The power of SMS - Text to Change

Jan. 10, 2012 - PRLog -- Every second 200.000 text messages are sent globally. Today the use of SMS has proven itself a powerful medium to give rise to spontaneous social movements. Throughout the year 2011 the world witnessed major events, such as the protests across the Arab world, which were not only organized, but moreover registered and reported through civilians' mobiles rather than by journalists. Many of such examples confirm and underline the great influence of mobile telephony.

Over the last decade there has been an explosive growth in the usage of mobile telephony, especially in developing countries. Currently 80% of the population in these countries have access to a mobile phone. The Dutch organisation Text to Change has become the biggest player in the field of ‘Mobiles for Development’. They use mobile technology to improve people’s lives in developing countries in a very simple and efficient way. Text to Change sets up interactive SMS campaigns, together with NGOs and companies, focused on improving healthcare and education, stimulating economic development and creating awareness on environmental issues. Great results consist of high response and amazing outcomes, like for example an HIV/AIDS awareness SMS campaign where the number of people who got tested for HIV/AIDS doubled after this campaign.

In 2011 various programs of Text to Change, in collaboration with for example Unicef, Amref, Unilever, WWF and Orange, have reached almost a million people in Africa and South America. In 2012 an even greater number of  people will be reached.  And Text to Change keeps on moving forward, as it continues to develop innovative concepts. In 2012 TTC will not only focus on SMS but also on social media. In order to further strengthen its SMS campaigns, Text to Change is in the process of starting up a new call centre in Uganda, which will focus on data collection and research. This new field of expertise will not only give an extra dimension to the existing SMS campaigns of Text to Change but will also tap into a relatively new  branch: market research in Africa.

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Text to Change sets up interactive SMS campaigns, together with NGOs and companies, focused on improving healthcare and education, stimulating economic development and creating awareness on environmental issues.