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Published on: Sep 07 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Write About Your Business Challenge – Win $4,000
Do you have a business challenge while working in low-income communities, that has created a new business model or initiative?
Regardless of its success or failure, the Center for Sustainable Global Enterprise’s Bottom...
Here is an interesting video from the Barefoot College solar program in which they’ve trained illiterate women from African villages to be solar engineers for their communities in just 6 months:
Barefoot College makes...
The market opportunity for Nigerian software development is stunning, if you take a moment to look at its size. First we have Umar Bindir, Director General of National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP),...
Back in July, Kenya rejoiced with Seacom’s landing, expecting a quick and beneficial drop in Internet access costs and a dramatic increase in bandwidth. The general consensus was 50% to 90% drop in bandwidth costs....
Published on: Aug 28 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Solar-Powered Solutions to Support Mobile Phones
While there is an explosive growth of mobile phone usage in Africa, there has not been a corresponding growth in the national electric grid to support these phones. In Kenya, there are more than 17 million cell phone subscribers...
Published on: Aug 26 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Importing Computers into Kenya? Beware the Fees
Duty Free New Computers and Computer Parts
To great fanfare, Kenya Revenue Authority eliminated customs duties on the import of new computer hardware into Kenya recently. For HSCODE 85-23-49-0-0 their FAQ even says:
Q7....
Published on: Aug 24 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Interview: Samuel Okwiri of Lebra Solar Technologies
During a Inveneo Business Training, we interviewed Sam Okwiri about his new solar power company, Lebra Solar Technologies:
Sam, who used to work for WinAfrique, has started Lebra Solar Technologies to satisfy the power needs...
With the explosion of the field of ICT4D in the recent years including countless conferences, working groups, and projects being implemented both formally and informally, it’s important to always keep in mind the “Four...
Published on: Aug 18 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Hot Gossip: Twitter Returning to Africa with Zain!
Last year the microblogging service Twitter, pulled its outbound SMS service from Africa. While only a few technology elite bemoaned its loss, for me it was a great disappointment. Twitter didn’t see that the SMS...
Published on: Aug 14 2009 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Real-Time Maker Faire Africa Feedback via SMS
I’ve very excited about Maker Farie Africa, a celebration of African ingenuity, innovation and invention. Taking place this weekend at the AITI KACE in Accra, Ghana, the event promises to be a watershed moment for...