ber me from the World Bank seminar you conducted for Africa I wish to thank you from the bottom of my heart for helping me start my Internet business in Kenya. It was not easy: I had to take out a large business loan from the World Bank for the equal of $100 U.S., but I believe that I will be able to pay it back within 18 months. Already I have made sales of my magazine in the US and Europe and because of your help my family is eating well and my children are smiling. God bless you and the Internet. Asante Sana, rafiki wako Edwin Most sincerely, Yours Edwin Edwin Ngorongo inboxes involved massive quantities of paper) before leaving for home. When I received Edwin's letter I read it, then read it again. It made me cry, and it made me realize that telecom has the fundamental ability to change lives. It can create wealth, bring people together, channel hopes for a better future, and make children smile. Since receiving the letter from Edwin I have had the opportunity to watch a woman-a mother, in a small rural village-cautiously pick up a telephone for the first time, dial a number, wait a few seconds, and talk to a son who she hadn't seen or spoken to in ten years. It's simply too costly to travel, and until recently there were no phones anywhere near her village. Ten years ago the child had moved to the city in search of work and had not yet been able to return. Today, the mother and son can talk daily if they wish. Again, I cried-and I smiled. It doesn't get any better than that. In fact, Edwin's letter is framed on the wall behind my desk. It bears a small metal plaque that says, "Never forget why you do what you do." The same promise holds true in the developed world. In the wake of the millennial meltdown, the companies that make up the technology Downloaded from Digital Engineering Library @ McGraw-Hill (www.digitalengineeringlibrary.com) Copyright © 2004 The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Any use is subject to the Terms of Use as given at the website. Final Summary Chapter 9 industry struggle to