no, we can’t .. the question should falls at the lower section of pyramid.. instead of What happens to communities with little or no internet access.. question and challenge becomes how do we establish digital infrastructure for all. How do we build solutions that works in low-infra situtaion.. like mobile money using ussd for no internet connection..
Think in terms of cars and highway. The tech community is great at building fancier and more efficient “cars” (apps, digital tools) but for those cars to go anywhere, you need “highways” (internet connectivity), “gas stations” (reliable electricity), and “driver’s ed” (digital literacy) .. foundational bits comes from government or public-private partnerships where roads are made, electric cable are laid, phone lines are set up - these are infra that allow people to use them and thrive.
Once highways are set.. what kind of car do we want to make - this is why DPGs are so important for me. Their value comes from deep local and SDG relevance, which takes them far beyond generic software.
The danger is creating a generic, one-size-fits-all ‘DPG learning platform’ that assumes everyone learns and interacts with technology the same way. The real, frugal innovation that matters is in redesigning how people connect with digital tools. These new interaction models whether through voice, USSD, or community-led approaches are the foundational building blocks for true digital equity..
Wow
I love your “cars and highway” analogy. It captures the reality so well.
We often get caught up in designing flashy apps (the cars) without thinking about whether the roads (connectivity), fuel (electricity), or driving schools (digital literacy) even exist for most people to use them. That’s the root of digital exclusion.
I know you have deep experience in this area, so I’m genuinely curious.
If you had one opportunity to influence Sierra Leone’s digital transformation strategy, where would you begin?
This thread really speaks to the reality on the ground here in Sierra Leone.
@vipul — your “cars and highway” analogy is honestly one of the best I’ve heard. It perfectly captures the layers needed before we can talk about digital inclusion. Without infrastructure, electricity, and digital literacy, even the best-designed apps won’t reach their full potential.
From my experience running projects like GreenBin Connect (for waste management) and the Healthy Mother App (for maternal health), I’ve seen that tech that ignores local realities is tech that gets abandoned.
That’s why we’re prioritizing:
Voice and USSD access, especially for people in rural areas
Community engagement, before and during rollout
Building offline-first features, where connectivity is unreliable
To answer @Techlinkus’s question: If I had one chance to influence Sierra Leone’s digital transformation strategy, I’d start with infrastructure that reaches the last mile, and push for policies that support open, locally-adapted platforms — especially Digital Public Goods that allow true localization.
Because in the end, it’s not just about going digital — it’s about going digital together, with no one left behind.
Thank you for your kind words! I’m always learning.
If I had one opportunity to influence Sierra Leone’s digital transformation, I would focus on Community.
Everything else follows from that. A successful strategy must be built on a self-sustaining community of curiosity, where people are empowered to learn, experiment, and solve problems. This platform and the people on it are perfect examples of that energy.
To make it work, two other things are essential - hand in hand:
Capacity Building - We need training and mentorship programs to feed that curiosity. This involves supporting experts like @Bayoh, @8086, and @alpha_accurate, giving them the resources to deepen their knowledge and execute their vision of empowering others.
Supportive Policy - The government has a critical role in creating a policy environment that encourages innovation.. and to make it easy to implement the solutions that emerge from the community.. which I know MoCTI and DSTI is actively doing and is pushing do do a lot more.
The foundational bits are already in place. With leaders like Christex on the ground and the passionate individuals right here, to me, it’s all about: community, curiosity, and consistency.
