Tech-preneurs link rural folk to debate using local languages
Poor Internet connectivity, low literacy, and high costs of mobile phones have made it difficult for rural folk to access information and limited their participation in development.
But this is changing as companies and the Government work on ways to improve access to basic information on health and education.
The government has been laying inland fibre optics in all district headquarters while the private sector and especially young entrepreneurs are either developing mobile phone-based applications or platforms.
One of the platforms is SMSVoices.com run by an IT firm Africa’s Talking Ltd, working to connect mobile users to the web using SMS-driven social networks.
The platform provides an opportunity for people in the villages to contribute to debate using mother tongue or Kiswahili.
“SMSVoices.com will enable the underserved population to access vital services ranging from medical, education, information, entertainment and communication services using existing SMS technology,” said Eston Kimani, the CEO of Africa’sTalking Ltd.
He added: “Given that for most Africans, the mobile phone represents the only way to communicate electronically, we see an opportunity to leverage mobile networks, for example SMS, as a vital service delivery channel.”
SMS-to-Web technology makes it possible to send an SMS directly to or from a webpage. SMSVoices.com users can create profile pages on any other topic of interest.
Each profile is assigned a username, for example @Gatanga, @Diabetes, @ReportABribe which is a unique identifier.
Once a profile page has been set up on SMSVoices it is possible for the public to post a message on the profile by sending an SMS beginning with the username of the profile to +254-716-666-333 for Kenyan users and +254-716-666-333 for international audience.
The SMS costs a Sh1, making it cheap and accessible. In addition to posting on the web page, it is possible for users on the ground to subscribe to a profile page via SMS.
Once a user subscribes to a profile page, he/she can receive SMS each time the webpage is updated. For example, a diabetic person can subscribe to a diabetes management profile.
A professional running the webpage can send tips to the subscriber on every update. This message is uploaded on www.smsvoices.com/report where it will be visible to anyone visiting the webpage.
Mr Kimani who holds a Bachelors Degree in Management Science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) says the co-founders have invested Sh9 million in the project.
The proprietors are not thinking about money now more than recruitment, says the CEO but adds they will eventually make profit from the SMS charges and through the online adverts.
Latest statistics from the industry regulator Communication Commissions of Kenya indicates the country has about 25 million mobile users and which the group is targeting.
The platform also targets other African mobile users estimated to be at round 500 million. Mr Kimani, like most budding IT entrepreneurs, was driven by passion about technology for Africa’s development.
During his undergraduate studies, he was the president of the MIT Africa Internet Technology Initiative, a programme that sends MIT students to African universities and colleges to teach computer/mobile programming and entrepreneurship.
After graduating from MIT, he briefly worked at the World Bank where he won a SPOT award for exemplary performance.
He has been involved in several successful business ventures, leading to the founding of Africastalking Ltd in 2009.
Civic reporting
“This is a publicly owned site, the aim is to encourage civic reporting and responsibility of the leaders and individuals,” said Teddy Warria, the head of client relations at Africa’sTalking Ltd
Through the innovation, corporate clients, NGOs and government agencies can reach out to groups of people they offer services through their phones.
The firm conducted a pilot project done in Murang’a constituency, where the platform was used by doctors to disperse information to a diabetes support group.
