provided in the rural areas and further consolidated in the cosmopolitan areas. It is also vital that ICT Departments of schools introduce browsing sessions in their computer labs for students while taking steps to monitor usage to ensure that students use the internet for educational purposes and to prevent possible internet abuse.

Teachers at all levels of the educational system should be given ICT training to enhance their knowledge of the use of the internet. School administrators should prepare a budget for the implementation of well-planned ICT programs. Basic school pupils should be given laptops and tabs to enhance access. New classroom projects should contain ultra-modern ICT Laboratories. Where possible, some of these classrooms should be electronic.

The digital divide in education in Ghana is bad indeed There should be concerted efforts at closing the digital divide.

ICT, A Standard For Living

ICT, A Standard For Living

by with No Comment AwarnessEducation

ICT is an extensional term for information technology (IT)that stresses the role of unified communications and the integration of telecommunications (telephone lines, wireless signals)and computers as per IFGICT as well as necessary enterprise software, middleware, storage, and audio-visual that enable users to access, store, transmit, understand and manipulate information as per the international federation of ICT.

The term ICT is also used to refer to the convergence of audiovisual and telephone networks through a single cabling or link system.

The first commercial computer, developed by John Eckert and John Mauchly in 1951, was used to predict the 1952 US Presidential Elections.1972 saw another milestone in the evolution of computers. Since that time, I CT has evolved and become a standard of living globally.

ICT is basically the ish now. Everything on our planet now revolves around ICTs. It is almost impossible to live life these days without them.

It is common knowledge that peers of young persons who in this day and era do not possess smartphones are despised either openly or cunningly. Such a young person may be categorized as anti-tech or not trendy. Smartphones are not only tech savvy but also trendy equipment. They do not only help us communicate, stay in touch and work easily but also, add to our prestige. Even though, some poor or average people go to any length to own expensive smartphones, having them may be a sign of affluence or sophistication.

Desktops have quickly and effectively replaced the typewriter. Not only are they a perfect fit for any modern office, they are actually office assistants, doing a wide range of tasks. In the office space, desktops have the ability to download huge volumes of data and can process and send info in a twinkle of an eye. Desktop computers are able to create files and folders in insane volumes.

Laptops are another breed of tech savvy ICT gadgets that have all the functionalities of a desktop, and even more. One quality of the laptop that stands tall is its portability. It is so portable that a man can carry twenty pieces on the organizing an office has not been this convenient and exciting. There should be no excuse for anyone, especially in the developing countries to try to sidestep the use of computers based on lack of access or inability to use computers.

What the people of developing countries should be doing is to swim along the ICT tide. The misconception that one day, things would improve just by themselves is fast dwindling in probability. Governments on one hand can/will not be able to provide all the needed access. That is why numerous organizations have popped up with the view of augmenting what governments have done in their nations in the ICT regard.

Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated is one such non-governmental, non-profit organization that has appeared on the horizon to assist rural basic schools in Ghana to stem the ICT tide. Since the organization is a non-profit making, it lacks financial strength for the execution of all the projects it might want to undertake. It is in this vane that Lit implores philanthropists and organizations to come to their aid by means of grants, sponsorships, partnerships, and donations as they try their best to lift up the underprivileged in ICT. This is one of the ways by which populations of developing countries can measure up to the ICT standard.

ICTs have become part and parcel of our lives. Their use cut across every area of human endeavor. In agriculture, agriculture is

 making inroads and thriving. Then, there’s eHealth, E-commerce, and e-learning. Virtually, e-everything. Any attempt to avoid ICT would mean resorting to living like it used to be during the stone age. In governance and security, CT plays a major role. Just name them.

Home appliances and gadgets have either evolved from analog to digital or come in digital exclusively. In transport and travel, CT exists. In the gaming and entertainment business and in religion, ICT has become the niche. Religious houses via ICT are able to garner gifts and offerings. Even during the COVID-19 lockdown period, most of these religious houses were able to reach their devotees with their teachings consistently and constantly by means of IT tools. It is manifestly clear that ICT has become the standard for living. There is no denying this fact.

It’s therefore very important that everyone, especially those in developing countries to strive hard to close the digital gap. This, they need to do so that their people are not automatically rendered unproductive by the proliferation of ICT. Yes, one needs no prophet, diviner or soothsayer to be able to decode what would inevitably take place in ,for example a decade, when people continue to walk about without computer usage skills whether it’s their making or not.

ICT is a standard for living. It is either people strive to attain the standard or fall below the mark. There is no middle ground.

Basic Typical Computers

Basic Typical Computers

by with No Comment AwarnessEducation

Computers will grow to take up more sophisticated forms. With Facebook and co. metamorphosing into META, and with ingenious and out-of-this-world products and services designed to make social media a real world, the masses will continue to relish the ever-evolving technological inventions hitting our world.

In the previous article, I delved a bit more deeply into micro and mini computers. The other two types of computers are supercomputers and mainframe computers. In this article, I will outline modestly, the functions, features and qualities of supercomputers and mainframe computers.

           Super Computers

A supercomputer is a computer with a high level of performance as compared to a general purpose computer. The performance of a supercomputer is commonly measured in floating point operations per second instead of million instructions per second.

                   Some Features of Super Computers

Supercomputers have faster processing speeds, extra memory, and super-sized storage capacity. This makes it an effective tool for research. The devices we keep at home and in our pockets are pretty advanced compared to the technology of the past, but they can’t hold a candle to the raw power of a supercomputer.

                More features of supercomputers

Supercomputers usually have more than one CPU (central processing unit) which contains circuits for interpreting program instructions and executing arithmetic and logical operations in proper sequence. Another feature of supercomputers is their use of vector arithmetic;i.e.they are able to operate on pairs of lists of numbers rather than on mere pair of numbers.

Some functions of supercomputers

Supercomputers were originally used in applications related to national security, including nuclear weapons design and cryptography. Today, they are also routinely employed by the aerospace, petroleum, and automotive industries. They are also widely used in applications relating to engineering or scientific research., as, for example, in studies of the structure of subatomic particles and of the origin and nature of the universe, and more.

Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated- a bridge

Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated, is a non-profit, non-governmental organization. Its aim is to help bridge the digital divide by taking delivery of IT tools and/or ICT facilities or anything related to ICTs.The organization does onward presentations to impoverished rural individuals, schools and/or communities. By doing this, Lit Empowerment presents itself as a bridge by which the digital divide can be bridged. Lit Empowerment and support Incorporated looks forward to receiving from you.

Bridging the digital divide

Obviously, one way to bridge the digital divide is for people to have some kind of knowledge of/and about computers so as to be able to fully appreciate how friendly and useful computers have actually become to humanity. This has a way of attracting them to computers and for them to want to savor the user experience.

Mainframe Computers

A mainframe computer informally called a mainframe or big iron is a computer used primarily by large organizations for critical applications like bulk data processing for tasks such as censuses, industry and consumer statistics, enterprise resource planning, a large-scale transaction processing.

Some features of mainframe computers

A mainframe is large but not as large as a supercomputer. It also has more processing power than some other classes of computers such as mini computers, servers, workstations, and personal computers. Mainframes are largely and often used as servers. They are actually designed to handle very high volumes of input and output.

                         Conclusion

It’s important for the people of developing countries, especially those in Africa to assimilate the truth that, computers actually affect our lives one way or the other, either directly or indirectly, and that, they necessarily need to put their best foot forward in attempting to bridge the digital divide.

The Important Of ICT In Job Creation - Especially For The Youth

The Important Of ICT In Job Creation – Especially For The Youth

by with No Comment AwarnessEducation

Job creation, according to the free dictionary.com is the process by which the number of jobs in an economy increases. Governments may roll out measures that reduce unemployment. The Private Sector does create jobs too.

The International Labor Organization (I.L.O.)asserts that, in sub-Saharan Africa, unemployment rates remain relatively low, as the vast majority of employable active youth cannot afford not to work. The UN agency states further that, of the 38.1 percent of the estimated total working poor in sub-Saharan Africa, young people account for 23.5 percent.

The World Population Review defines the unemployment rate as the percentage of unemployed workers in the total labor force. By extension, therefore, the unemployment rate includes workers who currently do not work, although they can.

It is certain that unemployment rates have a close correlation with job creation. It is obvious that the more jobs are created, the more people get employed. Numerous jobs exist and can be created in the different sectors of the economy.

One major area that has the potential to churn out a good number of jobs in the ICT Sector. Apart from the common ICT jobs such as ICT teaching, the many money transfer services, and remote jobs, there are more jobs created by ICT Knowledge and Skills, especially for the youth.

These are some of them: Computer Service Technicians. They may also be referred to as Computer Repair Technicians. They repair computer hardware and software. Another is Cyber Security Specialists. They may be referred to as Cyber Security Analysts.

They protect computer networks and systems. There is also a Data Analyst. Data Analysts develop insight and get information through the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. They may also be called academic data Analysts.Mallory.com.au  outlines more of such jobs. Data Centre Technicians. A data center technician maintains computer hardware networks and data servers.

They basically keep a company’s data safe and secure. A Data Scientist is almost the same as a data analyst. A data scientist however is expected to use advanced programming skills more often. They build complex behavioral models using big data. A Database Administrator sees to database security, integrity, and performance. They ensure data standards are consistent, data is accessible by users as needed. They also solve any problems encountered by users.

It’s quite plain that ICT has become a powerful force in job creation in general and for the youth especially. It is therefore imperative that the youth take advantage of these openings to secure gainful, lasting jobs for themselves. One fact that remains is that these are fields that require higher learning and intricate training.

These are skills and competencies that cannot be mastered easily by roadside apprentices or basic and senior high school leavers. With the professions outlined by mallory.com.au so far, anyone can conclude that even the sky is not a limit when it comes to the Importance of ICT in job creation, especially for the youth.

Another profession under ICT is Database Analyst. This group of professionals design, evaluate, review and implement databases. They primarily analyze gathered information. They may be hired to maintain and update existing databases. Then there are hardware engineers.

Also termed computer hardware engineers, they supervise the manufacture and installation of computer systems, services, circuit boards, and chips, as well as the testing of equipment. It is a very lucrative field. They also work with routers, printers, and keyboards.

An IT Consultant is an experienced and confident professional who finds work by competing for service contracts. They are mostly independent contractors but sometimes, they are into regular employment with large manufacturers of software, software, and systems houses and management consultancy firms. They can find clients across most industries.

The seven or so ICT professions outlined in this article can easily be employed by international organizations, government agencies, corporate bodies, financial and educational institutions, security setups, and even ICT firms, etc.

Individuals with requisite ICT skills, knowledge, and competencies can set up their own business to provide services such as SEO setup and auditing and ERP set up and maintenance, web design, building and management, and so on. Opportunities abound in social media management, digital marketing, email marketing, and lead generation.

The truth just remains that, our world is now an ICT world. Correspondingly, immeasurable opportunities thrive. Job creation has never been this widespread. Thanks to ICT.

Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated has come on the scene to contribute its widow’s mite to the ICT Job creation evolution by empowering the youth, especially, those in the developing countries with Ghana as the focal point, so that they can take their destinies in their own hands to reduce poverty to it’s the barest minimum and eventual expulsion.

Lit implores all and sundry to join it and promote this agenda by assisting it in any way possible; sponsorships, grants, partnerships, donations of IT equipment, and training in ICT of the less privileged communities and their schools so as to realize this dream of job creation in ICT.

                          REFERENCES

Global Employment Trends For Youth 2020:Africa-I.L.O.

Mallory.com.au

The Free Dictionary.com

World Population Review

Global Employment Trends For Youth 2020:Africa-I.L.O.

The Gender Digital Divide

The Gender Digital Divide

by with No Comment AwarnessEducation

What’s gender digital divide?

The gender digital divide is defined as gender biases coded into technology products, the technology sector, and digital skills education. A different source defines the subject as the inequalities between men and women in terms of access to information and communications technologies.

Causes of the gender digital divide

There are many causes of the gender digital divide. However, for the purposes of this article, I would like to mention the following: Inequitable access to education and negative social stereotypes that thrive in the “offline” environment and impact digital realities and possible benefits for women and girls.

Other causes include, but are not limited to, socioeconomic biases, such as gender wage disparities and dependence on male relatives in some countries. Also, isolation and absence of equality i.e. nations with bad track records in gender issues in education, income, political power, and cultural practices. I cannot overlook the fact that there is no relevant content for women and girls.

Trends in the gender digital divide across our world

The gender digital divide concerning internet access remains top most in the world’s least advanced nations at 32.9%. This internet deficit is biggest in Africa whilst, pertaining to cell phone ownership, the gender digital divide is more conspicuous in South Asia where females are 26% less likely to own handsets than males. It is evident that immeasurably serious inequalities exist in access to the internet, digital skills, and online rights across developing countries.

Crisscrossing urban impoverished communities in ten cities, Lagos, Nairobi, Jakarta, and Bogota inclusive, females were found to be 50% less likely than males to be online.30-50% of women in those same communities are less likely than men to use the internet.

How does the gender digital divide affect our society?

The gender digital divide negatively impacts nations’ propensity for economic growth and developmental progress. Women and girls not getting involved in creating digital tools and online content may aggravate pervading inequalities. Without technological and internet access, girls and women cannot take part fairly in our ever-changing digital society. It is not an overstatement to declare that the gender digital divide affects every facet of the life of girls and women including their ability to speak out and campaign on issues that affect them.

An organization with a heart of gold

Since the internet and computers are powerful tools for economic and political empowerment, many entities and individuals have, and are still trying to help the disadvantaged peoples, schools and communities of our world, especially in Africa, to surmount the huge mountain of lack of access and connectivity inequalities that exist here.

One such organization is the Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated based in Ghana and the United States of America. Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated, a non-profit, non-governmental organization seeks to assist bridge the digital gap in deprived inner cities and rural communities by presenting ICT Labs and/or IT tools to schools and needy students in such neighborhoods.

It is in this vane that Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated is appealing for assistance from governments of nations, states, provinces and regions, philanthropists, businesses, institutions, and individuals to partner and sponsors whole or parts of ICT labs. You could also donate IT tools for which the poor people who benefit from your kindness and generosity will remain forever grateful.

Why the gender digital divide must be bridged

The UN Women’s Action Plan to close the digital gender split notes that: “Women’s equal and meaningful participation in the digital society is seen as both integral to the realization of a just, inclusive and rights-based information society and to achieve objectives around gender equality and women’s empowerment by 2030.”Bridging the gender digital gap catalyzes economic freedom, promotes good health, and enhances quality education, among many others.

The Importance of ICT In Agriculture

The Importance of ICT In Agriculture

by with No Comment AwarnessEducation

What is  Agriculture?

Agriculture is basically the art and business of tilling the land and keeping animals for food. As a term, agriculture also includes the production of trees as cash crops. Therefore, a greater definition of agric might read, the art, science, and business of tilling the land, keeping animals, rearing fish, and engaging in afforestation, for the purposes of food or income, or export.

In as much as the above definition is concerned, it might seem that fishing also falls under agriculture in many jurisdictions. Agriculture is one major issue of interest globally, and, should be for, especially, the still, almost sometimes retrogressing economies of African states in general and West African states in particular.

All around the globe, serious Agribusiness as a subject and trade has evolved from the industrial revolution stage of world agriculture I call it, to the scientific stage that saw massive technological inventions in Agribusiness in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the rest.

I dare say that studying current trends, Agribusiness has inched from just technology to I C T, in the form of agriculture where animal farms, crop farms, and all the other variables that fall under agriculture can now take advantage of ICT to leverage production by deploying IT tools to grow profitability, benefit from early warning systems, apply manure, and/or chemical ferts, insecticides, pesticides, security and administration of farms or Agri businesses.

                   Maximizing  Agriculture

To fully maximize the potential in agriculture for those vulnerable nations of the so-called third world, especially those in Africa, it is expedient that governments invest hugely in agriculture. Companies and individuals investing in agriculture must be ready to push in substantial amounts of resources so as to yield the kind of returns that ensure that you are able to earn huge foreign exchange on your tailored products and surplus. ICT Systems and tools that run and support other systems to run accurately and efficiently so that in conjunction with other scientific and technological systems and processes, a farmer can produce as much as possible to feed the nations.

Maximizing Agriculture In Conjunction with ICTs

It is only when nations are able to feed themselves that they can easily enter a time of prosperity and abundance. There are IT TOOLS and systems that can help farmers in this regard. In a smart poultry farm, for example, there may be an automated regulatory system among others, to regulate temperature, move special conveyor belts to gather and collect eggs, feed, provide medication and even process broilers and other stuff for sales and delivery to consumers. In crop production, IT Tool-based control panels of modern farm machinery and equipment such as tractors, combine harvesters, planters, even helis, and airplanes that do some spraying of chemicals, etc. In the processing sector of agribusiness, sophisticated precision equipment is being built on ICTs. This is amazing. These IT-based technologies promote mass production, maximize time, lower error margins, and so on. When the above variables are fulfilled, overall production goes up.

Bringing The Young Local Farmer Along With ICT

The ideas and opportunities in the paragraph above might be capital intensive. The doors to the poor community farmer are not shut up in their faces. Local smallholder farmers can benefit from information dissemination drives on ordinary cell phones, pads, and smartphones. Government interventions and programs geared at improving agric output run campaigns on digital radios and TVs. There are many portals and apps that help farmers do many different things including selling their produce to larger markets.

         How ICT Ups The Farmers Game          

Agric extension officers and general agric staff are getting equipped with IT TOOLS in order that their work may be easier, efficient, and more beneficial to the farmer. An average farm manager should be able to run a farm by, for example, organizing and holding meetings of staff who are even not in the same geographical area. Several IT tools make that possible. In an afforestation program, drones could be deployed to the top of tall trees to bring back photo shots and specimen samples for further studies and forensics.

                        Challenges

The tendency for humans to shy away from what they find difficult to access is natural. It is true that the literate might find operating IT tools more convenient but the truth stands tall that he who has access to computers and IT tools will naturally grow an attachment to these modern devices. Access also demystifies certain misconceptions relating to computers and IT tools.

It is this issue of access and lack of access that has spurred on Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated to try and put bits and pieces together to help young Africans, especially Ghanaians have some access to computers and IT tools so that beneficiaries can actually have some exposure on computer usage. This initial access and training have the propensity to put these young people in a foundational setting, poised for any opportunity to build on, especially in the areas of livelihoods and how to improve productivity.

Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated is a non-governmental non-profit organization that seeks to consolidate the ICT base of communities through schools. Lit Empowerment would be more than grateful to receive grants, donations, and any assistance, partnership, or sponsorship so as to forward to impoverished schools in impoverished communities in order to help alleviate their plight.

                  ICT,A Way of Life?

ICT has become a way of life. We are not going to see backtracking of this situation but rather, an improvement. The people of developing countries must be sensitized on the need to get used to ICTs in every area of their lives. ICT has become a very important integral part of our lives. Its use is developmental, not detrimental. Local populations must understand that adopting ICTs in every area of their lives is the way to go.

 More Functions of ICT In Agriculture Production

In livestock production, for instance, small but powerful chips are put on animals for different purposes and at different times. Some chips might be attached to an animal to track its movement, monitor infections and any other reason for which the  chip is implanted.

The agriculture sector is important and must be treated as such. In conjunction with ICTs, opportunities abound in the sector. In Ghana, for example, more than 60% of the population is said to be subsistent farmers. A radical approach to the traditional methods of farming can turn thousands and millions of tracks of land into green productive fields with the potential of feeding the people and for export.

The Importance of ICT in Quality Health Delivery

The Importance of ICT in Quality Health Delivery

by with No Comment AwarnessHealth

What Is Health?

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity. All over the world, health care remains a priority. Nations and authorities around the world who fail to invest in the health of their people are often robbed of precious human resources.

Health is so important that, without it, the economies of nations will grind to a halt. Our world has had to battle many pandemics and epidemics for survival. We all saw how the COVID-19 pandemic has slowed down the economy of our world, almost bringing it to a standstill.

Conferences, entertainment, and sporting events have had to be held remotely and without fans and audiences having to present themselves physically. Numerous organizations and businesses had to lay off workers. Others have had to work from home. Many countries have had to lock down for several months to minimize the spread and more deaths. There won’t be enough space and time to revisit the HIV-AIDS outbreak, Ebola, and even the era of the Bubonic Plague and the devastation they caused the world.

The Importance of Health in Our World

It is clear that health and good health for that matter is paramount for humanity and development. Due to the fact that health is rated high in the scheme of things, serious efforts are always made to deliver quality health services to the people of the world. It must be reiterated however that health delivery has not been the same since the advent of ICTs as an integral part of living. With the advent of ICT, many tasks which used to be done manually are now being done by ICT Systems and tools. In the area of diagnosis, intricate and accurate IT tools are helping medics to work faster and easier.

                        ICT In Diagnosis

Apart from the X-ray machine, many more improved scan machines have been developed and built. The development of these IT-based tools has significantly improved diagnostic outcomes and results. Some of these IT-based devices don’t only diagnose or help diagnosis, they actually go on to suggest what kind of medication and/or treatment might be appropriate for a diagnosis. IT-based tools that can just be strapped to one’s wrist and or other body parts to detect specific things like blood pulse and, or high blood pressure and the like are available.

ICT In Medication, Treatment, and Medical Supplies

Medication and treatment have not been left out of the ICT in the health revolution. Several machines and gadgets used in treatment procedures are IT-based and are improving health delivery. Drones are being deployed to lift and deliver blood and other health products to remote settlements and populations. This has lowered risk and cut down response time in emergency situations. In other cases, the adoption and integration of IT tools have improved error margins and ensured accuracy and efficiency. Generally speaking, CT Systems and tools are revolutionizing the health care terrain. State-of-the-art medical facilities and equipment with built-in ICT Components are spearheading prevention, fast-tracking diagnosis and treatment of ailments, enhancing medication and speeding up supplies, and easing the work of health practitioners.

              Basic Training in ICT Essential

As simple as some of these IT systems and tools are, it’s beneficial for the young people, especially of developing countries to be given the opportunity to, at least get used to the basics. For many of these young ones, the best place they can have this opportunity is while they are in school, basic school.

Drudgery Associated with Manual Processes Eliminated

Issuing receipts and invoices at health facilities and pharmacy shops has taken a whole new dimension. The drudgery associated with the manual old method is history. This write-up cannot be concluded without making mention of eHealth-medical care via the internet. So you see, ICT is a speed vehicle by which health can get to the masses. Young people, especially from developing countries would be better placed to walk in the paths of eHealth and all the issues discussed here if they can become conversant with the basics of ICT today.

How Lit Empowerment and Support Intends to Help

Lit Empowerment Support and Incorporated is a non-governmental organization that is striving hard to improve access to computers and IT tools for young people, especially in Ghana. The organization appeals to all and sundry to help alleviate the plight of rural schools in the area of computers. Lit Empowerment Support and Incorporated would be more than grateful to receive grants, sponsorships, partnerships, and donations of cash, computers, and anything that is able to help in the process. Thank you in advance for your support. Together, we can help.

Role of ICT in Sports

The Role Of ICT In Sports & Recreation

by with No Comment AwarnessEducation

Sports is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.

Sports is important for mankind because it involves exercises that help maintain the heart and other organs in the body. It is often said that, a healthy mind lives in a healthy body. Sports is also a job and business. Some sporting events include athletics, football, sitting volley ball, basketball, the combat sports like, judo and  taekwondo. There is also the pugilist sports-boxing, wheel chair race, ice hockey, gymnastics and paintball just to mention a few.

Evolution of Sports

It is widely known that many sporting events have evolved overtime. The story is told traditionally, of how footballers in the past used to kick the ball very hard high up, put their hands on the waist as the ball drops to the ground. At that time, goal scoring in the game wasn’t a priority because the game wasn’t competitive. Some more sporting events have also been invented and added to the list. An example is paintball. It is quite evident that physically challenged people did not compete in sporting events in the past, at least, not on a competitive level. Today, there is the Paralympic which is held in the same city, almost parallelly, to the Olympics.

Specific Roles of ICT In Different Sporting Events

It is absolutely important that developing countries, especially those in Africa realize that ICT is pervading every area of life, including sports and recreation. In athletics, for example, I CT is used to decide and determine fault starts and winners in a close contest. In football, the VAR Video Assistant Referee is been deployed to at least reduce to a great extent, the severe disputations that characterized matches during the yesteryears. In tennis, IT based gadgets are used to call shots concerning balls that cross the line or otherwise. I CT can be used to quantify a sportsman’s performance in a game, event or over a period. For example, by the magic of ICT.The distance covered by an athlete can be ascertained. So is the number of passes he/she has made; number of successes and/or failures. Shots on goal and misses. Number of tackles, number of goal assists and much much more. All this information and analysis inform the kind of training and strategy for matches and so on.

Specific Roles of ICT in Recreation

An amusement park is operated on IT based devices. A rollercoaster for example, has ICT controls. The lotteries and the way winning numbers are generated are all done using IT based tools. Then, there are the numerous computer games and their unique features. While some of these games are played by means of consuls, others are simply made to run on smart phones, laptops and desktops and can be played by means of keyboards and pads.

How can populations of developing countries, especially the youth harness the resources that abound in ICT to unearth talents, consolidate and maximize the benefits that accrue from sports? They certainly must align and embrace ICT and all it’s prospects. Meanwhile, the digital gap between the developing countries, especially Africa and the rest of the world remains widely wide.

Have You Heard of Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated?

Lit Empowerment and Support Incorporated as an organization, is non governmental and non profit in nature. It aims at assisting marginalized (in the ICT sense) communities and schools to simply bridge the digital divide. In view of the fact that the organization is a non profit one, the task is daunting. Lit Empowerment therefore appeals to governments, cities, organizations, institutions, philanthropists, businesses, faith groups and individuals to partner them assist the lowly and unfortunate ones in the low penetration areas. This, the organization believes would add a little bit more impetus to it’s noble course.

Electronic Scoreboards Et Al

Live feed and streaming of sports and sporting events are all too familiar with us. Some ICT is in the mix there. Electronic scoreboards and other media have ensured that during sporting events, fans are addressed and informed directly.

ICT in Physical Education

In physical education, CT is used in refining basic and complex motor skills in order to apply them to increasingly complex games, activities and sport specific situations. Instructors and students of P.E. can actually capture images of sporting activities and edit them to explain skill perfection and/ or tactics. I have personally seen on the American WrestleMania stage, the deployment of virtual fans in a way that makes one think that, the fans are really actually in the match venue physically. That’s amazing! Isn’t it?
In spite of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Japan hosted the 2020 Olympics enviably. Need I say more?