Comments on: Liberian Tech: Barriers to Entry

By: Liza

Liza — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:25:54 +0000

Thanks for this information. How much does it cost to use a computer at a cafe for an hour?

By: El Oso » Archive » Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Liberia (And More)

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 17:31:14 +0000

[...] series of informative blog posts about the current state of technology here. He writes of the many barriers to entry: Liberia came out of a civil war only a few short years ago. The infrastructure was torn apart [...]

By: lobebe

lobebe — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:10:37 +0000

If there’s not electricity available, how do the cellphones get charged?
http://najiajobs.blogspot.com

By: HASH

HASH — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 22:43:59 +0000

Let me be clear, there are internet cafes around, but not nearly as many as I’m used to seeing in Africa’s capital cities. Also, the relative income related to cost of accessing the internet here (for the average person) is higher.

More really cool stuff today… will post shortly.

By: Hugh Wallace

Hugh Wallace — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:33:05 +0000

@Patrick – the ‘robustly flexible concept’ of a web cafe sounds more like it – hotels, a few bars, and the embassies as examples. But more often than not these are places that ex-pats, visiting NGO workers, and the very occasional tourist are frequenting, rather than your average Liberian. Cheers for clarifying.

By: Patrick Meier

Patrick Meier — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:13:12 +0000

@Hugh – you were right, here’s the clarification by someone familiar with the report in response to my question vis-vis the 200 figure:

“Well internet cafe is a robustly flexible concept is it not?….It was estimated by the people at LMC and it’s the probable number of ‘rentable’ pc’s…call them cafes if you want (or not)…They should have put an asterisk… but if you prefer a more formal number I would halve it….”

By: Patrick Meier

Patrick Meier — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:49:50 +0000

@Hugh thanks for the added info. I know, I too was surprised by the 200 figure but this information originates from a reputable source. The study in question was carried out in-country about six-months ago by a Liberia communications expert with plenty of experience and credibility working with media in Liberia.

By: Hugh Wallace

Hugh Wallace — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 19:40:23 +0000

Erik, your experience is very similar to what I found when I travelled to Liberia at the end of ’07. I was there with Oxfam, not on an ICT/web-related trip, but as that’s the area I represent it’s what I took an interest in. Web access is generally very poor – even within an NGO compound – and practically no sign of an internet cafe as you say, let alone 200! Billboard ads for mobile web seemed to be in harsh contrast to the reality on the ground.

It’s not just tech that suffers from lack of homegrown input – many who fled during the civil wars simply haven’t returned, so every sector has suffered. Lack of local expertise is chronic, and it’s still very early days in terms of the transition from UN/NGO-supported institutions, so there are many challenges, as you say. I found some high points though – in West Point, a huge slum tacked on to Monrovia, a thriving women’s collective had organised a clothing business with accompanying e-commerce site.

@Nate @Miquel there are loads of roadside shacks where those with generators charge mobiles for a small fee, this – alongside hairdressers – was the most active business I saw, even outside Monrovia.

By: Nate Berkopec

Nate Berkopec — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:52:50 +0000

Weird synergy: car batteries powering computers @ http://revision3.com/systm/hackedups. not very sustainable, but weird.

By: savvy

savvy — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:27:53 +0000

wind ups might do the job, radio, torch and lights to camp by, not sure about the tech side, the kids can master the winder as young as 2 years old. maybe it is possible to rig up the animals to a wheel and they can walk around and around to provide the power to the torch.
http://artistafrica.blogspot.com