Hmmm, yet another reason to put my skills to use in Afghanistan:
Afghanistan is apparently in the midst of a tech boom. Today there are nearly 8 million cell phones users nationwide. Sure, a good percentage of those are undoubtedly international personnel, but nine years ago the only cell users were the Taliban, who banned them for everyone else.
From the article:
Beyond making life easier, some say the country’s embrace of technology could help break the cycle of 30 years of relentless warfare. It puts at the tip of a finger many things that were strictly outlawed by Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar — music, movies, pictures of people and games like chess.
Young Afghans see the world differently from older Afghans because of their use of the Internet and mobile phones, and their participation in sports, said Shukria Barakzai, a female lawmaker and former newspaper editor.
Afghanistan’s youth are not caught up in “the old circle of war,” she said. “They are engaging with the rest of the world. That’s why technology is so important for Afghanistan.”
Chrysalis 