Can you hear me now?

I've spent most of the day today at a conference at the Royal Geographic Society about public health issues in Africa. It's rather strangely called "Africa - Health Matters?" Yes, I suppose health does matter. Maybe the question mark was a typo.

Anyway, lots of men in suits discussing life and death issues of some of the world's poorest, most pitiful places. I was struck by the contrast, which was both inspiring and slightly disappointing. How can we accept our comparatively luxurious standard of living when we know people are dying from completely preventable problems? At the same time, I think it's impressive that so many are willing to devote their lives to this cause that doesn't really directly affect them, so there's definitely something admirable about that.

I caught myself in this developed/developing, rich/poor way of thinking when one of the speakers mentioned the use of appropriate technology in Africa. Turns out that the mobile phone industry in Africa is prolific -- Kenya will soon have more mobile phones per capita than England! In one Nairobi slum, 100,000 people live amid 10 public toilets...and 100 mobile phone stores. I think a common reaction is "why would they need mobile phones? Many Kenyans are struggling to survive, much less using luxury items such as mobile phones." Apparently some groups are trying to use the phones for banking tasks and microfinancing, quickly making the phones an integral part of daily life and economic survival. The speaker's point was that high technology is not just for high technology societies. Just because "we" produce such advanced devices doesn't mean they won't fit a crucial need elsewhere in the world.