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"We are so used to being almost permanently online that we don't really appreciate what we have and do not really know what to do when we're not," Joni Mitchell wrote in her 1970s song "Big Yellow Taxi."
Well, telecom companies "provided the services and products that we have gotten to regard as a basic need: connection," writesjoerd Rozing in an article for the Guardian.
And it's telecom companies that provide that basic service.
In fact, Rozing writes, telecom companies "primarily contribute to the societal transition by facilitating access to key products, services, and markets that broaden opportunities for marginalised groups and individuals to participate in cultural, political, and social spaces."
Examples include providing access to broadband Internet, mobile phones, TV, and so on, as well as "material improvement in their personal financial situation, which enhances their possibilities to participate, when people upgrade from a 3G phone to a very affordable 4G smartphone, as research from Safaricom shows."
In fact, telecom companies "represent one of the least diverse sectors to work in" in emerging markets, but in developed markets, "they are therefore more stable and predictable, as they generate most of their revenues from subscriptions."
They also tend to offer an attractive dividend
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
A New Mexico nonprofit is looking for a director to help it "shift current agricultural and land stewardship practices in ways that produce good food, support meaningful livelihoods in rural places,...more
The Stark County Sheriff's Office has been awarded $10,000 in funding to help fight drug trafficking. The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services' RecoveryOhio program has awarded more than $2.1...more
"Lots of people can't kick because they don't have the coordination, but everybody can throw catch." That's how a UK nonprofit is using basketball to help young people deal with mental health...more
Swiss Re is putting its money where its mouth is in Southeast Asia. The insurance giant is launching its Shine social entrepreneurship program in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand,...more
Students in Palm Beach County, Fla., are experiencing a " concerning uptick" in mental health disorders over the past few years, says the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County. Nearly 3,000...more
"A PVUSD community school places the student at the center of everything. Community members, organizations, educators, and families coordinate resources in and out of school to prioritize each...more
"We are the only resource for free mental health services in Snohomish County and often the only available option for older adults experiencing depression, anxiety, and grief," says Nancy Brosemer,...more
When you think of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, you probably don't think of the Great Depression. But when you think of the crumbling chimneys on Ventfort Hall, the 19th-century mansion that's...more
An Indiana hospital has been named the best in the state for the 14th year in a row. Community Healthcare System in Munster was named Best Hospital in Northwest Indiana by residents of Porter and...more
It's been 20 years since TimberTown Park was built in Chelsea, Mich., but that doesn't mean it's been neglected. That's why community members are coming together to revamp the park, which has...more
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Gates Foundation Pledges $50 Million to Fight Ebola Epidemic
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has pledged $50 million to support emergency efforts to contain the threat caused by Ebola in West Africa.
