 In recent years information and communications technologies known as ICTs have radically improved people's lives. ICTs has become the driving force for development by creating the highest number of jobs over the past year and more importantly by becoming the underlying sector for other economic and social sectors. ITUD, the telecommunication development sector of ITU, has been working with international partners to make the world a better place. In this film we look at the changing face of ICTs through the lives of some of the people benefitting from ITUD projects around the world. 24 year old Irina lives in the tiny village of Lozova deep in rural Moldova. Irina has a degree in foreign languages but she is still unemployed. Like many others in her village she can't afford an internet connection of her own. But thanks to a joint project between ITU and the government of Moldova, Irina's job search has become easier. The project has brought public access computers to post offices around the country allowing rural communities to connect to the internet. I'm looking for a job now and of course internet is the most useful tool to find the job so it's very useful. We are very happy to have the internet at the post office. Young people like to go there and do their homeworks if internet helps them. There are all the people that don't know how to use internet so people just go there. There is somebody to help them. It helps people to keep in touch with the world. My children live abroad in Portugal and now we have the chance to talk and even see each other. This creates a feeling of being closer to each other. We are very happy and we very much welcome this project for the rural areas. I would like to express my gratitude to the International Telecommunication Union because today we have 43 access points and over 100 and 50,000 people are benefiting from them. There are so many benefits. I can imagine life without internet now. Miriam is a student at a school in the Tanzanian capital, Dar es Salaam. Miriam is now part of a generation of students that uses the internet as a crucial learning resource through initiatives such as ITU's Connect to School Connect to Community. I can learn a lot of things because I can get new information from other people what they think about that thing that I've been writing and what other countries are thinking about that particular topic that is given. The way it was before the situation was not good because we had few computers that were outdated. So when you work with them you can face some difficulties. Miriam's school is one of 49 in Tanzania to have benefited so far from the project developed by ITU in cooperation with the government of Tanzania. I'm able to create presentations. I'm able to email my friends who are outside. I think it will help me a lot in my future jobs and careers. So having these computers here is a motivation as the project started in this school with the connection of internet so a good number of teachers, a good number of students are being motivated in this computer lab. It's a very good model and we are going to move this model in the future programs even if they are not related to ITU but we are going to use the ITU model to extend the equipment to other schools. My parents are gaining a lot from me using computers because they are not educated that much. So when I learn I can go there and teach them this and that. I thank God I understand what I'm telling them. 17-year-old Dennis was born blind. He attends a special school in Sofia, the Bulgarian capital. Like many blind or disabled people, Dennis has faced challenges in accessing ICTs. The computer systems we had before were really old and difficult to use and that was probably why I wasn't interested in technology. Now Dennis and his fellow students have access to computers that are specially designed for blind people thanks to a joint project of ITU and the Bulgarian government. This was a sudden change in my life since I've been able to easily find information on the internet and I really enjoy this opportunity. The computers use innovative software that allows users to navigate screens via sound and braille keyboards. So far this project has installed the new computers in two Bulgarian schools. By providing contemporary ICT equipment we gave the chance for them to become equal parts of our society. They could enjoy the internet, they could improve their ICT skills. The computers helped me with my homework. I also enjoy listening to music and films. I can also use computer applications which allow me to connect with other people. Technology nowadays is very important for young people since without it it is unthinkable to have an everyday normal life. Aya is a top student at one of the leading girls schools in Jordan. As captain of her national youth volleyball team, Aya is a role model for other young women. Aya and her fellow student Mai attended an ITU Girls in ICT Day event designed to inspire girls and women to consider a career in the ICT sector. ITU puts on many such events every year in partnership with governments and technology companies. It was very overwhelming for both of us. We had different opportunities. First of all we invented an app. It's an e-pocket, an abbreviation point, an electronic pocket. The aim of this app was to measure the track, the financial transactions for both people. Yes, and it really was really intriguing to explore the use of the app inventor for the programming and coding. There was a very excellent rating from the people, so we felt proud of our achievement. Initiatives like Girls in ICT Day and the Women's Digital Literacy Campaign are part of ITU's commitment to boost women's participation in the ICT sector. 50% of worldwide population is women, so if you're not going to tap on this labour pool then especially the developing country and the very disadvantaged region are going to be left behind. And ICT comes as a very important component of that because now ICT is, it exists in every aspect of our life. Taking part in the field of technology opens up many chances and opportunities related to all other fields in my opinion. It really broadens your horizon. On the 11th of March 2011, the fifth most powerful earthquake ever recorded occurred off the Pacific coast of Japan. The earthquake caused a giant tsunami with waves of up to 45 meters high. Nearly 20,000 people lost their lives. Three years later, and the cleanup operation is still far from over. ICTs played a crucial role in the aftermath of the disaster with telecoms company NTT East helping to provide vital information to survivors and the emergency services. The telephone network throughout the country became heavily congested right after the disaster. So we made all our public telephones free of charge. We also put in free phone booths at the evacuation site so people could call their friends and family and confirm their safety. In the aftermath of the disaster, ITU provided satellite phone terminals to the Japanese authorities. We deeply appreciated that satellite mobile terminals provided from ITU were used in many rescues and confirmation of the victims. Following the 2011 earthquake, Japan has established a research center to explore ways of improving the resilience of ICTs to similar events. Innovations such as mobile deployable resource units have been developed to quickly deliver vital communications to disaster-struck areas. You can use your smartphone using the disk car with Wi-Fi connections. So even if you have no cellular base stations, you can talk over your phone with the normal way. According to our experience, first they would like to communicate over the voice. So this guy is providing such a very basic function at first. But a few days after, they need the correct information for such helping resources. Today, ITU is working with the Japanese authorities to introduce the mobile units to developing countries. That situation is very much similar to the situation after the tsunami. They don't have the good resources for supporting such communications. So this car is very fitting for the developing countries. Kenneth started smoking at 15. He tried to quit many times but never quite succeeded. Then he heard about a new mobile phone app designed to help people give up smoking. I've always been a sport person. I do surfing, I do biking. And the cigarette, it was affecting my performance. So one day I decided to join the program. So you set the date and then the system starts to send you an SMS message giving you tips and remind you to stay clean. Having signed up for the program, Kenneth was able to find support to kick the habit when he needed it most. Sometimes I have stress here in my office or whatever and I think that I need to have a smoke. One day it happened that when I was feeling that the system sent me a message the message was give me some tips like go ahead and buy some candies or go ahead and have a glass of water. It was great. It works. To get more people to participate in the program the government launched an advertising campaign featuring some of Costa Rica's best known soccer stars. Costa Rica is full of avid football followers. We have lots of fans. There are lots of kids, lots of young people that follow us. And I think that it's good to be able to give them advice. Junior people are now using a lot of the technology. They are having the mobile the whole day with them. It's a very good way to communicate directly to them. This is a very good opportunity also for the government to increase the services for the population. Our experience has been a good one. It's a low cost but highly effective system. ICTs are an invaluable tool in ensuring good health in the future. I feel totally different. I can notice the change. Everybody should quit. ICTs can make a real difference in people's lives. We can help achieve sustainable development by putting the productive and innovative power of ICTs in the hands of ordinary people. All these stories illustrate the positive and transforming power of ICTs. ITU and its partners will continue working to make ICTs affordable, accessible, supportive and exciting.