Digital Divide Data
Encyclopedia
Digital Divide Data is a social enterprise
that provides disadvantaged youth in Cambodia, Laos and Kenya with the education and training they need to deliver world-class, competitively priced IT services to global clients and break the cycle of poverty. Featured in Thomas L. Friedman's The World is Flat
as an example of socially responsible outsourcing
, the not-for-profit provides data entry, digitization and other IT outsourcing services to clients worldwide, including Reader's Digest
, Harvard Business School
, New York Daily News
, Kaplan Test Prep and others.
Digital Divide Data opened for business in July 2001. The enterprise began as a single small office in Phnom Penh, digitizing the Harvard Crimson
. In 2003, Digital Divide Data opened an office in Vientiane, Laos, which in early 2004 was followed by a third office in Battambang, Cambodia.
Digital Divide Data can now claim to have delivered hundreds of projects to prestigious international clients. The organization currently operates three offices with over 600 staff. It is currently the largest technology employer in Cambodia and Laos.
These employees split their days between on-site training and further education. They work six hours a day on actual client projects, closely mentored by experienced managers. They then spend the rest of their days at school, earning their college degrees in three to four years. Their education is funded by matching scholarships from DDD. After 3–4 years, most entry-level staff graduate onto internal management positions at DDD, or good jobs in the local economy.
Since the beginning, DDD has trained more than 1800 people, employed more than 1000, and graduated more than 400 to better paying jobs. Graduates of DDD earn more than four times the average annual income in Cambodia and Laos.
Social enterprise
A social enterprise is an organization that applies business strategies to achieving philanthropic goals. Social enterprises can be structured as a for-profit or non-profit....
that provides disadvantaged youth in Cambodia, Laos and Kenya with the education and training they need to deliver world-class, competitively priced IT services to global clients and break the cycle of poverty. Featured in Thomas L. Friedman's The World is Flat
The World Is Flat
The World Is Flat: A Brief History of the Twenty-First Century is an international bestselling book by Thomas Friedman that analyzes globalization, primarily in the early 21st century. The title is a metaphor for viewing the world as a level playing field in terms of commerce, where all competitors...
as an example of socially responsible outsourcing
Socially responsible outsourcing
Socially responsible outsourcing is a movement to democratize access to jobs in the business process outsourcing and technology-enabled services sector spearheaded by NGOs, small outsourcing firms in poor countries , responsible business associations, and other concerned stakeholders.Currently,...
, the not-for-profit provides data entry, digitization and other IT outsourcing services to clients worldwide, including Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest
Reader's Digest is a general interest family magazine, published ten times annually. Formerly based in Chappaqua, New York, its headquarters is now in New York City. It was founded in 1922, by DeWitt Wallace and Lila Bell Wallace...
, Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, New York Daily News
New York Daily News
The Daily News of New York City is the fourth most widely circulated daily newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 605,677, as of November 1, 2011....
, Kaplan Test Prep and others.
History
In February 2001, Jeremy Hockenstein travelled to Angkor Wat and was struck by the mix of poverty and progress in Cambodia. Though there were computer schools offering training to young people, there were still no jobs for the students once they graduated. Recognizing the opportunity to make a difference, Jeremy assembled a group of friends, who all saw an opportunity for growth: applying India's IT outsourcing model to Southeast Asia could provide jobs and contribute to the region's development. The group returned to Cambodia during the summer and founded Digital Divide Data, with a plan to start a data entry operation in Phnom Penh.Digital Divide Data opened for business in July 2001. The enterprise began as a single small office in Phnom Penh, digitizing the Harvard Crimson
Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson are the athletic teams of Harvard University. The school's teams compete in NCAA Division I. As of 2006, there were 41 Division I intercollegiate varsity sports teams for women and men at Harvard, more than at any other NCAA Division I college in the country...
. In 2003, Digital Divide Data opened an office in Vientiane, Laos, which in early 2004 was followed by a third office in Battambang, Cambodia.
Digital Divide Data can now claim to have delivered hundreds of projects to prestigious international clients. The organization currently operates three offices with over 600 staff. It is currently the largest technology employer in Cambodia and Laos.
Social Model
DDD recruits disadvantaged and disabled youth in Cambodia and Laos lacking educational and employment opportunities, focusing on young, ambitious individuals from the poorest and most under-served segments of the population - orphans, rural migrants, and the disabled. Trainees join the DDD program for 3–8 months to develop basic computer and English skills. Upon completion of the training period, students who meet DDD's standards are hired to join the organization as entry-level employees.These employees split their days between on-site training and further education. They work six hours a day on actual client projects, closely mentored by experienced managers. They then spend the rest of their days at school, earning their college degrees in three to four years. Their education is funded by matching scholarships from DDD. After 3–4 years, most entry-level staff graduate onto internal management positions at DDD, or good jobs in the local economy.
Since the beginning, DDD has trained more than 1800 people, employed more than 1000, and graduated more than 400 to better paying jobs. Graduates of DDD earn more than four times the average annual income in Cambodia and Laos.
Services
Digital Divide Data powers the data entry, XML conversion and digital preservation needs of publishers, libraries, content hosts, academic researchers and businesses world-wide. The services provided unlock and extend the value of data, documents, publications and archives, making them searchable and accessible online, on mobile devices, or in any information system.- Data entry and conversion services include: academic data entry, survey digitization, records management, and direct marketing support.
- Digital publishing services include: XML enhancement/conversion, eBook conversion, magazine conversion, journal digitization, and newspaper conversion.
- Digital liberaries services include: digitization of archives, newspaper digitization, EAD conversion, and OCR assessment.
Awards and Recognition
- Skoll FoundationSkoll FoundationThe Skoll Foundation is a social entrepreneurship foundation based in Silicon Valley, California, with a mission to drive large-scale change by investing in, connecting, and celebrating social entrepreneurs and other innovators dedicated to solving the world’s most pressing problems...
Award for Social Enterprise in 2008, Recipient of $1 million for growth and expansion - World Bank Development Marketplace AwardWorld Bank Development Marketplace AwardThe Development Marketplace Award is a competitive grant programadministered by the World Bank. Since 1998, the DM has awarded morethan $46 million to some 1,000 early-stage, innovative projects worldwide.Projects are selected based on:* Innovation...
- IFC Grassroots Business Initiative
- Global Knowledge Partnership
- 2008 Clinton Global Initiative panelist and participant
- Siemens Non-Profit Global Impact Award for Supplier Excellence, June 2009
- Member of The New York 100 for business, July 2009