Assessing ICT Impact on Development and Economic Transformation in the Rural Areas of Tanzania: The Case of Rural Tele-centres

As part of the major study on assessing the impact of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) on development and economic transformation, this research has explored the role of ICTs in development and economic transformation especially in rural areas of Tanzania, by looking at the users and the sustainability of the tele-centers. The study found that ICTs are used primarily as means of sharing information in the rural societies and they contribute to improvement of social economic development. Significant level of ICT use for economic activities is observed among people from different income brackets and different education profiles in the rural areas. However, a more greater impact of ICTs is experienced on the users in rural areas who are more educated (secondary education leavers) compared to the less educated (primary education leavers).