Engineers Without Borders-USA2009 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.

• 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…

• 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)

• 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)

• 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)

• 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

cfarivar@cfarivar.org

http://cyrusfarivar.com