CURATED BY NIKI DE WITT
In the countryside of Bangladesh, “Info Ladies” travel to remote villages on bicycles offering an array of helpful services from Internet to diabetes testing to people in these small communities. An organization called D.net, which started in 2008, help the women get started by offering a loan of about 500 euros and a three-month long training session that teaches them how to use the devices.
FROM LE MONDE/WORLDCRUNCH
GAIBANDHA DISTRICT “” In remote areas of Bangladesh, the Internet can arrive in unpredictable ways. Take for example, Shathi, who rolls into a small village, ringing the bell on her bike ““ and soon the kids are running to tell their parents, screaming “Hello! Hello!”
And so the women of the village come out of their houses one-by-one to meet one of the “Info Ladies.” In the middle of a dirt-covered courtyard, Shathi “” wearing a pink and blue tunic “” carefully settles a laptop on a plastic chair, plugs in earphones and starts a Skype session. In front of an audience still stunned each time by the sight, the men of the village, working thousands of kilometers away, appear on the screen.
“I feel like my brother is in front of me, except I can’t touch him,” says a worried Sumita, scarf and cap on her head. “He’s put on some weight and his skin tone has gone slightly lighter since he’s been working in Iraq.” She keeps repeating “As-salam alaykum” and “Hello” because she fears they will be disconnected. “The connection isn’t great,” Shathi says. “Today’s a holiday, and everyone wants to call the countries of the Gulf, so it’s jammed.””…Continue Reading
Niki is currently exploring Asia while working on a children’s book series about travel. As a child, she traveled and moved often for her parents’ jobs. As a result of this, she has always felt most at home when she’s off and away. She is interested in international films, working on building an impressive tea collection, and can often be found with her camera in hand. You can have a look-see at her blog and follow her on Twitter @nikidding.