Tech that is really changing the world: Guyana case study

Last week, I spent in the Rupinuni region of Guyana meeting the indigenous Wapichan people and learning about their approach to protecting their land from ongoing threats.

I went on this trip in my role as Board Chair of Digital Democracy.

Digital Democracy serves as a kind of IT department for marginalized communities — helping them identify technology that can solve problems they are tackling and training them to use that technology in their pursuit to stop exploitation of their lands.

As someone who typically falls into the “technology will save the world” doubters club, it was inspiring to see how technology is indeed helping provide the Wapichan community members with maps, photos and other crucial data to make a case to both their internal council and their government to take action.