Press Room

Leading International NGOs Gather to Discuss Digital Inclusion in Kenya

March 15, 2010

 Nairobi, Kenya – March 15, 2010 – More than 125 delegates from around the world within the NGO sector are gathered in Nairobi March 15 – 18 to discuss digital inclusion in Kenya as part of NetHope’s annual global member summit.

NetHope, a new generation information and communications technology (ICT) organization of 29 leading international NGOs, is hosting the conference during which representatives from NGOs, foundations, corporations and local government entities have come together to discuss how they can partner with each other to ensure the benefits of connectivity and other ICT technologies extend to from Kenya’s urban centers to its rural communities.

NGOs have a keen interest in extending connectivity to rural areas for the benefit of the programs they run there, which serve some of Africa’s poorest citizens.  NetHope and its NGO member agencies view the new fibre optic cables recently laid in East Africa as a significant opportunity to finally bring rural areas into Kenya’s digital fold.

“Though there are certainly areas of growth in East Africa’s economy – particularly in the telecommunications sector – the region is still home to some of the world’s poorest people,” says Brindley. “There’s a critical need to ensure that those most in need in the rural areas aren’t left behind by the technical modernization – and thereby economic development – flourishing in Kenya’s urban centers. The new fibre optic cables in the region have the potential to go a long way in helping us meet that critical need.”
 
NetHope’s member agencies partner to share information and resources across their organizations. This allows them to use their limited ICT dollars in smarter ways.

“NetHope is a unique organization in that it brings together CIOs and technical leaders from several different international NGOs, as well as individuals from foundations, corporations and government entities, to harness the power of technology and collaboration to make humanitarian aid in the region go further,” says Brindley. “We’re much more effective as a united group than any of us are alone.”

Headline sponsors of the summit include The Rockefeller Foundation and Microsoft Corporation. Other sponsors include Adobe, Kenya ICT Board, Intel, SimbaNet, HP, Blackbaud, CDW, Xerox, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide, VF Satellite Solutions, ITC Global, Accenture Development Partnerships, iDirect and Vizada Networks.

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For further press information, please contact:

Angela Cherry, Cell: 0715 357 682    OR            Milka Njoroge, Cell: 0721 85 88 91

Email:angelac@wagged.com or press@nethope.org   Email: Njoroge.milka@gmail.com or press@nethope.org