Mobile and networked technology
In the developing world, mobile phones are both ubiquitous and relatively affordable. They are also a good investment, according to the Indian Institute of Management, facilitating communication with employers and helping users to network for employment. But mobile phones are also being put to work in more innovative ways that magnify their impact on the lives of the urban poor. Consider these four examples of how mobile phones are making a difference in Nairobi, Mumbai, Mexico City, and Rio de Janeiro — then join the conversation in the comments below.
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Jorge Bela — Bogotá Community Manager
Bogotá's location is in many ways privileged, with mild temperatures and 12 hours of daylight year-round. This location, however, also entails risks: it is a seismic area, and torrential rains can result in serious flooding. The "Niña" weather pattern creates especially dangerous conditions, like the 2010-2011 period when much of the city was left underwater, especially — although not only — in the poorer neighborhoods.
Prevention, mitigation, and management of natural disasters are not the exclusive responsibilities of the city municipality. As these responsibilities are shared with the central government and other local and regional entities, coordination is imperative. In Bogotá, for instance, the Empresa del Acueducto, an autonomous company, runs the sewer system, a crucial element in flood management, and is responsible, along with several local and national agencies, for the upkeep of the flood-prone Bogotá River.
In order to be able to meet its responsibilities, the municipality needs to have an emergency plan in place (Sistema Distrital de Gestión de Riesgos y Cambio Climático). But a plan is not enough: the principles of disaster management must be applied in all areas of government action, and at all levels of urban planning.
Bogotá Community Manager Jorge Bela has been working as a freelance writer and journalist in Bogotá since 2010. Prior to that, he worked at El Pais, Spain's leading newspaper, and Analistas Financieros Internacionales. Bela has also worked as a researcher at the European Latin American Research Institute and as project manager at the University at Albany, State University of New York. He has an M.A. in Latin American Studies from the University of Florida and completed the coursework for a Ph.D. in comparative politics at the University at Albany.
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