Literacy Bridge and the $5 iPod

My friend and fellow ASF member Cliff Schmidt has started Literacy Bridge, a non profit whose mission is

to empower children and adults with tools for knowledge sharing and literacy learning, as an effective means towards advancing education, health, economic development, democracy, and human rights.

Literacy Bridge’s primary initiative is The Talking Bridge Project, which is essentially a program to build and distribute a $5 iPod.

The Talking Book Project is Literacy Bridge’s major program, developing new and affordable digital audio technology to provide vital, locally generated information and literacy training to people with limited access to either. Imagine a $5 iPod used to play locally generated podcasts, plus a decentralized, digital content distribution system that reaches villages without electricity but also enables global content sharing. Aside from the innovative use of technology, partnerships with local businesses, civic organizations, and government agencies play a pivotal role in the Talking Book Project.

Cliff recently gave a Google Tech Talk about Literacy Bridge and The Talking Book Project.

It’s good to see more people out there working to change the world.

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