poor mans internet

dear friends welcome to the poor mans internet blog
i created this blog to promote the message that the Digital revolution cannot take place without the participation of the poor and our brothers and sisters in the rural areas. How do we get 80% of kenyans to make use of the internet without computers? wont it be expensive to train all this people.
this can be adressed by the poor mans internet

THE POOR MAN’S INTERNET-

R.A.I.N(rural advertising and information networks) is a social enterprise that will be the initiator of this venture.

A wonderful mashing-up Digital technology and old style Notice Boards to provide daily information on Display Venues to be located at Rural Market Centers for the consumption of Rural Residents of Eastern Africa

overview

The internet and the precursor to the notice board, the Roman tablet may be as far removed from each other as they possibly could be, but not for long if the initiative by Social enterprise R.AI.N(Rural advertising and information Networks) to promote the setting up Interactive Notice Boards in the countryside..

R.A.I.N will have a series of connected Information Display Boards that will contain in Large-Print information and pictures derived from the Internet, S.M.S and Local sources that are relevant and important to the local community.

Farmers need regular information on what to plant, how best to plant, when to start planting, how to manage the crop and finally when, who to and where to sell the produce. The R.A.I.N Board will be equipped with a Simu ya Jamii ,a Microphone and Speakers to facilitate Audio Conferences between farmers and their contemporaries in other areas as well as Researchers, Suppliers and Buyers.



The info&adz calender
A simpler version of the R.A.I.N Notice Board is the RAIN INFO & ADZ CALENDER that is A2in size and is designed like the Desktop Calendar the product is attractive and can be placed at shop Window’s, Hair salon Entrances, at market Stalls and inside Matatu’s.

The info &Adz calendar will be an alternative income source for R.A.I.N Franchise holders who will earn advertising revenue from local residents as well as national advertisers. The Adverts will then be placed in large-print in notice boards covering whole locations for as little as kshs 10/- for a day.
An important development for large corporations and Manufacturers would be to finally have a one on one conversation with their clients. By way of interactive posters with a different Phone number. Valuable information on customer’s responses to products will be derived from the relationships created.

Rainonline.com and poormansinternet@blog.com ,the poor mans internet wikii and The making of R.A.I.N Video on youtube will be significant in promoting and marketing the innovation.
Every Notice Board will have its own web address. for example the very first notice board at soy center will have the web address soy@rainonline.com .The content displayed on the notice board on location will be the same as that on the webpage allowing residents of soy living outside of home in other parts of Kenya or in the Diaspora to be involved in the daily life of their home area.
Rainonline also intends to partner with Radio stations and other interested parties to provide a free weekly newsletter for different enterprises in rural areas

R.A,I,N BOARDS-PILOT PROJECT –SOY NEAR ELDORET

LOCATIION: Soy Shopping Center on the Eldoret –Kitale Highway
30 kilometers from Eldoret
Population: 2000 on Normal days and 4000 on Market Days
DEMOGRAPHIC
CHARACTERISTICS: Farmers and Small Entrepreneurs, Mama Mboga’s, Grain Merchants Teachers, Civil Servants and Commuters working in Eldoret.
An important part of the population include the Military Barracks nearby

COST OF NOTICE BOARD MAKING AND INSTALATION
AND PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT 57,500 KSH