Comments on: The Dark Continent http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/ A place to record notes on effective web ministry Wed, 20 Aug 2008 13:27:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: Ashlee http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-33951 Ashlee Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:59:21 +0000 http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-33951 This is an interesting topic. I often wonder if the diaspora will return or not. I lived in Kenya for 2 years and there it seems everyone is trying to find a way out. Now Somaliland on the other hand, had people who were returning to invest in their country. There the people seemed to be motivated to learn and become better and stay there. They also had the best internet connection I used in Africa (via Satellite). So I think parts of Africa are coming up to speed. I hope that many of them will read websites that will share the Gospel with them. And I concur with the point that individuals don't generally have their own internet access... for several reasons. One being the expense, and 2, the irregular power. Power comes and goes so much it's not reliable. However an internet cafe can set up and run off a generator as backup to stay in business. Plus, if you had a nice computer, you'd have to pay a guard to guard your house well too. :) I loved the map though. There's a little twinkle of a light in the town I lived in. This is an interesting topic. I often wonder if the diaspora will return or not. I lived in Kenya for 2 years and there it seems everyone is trying to find a way out. Now Somaliland on the other hand, had people who were returning to invest in their country. There the people seemed to be motivated to learn and become better and stay there. They also had the best internet connection I used in Africa (via Satellite). So I think parts of Africa are coming up to speed. I hope that many of them will read websites that will share the Gospel with them.

And I concur with the point that individuals don’t generally have their own internet access… for several reasons. One being the expense, and 2, the irregular power. Power comes and goes so much it’s not reliable. However an internet cafe can set up and run off a generator as backup to stay in business. Plus, if you had a nice computer, you’d have to pay a guard to guard your house well too. :)
I loved the map though. There’s a little twinkle of a light in the town I lived in.

]]> By: hash http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-444 hash Sat, 18 Mar 2006 18:20:09 +0000 http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-444 Rob, I've come across those same statistics before, and I'm sure they're accurate as to the number of connections. However, what they don't show is the number of people using each connection. Also, I outlined an idea on my blog which was centered around the "meeting people where they are". In other words, if you're doing a web-based project in Africa you have to realize that computers are prohibitively expensive relative to average wages. However, mobile phones aren't. So, use mobile phones as a major access point. I'm sure there are a ton of holes in the idea, but I think it's an idea well worth testing out. Rob, I’ve come across those same statistics before, and I’m sure they’re accurate as to the number of connections. However, what they don’t show is the number of people using each connection.

Also, I outlined an idea on my blog which was centered around the “meeting people where they are”. In other words, if you’re doing a web-based project in Africa you have to realize that computers are prohibitively expensive relative to average wages. However, mobile phones aren’t.

So, use mobile phones as a major access point. I’m sure there are a ton of holes in the idea, but I think it’s an idea well worth testing out.

]]> By: rob http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-397 rob Sat, 04 Mar 2006 13:16:48 +0000 http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-397 Frank, I don't mean to say there are not many Africans online. I know many are. I've heard first-hand stories of it, and like I said, I have a co-worker there now getting things set up. But the fact remains, at least <a href="http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm" rel="nofollow">according to these stats</a>, Africa is the second most populated continent but is fifth in internet population. Further, Africa is last in internet penetration (population vs internet population). That's all I'm saying. But that's looking at it in a comparison. The truth is there are almost 23 Million Africans online. That to me is still big! Frank, I don’t mean to say there are not many Africans online. I know many are. I’ve heard first-hand stories of it, and like I said, I have a co-worker there now getting things set up.

But the fact remains, at least according to these stats, Africa is the second most populated continent but is fifth in internet population. Further, Africa is last in internet penetration (population vs internet population).

That’s all I’m saying. But that’s looking at it in a comparison. The truth is there are almost 23 Million Africans online. That to me is still big!

]]> By: Frank Johnson http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-396 Frank Johnson Fri, 03 Mar 2006 22:37:45 +0000 http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-396 Rob: I wouldn't be so quick to assume that there aren't many online in Africa. The reason I say that is because of the increasing use of cybercafes. See this article for example: http://tinyurl.com/jok5c. 100 cybercafes in Bamako (the capital of Mali, the land of Timbuktu)! My closest friend lives in Bamako and he tells me that young college students flock to cybercafes every day to surf the web and check email. Also, check out this article on my blog - http://tinyurl.com/k2pp8 - notice the part about voip calls! By the way, my friend now has a wireless connection in Bamako which would have been unthinkable just a couple of years ago. Would love to chat more about Africa and the internet - contact me directly if you're interested. I lived in Cote d'Ivoire for a little over two years and this is an opportunity that is dear to my heart. Rob:

I wouldn’t be so quick to assume that there aren’t many online in Africa. The reason I say that is because of the increasing use of cybercafes. See this article for example: http://tinyurl.com/jok5c.

100 cybercafes in Bamako (the capital of Mali, the land of Timbuktu)! My closest friend lives in Bamako and he tells me that young college students flock to cybercafes every day to surf the web and check email.

Also, check out this article on my blog - http://tinyurl.com/k2pp8 - notice the part about voip calls!

By the way, my friend now has a wireless connection in Bamako which would have been unthinkable just a couple of years ago.

Would love to chat more about Africa and the internet - contact me directly if you’re interested. I lived in Cote d’Ivoire for a little over two years and this is an opportunity that is dear to my heart.

]]> By: hash http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-395 hash Fri, 03 Mar 2006 16:40:09 +0000 http://www.eministrynotes.com/2006/03/03/the-dark-continent/#comment-395 Rob, interesting post on how technology can be used to further ministry in Africa. It's the kind of thinking that I was hopeing would come out of my thoughts in the article I wrote. I agree that one of the challenges is that so few are online in Africa. One of my assumptions, and it is just that - an assumption, is that technology will become cheaper and more accessible to Africans. When that happens you have a major opportunity to affect many things, ranging from ministry to politics to social structure. We are really only constrained by our imagination and ingenuity. Rob, interesting post on how technology can be used to further ministry in Africa. It’s the kind of thinking that I was hopeing would come out of my thoughts in the article I wrote.

I agree that one of the challenges is that so few are online in Africa. One of my assumptions, and it is just that - an assumption, is that technology will become cheaper and more accessible to Africans.

When that happens you have a major opportunity to affect many things, ranging from ministry to politics to social structure.

We are really only constrained by our imagination and ingenuity.

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