Category Archives: Development

On being broke, being poor, and being glad that I have the luxury of saving

By theresa | Published: November 25, 2009
I hate the end of the year in Benin. Everybody turns into a liar. “I’ll pay you tomorrow.” “I’ll call you this evening.” “Stop by at the end of the week.” “Let’s make an appointment for 4:00.” Nobody calls, and we constantly show up to empty offices. It’s more socially acceptable (and easier) to lie [...]
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Did you know the sky is blue? Obvious and less-obvious in ICT4D conversations

By theresa | Published: November 14, 2009
I have a confession to make. I’m not a development worker. I work with ICTs in the developing world, but I am driven by profit. This is both a luxury and a burden. It’s cool that people think I have something to say about ICT4D. I don’t. I have a lot to say about ICTs in the [...]
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Why is so hard to understand why Universal fucking Health Care is a GOOD THING?

By theresa | Published: October 20, 2009
I had lunch with an expat this morning, and said I that sometimes I have a hard time talking about development in Benin, as even we haven’t gotten it right yet. She looked at me with raised eyebrows and said, “We??!? *I* come from a country that has universal health care and free education up [...]
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On capitalism, consumerism, and Fake Steve Jobs

By theresa | Published: July 22, 2009
I am appalled that I 100% agree with something Fake Steve Jobs said today. We all know that there’s no fucking way in the world we should have microwave ovens and refrigerators and TV sets and everything else at the prices we’re paying for them. There’s no way we get all this stuff and everything [...]
Also posted in Getting it off my chest | 1 Comment

West African IPs blocked again

By theresa | Published: July 17, 2009
For the past two days, a client has desperately been trying to get a hold of us. He said he couldn’t access his website. We checked, no problems on our end, and brushed him off. He showed up this morning at 8:05am with his laptop and CDMA connection. “I’ll prove to you I’m not an idiot,” [...]
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Cotonou’s flooded again. Just like every rainy season.

By theresa | Published: June 28, 2009
[Photo credits: me and Bertrand, from the roof of our building. More flooding in Cotonou on flickr.]  
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What’s the difference between social entrepreneurship and plain old entrepreneurship?

By theresa | Published: June 28, 2009
Hmmm. The difference between “social entrepreneurship” and “entrepreneurship” can break down quickly. When we’re talking about African students building new web applications to make it easier to send money to families back home, what should we designate that? Entrepreneurship or Social Entrepreneurship? Or does it not matter? Should it perhaps make us wonder if we should [...]
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