3-mob.com 
Recently, Stimulus Africa held a three day entrepreneurship symposium on ICT for development on the continent.
Some of the speakers and panelists were Waddilove Sansole (SNV Netherlands), Faith Makawa-Samera (Zimgirls Code), Frederico P Silva (UX Mozambique), Musekiwa Samuriwo (Cybercard Zimbabwe), McCloud Mungofa (Stimulus Africa), Natalie Jabangwe-Morris (EcoCash Zimbabwe), Mary-Jane Mberi (PWC) among a huge star cast.
The programme focused on developmental issues around agriculture, water & sanitation, energy and employment creation.
Robust discussions were had and we learnt three key things on the two days we attended:
ICT barriers for Africa are complciated
ICT is generally presented in English and so because of that entry point remain a complex tool to integrate into daily life. Something as simple as language barrier has resulted in the loss of indigenous solutions which are either discarded or mistranslated.
We can’t seem to agree on the problem
We all accept there is a problem and that something has to be done about it. What we have not signed off on is what that problem is. We have varying opinions and solutions but very little in the same lane. We are doing a lot of talking but very listening.
The solutions need to be owned by the people
This kind of segues from the first point. What has made other economies work is that the solutions were internal (even if they were created by settlers). Without the internal buy-in it is hard to convince people to use an app, if it doesn’t speak to them, how they speak and where they speak from.
In all of this what is key is that there are many people who are passionate about development in the country. On the opening night, a venture capitalist in the audience was impressed by the level of conversation which suggests to us that in this respect Zimbabwe is not that far.
Like most things in Zimbabwe, it is about the implementation.
Meanwhile pay the Simulus Innovation Centre in Harare (corner Fife Ave and Seventh Street).
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