Our project helps poor, remote communities throughout the developing world use mobile phones to get access to information they need. Even as billions across the globe gain access to low-cost phones, it is difficult for ordinary people to use the technology for anything other than one-to-one communication. FrontlineSMS changes that. Our free tool enables organizations to create their own systems to use SMS to share critical information with even the most remote communities.
Despite the incredible growth in worldwide mobile phone use over the past decade, most people are still cut off from the gains we associate with mobile technology. The ITU estimates that there are 41 mobile phone subscriptions, but only 10 connections to the Internet, for every 100 people in Africa. Bringing the mobile revolution to the poorest communities means merging new ideas with existing tools. SMS is one powerful, but limited, channel for information sharing that innovation can transform.
FrontlineSMS puts mass communications tools in the hands of small organizations around the world, enabling rich, two-way SMS and communications with large groups of ordinary people without the need for the Internet or any infrastructure beyond the existing cell signal. With just a small laptop, a cheap modem, and a free copy of FrontlineSMS, rural development organizations, community groups, anyone, can communicate potentially lifesaving information to remote areas most tools can't reach.
FrontlineSMS is being used by organisations in 67 countries, working to change their communities for the better. Your support will enable us to deepen our commitment to users around the world. Here are just two ways we plan to leverage your support: For agricultural organizations, we will strengthen our ability to deliver critical information to millions of smallholder farmers world wide, and for community media outlets, we are working to create participatory, SMS-based citizen journalism tools.
This project has provided additional documentation in a Microsoft Word file (projdoc.doc).
