Keynote presentation by Denis Gikunda, Google Localization Manager. Denis explored how the Internet is relevant to Kenyans in their every day life and highlighted examples of successful online initiatives. What constitutes a 'kenyan' website or local content on the internet? In his presentation, Gikunda offered a matrix for defining local content. View the presentation to learn more. Presented at the Tandaa Symposium on Local Digital Content, March 8, 2010 at the iHub-Nairobi's Innovation Hub. Hosted by Kenya ICT Board, sponsored by Google.

1. Tandaa Kenya
ICT Board
by Denis Gikunda, Localization Manager - Africa, Google

2. Google in Sub Saharan Africa
Mission: Make the internet integral part of
everyday life in Africa.
Coverage: Kenya,Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana,
Senegal. X employees.
Recent: Launch of Google Maps in 30
African countries.
Hiring: Policy Manager(JHB/NBI), Technical
Program Manager (Lagos)

3. Agenda
Can the internet make a difference in
the lives of Kenyans?
What is the actual need for local
content?
What is Google doing / learning in the
local content sphere?
Parting Challenges to you

4. difference in the lives of Kenyans
Search Stories (1,2,spoof)

5. difference in the lives of Kenyans
social engagement,
knowledge, marketing,
social services
Global marketing,
buying and selling
Global marketing,
buying and selling
Organization & scale
Knowledge, social
engagement

6. actual need for local content?
"the Internet is becoming a controlled commercial product rather than an open
public infrastructure" C a na dia n Journa l for C om m unica tion, Catherine Frost - (2 0 0 3 , p. 19).
"the Internet existed long before e-commerce"
E ric S chm idt , Google CEO .
Wikipedia vs User penetration
Online user
New articles pd
2000-2009 grwth (native
grwth (y/y)
speakers)
Amharic 28x 13%
Africa has 14% of the world’s Swahili 2.5x 42%
population, but: 3.9% of the global
Internet user base 0.2% of registered Arabic 15x 165%
domains (global top level) 0.2% of
global internet hosts 1 domain per 10K Russian 11x 239%
people
Chinese 9x 246%
English 2.3x 153%
All langs 3.4x 260%
“The information that relates to everyday life in Africa is either offline or not useful enough
online”

7. actual need for local content?
“ If Africans are going to get online en masse, they need a reason to go
there and they need to see themselves, their values, and their stories
when looking through the online prism.” - Aleem Walji
5.00am - 9.00 am Jambo Kenya
Gospel music, sms driven
5.00am pambazuka
wakeup calls
Secondary school set book
5.55am Fasihi Fasaha
review
6.00am Muhktasari wa Dira Breakfast news
6.30am Yaliyotendeka Topical ommentary
6.45am Wembe wa citizen Topical Satire
7.30m Chemsha Bongo Brain teaser.
Mjadala wa Jambo thought provoking topics, Vox
8.00am
Kenya Pops, local guest,
9.00am Dira ya Radio Citizen Regional news brief

8. actual need for local content?
1. The Daily Nation: www.nation.co.ke (Alexa Kenya Rank: 9).
2. The East African Standard: www.standardmedia.co.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank: 13).
3. Kenyan Lyrics: www.kenyanlyrics.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 16)
4. Kenyan Jobs: www.kenyanjobs.blogspot.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 23)
5. Home (by AccessKenya): www.home.co.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank: 25).
6. Kenya Revenue Authority: www.kra.go.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank: 35). Insights
7. Nyeri Online: www.nyerionline.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 36). Content with Local context,
8. Capital FM: www.capitalfm.co.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank: 38). adapted for local use = strong
usage driver
9. BrighterMonday: www.brightermonday.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 41).
10. The Business Daily: www.businessdailyafrica.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 47).
Jan 2010 list has better top100
coverage of local sites.
11. Mambo: www.mambo.co.ke (Kenya Alex Rank: 50).
12. Webaraza: www.webaraza.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 53). <50% of top 25 on country level
13. Best Jobs Kenya: www.bestjobskenya.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 61)
14. PataUza: www.patauza.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 66). domain(.ke).
15. Haiya: www.haiya.co.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank: 68).
16. Orange Kenya: www.orange.co.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank: 69).
17. CareerPoint Kenya: www.careerpointkenya.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 73).
18. Nation Media Group: www.nationmedia.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 77).
19. Kenya Network Information Center (KeNIC): www.kenic.or.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank 78).
20. Jumuika: www.jumuika.co.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank: 79).
21. Mashada: www.mashada.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 80).
22. Safaricom: www.safaricom.co.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank: 83).
23. JengaWeb: www.jengaweb.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 87).
24. Uza Nunua: www.uzanunua.com (Kenya Alexa Rank: 94).
25. Higher Education Loans Board (HELB): www.helb.co.ke (Kenya Alexa Rank: 95)

9. actual need for local content?
Global
Expressed
Local i ii Global
Context Context
iv iii
Government land records
Local language radio Online
Informal business classifieds
Regional portals
Citizen Journalism / news
...
Local
Expression

10. Google in SSA doing / learning?
organizing worlds information, make it useful & accessible
UGC
Partnership
Developer

11. Google in SSA doing / learning?
Input
7 Universities: JKUAT, KU,
UoN, Strathmore, UDSM, IFM
Single training, Online how-to,
community engagement
Prize sponsorship
Google Translator Toolkit w/
English-Swahili Machine
translation
Insights
Yield
Stimulus, access, perceived difficulty
874 registrants
Net Consumers-> Net producers
1640+ articles created (+ 11%)
MT & Local language expression
1.4MM wordcount increase (+ 60%)
Whats possible with Sponsors,
Automation, dedicated access? 40 ‘very’ active contributors (5%)

12. Challenges to you
Scope and complexity of this problem.
Net Producer vs net Consumer
Ecosystem vs Bucket model. What’s
required to kickstart / nurture it?
Stakeholders. Who are they?
Role of Mobile in the production of
content.