Surfing the web in Africa is about to get easier
Photo via Flickr, credit Whiteafrican
We talk often about the importance of cell phones in developing countries. In areas like rural Africa, often people have no access to computers, land line telephones or other technologies for communication and information. More people now have access to cell phones than they do to other basics of daily life. Cell phones are used for everything from getting health care updates to accessing a bank account. But while cell phones seem to be ubiquitous, wifi networks to connect to the Internet are not. Kayak.com co-founder Paul English wants to change that, and cover Africa with free or low-cost wi-fi.
JoinAfrica Aims to Connect A Continent to Internet
English has started a project called JoinAfrica, which holds at its core a belief that access to information is as necessary and basic a right as access to clean water and energy. JoinAfrica hopes to change Africa from 8.7% Internet connectivity across the continent, to 100%. In an interview with Fast Company, English said it's a project that will likely take up the next decade of his life.
How Providing Free WiFi Across Africa Will Work
JoinAfrica will work with for-profit telecommunication companies in Africa to first branch out existing connections in villages using WiMAC hubs, providing residents with free basic web services like email and browsing, and residents can pay money to upgrade their service with the for-profit telco.
English wants to see the whole venture as self-sustaining, with both the residents getting the basic services they need and the for-profit telcos getting additional customers. This kind of connectivity is not only important for providing people in rural areas with information so they can connect to the global community, but it also goes a long way in extending what cell phones are already doing - revolutionizing healthcare and other aspects of daily life.
Just as cell phones have become a great tool for improving healthcare, so will free wifi. For example, with telecommunications technology, doctors in Argentina can connect with the best in their field to improve diagnosis of diseases without requiring patents to travel long distances. The same can be done in Africa.
What You Can Do to Help Get Free Wifi to Africa
The philanthropist told Fast Company that while the project will be an extraordinarily expensive one, he's committed to the point of using his own money: "The way Kayak is involved is that it's helping make me very wealthy, and I plan to deploy that wealth," he says.
But he doesn't necessarily have to do it on his own. You can help. Head over to JoinAfrica and sign up on their mailing list. When the organization launches this summer, you'll be the first to know how you can lend support to ensuring everyone in Africa is connected to the information and services that we enjoy daily.
