iTransformation of a Digital Village: A Community Development Initiative Through ICTs

The rapid diffusion of ICTs enables people to learn further and develop personal skills. Technology-based communication facilitates people to interact internally and externally, thus creating the opportunity for impacts on their lives in multiple respects. In the traditional life of a small village, the impact of ICTs may be even greater in terms of social life and the domestic economy. In this paper, we discuss how a village in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, embarked on a digital transformation initiative, transforming itself into a cyber-village to support its own community development. We draw on interviews with the local villagers and a village leader who was one of the key persons responsible for initiating the community development project. Our preliminary results show that the initiative successfully supported an increase in quality of life from economic and social perspectives.