Of Reggae Roads and Blood Diamonds: The Dawn of Tech in Liberia and Sierra Leone

Earlier this month, I traveled with a bevvy of women in tech (including former Etsy CEO Maria Thomas and Twitter's Jessica Verilli) through the capital cities and upcountry stretches of Liberia (pop. 4M) and Sierra Leone (pop. 6M) , two small countries pressed together along the Western coast of Africa. We were all part of the Women's Technology Delegation, an unusual State Department mission formed to understand how technology can play a role in alleviating poverty, bridging the gender gap, and keeping the peace in two of the world's most fragile nations. Below are some highlights and interesting stats from our interviews with Liberia and Sierra Leone's political and business leaders.

INTERDIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS INTEL INSIGHT ENTERPRISES