Business
SXSW 2012: Women Influencing Africa’s Tech Scene
Juliana Rotich, co-founder Ushahidi.com. PHOTO/Andreas Rentz/Getty Images
Many people’s view of Africa is outdated, and, quite frankly, inaccurate. The Western main stream media continues to project images of poor, uneducated women in villages with no access to the modern world.
Where are the progressive images of young women using social media to share their stories, or women heading technology companies in places like Nigeria and Kenya?
There has long been emerging markets in Africa; however, there are still many misconceptions about technology on the continent. Over 30 percent of Africans are defined as middle class, and mobile phone penetration has risen to 60 percent, according to statistics shared during the presentation. Over 1 million affordable Android phones such as IDEOS have been sold, opening up multiple possibilities with the mobile web and apps.