I think you are right in sentiment, post-colonialism (post 1960s!, I think it is important to remember it's been a relatively short amount of time), most Africa

I think you are right in sentiment, post-colonialism (post 1960s!, I think it is important to remember it's been a relatively short amount of time), most African countries need basic infrastructure (water, power, sewage, communications) that can be built in cells. I think you'd be really interested in Erik Hersman's blog whiteafrican.com he works on the open source project ushahidi.com, and blogs a lot on micro-entrepreneurial ventures in Africa that are mainly centered around low-tech engineering centered around problems in developing countries and cell-phone technology. I don't think free basic access is a bad idea, as long as he is focused on a long-term communication solutions centered around basic cheap technology (cheap efficient cell phones), and providing solutions to indigenious problems -- not huge external efforts like OLPC. Cell phones are pervasive in more developed areas such as Ghana W. Africa, where as laptops and computers are sparse, as long as cell phones can affectively access the wifi provided I think it can work..