GTC's Adrian Wooster is to speak at the 4th Web 4 Development conference hosted by UN Habitat in Nairobi at the end of November.

The working title of the presentation is "The Community Opportunity", focussing on how co-operative social enterprises can be used to deliver development goals using ICT's and especially broadband. With an emphasis on solutions for slum areas, the presentation will focus on the why and how: the benefits accruing to schools, clinics, community organisations and businesses of high speed Internet linked with locally developed services, and how a community-focused social enterprise model can deliver targeted ICT in support of development goals.

It will cover the role and importance of grass roots infrastructure projects at macro and micro levels, especially in slum areas; the challenges and opportunities facing Africa; and an introduction to the 7-pillars needed to ensure the delivery is sustainable and meets a real local need. The presentation will draw on the speaker's experience of UK-based community broadband projects, supported by case studies and analysis from his work in Africa.

This presentation is less about the technology and more about the approach and impact it can have when applied sensitively to a community; this will be of equal interest to policy makers andpeople involved in development efforts, as well as technologist.