the CHALLENGE
One-third of the world’s population lacks access to the Internet, and roughly half of the world’s population lacks fast, unlimited access.* Fixed broadband reaches only 18 percent of people in Latin America and the Caribbean and less than one percent of those living in Sub-Saharan Africa.** Mobile Internet access is higher in both regions (62 percent of the population in Latin America and the Caribbean and 25 percent in Sub-Saharan Africa)*** but these connections are generally expensive, impose caps on data usage, and are limited in both reliability and speed. This curtails people’s usage of their connection and therefore the benefits they would otherwise experience.
Research indicates that limiting access to the Internet perpetuates multi-dimensional poverty and is predicted to drive further inequality, particularly for women, youth, and those living in rural poverty as they are disproportionally excluded from Internet access.
Three key barriers stand in the way of meaningful connectivity for households living in poverty in Latin America, the Caribbean, and Sub-Saharan Africa:
- Availability: Limited wired broadband services and variable mobile network quality and coverage.
- Quality: A lack of reliable infrastructure, leading to service that is intermittent at best.
- Affordability: Costs, fees, and payment options that fail to align with the disposable income and cash flows of households living in poverty.
the Opportunity
GP and its affiliated funds aim to help people living on less than $5.50 per person, per day access the economic, educational, and social opportunities afforded by reliable, high-quality, affordable Internet access.
Who is Served
Households living on less than $5.50 PPP/person/day, with an Internet-enabled device who currently lack access to fast, unlimited Internet connectivity.
What is delivered
Fast, unlimited, and affordable Internet connectivity through wireless and/or fixed broadband, that aligns with the disposable income and cash flows of households living in poverty.
Why IT is impactful
- Households experience cost-savings from more affordable, higher quality Internet access.
- Households experience an increase in income and/or consumption due to increased economic activity.
Depending on utilization patterns households may also experience:
- Quality of life improvements due to enhanced access to essential information and services (economic, education, health, financial, social, and leisure)
* “Measuring digital development: Facts and Figures 2023” International Telecommunications Union Development Sector, 2023. https://www.itu.int/en/ITU-D/Statistics/Pages/facts/default.aspx.
**“Fixed broadband subscriptions (per 100 people) – Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America & Caribbean.” The World Bank, data as of 2022. Accessed March 29, 2024. https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/IT.NET.BBND.P2?locations=ZG-ZJ.
***Data as of 2022. Source: The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity 2023, GSMA