| Abstract
This study identifies the challenges and opportunities facing ICT and rural development initiatives amongst South African and Kenyan rural women. Two research methods were deployed in order to gather data from the respondents. First, the case study method was used to collect data from key informants in four organizations that work with ICTs and rural women. Using frame lists from both South Africa and Kenya, a total of four organizations were purposefully selected to include Womensnet and National Community Radio Forum (NCRF), and AfriAfya and the Arid Lands information Network (ALIN-EA). In the second method, survey research was used to interview women aged between 16 and 60. A total of 400 respondents were drawn from the survey method to form the sampling size. The sampling data was obtained from Census household data from the magisterial districts of Umlalazi, i.e. Eshowe, Amatikulu, Gigindlovu, and Mtunzini (South Africa), and from the sub-divisions of the Kaplamai Division in Trans-Nzoia district, i.e. Kimoson, Sinyerere, Sitatunga, and Makutano (Kenya). By using the snowball technique, women respondents who were directly and indirectly linked were identified and consequently interviewed. The survey results signify that problems of access and exclusion still predominate, as an average of only 11(5.5%) respondents use modern technologies such as the computer/internet, and more than half (115: 57.5%) of the respondents faced problems ranging from in-affordability to long distances and lack of time. However, on a positive note, the versatility of cellular technology was found to transcend poverty and geographical barriers.
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