A newly launched SMS-based service has emerged for developing nations to receive information on sexual and reproductive health. There has been a long debate about solutions to the knowledge gap that exists for the rural poor. Innovative ideas like this are attempting to bridge that gap.
The text-service which is provided by the Grameen Foundation, Google and Innovations For Poverty-Action will allow users to get information on contraceptives, nearby clinics, offered services and general information on healthy sexual practices from their cell phone. The project has been recognized for its innovativeness, but most importantly its cost-effectiveness and widespread reach.
Although few and far between in Africa, cell phones are becoming more ubiquitous even in the most underdeveloped nations in the world. A small sample of Uganda's population included 1,800 cell phone users.
-Nick Mohazzabfar
Source: Innovations for Poverty-Action
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