Nairobi, Kenya: June 24-26, 2009
Tech 4 Society is a celebration that explores the cutting edge of global technological social change. It is an event where rural meets urban, low-tech meets high-tech, and where the lines between business and social, education and creation, begin to blur. The first gathering in the Tech 4 Society event series, generously supported by the Lemelson Foundation, took place in Nairobi, Kenya, June 24th - 26th, around the theme of Mobile Technology. The gathering brought together an extraordinary group of individuals to map trends, share perspectives, and create action plans for new collaboration.
Downtown Nairobi
Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow Vijay-Pradap Singh during Nairobi round-table discussion
Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow Adrian Mukhebi, founder of KACE in Kenya
Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow, Joseph Adelegan
One of Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow, David Kuria's, Iko Toilet kiosks in downtown Nairobi
From Left: Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow Adrian Mukhebi; Ashoka Staff, Bill Carter; Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow, David Kuria
From Left: Ashoka Staff, Lily Paul; Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow, Joseph Adelegan
From Left: Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow, Vijay Pradap Singh; Lemelson Foundation Executive Director, Julia Novy-Hildesley; Ashoka-Lemelson Fellows Mathias Craig and David Kuria
Ashoka Staff Abu Musuuza and Ashoka-Lemelson Fellow, Patrick Gathitu
The collaboration Cell Phones for Social Change was held on June 24-26, 2009 in Nairobi Kenya. In attendance were 8 Fellows, Ashoka staff from several locations, and members of the Lemelson Foundation. The Fellows’ spanned a range of topical areas including agriculture, alternative energy, water and sanitation, and general services. Using the strategic framework of mobile technologies that are being deployed in so many innovative ways across the work of all Fellows, there were lively and productive discussions on implementation strategies, potential partnerships with companies, foundations, government entities, and universities; and challenges faced.
We also received an update from Fellows Joseph Adelegan of Nigeria and David Kuria of Kenya on their collaborative work which has helped Joseph to launch his Cows to Killowatts project in Kenya and enabled David to expand his network to include Universities in both Kenya and the United States.
One of the high points of the collaboration was a site visit to Senior Fellow Ingrid Munro’s group Jamii Bora. The group got to hear testimonials from several members, former thieves, beggars, and prostitutes, on the transformative impact that Jami Bora had on their lives. Although often described as a microcredit organization, Jami Bora offers a multitude of other services including health insurance, housing, and employment training, and is able to harness the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of its members in unique ways. We were also able to see a demo of the biometric electronic-point-of-sales technology in one of the first and largest deployments of this high-end mobile technology that is not yet widely used in developed countries and allows people of lower literacy to access financial services.
The day after visiting Jamii Bora, the Fellows were asked to give their reactions and each cited areas where he would reexamine his own work and changes that might be considered. The collaboration concluded with several fellows planning follow-up with each other and with fellows identifying areas and leadership roles they wanted to play going forward and in the Hyderabad grand collaboration event in February 2010.
One of the high points of the collaboration was a site visit to Senior Fellow Ingrid Munro’s group Jamii Bora. The group got to hear testimonials from several members, former thieves, beggars, and prostitutes, on the transformative impact that Jami Bora had on their lives. Although often described as a microcredit organization, Jami Bora offers a multitude of other services including health insurance, housing, and employment training, and is able to harness the creativity and entrepreneurial spirit of its members in unique ways. We were also able to see a demo of the biometric electronic-point-of-sales technology in one of the first and largest deployments of this high-end mobile technology that is not yet widely used in developed countries and allows people of lower literacy to access financial services.
The day after visiting Jamii Bora, the Fellows were asked to give their reactions and each cited areas where he would reexamine his own work and changes that might be considered. The collaboration concluded with several fellows planning follow-up with each other and with fellows identifying areas and leadership roles they wanted to play going forward and in the Hyderabad grand collaboration event in February 2010.
