16 July 2010

Creators of “Apps 4 Africa” Contest Discuss the Ideas Behind It

CO.NX webchat transcript, July 9

Creators of Apps 4 Africa Joshua Goldstein and Jon Gosier, along with Philip Thigo, with the Social Development Network, answered questions on the Apps 4 Africa contest during a July 9 CO.NX program.

Following is the transcript:

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of International Information Programs
Webchat Transcript

Apps 4 Africa Contest

Guest:            Joshua Goldstein, Jon Gosier and Philip Thigo
Date:              July 9, 2010
Time:              9 a.m. EDT (13:00 GMT)

CO.NX Moderator (Gillian): Hello everyone! Please join us on Friday, July 9th at 9 AM EDT/13:00 GMT for an informational webchat on the Apps 4 Africa contest and an overview of the rules of the competition. The webchat will be with contest creators Josh Goldstein and Jon Gosier.

CO.NX Moderator (Gillian): We will be accepting your questions at any time, but we strongly suggest that you submit your questions in advance of the program. Once your questions have been successfully submitted, they will appear in red on your screen.

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Hi everyone! Welcome! We'll start our chat in about 60 minutes. If you have a question for Jon Gosier or Josh Goldstein, please feel free to submit it at any time.

Jon Gosier: Hello everyone, welcome to the chat.

Joshua Goldstein: Welcome from Nairobi!

Jon Gosier: Welcome from Uganda via London!

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Today, our speakers are Jon Gosier, Josh Goldstein, and Philip Thigo. You can submit your questions at any time.

Philip Thigo: Hallo everyone from cold Nairobi!

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Hi everyone, we are going to go ahead and get started with our program.

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Today, we'll be discussing the contest Apps4Africa. Let's begin by hearing from our speakers Jon, Josh, and Philip.

Question [Susan]: Kristin, here's a question to start things off -- where did the idea for this contest come from? Second question, are these "apps" for phones, computers, both?

Jon Gosier: So the idea for the contest came from Josh and me. We are both passionate about development in East Africa and getting young entrepreneurs engaged in solving some of the problems their countries face through technology.  The apps can be for phones or computers.

Joshua Goldstein: Hi, Josh here in Nairobi.

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Jon, can you tell us a bit about your background?

Jon Gosier: I'm the founder of Appfrica, a software an innovations company based out of East Africa, in Uganda. I've been there two years doing work mentoring, supporting and offering facilities to East African software developers.

Joshua Goldstein: I'm a Fellow at Appfrica Labs and an incoming technology policy PhD candidate at Princeton. I've been working at think tanks and in the private sector in East Africa off and on since 2005.

Joshua Goldstein: I first became interested in technology in the region in 2005 when I was working on post-conflict resettlement in northern Uganda. The communications challenges to get practical things done (land distribution, etc) were too great to be solved without digital technology.

Philip Thigo: my names are Philip Thigo, currently working for the social development network, a non-governmental organization in Kenya. I have been working for the non-profit sector for the last ten years, mainly in Asia, Africa and Latin America. My passion is in enabling citizens and the non-profit sector to strategically use technology to create change.

Joshua Goldstein: Apps 4 Africa is a contest to challenge technologists in the East African region to build applications that are useful to the public (civil society, government, citizens in general).

It’s also about giving citizens a platform to share ideas about how technology can help improve their lives. We've brought together an amazing group of judges --- civil society and tech industry luminaries from around the world.

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: You can learn more about this contest by going to the Apps4Africa site:  www.Apps4Africa.org.

Joshua Goldstein: The contest runs from July 1st- August 31^st -- at stake is a bit of fame a fortune -- we have around 15,000 USD worth of cash and gadgets for prizes.

Jon Gosier: I also think it's important to showcase the knowledge capacity available in Africa. People tend to think of commodity (agriculture, natural resources, textiles) jobs when they want to do business here. But, like anywhere on the planet, there is a 'cognitive surplus' (to quote Clay Shirkey) in Africa and it's leading to the creation of an active creative class.

Joshua Goldstein: The larger goal is to help civil society recognize the value of digital technology in helping them achieve their goals and helping technologists recognize that they can make a difference on big social questions.

Q [Lucas Oketch]: What are specifically the target areas mobile or computer?

Jon Gosier: Both, the medium isn't important. It's the functionality and the problems that developers will attempt to solve that's important to us.

Philip Thigo: Perhaps, just to add onto the great intro by Josh, the contest is also to begin a much needed conversation between civil society and techies. This is the first time such a conversation is taking place.

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Please feel free to submit your questions at any time. Once submitted, your questions will turn red.

Joshua Goldstein: So this means we accept SMS apps, Java apps, web tools, as long as it can be put to use by people solving big problems.

By the way, we are judging the apps of 4 criteria: Usefulness to the citizens, civil society organization or government of East Africa; Potential for application to be useful for other institutions in the world; Appeal of the application from a usability perspective; inventive and original nature of the application.

Philip Thigo: The apps have to be simple and applicable to the regional context. That's why the criteria mentioned by Josh is critical. Apps have to be useful in improving the lives of communities and the work of civil society. That is why the conversation between the techies, civil society and mentors is critical. Josh will explain the mentors’ strategy.

Q [Lucas Oketch]: Can I submit any, my already built app?

Joshua Goldstein: You can submit existing apps. Picking up on where Philip left off, while only people in the region can enter the contest. We invite technologists from around the world to join as mentors. In the next few days we will launch a job board where mentors can seek projects and people good project ideas can seek developers.

Q [Lucas Oketch]: That will be fantastic. I have so many projects, but no jobs to do.

Joshua Goldstein: Great Lucas, we are just finalizing a solution for that now. We’ll probably do a blog post on Monday promoting it. Philip, can you talk about some of your experiences talking technology with Kenyan NGOs?

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Welcome to all who have just joined us! Please feel free to introduce yourself and tell us where you are from.

Jon Gosier: Hi Thad!

Philip Thigo: Technology in their perception is quite expensive and has mostly been limited to websites.

Mussabwa Kajuja: I am Mussabwa Kajuja, I am from Rwanda.

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Welcome, Mussabwa!

Thad Kerosky: Hey Jon! I am Thad Kerosky, I worked as a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania at a national teachers' college over the past two years.

Joshua Goldstein: Is anyone in the room a developer who wants to participate but is looking for projects?

Mwendwa: Yes, am interested in web application development.

Joshua Goldstein: Great. If you are interested in participating and looking for good ideas there are two options: (i) check out vote.http://apps4africa.org/ to see citizen generated challenges; (ii) check out the job board we will launch on Monday that features specific needs of civil society orgs who want to partner with developers.

Mwendwa: Thanks

Philip Thigo: Hi Mussabwa, we will be having a Rwanda outreach event for the Apps and would love if you could attend the meeting.

Kigo: Hi there, I am George Kigo from Kenya, and am also interested in Web Application development.

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Welcome Kigo!

Kigo: Thanks

Q [Thad Kerosky]: So how much do the iHub and Appfrica hope to foster developers in this process? Have you had a chance to talk with anyone involved with the Google-sponsored Swahili wikipedia competition that ended earlier this year?

Joshua Goldstein: We definitely share the sentiment of Google's swahili wikipedia competition (and we are sitting at the iHub now). We are holding a series of events around the region that will bring together technologists with civil society leaders. Joshua Goldstein: the first was July 1st in Nairobi, and well be in Rwanda and Uganda over the next few weeks.

Mussabwa Kajuja: Sure, when is this?

Philip Thigo: Tentatively on the 15th together with the Rwanda Civil Society Platform.

Mussabwa Kajuja: Great

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Hi everyone! We see some new friends in the room. Thanks for joining us today. Feel free to submit your questions at any time and to tell us where you are from.

Thad Kerosky: -- in this app submission and development process

Joshua Goldstein: We are developing a github type site at code.apps4africa.org where you can submit code (will be privately considered by judges) the development is a public and civic aspect of the contest, ideally have several events where we can facilitate collaboration.

Philip Thigo: Great Kigo, please check out the www.apps4africa.org and look at the challenges submitted by civil society.

Thad Kerosky: So I noticed Tanzania was included in the competition but is fairly distant from the other events. Has anyone had a chance to reach out to the major universities like those that participated in that Swahili competition (UDSM, UDOM, IDM) there to make sure their computer departments are aware of the competition.

Philip Thigo: Our colleagues from Tanzania civil society, Haki Elimu, Twaweza and Policy Forum will be part of the outreach. We will mention your suggestion to them (Thad)...

Joshua Goldstein: we also have Rakesh Rajani from Twaweza in TZ as a judge.

Philip Thigo: Rakesh is post havard and in touch with academia and universities in Tanzania.

Thad Kerosky: sorry, IFM (ifm.co.tz)

Thad Kerosky: sorry, IFM (ifm.ac.tz)

Thad Kerosky: I'm happy to hear that Rakesh and Twaweza, & the other edu/policy organizations are involved.

Philip Thigo: Yeah, he has a great mind. Twaweza is quite instrumental in driving technology use in the region.

Joshua Goldstein: Who else is in the room? And what brings you here?

AmEmbassy Bangui: Hello from Bangui, the Central African Republic

Benjamin: Hi All! I am an East African in Brighton. Not a developer but interested in Apt Tech.

CO.NX Moderator Kristin: Welcome!

AmEmbassy Bangui: I am a computer Management Assistant and a web app developer.

Thad Kerosky: I think iHub and Appfrica act as collaboration venues to some extent for the participants. Have you heard of any comparable venues for devs in the other participating countries?

Joshua Goldstein: Absolutely. Afrilabs is a consortium of innovation hubs in the region:  its iHub in Kenya, Appfrica Labs in Uganda, and Limbe Labs in Cameroon. I think there will be more coming up soon --- the sweet spot in African tech is the pre-incubation stage < 5000 USD investment needed.

Joshua Goldstein: Which is what these pre-incubation labs are ideal for (as well as being shared office space).

Llucas Oketch: the apps submitted are easy how we bid.

Philip Thigo: What you see in the site are ideas submitted by civil society or citizens. The ideas then get voted by anyone for popularity, ideally the most voted idea simply shows that interest that the idea has generated.

AmEmbassy Bangui: Would you consider extending the contest to other regions beyond East Africa in the future.

Philip Thigo: As a techie, you could then pick any of the ideas and develop an app!

Mussabwa Kajuja: the most important of these applications is that they should be tailored to meet the need of mass.

Joshua Goldstein: Agreed. The cultural challenge is that technologists get excited about high tech (iPhone) while community leaders get excited about usability (Nokia 1100). There is a cultural gap to bridge there

Philip Thigo: AmEmbassy Bangui ... ideally the contest will run until end August. We will then engage in a conversation on how to scale up the contest. Yes. There are possibilities.

SODNET is definitely committed to this. The website will be live and the ideas flow will remain open beyond August 31.

Philip Thigo: Sorry, August 30.

CO.NX Moderator (Lacey): The chat will end shortly. Does anyone have any more questions before it does?

Thad Kerosky: Do the organizers intend any connection between the timing and coverage of this event and the recent revitalizations of the east African community?

Philip Thigo: This is a great thought! We had not thought of that. We would welcome suggestions around this for sure!

Mussabwa Kajuja: Suggestion:  need to design application that friendly and accessible to the all. 5000$ is not a problem to all

Joshua Goldstein: Agreed Mussabwa. I think the ideal would be for developers to partner with grassroots activists who know the requirements of the community. Did you have a specific application in mind?

Thad Kerosky: I like that you're thinking about the gap between simple/rugged and smart phones! Haven't looked but I hope you include those biases in the idea evaluations.

Philip Thigo: Yes Thad, the judges will be well aware of this.

Thad Kerosky: Will there be a rubric available in advance?

Joshua Goldstein: No rubric but we have four qualitative criteria to judge apps by: usefulness to the citizens, civil society organization or government of East Africa; Potential for application to be useful for other institutions in the world; Appeal of the application from a usability perspective; inventive and original nature of the application.

CO.NX Moderator (Lacey): Thank you everyone for participating in the webchat today!

Philip Thigo: In closing, we hope that you will spread the word about the contest. Thank you all for your interest in the contest, but also in the possibilities that technology may inspire.

Thad Kerosky: Thanks for having us. May the Apps4 Africa create many useful apps!

CO.NX Moderator (Lacey): You can find out more about Apps 4 Africa at http://apps4africa.org/.

Joshua Goldstein: Thanks, don’t hesitate to be in touch

Joshua Goldstein: contact@apps4africa.org

Philip Thigo: Mussabwa do send us a mail so that we can contact you when we get to Rwanda.

Tobias Otieno: Ladies and gentlemen, sorry that I missed to join you guys earlier. But I hope to join in the next chat.

Mussabwa Kajuja: kajuja@gmail.com

CO.NX Moderator Lacey: Thanks again everyone for attending! Please join us for the next Apps4Africa webchat on July 23, 2010 at 9:30 EDT (13:30 GMT)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://www.america.gov)