Article
Cell phones have been adopted at a pace unmatched by any technology in the history of mankind. While conventional use of these devices continues to grow, mobile phones are also increasingly being viewed as tools for conservation and development. Ken Banks, currently a Visiting Fellow on the Reuters Digital Vision Program at Stanford University, understands this well. Banks established kiwanja.net as a hub for the latest information on how technology, in particular mobile phones, can be applied to tackle issues of economic empowerment, conservation, education, human rights and poverty alleviation. This general article discusses his work and highlights different applications of the technology.