Executive Summary
[Eye-for-Development-dot-Tanzania]
I4D.Tanzania is a research group that investigates the role of information in development. The group is based at Tumaini University, Tanzania, and works and interacts mainly in Iringa region.
Our Vision
We believe that information is the key to humane, sustainable development of communities. We work on several aspects of information: its conceptual underpinnings, sociocultural embodiments, its transformation and mediation processes, and its technologies. Our work is aimed at using information, via modern information technologies, to show a way out of poverty.
How Do We Work
We work through exploration, evaluation, identification, and measurement of information-related phenomena at Iringa region. Firstly, we aim at answering scientifically interesting empirical questions concerning information and information technologies in the developing world. Secondly, we aim at designing, developing, prototyping, and testing locally meaningful processual, technological, managerial, and structural innovations. In our work we emphasize sensitivity to the sociocultural, political, economic, environmental, and all other special characteristics of Tanzania and Iringa.
Our research requires several kinds of approaches. We do evaluation research that provides useful information about all aspects of local development for all stakeholders; we do design and development research that provides novel tools and locally relevant innovations; and we investigate aspects of information use and information processes in general.
Location
We are based at the Science Park of Tumaini University, Iringa University College.