During the past twenty years, there has been a dramatic expansion in the availability and dissemination of information through electronic means. Despite this, the vast majority of people in the developing world lack access to critical information. The gap between those who are "connected" and those who are not, called "the Digital Divide", has been widening both between developed and developing countries, as well as between the rich and the poor within countries. This information supply gap means that the poor and the marginalized are not able to access information and services that would help them improve their lives. Most of the developing world is caught in a cycle of poverty and lack of education that is the root of devastating, endemic problems such as high infant mortality rates, disempowerment of women and girls, and the spread of HIV/AIDS. The key to improving economic and social conditions in a global environment is access to information.

Information and communications technology (ICT) can play an important role in assisting underserved communities to access critical information. However, effective delivery of this information depends upon utilizing approaches that are suited both to the constraints and the strengths of the recipient communities.

Limitations of Internet-based Solutions
Entire communities lack access to electricity and telephony, therefore, Internet-based solutions have had limited success in achieving widespread impact. Even in areas where power and telephone services exist, high costs of telephony and charges by Internet service providers; slow connections; high illiteracy rates, and lack of pertinent and language appropriate content, limit the effectiveness of Internet-only solutions.