Last year in Ghana, 2 million citizens came online for the first time. Through rural internet connections, they were able to access information and resources previously unavailable. And the country has plans to connect millions more in the years to come.
Mobile content developer AJA.LA is proud to announce the release of its first mobile app, SpeakYoruba, now available to download in the Apple App Store with dedicated versions for the iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad. SpeakYoruba combines beautifully illustrated flashcards with the iOS touch interface for a fun and easy way to learn Yoruba.
Animated flashcards in bright, fun colours for each letter of the Yoruba alphabet and English/Yoruba pronunciation guides help users build a basic vocabulary. Puzzles and English/Yoruba translation games in the SpeakYoruba iPad app encourage retention.
SpeakYoruba is the first of a series of apps for AJA.LA’s SpeakAfrica project aimed at promoting and preserving African languages.
With over 20 million speakers, Yoruba is one of Africa’s most widely spoken languages with additional native speakers in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Outside Africa, America and Canada are also home to a large and growing community of immigrant Yoruba speakers from West Africa.
SpeakYoruba App features entertaining animations provide word associations for retention, soundtrack by Yoruba high-life legend, Baba Ken Okulolo, games and puzzles in iPad version promote understanding, available in dedicated versions for iPhone/iPod Touch and iPad.
SpeakYoruba is perfect for kids – young and old looking to build a basic Yoruba vocabulary or for anyone who ever wanted to know how to say “camel†in an African language. Watch the video below for more.
[vimeo 39773591]
Praekelt Foundation -Â an incubator for mobile technology which improves the health and well-being of people living in poverty. According to their recent report, they believe mobile technology is reshaping the future of the African continent, and that we (Africans) have a chance to guide that change, using this powerful new tool to improve the lives of people living in poverty and empowering them to take charge of their own well being.
Did you know that the average sub-Saharan woman touches her hair seven times a day? In 1994, Nigeria had only 100,000 landlines.Â
The number of active phone lines in Nigeria crossed 100 Million early this month. Also, the most popular phone in Africa in 1994 weighed 500 grams and cost $2000.
They created this video to spread the word, and we hope it helps us recruit more advocates for the power of mobile technology. The future of Africa starts here!
[youtube 0bXjgx4J0C4]
Founded in early 2007, Praekelt Foundation builds open source, scalable mobile technologies and solutions to improve the health and well-being of people living in poverty. Their programmes have reached over 50 million people across 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Source: Praekelt Foundation, YouTube
Mobile technologies, which play an increasingly important role in Africa’s education systems, are set to stimulate the debate at the conference. Through a range of interactive expert-led sessions, participants at eLearning Africa 2012 will explore the challenges, opportunities and success stories of mLearning.
Advocates of mLearning see it as a growing, popular, pervasive and effective tool for learners and teachers, citing the benefits it brings to education as well as to Africa’s agricultural practices, healthcare systems and professional development. But are we underestimating the disruption that mobile technologies cause to formal educational systems in Africa?
eLearning Africa is a must for anyone involved in or wanting to find out more about ICT for development, education and training in Africa. As the largest gathering of eLearning and ICT-supported education and training professionals in Africa, participants are able to develop multinational, cross-industry contacts and enhance their knowledge, expertise and abilities.
Update:
Download the eLearning Africa Report which was launched yesterday in Cotonou! – http://is.gd/4oJqr4. Follow and Like the eLearning Africa Facebook page for more – eLearning Africa Facebook Portal
The East Africa edition of the All Amber organized mobile technology conferences, Mobile Web East Africa 2012, is set to take place in Nairobi on the 22nd and 23rd of this month. The conference is supported by Kenya’s *iHub and m:lab East Africa. The conference is organized by UK based company All Amber and focuses on facilitating the growth of the mobile ecosystem in the region through interaction and relationship building.
Mobile Web East Africa is going to be an action packed, interactive 2 day conference where we will once again utilise our Interactive Roundtable Format. The event is going to focus on topics such as Mobile Marketing; Driving Local Content & Services; Mobile For The Good of Society; Mobile Applications; User Experience & The Consumer, High Level Perspectives, Mobile Entertainment and will also include an Application Competition and an Open Mic Session. The agenda and delegation is going to feature the key people involved in the sector and therefore we want you and your organisation represented at the conference.
The impressive lineup of speakers at the event include ForgetMeNot Africa’s John Carroll, Karanja Macharia (CEO of Mobile Planet), Chris Kirubi (Kenya’s Capital Group Chairman and most flamboyant tycoon) Emma Kaye (Bozza CEO), Emeka Okoye  (CEO – Vikanti Software), Mark Kaigwa ( Founder – Afrinnovator) Paul Stemmet (World of Avatart COO), Johan Nel (CEO Umuntu Media), Neil Ahlsten (Google), John Waibochi (Virtual City founder & CEO), Amy Klement (Vice President - Omidyar Network) and a couple others.
This year’s event is titled “Taking the monetization and content creation dialogue to the next levelâ€. For those of you that want to fly (or take a bus) to Nairobi to attend, and you must find a way to, you can register on the event’s website here www.mobileeastafrica.com. And don’t be afraid to narrate a short-and-to-the-point sob story to All Amber so you get a discount for coming for such a far away land.
On Twitter, you can follow the conversation via this hash-tag: #MWE2012 or follow @MWebAfrica for more.
