As cellphone use grows in the world’s poorest communities, charities are harnessing the technology to lift development efforts in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, writes The Washington Post.

With the proliferation of low-cost phones in remote rural communities and urban slums, “we are asking how that technology can be used to increase social and economic benefits,” said Chris Locke, managing director of development programs at the industry group GSM World.

The Grameen Foundation set up a laboratory to develop cellphone tools to spread its small-loan program and share medical and agricultural information with African villagers. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is spending $12-million to promote electronic banking via mobile phone in Africa.

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