Photo by Erik Hersman
Below is the text of the short talk I gave during the TED 2009 Fellows pre-conference day.
My earliest online experiences were a wonderful exploration of this virtual world where everything was possible. I remember reading stories of people doing amazing things online. Companies built on close to nothing but ideas and generating millions overnight. And then the dot com bust happened in the year 2000. And all of a sudden, only the companies that were built on sound business plans survived the meltdown. I found these lessons to be of great importance as I started looking at the web and its effect on Africa.
The web is invaluable. The fact that it provides all these connections amongst human beings regardless of geographic reach, influence, wealth or your social circle means that everyone stands a chance to improve their existence if they so choose. That improvement could either be online, fueled by relationships created there or knowledge gained online.
Traditionally, Africans have had to depend on their governments for everything. Access to knowledge is through the government. Most learning institutions are government controlled as are libraries, public forums and mass media. This control has steadily eroded in some countries since the late 90s. All of a sudden, there are vibrant online communities serving various African markets.
Some people have argued that getting web access in Africa should be less of a priority than poverty eradication. I would argue that online access and the wealth of information available is part of the process of combating poverty in Africa. The beauty here is we don’t have to give everyone access to start. We can target community influencers.
Some of these influencers are community organizers, teachers, business people, public servants, health workers and the like. So long as these people have access to this wealth of knowledge and are interconnected within their communities; Africa has a bright future. The best solutions to each community’s problems come from within. The springboards for solutions lie in accessing information, gaining valuable knowledge and creating relationships that enhance one’s work. By exposing more influencers to a wealth of information, change within communities can be rapid and have a multiplier effect.
This brings me back to my fascination with the web and cell phone in Africa. Blogging and activism is good. But the greatest impact has to be the last stage from thought into action. Enabling people within communities to seize opportunities to lead and find solutions to everyday problems. The web allows people to organize both online and offline. That is its greatest significance to Africa.
In my life, I have found that I can combine two things that bring me great pleasure – business and design into a real solution that is relevant to Africa. This would not have been possible without the web. And I know there are a lot more solutions and opportunities within the continent that will keep springing forth daily. Whether online or offline, interconnectedness will play a huge role in the success of these ventures. And with that, we will be able to improve Africa while presenting a balanced view of it to the world at large. And in a world growing darker with the storms of economic upheaval, Africans have a chance to stand up and lead in their own way.
