By Madhavi Devasher
The Stanford Daily

SuVyapar, a new social entrepreneurial project launched this year at Stanford, aims to create an innovative business model that helps the developing world.

The project was founded by Stanford Reuters Digital Vision Fellow Sanjay Bhargava, who has worked with companies such as Citibank and was one of the founding members of PayPal.

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By Mercy Wambui
Development Gateway

They arrive from all walks of life with one purpose — to dedicate their creative energies to the ICT-based project ideas they have a passion for. Not surprisingly, the fellows leave with more than they bargained for — interaction with cutting-edge Silicon Valley technologists and entrepreneurs; the experience of soaking up the prestigious Stanford University environment; and collegial relationships that will no doubt last a long time.

The Digital Vision Program was launched in October 2001 with five fellows in the inaugural class. The current 13 fellows who are nearing the end of the sabbatical have been hard at work, applying vision and talent to innovative applications of technology relevant to countries such as Brazil, Sierra Leone, Mexico, Peru, and India. The program has gained a lot of attention from both the IT industry and foundations. Applicants for 2003-2004 include individuals from 41 nations and a wide range of companies and organizations, including Cisco, Sun, Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Motorola, Bechtel, Mitsubishi Electric, the United Nations, and the World Bank.

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Indien: Mobiles Laptop erschließt die Welt des Interntes
Von Michael Weidemann

Den Nutzen moderner Computertechnik lernen derzeit die Menschen aus dem indischen Dörfchen Parvathapur kennen. Via Internet können sie etwa ihre landwirtschaftlichen Produkte verkaufen. Möglich macht´s ein Moped.

“Bis der Mann mit dem Moped hier auftauchte, wußten wir nicht einmal, was ein Computer ist. Jetzt kennen wir das World Wide Web und wissen, wie man E-Mails schickt”, meint Damodar Reddy Vadiyala, ein älterer Bauer aus Parvathapur, einem kleinen Weiler im indischen Bundesstaat Andhra Pradesh. Dessen Einwohner profitierten als erste von einem neuen Modellprojekt, das dem Gedanken des Weltbankforums entspricht und selbst Regionen ohne Telefon und Strom an das Internet anbindet: dem Rechner auf Rädern.

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