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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 "first-of-its-kind impact investing network" in the Philippines is putting its money where its mouth is, in the form of collateral-free loans to women-led social and environmental...more
"It is simply not good enough that, for many advisers, their understanding of AI is that information goes into a black box,'magic happens' and something comes out." So said the outgoing director...more
It's no secret that Africa's livestock industry plays a big role in the region's economy. In fact, the demand for livestock products is expected to grow by 50% by 2030, notes Business...more
Foundation: Ford Motor Company Fund
The Ford Motor Company's philanthropic arm is getting a new name: Ford Philanthropy. The rebranding reflects Ford's 75-year legacy of "driving impact in Ford communities around the world," says...more
The winner of this year's Sustainova Startup Challenge in Saudi Arabia has a message for the rest of the world: "If you want to save the planet, you have to start now." The startup contest,...more
Pakistan's capital is home to more than 200 million people and is expected to see a massive increase in population by 2050 as the country's economy continues to grow at a rapid rate, the BBC...more
Foundation: Gates Foundation
One of the world's richest men is pushing to make Hong Kong a "philanthropic hub" in the region. The city's chief executive, Leung Chun-ying, says he wants to make it "a bridge between China and...more
A Joplin, Mo., high school's science program is going to be able to keep going thanks to a $5,000 grant from the American Water Charitable Foundation. The money will be used to fund future...more
The National Science Foundation held a "quantum technology showcase" on Capitol Hill this week to highlight research funded by the federal government into things like quantum computing and...more
Illinois American Waterthe largest regulated water and wastewater utility in the USis making a splash in its home state with a $200,000 donation to help clean up the Ohio River. The utility has...more
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Social Enterprise: Reaching Out to the Private Sector for Help
John Converse Townsend, a Forbes contributor, shares what can the private sector do for a social enterprise. He encourages social enterprises to reach out to corporations for help to scale up their businesses.
