Making Knowledge Networks Work for the Poor was an initiative that sought to improve the integration and co-ordination internationally of information and knowledge resources on appropriate technology. Megan Lloyd-Laney led the work for Practical Action Consulting, producing a report, convening a session at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa; and facilitating an international workshop in the UK in November 2002.
The work confirmed that poor people have difficulty accessing the right kind of information; many of the information systems that do exist to provide information to the poor are not demand-driven, overlook local knowledge, do not understand or ignore the role of intermediaries, and they do not monitor usage. In addition, evidence from three country case studies in Peru, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe found that the ICT revolution does provide opportunities but can undermine traditional and local communications systems and traditions.
The workshop report can be found here.