ShareIdeas.org

I recently read a great blog post by Christine at MobileActive.org that calls to attention a report released by telecom industry analyst Informa Telecoms & Media (ITM). In this report, ITM reveals that worldwide mobile phone penetration has hit 50 percent - or around 3.3 billion subscriptions. Given that the first cellular network was launched just 26 years ago, this is a huge deal. The report highlights the following interesting statistics regarding current mobile usage in developed and developing countries:

Although global mobile penetration - the number of mobile subscriptions worldwide - has reached 50 percent, this does not mean that half of the 6.6 billion or so people in the world now have a mobile phone.

A large number of more mature markets worldwide already have in excess of 100 per cent mobile penetration, as users increasingly sign up for more than one subscription, while emerging markets increasingly provide the bulk of new additions.

As of the end of September, 59 countries had mobile penetration of over 100 percent, while almost half that figure, 27, had penetration under 10 per cent.

Although mobile usage in developing countries has a long way to go before it catches up with usage in developed countries, it is clear that mobile communication is the future for modern society. Mobile technology offers an unprecedented opportunity for developing countries to acquire knowledge that will help accelerate development.

How can social entrepreneurs, educators, and others who are interested in social change collaborate and share ideas regarding the nuts and bolts of using mobile communications for social and environmental projects?

Well, there's a fantastic online community and wiki called ShareIdeas.org that aims to do exactly this: share experiences in using mobile communication for social benefit. This site offers a host of helpful resources and information. It's amazing!

The idea for ShareIdeas.org came from Ndidi Nwuneli, founder and CEO of LEAP Africa, a Nigerian NGO dedicated to nurturing a new generation of African leaders.

"Groups like ours would really benefit from a resource that shows us how to use mobile technology to carry out our work more effectively," said Ndidi at a Nokia stakeholder event of NGO and corporate leaders.

ShareIdeas.org was created in response to Ndidi’s request, (with support by Nokia and Vodaphone).

One of my favorite features of the ShareIdeas.org site is the "how to" section. Here, you can find information and practical examples from NGOs worldwide about ways to use mobile technology in your daily work. There are a bunch of case studies with great ideas, best practices, and lessons learned. There is also an educational section. Fantastic!

Although many in the world are not yet connected to the mobile network, the pace for connectivity is accelerating. Hopefully the connections and knowledge we share with one another today - through communities such as ShareIdeas.org - will help all of us, including our neighbors in developing countries, to ramp up more quickly.

For inspiring ideas on how you can start using mobile communications to bolster your own projects and endeavors, check out our what our friends have to say at ShareIdeas.org