Internet opens cash window for the youth

Information and communication has the power to change the way development is achieved throughout the world.

In Africa lack of access to growth solutions places already marginalised populations at a further disadvantage at a time when technology is revolutionising the way the rest of the world relates and operates.

“The lack of opportunity to access and utilise existing information, popularly referred to as the digital divide, continues to cripple progress towards sustainable development across the continent,” says the chief executive officer of the Youth Enterprise Fund.

And now thanks to the installation of the first solar-powered rural internet kiosk in Ukunda at the Coast, more youths will soon get access to credit from the fund once a new loan product targeting businesses in technology is developed, says CEO Umuro Wario.

Currently, he said, the bulk of loans applied for are in agriculture-related businesses standing at 40 per cent while technology related enterprise comprise just about 10 per cent of the Sh2.3 billion that has so far been given out.

“We want to develop a product that will not only help generate wealth for the youth but also open up rural areas through information technology,” he said.

Rural area

Speaking in Ukunda during the launch of Kwale Rural Internet Kiosk, a pilot project that seeks to provide information technology in the rural areas, Mr Wario said many youth have shown an interest in starting ICT related projects but lack the insight to develop proposals for funding.

“We have come here to study the model then look at how best it can be packaged to create a loan product as we continue to look for ways of developing more products for the youths.

“With such a facility it can be easy to do a host of other business activities such as browsing, training, cafeteria and even salons around the kiosk, which can easily be captured in a business proposal for funding,” he said.

The internet kiosk, a project of InterSat in partnership with Voices of Africa and linked to satellite using solar energy, is set to revolutionise information technology in the rural area.

Project coordinator Crystal Kigoni said the unit being piloted in Kwale has been constructed using local materials and can accommodate three users at a time.

“The success of this project which is being run by a youth group as a business enterprise will be rolled out to other areas in the country because such projects are hard to get direct funding.

"We have brought the Youth Enterprise Fund to come up with a package that will attract more youths and help to keep them busy while generating income,” she said.

Kenya National Library Services director Richard Atuti supported the project and called on the youth to start generating local content that could be used in marketing the area.

“The potential is great especially in the hospitality industry and we will help in conducting studies on the impact of the project so that the same could be replicated in other parts of the country.

Even the community libraries which do not have the benefit of internet connectivity will be hooked to the rural kiosks and help in generating more content,” said Mr Atuti.

A fully loaded unit costs about Sh300,000 to install. It has been specifically designed for rural areas where access to computers is still a problem.