This area of research seeks to address the digital divide, which refers to the gap between those who have access to technology and those who do not, and the resulting inequalities in education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
Local networks can provide significant access to software and information even without utilizing an internet connection, for example through use of the Wikipedia CD selection or the eGranary Digital Library.
Africa presents a unique cultural climate for the introduction of computer technology not only because of its diverse population, varied geography and multifaceted issues but also because of it singular challenges.
It has been colonized and hence influenced strongly by Europeans from France, Portugal, Britain, Spain, Italy and Belgium except for the countries of Ethiopia and Liberia.
The "bare necessities of life – water, electricity, roads, education and a right to self-determination so that we can be responsible for our resources and our environment"[6] must be respected.
While Africa has seen significant progress in various sectors since gaining independence from European colonial powers, it continues to face multifaceted challenges, including poverty, disease, conflict, and underdevelopment.
To overcome these challenges, various initiatives have been undertaken, such as providing community access to technology, and creating partnerships with governments, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.
Nonetheless, the continent's commitment to embracing technology has led to the development of innovative solutions, such as mobile money and e-learning platforms, that have the potential to transform Africa's economy and society.
[8] Funding for the project relied on donations and partnerships from private organizations with extensive volunteer help in accessing open-source software that is available from licensed vendors or free on the Internet.
While the project has been plagued by slow Internet speeds, long lines of waiting users, hacking and budgets, the demand for more computers remains high.
Of further concern is the lack of use by women and girls, which culturally presents a hierarchy problem because men are the public face, and another topic to consider in the future.
Kenya provides an example pursuing the use of fiber optic cable to connect to the Internet thus being able to lower access costs from $7,500 a satellite-delivered megabyte to $400 from present levels.
The Alcatel-Lucent project started at the end of 2007 (two year delivery date) and will piggyback on the expansion of electricity to many rural villages providing Internet access.
[11] Freeplay Foundation has attempted to address the issue of electricity by first developing battery powered lights for rural areas of Africa piloting a project also in Kenya in 2008.
"The World Bank estimates that more than 500 million people in sub-Saharan Africa do not have access to electricity supplies that could be used to light their homes" or power computers.
An example of further difficulties surrounding introducing computers in Africa is found in the study of Mozambique one of the poorest nations of the world with 60 percent of its population below the poverty line.
However, in non urban areas where better off residents might make 40 to 60 US dollars a month, access to the Internet could eat up half of their income so community-owned settings have been instituted with some unknown success.
Martin Fisher started KickStart International with Nick Moon in 1991 as a "non-profit organization that develops and markets new technologies for use in Africa".
[18] Fisher further states that "our approach is to design, market, and sell simple tools that poor entrepreneurs buy and use to create profitable new small businesses and earn a decent income".
Other technologies have included pressing oil seeds, making building blocks from compacted soil, baling hay and producing a latrine cover.
Most notable, the project needs to consider how access to the Internet can provide income producing tools to create new wealth and pursue a better maintenance plan.
Initiatives such as the OLPC computer and Sakshat Tablet are intended to provide rugged technology at a price affordable for mass deployments.
Increased use of technology especially in ICT, low initial cost, and unplanned obsolescence of electrical and electronic equipment has led to an e-waste generation problem for Uganda.
"[30] However, of 27 applications of ICTs for development, E-government, E-learning and E-health were found to be possible of great success, as well as the strengthening of social networks and boosting of security (particularly of women).
This furthers the economic and cultural divide between urban and rural areas in developing countries as internet access is becoming more essential to everyday life.