I think it's a cruel stereotype, and the upvotes that comment has received are telling of the lack of sincerity on this topic.
There are many things you can do with IT/ICT to help the developing world. Here are some suggestions:
Build a non-literate UI on a cheap cellphone. Use it to provide rural villages with healthcare and market information, and financial management tools (like microfinance accouting).
Hack together a long-range WiFi to provide connectivity to a remote site.
Stream video from your cell phone to your favorite video-serving startup. Convince people to donate their time and money by showing them conditions on the ground.
Build a service that lets multiple villages form a cooperative using cellphones. Let them buy agricultural inputs in bulk at better prices, access wider markets for their goods, and coordinate transportation and tool sharing.
Use pcs or phones to educate rural farmers on modern agricultural techniques.
There are countless underfunded projects that are trying to do something in this space, going far beyond microfinance (though that may turn out to be one of the most important measures taken).
