Originally posted on ABC 7 News, 2 October 2007 http://abclocal.go.com

SAN JOSE, Calif. Oct. 2, 2007 - KGO (KGO) -- With all of the learning opportunities we have, all of the chances to put technology to work for us -- it can be easy to forget how desperate for information people are in other parts of the world.

But now there is a low-cost way of helping people in the developing world connect.

The Silicon Valley is one of the most influential high-tech environments in the world. Living here, it's hard to believe places exist where there is no communication.

Kristine Pearson is the CEO of the Freeplay Foundation. The non-profit organization based in London, is trying to bring lifelines of information to the remote populations of Africa, one radio at a time.

"This is the first and only radio ever designed and manufactured specifically for the humanitarian sector," said Freeplay Foundation CEO Kristine Pearson.

With an education grant from the San Jose Tech Museum of Innovation back in 2001, Pearson was able to make the lifeline radio program a reality.

"There are about 150,000 of these radio's, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa but elsewhere, and we estimate very conservatively we are reaching about six million people," said Pearson.

The wind-up or solar powered FM-AM, and short wave radios give the poorest of the poor, access to long distance education in areas without schools.

"In some cases there might by a small group that listens, but in many instances for distance education you can have six or seven classrooms with 40 to 50 children listening to one radio," said Pearson.

These radios also provide health care advice to villages lacking hospitals. They hope to help these regions with their social and economic development.

Pearson is here in the bay area as part of a U.S. fundraising mission. Tomorrow she will speak at Santa Clara University, and then next week she's headed to New York and Boston.