Is IT a pioneer, entrepreneur and Inspiration for Africa’s women: In Berlin, the Kenyan Juliana Rotich of German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been awarded this year’s German Africa prize.
For German Chancellor Angela Merkel, it was a pleasant reunion. During the German G20 presidency in 2017, it was noticed in the case of a panel discussion, a dedicated Kenyan Juliana Rotich. Now, two years later, was able to give the Chancellor your this year’s Africa award. Rotich was an Inspiration to countless people in Africa, praised the Chancellor: “they also show what and how much you can move with good ideas and determination: economically, socially and on the country’s own borders.” Thus, Rotich was also a model for many other women in Africa.
The 42-year-old Rotich is an African IT-pioneer. She became known especially through the Open Source platform Ushahidi. Users can get information about crisis areas to upload and share. As Ushahidi went to the Start, experienced Rotichs home country of Kenya in the darkest hours of its history. After disputed presidential elections at the end of 2007 bloody riots broke out with more than 1300 dead. Through Ushahidi Affected information about the acts of violence were able to publish. Today, the platform in more than 160 countries, is used for example in the civil war in Syria, after the earthquake in Nepal and Haiti, but also for the documentation of Hate-Speech in the US presidential election campaign.
The 42-year-old Rotich was known by the founding of the Ushahidi platform
“It is your merit that IT ‘Made in Africa’ is in demand worldwide,” said Merkel. Africa is a fast-growing market for information and communication technologies. Almost everywhere, the digital progress to make itself felt. Mobile payment is widespread in Kenya than in Germany. “Of course, are not yet anywhere seen in Africa such conditions, but the potential there is in many places,” said Angela Merkel.
This digital transformation, the enterprising entrepreneur is pushing Rotich also with a second Innovation. She is co-founder of the technology company, BRCK, since this year, the biggest public Wi-Fi provider in Africa South of the Sahara. A “breakthrough idea”, as the Chairman of the jury of the Africa prize and head of DW’s Africa programmes, Claus Stäcker, praised. “How many ideas fail in Africa, because there is no electricity and, therefore, rarely the Internet.”
Demographic change as the next challenge
BRCK to offer in such situations, one way out – it works by battery or solar energy. “Your technological innovation in an exemplary manner to the development of the African continent. Juliana Rotich is the face of a successful African continent is the the world of the 21st century. Century active role in shaping it,” says Stäcker. The Jury had Rotich selected from more than two dozen proposals from Africa.
Jury President Claus Stäcker praised the “pioneering” inventions Rotichs
The Ladies were, however, modest. The price was not only an honour for you, so Rotich. “The award honors the potential for a digital economy in places where you would never suspect a digital economy, as Rotich. Also, in the future, she wanted to try to make a contribution to the solution of social problems in Africa through technological innovations. Above all, the demographic change makes her Worry: “more and more young people coming onto the labour markets, but we don’t create enough new jobs and starting new companies,” said Rotich.
The German Africa prize is awarded since 1993 by the German Africa Foundation. With honors you honors its African personalities working for the political, economic and cultural development of the continent. Among previous awardees are Botswana’s former President Ketumile Masire, the Somali women’s rights activist Waris Dirie and the South African corruption bekämpferin Thuli Madonsela belong.