Nearly half a million people, described by the UN as "the poorest of the poor", will soon be able to make mobile calls. As part of a UN programme to tackle poverty in rural Africa, 79 villages across 10 African countries will be hooked up to cellular networks. It is hoped that the connections will help improve healthcare and education..."This is a technology that is remarkably empowering, especially for remote areas..." Dr Jeffery Sachs, Special Advisor to the [UN] Secretary-General [said]...The initiative, a collaboration between the Earth Institute at New York's Columbia University and the UN, started in 2004...The infrastructure, as well as solar chargers for phones, have been provided free of charge by mobile firm Ericsson, but services will be run and charged for by local operators.