Two South African Internet connectivity projects – Project Isizwe and Zenzeleni – have made it into the semi-finals of Mozilla's $250 000 Equal Rating Innovation Challenge – A Competition to bridge the digital divide across the world
From SA, Cape Town-based Afri-Fi: Free Public WiFi and Zenzeleni Networks, also from Cape Town, have made it into the semi-finals made up of five teams. Furthermore, Steve Song, a South African who is now living in Canada, is among the final five.
What impresses me about the projects is not so much the technology (mesh-networking itself is not new) but rather what they did to make it work, and even more difficult, to actually get it integrated and used within a community. Such connectivity not only helps spread information and education within the community but even more importantly aids with crucial communications during disasters or other emergencies.
See https://www.itweb.co.za/content/nG98Yd7LYRQMX2PD
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Project Isizwe, Zenzeleni make Mozilla’s final five | ITWeb The local Internet connectivity projects have been recognised globally for their innovative ideas to narrow the digital gap. |