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Engineers Without Borders-USA
2009 International Conference
“A continent, not a crisis”
Cyrus Farivar
Freelance Technology Journalist
http://cyrusfarivar.com
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I. Premise: Africa is a monolith
I. Reality: Not so much.
I. Reality: Not so much.
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Nearly one billion people
Hundreds of languages
Largely Christian and Muslim
Continental average: $952 GDP per capita
(World Bank, 2005)
• Economic diversity
• Ex: Senegal has $1,700 GDP per capita,
but the iPhone and DSL is available.
II. Premise: Africans need the Internet
to help themselves develop
II. Reality: Yes, but…
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fienna/1452784458/
II. Reality: Yes, but…
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Literacy rates are low
--> Can’t use Internet without being literate
Few sustained models
Shared-use by necessity
--> Kids pooling money at cybercafés
III. Premise: Hardware is too expensive.
II. Solution: Digital Solidarity Fund
(2002 - Present)
II. Solution: Digital Solidarity Fund
(2002 - Present)
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Initiated by President A. Wade (Senegal)
Voluntary contribution at point-of-sale
Various cities, countries donate
NGO set up in Geneva (Huh?)
Millions of Euros, Swiss Francs wasted
January 2009: Reboot meeting in Bamako
Reality: Unsustainable. Relies entirely on
donations.
IV. Premise: Laptops are too expensive.
III. Solution: One Laptop Per Child
(2005 - Present)
III. Solution: One Laptop Per Child
(2005 - Present)
• $100 laptop? More like $188, four years
later.
• Relied on millions of orders, never
materialized.
• How can countries afford such a large
expense?
• $188 per child is cost of only hardware.
• Reality: Relies entirely on “Give One, Get
One.” Not sustainable.
V. Premise: Laptops are too expensive.
What about desktops?
IV. Solution: Inveneo
(2005 - Present)
Source: Inveneo
GS Muhura School Solar-Powered Computer Center, Rwanda
IV. Solution: Inveneo
(2005 - Present)
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Started with Internet phone, solar panels
Shared-use model. Not as ambitious.
“Ndank ndank moy jàpp golo ci ñaay.”
(“Little by little does one catch the monkey
in the jungle.” -- Wolof proverb)
Provide training in-country.
Partnering with local entrepreneurs
Create franchise model, profit motive
Reality: Promising.
VI. Desktops still too expensive.
What about mobile phones?
IV. Solution: M-Pesa, Txteagle, etc.
(2007 - Present)
IV. Solution: M-Pesa, Txteagle, etc.
(2007 - Present)
• Mobile phone networks are more
ubiquitous, much cheaper
• Many Africans are growing up with mobile
phones before desktop
• New uses for mobile tech
• New Africa mobile research centers
• Nokia offsetting N. America/EU losses
with Africa gains, etc.
• Reality: Mobile web not there yet.
VII. Premise: “A continent, not a crisis”
VII. Solution: Entrepreneurs
(Present - Future)
“To actually accomplish the goal of Live 8 - the elimination of poverty
in Africa - Americans and Europeans have to get a great deal smarter
about this other Africa. This Africa needs investment and trade, rather
than just aid and debt forgiveness. This Africa is open for business.
This Africa is as important and as real as the Africa that needs help.”
- Ethan Zuckerman, July 2 2005
http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/2005/07/02/africas-a-continent-not-a-crisis/
VII. Solution: Entrepreneurs
(Present - Future)
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Africa may not be an engineering problem.
Focus on hard/software is good.
Low-cost, relevant, sustainable is better.
Don’t just build.
Observe. Consult. Extrapolate. Innovate.
Reality: Africa as business opportunity.
Thank you.
Cyrus Farivar
[email protected]
http://cyrusfarivar.com