Butterfly Works

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Emer Beamer spoke about creative digital tools at the two day Mobile Web East Africa conference in Nairobi, Kenya.

Numbers differ, but across Africa as much as, and possibly more than 70% of the population have a mobile phone or access to one.

Perhaps more importantly, more Africans access the internet through mobile phones than via desktop or laptop computers. And the numbers are growing with South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana and Senegal in the lead.

The conference focused on everything mobile and mobile web in Africa, and included a great range of presentations and extended panel
discussions from advertisers, mobile phone app developers while including social and creative perspectives.

Butterfly Works' R&D Director Emer Beamer joined peers such as Erik Hersman, the Director of Operations from Ushahidi, John Wesonga, the Tech Lead for Multiple Choices and Kahenya Kamunyu, the CEO of ViRN Instruments and prolific blogger.

Together, they discussed the potential and possibilities for African mobile web development.

Two key points from the conference:

Mobile web apps are in high demand, there is great opportunity for organisations to impact a large market through mobile web applications.

Butterfly Works’ Sambaza Peace program incorporates a mobile phone game that is part of an interactive, digital and mobile learning program/project that teaches and works with young people. Sambaza Peace launches on March 12th 2010.

Text messaging is still the most widely accessible technology however the cost of a text message is relatively high in comparison with internet access.

Butterfly Works’ Learning About Living program is an e-learning environment focused on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights for Nigerian youth.

Co-developed with the UK based NGO One World, the program incorporates a mobile SMS question and answer hotline (free of charge) as part of an interactive learning environment.

The number of SMS’ received exceeded all expectations averaging 80.000 a month.

The conference was a success, highlighting mobile web developments in the region as well as inspiring new ideas and business opportunities.

Emer was happy to share Butterfly Works’ knowledge and experience with the conference and learned loads from the other participants and put the Butterfly Works Twitter power to good use whilst there.

More Information:

Mobile Web East Africa Click here
Learning About Living Click here

Emers photos of the event Here
A great summary of the conference Here
A summary of the 10 lessons learned Here

Follow Butterfly Works on Twitter Here