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ICT for Development Success Stories: Youth, Poverty and Gender
Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP)
November 2003

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Foreword
This publication by the Global Knowledge Partnership (GKP) highlights initiatives that are using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to make a real and meaningful difference in communities around the world, no matter how disadvantaged or isolated they may be. These stories on Youth, Poverty and Gender are snapshots of the learning process that accompanies the introduction and implementation of ICTs in a community development project.

In publishing these stories, the GKP hopes to share experiences and lessons learned to increase global understanding of how ICTs can be used to tackle poverty, injustice and inequalities. Conceptually, the idea of knowledge sharing and 'storytelling' underpins all of GKP programmes and projects. Good success stories have the ability to inspire and motivate communities. This is what the GKP hopes will happen when we award and recognise communities which have used ICT to uplift and empower themselves.

While we are very excited about the benefits of knowledge-sharing, we need to also remind ourselves that success stories are in themselves sometimes just the beginning of great possibilities. Projects need to be properly evaluated, particularly detailing problems faced, how they were resolved and if they could not be resolved, why. Indepth evaluation of projects are most often put aside in favour of addressing pressing operational and fund-raising needs, and valuable lessons, sadly, get lost in the constant search for innovation. These lessons are important if we are serious about replicating and upscaling successes.

The stories were submitted under three broad categories: Youth, Poverty and Gender. The best among them have been selected for the inaugural GKP Youth Award, the Tony Zeitoun Awards for poverty reduction, and the Gender and ICT Awards. The awards will be presented at the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) to be held in Geneva in December 2003.

In the last six years the GKP has shown that if communities are empowered and engaged in shaping their own future they will be able to use technology to step out of poverty and underdevelopment. Youth, Poverty and Gender are three of the key focus areas of the GKP and through the awards and success stories mechanisms, we will continue to help increase the availability of information and knowledge on ICT4D and enhance the global knowledge base in this area.

This publication is part of the GKP's Knowledge for Development Series.

Rinalia Abdul Rahim
Executive Director, GKP Secretariat
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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