Technology In The Garbage King By Elizabeth Laird

Oxford English Dictionary describes technology as ‘machinery, equipment, etc., developed from the practical application of scientific and technical knowledge’ (Oed.com, n.d.) There are many types of technologies invented ranging from mobile phones to aeroplanes however the technology described in this essay are computers. Computers are electrical devices aiding users to input data and receive output data through instructions the user commands the computer to do. Computers will be used to describe how they facilitate developing countries to improve standards of living. Developing countries are countries with poor standard of living due to low quality of education, health care, environment and high poverty etc., but with aims to improve to be

Digital Divide refers to the vacuum between people who do and do not have access to technologies such as computers (Van Djik, 2006). In the book ‘The Garbage King’ by Elizabeth Laird, Digital Divide can be clearly seen between the two main characters Mamo and Dani. Mama is brought up in slum areas of Ethiopia where the only time he has had accessed to technology are the TV’s in shop windows whereas Dani lives a privileged life and is surrounded by technologies such as cars and TV’s etc (Laird and Kebede, 2004). The book shows social inequality in developing countries where the rich has advantage to gain access to technologies whereas the poor cannot (Floridi,

One way computers have aided in Kenya health system is the use of hand held computers ‘personal digital assistants (PDA)’ which allowed professionals from clinic registers, to collect data on tested patients for TB and HIV rather than using papers forms. Data is then transferred to provincial health office where it will be examined for surveillance and research. The PDA shown to save time, improve productivity which allowed an effective and efficient system. However, there have been complaints of missing data from PDA and computer viruses so PDA will need to be constantly monitored and updated to improve the software. Some health centres preferred paper form as it is more reliable than PDA’s and because some professionals may have found it difficult to use the system or because they do not prefer to change a system that already works. In order for computers to be effective in health care systems, the infrastructure of the device needs to be suited for its purpose without any glitches (Piloting the use of personal digital assistants for tuberculosis and human immunodeficiency virus surveillance, Kenya, 2007,