Highway Africa day 1: building awesome web platforms is one thing, but how do you reach the users?

That was for me todays theme of Highway Africa. The first and most important lesson; there must be a strong linkkind of link with mobile phones. Some of the figures I’ve picked up during the inspiring workshop “Using mobile media for social change”by Peter Benjamin, www.cell-life,org: Even in a highly developed country as South Africa only 15% has direct access to internet through a PC. The rest has to work with mobile phones, that has their own challenges, e.g. even though that 60% of the mobile phone that are being in use in South Africa right now, the majority of the users still has no idea what to do with them.

Peter has identified 3 ground rules for any successful social mobile phone application:

1. The application has to be free at the point of use

2. The language has to be a local one; especially when you are targeting at rural areas, minority groups and dealing with sensitive subjects, such as Hiv/Aids prevention

3. You’ve got to co-operate with on the ground organizations that can assist the end users with the use of your application. The on the ground organizations are also vital in spreading the news that you services exist.

The latter was also mentioned by Brett Davidson of Stopstockouts.org; you can not gather all the necessary information on your own, somebody needs to activate the people to undertake the action. Stop Stockouts is gathering information on places where there is lack of the basic medications so the authorities can be held accountable. There working with various widespread organizations with strong local roots in order to gather as much of the information as possible.

Maureen Agena from Brosdi.or.ug, where they apply ICT to support the farmers to exploit their environment in a sustainable way, they also discovered the use of audio materials, such as radio broadcasting and Audio CD’s. Due to the uncertainty of the connections self and electricity it was also not wise for those groups to relay to heavily on ICT.

Notwithstanding; the potential of the mobile networks are huge. Next to social tools, Peter Benjamin also sees a market for the bottom of the pyramid where by providing essential information regarding e.g. safety issues or any other information that is worth paying for.

We have seen nothing yet…