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| Research team headed by Prof. Athula Ginige from University of Western Sydney, interacting with community at Udubaddawa Nenasala (telecentre) and Sarvodaya-Fusion team |
Last week of August, as I explained, had been a week of interaction and reflection on mobile for development. From meetings, seminars, events to field visits, in every instance, they fueled my imagination for a future with great possibilities.
I love meeting people from different walks of life, and I ask questions on their usage of mobile phones, internet and of course social media. Here I note Q&A from 3 youth I met.
Meet X, a 20 year old editor of an upcoming teen magazine on education and entertainment. She's studying IT at a leading private institute and excited about possibilities of 'android' and smart devices.
Q: Are you on Twitter?
A: No, it's confusing !
I promised to do a guest post on Twitter, for their upcoming edition.
Meet Y, a 18 year old, from a remote village in Kurunegala, aspires a career in bio technology, awaiting his A/L exams next year. He uses 2 mobile phones - one for internet browsing and one for voice/text, totaling 4 mobiles and 1 fixed line in his household of 4 (father, mother, younger sister and him). Not only the team of local and foreign professors, I too was in for a surprise.
Q: Do you use Twitter?
A: Yes, I use it to share my knowledge on technology. Also I follow 'Ada Derana' and registered my mobile number in Twitter. So I get SMS on news alerts for free on my mobile.
Q: How do you manage time on social media?
A: I manage my time consciously. I get good knowledge from wikipedia on my Science studies. As I face A/L exams next year, I have cut down my interaction on social media for a minimal.
I was very happy, to see this mark of responsibility and innovation from a student of 'Fusion Education'.
Meet Z, age 30, an artist making wood handicrafts at a remote village in Kandy.
Q: How can smart phones help you?
A: I know Fusion provided a smartphone to our Sarvodaya society, and our kids are using it for their education. I know the potential and benefit of using internet, facebook and other media. Also I know it is now much more easier to get on line with smart phones. But here's the problem. I know I can input my products and contact details on web. I am very busy, working and selling my craft to make a living. I have no time to be on internet. And even if I do, how do I know if I would ever get a response to my requests? If I get a quick response, I would definitely use it.
In the coming weeks, Sarvodaya-Fusion and a team of researchers will explore the possibilities on how internet/smartphones can cater for such focused requests and quick feedback. May be tweaking of existing social media or an fresh idea for a app (mobile application).
What do you think?
Please share your comments here to spark some imagination.
2 comments:
I think this is where Facebook Fanpage can play a role. So the handicraft maker can have a online portfolio of his work with guaranteed number of users. But still there will be some social media "marketing" methods should be used to market it to the outside people from social media.
You can create a method where these people can easily create a FB fanpage and put there products with pictures, may be with videos from their mobiles.. etc
Thanks Chamara for the wonderful comment. Seeing your comment, Prasad has sent the following comment to me in email. I thought this is worth sharing with all.
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Problem Identified >
NO Time
But need to Use Social media
Need to upload product information (updated info)
I use Mobile phone (should be Cam phone with MMS)
Solution >
*Create FB wall as Chamara said, initial stage *Upload product one by one with details on to the wall and as album.
*Make SMS alert enable for Wall post. So that whenever ppl post anything on his wall he will get SMS (there is a strategy we must you, asked for info)
*His son will maintain the page and he should get ppl on to the page (Can give guide lines)
*Whenever he produce new product he can simply take picture from his mobile and send to his wall (mobile picture upload method to FB)
*On FB page there will be a guide/policy to Fans, "if you want to know about any product just send me a msg on FB with your phone no. We will call you with details"
:) So this way he does not want to login to Internet at all, but just heavily use his mobile to engage with Social media.
Even he can connect his tweeter feeds with FB wall to make it more active and update via mobile.
Hope this will help rural folks n Fusion guys (PS: this is just my Opinion)
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