Global village slowly going digital

2008-10-21 10:12:11
By Guardian Reporter

Computers are increasingly ubiquitous in the developing world as software and internet companies create operating systems, computing programmes, and web-based portals in hundreds of indigenous languages.

In Africa the digital divide remains vast, despite the growing numbers of computers in schools, businesses and homes; according to the International Telecommunication Union, only 5 percent of Africa`s estimated 800 million people accessed the internet in 2007, and desktops and laptops still require a basic degree of computer literacy, even in indigenous languages.

Computing technology in local and marginalised languages is another tool with which to address humanitarian issues, such as helping farmers and boosting regional food security efforts.

They also can be a boon to small business creation and economic development, as well as language preservation.

In KwaDukuza, on the northern coast of South Africa`s KwaZulu-Natal Province, rural farmers flood the local computer lab to use computers in Zulu, one of South Africa`s 11 official languages.

Visitors browse the internet using Google`s Zulu search engine, in which Ngizizwa Nginehlanhla replaces the tab ``I`m feeling lucky`` on the home page.

``A lot of rural farmers are coming all the way into town to access these computers and the internet,`` said Alan Govender, manager of a communications centre in KwaDukuza.