Digital Mashinani, Kenya
Digital Mashinani is a project of the County Government of Uasin to a concept note prepared by the ICT Authority of Kenya for the program.
Project name: DIGITAL MASHINANI
Project location: The project is located in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya and consists of four established digital centres
Website: http://www.uasingishu.go.ke
Project description:
Digital Mashinani is a project of the County Government of Uasin to a concept note prepared by the ICT Authority of Kenya for the program, the market size for online work is estimated to be USD 4.8 billion in 2016, projected to generate USD 15 billion by 2020. Kenya seeks to position itself as the global capital for ICT outsourcing. The benefits of the program will extend to social, economic and political.
Economically, current studies show that a young person in Kenya needs at least Kshs. 7,000 a month to meet their very basic needs. With access to digital work, young people could start providing for their basic needs. Access to digital work will build wealth and grow the middle class across the country. A larger middle class means more opportunities for businesses and direct growth of GDP.
Goal and purpose of the project:
The Purpose of the Digital Mashinani project is to take ICT Services to rural parts of Uasin Gishu county and bring internet access and other ICT services close to the people.
Motivation of the applicant / applicant team:
I have always been interested in bridging the digital gap between urban and rural communities in Kenya and since I have the opportunity, it is time to actualize it now.
Use of prize money:
The money shall be used to train jobless youth on how to use the power of the internet to open up a world of online job opportunities. These are youth who have college education but have no meaningful employment. Most of these youth are mainly young women living in rural parts of the county and who may not have the opportunity to travel to towns to seek for employment due to prohibitive cost of living in urban areas in Kenya.
The training shall be undertaken at the recently established ICT Centres run by the County Government and it is estimated that with 15,000 Euros, we shall be able to train up to 300 youth, consisting of at least 100 women.