Google has announced the 10 finalists of theAfrica Connectedcompetition on Tuesday.
The Africa-wide initiative to reward online innovation was launched in August last year and has garnered over 2 200 entries from 35 countries.
Five successful winners from the finalists will now be selected by the online voting public. The winners will bag $25,000 (R 277,000) each and will also have the opportunity to work with a Google sponsor over a six month period to further their online business success. The competition categories included education, entertainment/arts/sports, technology, community and NGOs and small businesses.
“The diversity of their ventures – from providing clean drinking water to preserving culture – shows how the web can truly drive positive change in the lives of many people and their communities. We look forward to seeing who the voting public choose as the winners – the top five most inspiring success stories from across our continent,” says Affiong Osuchukwu, Google Lead for the Africa Connected initiative.
The ten finalists, in no particular order, are:
– Steve Kyenze, Kenya |Uweza Slum GalleryKyenze uses Google Search to inspire underprivileged kids through art and helps to improve their skills so that they can sell their artwork to support their education.
–Sitawa Wafula, Kenya|BlogWafula is an influential blogger on mental health in East Africa who has used Google Blogger to establish her award-winning blog which is a reference point for people looking for support and information.
–Eunice Namirembe, Uganda |The Medical Concierge GroupNamirembe has built a 24-hour accessible ambulance call centre to improve access to health care services by using the Google API dashboard and Google Maps to record patient information and track patient locations.
–Lamine Mbengue, Senegal |SenegalTVMbengue believes in taking African culture to the rest of the world and that the Internet is the lifeblood to support his mission. YouTube and AdSense has helped SenegalTV to share their unique content around the world while enabling him to employ others.
–Timothy Maguire, South Africa |Grace Communion InternationalEnglish-speaking Maguire uses Google Translate while providing humanitarian relief in Portuguese speaking northern Mozambique, so that he can communicate with project members building water purification plants. He also uses Google Search and Google Maps which assists with projects in remote locations.
–Nqobizitha Mlilo, Zimbabwe |Nafuna TVMlilo uses YouTube to post all his new animation and HD video content on his channel to reach a wide audience. He is self-taught, based on information found with Google Search. He is now able to give people in his home country and beyond an alternative form of entertainment not found on traditional channels.
–Christopher Panford, Ghana |Technol ServicesPanford uses Google Maps in his vehicle tracking devices to record the location of their vehicles at any point in time. This gives local banks the confidence to provide loans to drivers, thus providing them with a means to earn a living.
–Eric Obuh, Nigeria |Vocal SlenderObuh is a musician who used YouTube to distribute his content and Google+ to interact with his fans. His music and online popularity have led him to earn a living from concerts and appearances. He uses his earnings to raise awareness about underprivileged youngsters in the slums of Lagos where he comes from, thereby providing financial aid for the scholars and encouraging school attendance.
–Eseoghene Odiete, Nigeria |Hesey DesignsOdiete used Google Products to promote her brand as a young entrepreneur, creating international awareness for her fashion label Hesey Designs. She now runs workshops to train other women how to generate an income from designing fashion accessories.
–Mayowa Adegbile, Nigeria |Ashake FoundationAdegbile initially used YouTube to post an appeal in order to raise funds for her initiative, a business school for widowed mothers, giving them the tools to make a living and support their families. Using the Web, she is helping to change lives and give people who need it, a second chance.
The winners will be announced on April 1 in Nairobi, Kenya.
SAfm, Channel Africa and the SABC News website are the South African broadcast media partners for Africa Connected.
– To vote for the 5 winners, visitwww.africaconnected.com
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