For those interested in leveraging information technology while working in Mozambique, these are some of my lessons learned regarding laptop computers, digital cameras, cell phones, and MP3 players. There are many individuals that work effectively in Mozambique without regular access to these resources, and so I will describe the comparative advantage of using each of the following technologies. All of these technologies carry the disadvantage of being targets for theft, and anyone making use of them should examine options for insurance coverage.
Advantages: A laptop allows you to do work – organize databases, formulate spreadsheets, write up proposals and reports – that is difficult and costly if you do not have regular access to a computer. It also facilitates communication with colleagues and family.
Disadvantages: Most laptops are not designed to take the abuse to which Mozambique invariably subjects them. Hardware failures are common, as is theft. A small portion of volunteers, approximately ten percent, live in towns without electricity; for $200-$300 one can invest in a decent solar panel.
Recommendations: Hardware failures are common, so a surge protector, external backup hard drive, and extended warranty are vital. Ensure that the warranty is international and that there are authorized repair centers in South Africa. Smaller laptops are easier to travel with and easier to conceal. I use an IBM X40 and recommend a machine with a similar form factor. A laptop this size can be carried in a plastic folder, avoiding the attention a computer bag would draw.
Advantages: With a digital camera you can share photos with family back home, document your projects, and beautify project proposals. It is also more cost effective than film, shot for shot, given the cost and dubious quality of photo processing here.
Disadvantages: As with a laptop, an international warranty is important. I have seen countless point-n-shoots die quick deaths here, and my Nikon D-SLR has suffered two serious failures. Nikon does not offer an international warranty on its cameras, so I have had to pay out-of-pocket for the camera to be repaired in Johannesburg.
Recommendations: A simple point-n-shoot can be easily concealed and quietly capture photos without drawing undue attention in public places. An SLR is much less discrete, but the advantages of shooting with an SLR outweigh the social challenges of pointing the lens in others’ faces. I blew the money on a Nikon D70 and am perfectly happy with my choice:
Advantages: Small, solid-state, rechargeable. Compact discs tend to die quick scratchy deaths. Volunteers swap music like fiends and one runs across new music whenever one visits another site.
Disadvantages: The iPod DRM is a frequent hurdle to music sharing. I prefer Creative or iRiver MP3 players because of their less-restrictive DRM implementations. There are a wealth of resources available elsewhere on the internet to help one circumvent iPod DRM.
Recommendations: Needs to be coupled with a laptop, or you’ll forever be depending on someone else to have music for you – and even a 60GB iPod runs out of interesting music eventually.
Advantages: Communications in Mozambique are nearly one-hundred percent reliant on cellular networks. Telecommunications have evolved differently in this country, skipping the era of fixed lines. All PCVs have cell phones. Prepaid phone credit is not cheap for voice calls, but SMS (text messaging) and GPRS (internet connectivity) are quite reasonable. Paired with a laptop, one can navigate the internet anywhere there is cell coverage, for a relatively low per-megabyte charge.
Disadvantages: Once one starts using the internet via their cell phone, they never stop. Connectivity is addictive.
Recommendations: Buy a cell phone in Mozambique. For reasons unclear, many tri-band phones marketed in the US do not function in Mozambique outside of the capital city. Do not ask a salesman at a cell shop if your phone will work in Mozambique. They do not know. Cell phones are reasonably priced in Maputo: a GPRS- and Bluetooth-enabled cell phone will set you back about $150.
If you plan to use the cell phone to connect your computer to the internet, ensure that your computer has a Bluetooth adapter, (built in or USB dongle), and ensure that you purchase a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone in Maputo.
This article is a living document, and I will update it as necessary. If you have any questions or contributions, please post a comment.