Comments on: What can Africa teach the World about Technology?

By: Anthony L

Anthony L — Sun, 02 May 2010 20:39:42 +0000

I have frequented your posts before. The more I learn, the more I keep coming back!

By: ICT4D.at » Blog Archive » Africa Gathering - Aftermath

ICT4D.at » Blog Archive » Africa Gathering - Aftermath — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 23:09:44 +0000

[...] Mobileactive, Jürgen Eichholz’s, Putting People First, Cian O’Donovan’s and Alasdair Munn’s as far as I noticed so [...]

By: Cian O'Donovan

Cian O'Donovan — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:21:23 +0000

@Tomlin jke is absolutely right in describing the event as an ideas pool rather than another forum for aid agencies to beat a familiar and patronizing drum. What was great about it was it concentrated for the most part on what ICT projects were working and what more is needed in this regard. And the projects that were working were ones that were being managed locally and without government and many times NGO support.

By: Julia Brown

Julia Brown — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 09:07:01 +0000

Thanks Alasdair. I missed the Africa Gathering – didn’t even know about it unfortunately. But appreciate your synopsis – it helps me articulate my thinking with regard to what progress can be made if we get beyond our inate ethnocentricity. ‘The Geography of Thought’ by Richard E. Nisbett also speaks about what can be achieved if we acknowledge the different approach each culture will use to deal with issues, thus making a uniquely contribution.

By: jke

jke — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:35:46 +0000

@Tomlin Those who attended where the ones who registered @ africagathering.org.uk and managed to get a ticket. The Gathering certainly wasnt about dealing with Government officials and not about financial aid or development projects even though some folks talked about their projects.
This practise of giving also has to stop and Gov. officials also need to learn how to say NO to dev aid – instead of skimming this aid to cover up their own administrative failures.

In my understanding, we used AfricaGathering to pool everyone interested in exchanging ideas and views on what’s really a way forward – and this obviously means less help from the outside and more local solutions and creating an understanding that there is a new generation of Africans that is ready to compete with the rest of the world.

By: Farayi

Farayi — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:48:21 +0000

The model for the great idea in Africa is to let the Africans have a chance to help themselves. Pride is a very important part of African culture, pride in one’s self, one’s family, one’s tribe, one’s country. Pride in being able to work and produce for one’s own community and pride in being able to pay one’s own bills without charity.

By: Tomlin

Tomlin — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:43:13 +0000

I am interested to learn what sort of people and organizations attended the Africa Gathering held in London this weekend.
I presume it was supported by NGOs, Trusts, Charitable organizations and consultants dealing in social needs.
Were there any members of African Governments present? I would have thought that a gathering of this nature would benefit from input, understanding and dialogue from governments or civil servants who are hands on and involved in the day to day management and distribution of financial aid and development projects in their own African countries. Such personnel would also undoubtedly gain from listening and learning to the problems that donor agencies face in Africa.

By: Frank

Frank — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:32:37 +0000

I appreciate your points about ‘simple works better in Africa’. We all know that everything is relative. In Africa at present the basic needs of communities are not only relative to their survival but to what is actually practical in terms of supply and available infrastructure.
I think the buzz words should be understanding local knowledge and culture first. Only then can one implant meaningful technology into communities, presently struggling to communicate and survive using what are fast becoming impractical traditional methods.