The old men transcribe letters for people who cannot write their own letters because they never learned how. The letters are mailed, and responses are later read back to the correspondents. Problem is, it can take about three months for the post office to do its part of the job. With e-mail, he says, a response can now arrive in a day. Aside from that, little is changed.
People still dictate their letters, as they've always done.
But now distant family members can keep in closer touch, critical information can be available in time of crisis, and business can be conducted more effectively. It has the potential to solve a real problem, but doesn't require anything like a massive reeducation program. In time, the e-mail system could lead to further useful innovation. Even people who can't read and write will come up with creative uses, Akwule told the recent United Nations World Television Forum, which focused on the global digital divide. Bill Gates has been telling a different story lately, as he has criticized business leaders for overstating the potential of information technology to improve lives in developing nations.