Technology solutions to strengthen the integration of marginalized communities into the global knowledge society

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has made it possible to explore novel and innovative mechanisms to leap-frog socio-economic development in rural and marginalized communities. An ICT for development intervention called Siyakhula Living Lab (SLL) has been underway in Dwesa, a rural community in the Eastern Cape Province, for the past four years. The living lab methodology, which enables user-driven innovation within a multi-stakeholder relationship of academia, user communities, government and private industry, has facilitated greater integration of the Dwesa community into the digital ecology and subsequently the knowledge society. This paper introduces the SLL intervention, discusses the SLL´s supporting technical infrastructure and the interventions that are undertaken towards long-term sustainability of the project. The developed eServices are also discussed, with a view to highlighting the key characteristics that contribute to increased context-sensitivity, ownership, and buy-in from the community.