April 3rd, 2007 - You Can Hear Me Now book review
Last week, I read another fascinating book related to microcredit, this time about cell phones, You Can Hear My Now: How Microloans and Cell Phones are Connecting the World’s Poor to the Global Economy by Nicholas P. Sullivan. This book focused on Bangladesh’s GrameenPhone-from pre-conception through red tape through to successful implementation. There’s also quite a bit about similar initiatives in other countries. (The end got rather boring, and sounds like a good text for an econ or business course.) If you are interested in microcredit, you’ll enjoy (most of) this book! (If you aren’t, I’d recommend books about GrameenBank itself first.)
I don’t know whether it’s just my strong interest in microcredit or the author’s superb storytelling, but this story was captivating! I was rooting for the folks behind the initiative, couldn’t wait to see what would happen next, couldn’t believe the roadblocks they faced. Of course, because of the title, I knew they “won” in the end, but I still wondered what would happen to them along the way.
Having had a cell phone for just 18 months, I’m not very connected to cell phone culture, and I don’t ever expect to (at least not in the next decade). But reading about how they are and have changed the world elsewhere is making me think differently about them. See, in most 3rd world countries, and even in many 2nd world ones, land lines are few and far inbetween. Outside of major cities, they are non-existant. Usually, the telephone companies are government owned and have little interest in the expense of laying lines out to the rural poor. Cell phone companies, on the other hand, have a relatively easier job of connecting distant users. (Very relative; it’s still quite difficult.)
And getting one cell phone in a village can change it dramatically. In one village, 6 months after the phone arrived, bank deposits (an indication of income/savings) rose 80%! One of the specific things the phone allows is for sellers to call around for the best price–or any price at all–rather than to haul things to markey and wonder what the price will be or if there will even be a buyer. On a non-monetary side, they allow relatives to stay in touch and people to contact medical professionals. The guy who started the whole idea for GrameenPhone long remembers the day he walked 10 miles to find a doctor only to find the doctor gone collecting medicinal plants. Imagine if he had been able to call that morning and make an appointment.
The book really shows how connectivity can change the world.
See post on Kiva for more info on microcredit.