<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">
<html>
  <head>
    <meta content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"
      http-equiv="Content-Type">
  </head>
  <body text="#000000" bgcolor="#ffffff">
    Dear Edith,<br>
     <br>
    Is it really the case that cybercafes are dying in Kenya? From my
    time here, one of the things that has astonished me is the virtual
    ubiquity of these places, particularly the growing mass of smaller
    cybercafes which one can find on every corner of  downtown Nairobi,
    as well as many in supposed 'information poor' areas such as around
    Kibera or Kawangware, all run for profit by dynamic entrepreneurs,
    most of them young I might add. <br>
    <br>
    I take your point though that more 'cutting edge' cybercafes are
    less common. In Kenya perhaps we can say that so far some of the
    slack been taken up by various hubs/incubators, who offer various
    talks and social spaces in a similar way to what Andrea describes in
    Ghana.<br>
    <br>
    Best<br>
    Chris<br>
    <br>
    <pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">-- 
Christopher Foster
PhD Researcher, Centre for Development Informatics (CDI)
University of Manchester, UK

Mob: 0738 101 723
Mob (uk): +44 (0)7751 537350
Skype: cgfoster</pre>
    <br>
    On 02/03/11 20:22, Andrea Bohnstedt wrote:
    <blockquote
      cite="mid:AANLkTinDH8ggpmDHSWsBZJj_zp5DAEsAc60_p5L3KrO4@mail.gmail.com"
      type="cite">Busy had/has a bigger concept: They are also an ISP,
      have a bar in the building, used to have a Monday movie night, I
      think, had some ICT classes and talks, and they had initially set
      up Busy to also serve as an incubator, although I think that did
      not really work out as planned. I have been there a couple of
      times of the years and always met some really fun and interesting
      people. Recently, they set up some work stations in a new shopping
      mall. <br>
      <br>
      Mark Davies, one of the founders, set up BusyLab who, if I
      remember correctly, built e-soko, an online/mobile commodity
      trading and information platform that has recently attracted some
      investment from the IFC to support their roll out across the
      continent. <br>
      <br>
      Regarding the internet cafes in Kenya: are there any data to show
      that the numbers are shrinking? Also, this is a market, too: If
      there is no demand for internet cafes, then they'll go out of
      business. <br>
      <br>
      <div class="gmail_quote">
        On 2 March 2011 19:27, Edith Adera <span dir="ltr"><<a
            moz-do-not-send="true" href="mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke">eadera@idrc.or.ke</a>></span>
        wrote:<br>
        <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt
          0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204);
          padding-left: 1ex;">
          <div>
            <div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Tahoma" size="2">I
                think what a Ghanian told me got me thinking "B</font><font
                color="#000000" face="Tahoma" size="2">usyInternet does
                more than a cafe so the catch is i go to one place and
                do multiple things"</font></div>
            <div dir="ltr"> </div>
            <div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma" size="2">I think that
                might the "catch"...."a suite of services" to survive.</font></div>
            <div dir="ltr"> </div>
            <div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma" size="2">Would love to
                see this in action.</font></div>
            <div class="im">
              <div dir="ltr"> </div>
              <div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma" size="2">Edith</font></div>
              <div dir="ltr"> </div>
              <div>
                <div><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span
                      style="font-size: 10pt;">
                      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;
                        line-height: 115%;">
                        <b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31,
                            73, 125); line-height: 115%;"><span>________________                                   
                            </span></span></b><span style="color:
                          black;">
                        </span></p>
                      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;
                        line-height: 115%;"><font color="#000000"><b><span
                              style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73,
                              125); line-height: 115%;"><font
                                color="#000000">Edith Ofwona Adera</font>
                            </span></b><span style="color: black;"></span></font></p>
                      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;
                        line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size:
                          10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); line-height:
                          115%;"><font color="#000000">Senior Program
                            Specialist
                          </font></span></p>
                      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;
                        line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size:
                          10pt; color: rgb(0, 32, 96); line-height:
                          115%;"><font color="#000000">ICT4D Program and
                            Climate Change & Water Program</font></span></p>
                      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;
                        line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size:
                          10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); line-height:
                          115%;" lang="FR-CA"><font color="#000000">International

                            Development Research Centre | Centre de
                            recherches pour le développement
                            international</font></span></p>
                      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;
                        line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size:
                          10pt; color: rgb(0, 32, 96); line-height:
                          115%;" lang="EN-CA"><font color="#000000">Regional
                            Office for Eastern and Southern Africa</font></span></p>
                      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;
                        line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size:
                          10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); line-height:
                          115%;" lang="FR-CA"><font color="#000000">Tel:
                            +254202713160 | Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 |
                            Skype: edithadera</font></span></p>
                      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;
                        line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size:
                          10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); line-height:
                          115%;" lang="FR-CA"><a moz-do-not-send="true"
                            href="mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke"
                            target="_blank">eadera@idrc.or.ke</a> | </span><a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.idrc.ca/" target="_blank"><span
                            style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73,
                            125); line-height: 115%;" lang="FR-CA">www.idrc.ca</span></a><span
                          style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73,
                          125); line-height: 115%;" lang="FR-CA"> | </span><a
                          moz-do-not-send="true"
                          href="http://www.crdi.ca/" target="_blank"><span
                            style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73,
                            125); line-height: 115%;" lang="FR-CA">www.crdi.ca</span></a></p>
                      <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;
                        line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size:
                          10pt;" lang="FR-CA"><img
                            moz-do-not-send="true" src="" alt=""
                            hspace="0" align="baseline" border="0"></span></p>
                    </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;" lang="FR-CA"></span>
                  </font></div>
              </div>
            </div>
            <div style="direction: ltr;">
              <hr>
              <font face="Tahoma" size="2"><b>From:</b> Eric Kirimi [<a
                  moz-do-not-send="true"
                  href="mailto:eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke"
                  target="_blank">eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke</a>]<br>
                <b>Sent:</b> 02 March 2011 19:26<br>
                <b>To:</b> KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions; Edith Adera<br>
                <b>Subject:</b> Re: [kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes?<br>
              </font><br>
            </div>
            <div>
              <div class="h5">
                <div>
                  <div style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);
                    font-family: Verdana;"><span>edith <br>
                      <br>
                      i thought the government is implementing the PASHA
                      centre's projects across the country. this will
                      increase competition and eventually more cyber
                      cafe.<br>
                    </span><br>
                    <span><br>
                      <span name="x"></span><span style="color: rgb(51,
                        51, 51); font-family:
                        verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;"><font size="2">Regards,</font><br>
                        <br>
                        <font size="2">Eric<br>
                        </font></span><br>
                      <span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:
                        verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><span
                        style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:
                        verdana,helvetica,sans-serif;"><br>
                      </span><br>
                      <span name="x"></span><br>
                    </span><br>
                    <hr>
                    <b>From: </b>"Edith Adera" <<a
                      moz-do-not-send="true"
                      href="mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke" target="_blank">eadera@idrc.or.ke</a>><br>
                    <b>To: </b>"Eric.K" <<a moz-do-not-send="true"
                      href="mailto:eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke"
                      target="_blank">eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke</a>><br>
                    <b>Cc: </b>"KICTAnet ICT Policy Discussions" <<a
                      moz-do-not-send="true"
                      href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke"
                      target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>><br>
                    <b>Sent: </b>Wednesday, March 2, 2011 7:12:16 PM<br>
                    <b>Subject: </b>[kictanet] The Death of Cybercafes?<br>
                    <br>
                    <div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000" face="Tahoma"
                        size="2">Listers</font></div>
                    <div dir="ltr"> </div>
                    <div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma" size="2">Just
                        back from Ghana where I was impressed to see
                        that cybercafes are still alive (e.g.
                        BusyInternet)...as my experience in Kenya is
                        that it's hard to find a functional cybercafe
                        within easy reach with cutting edge services and
                        programs (PDF etc)....most are closing down with
                        Internet available on the mobile (with
                        aggressive competition). So outside the office
                        set-up and with minimal home connections...one
                        has almost no options for innovation.</font></div>
                    <div dir="ltr"> </div>
                    <div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma" size="2">Is it a
                        good thing that cybers are dying in Kenya and
                        broadband is yet to reach homes? what needs to
                        be done differently to inform our efforts on
                        digital villages etc?</font></div>
                    <div dir="ltr"> </div>
                    <div dir="ltr"><font face="tahoma" size="2">Edith</font></div>
                    <div dir="ltr"> </div>
                    <div><font face="Tahoma" size="2"><span
                          style="font-size: 10pt;">
                          <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in
                            0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><span
                                style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31,
                                73, 125); line-height: 115%;"><span>________________                                   
                                </span></span></b><span style="color:
                              black;"></span></p>
                          <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in
                            0pt; line-height: 115%;"><font
                              color="#000000"><b><span style="font-size:
                                  10pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);
                                  line-height: 115%;"><font
                                    color="#000000">Edith Ofwona Adera</font>
                                </span></b><span style="color: black;"></span></font></p>
                          <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in
                            0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span
                              style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73,
                              125); line-height: 115%;"><font
                                color="#000000">Senior Program
                                Specialist
                              </font></span></p>
                          <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in
                            0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span
                              style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 32,
                              96); line-height: 115%;"><font
                                color="#000000">ICT4D Program and
                                Climate Change & Water Program</font></span></p>
                          <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in
                            0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span
                              style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73,
                              125); line-height: 115%;" lang="FR-CA"><font
                                color="#000000">International
                                Development Research Centre | Centre de
                                recherches pour le développement
                                international</font></span></p>
                          <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in
                            0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span
                              style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(0, 32,
                              96); line-height: 115%;" lang="EN-CA"><font
                                color="#000000">Regional Office for
                                Eastern and Southern Africa</font></span></p>
                          <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in
                            0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span
                              style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73,
                              125); line-height: 115%;" lang="FR-CA"><font
                                color="#000000">Tel: +254202713160 |
                                Fax/Téléc: +254202711063 | Skype:
                                edithadera</font></span></p>
                          <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in
                            0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span
                              style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73,
                              125); line-height: 115%;" lang="FR-CA"><a
                                moz-do-not-send="true"
                                href="mailto:eadera@idrc.or.ke"
                                target="_blank">eadera@idrc.or.ke</a> |
                            </span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
                              href="http://www.idrc.ca/" target="_blank"><span
                                style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31,
                                73, 125); line-height: 115%;"
                                lang="FR-CA">www.idrc.ca</span></a><span
                              style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31, 73,
                              125); line-height: 115%;" lang="FR-CA"> |
                            </span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
                              href="http://www.crdi.ca/" target="_blank"><span
                                style="font-size: 10pt; color: rgb(31,
                                73, 125); line-height: 115%;"
                                lang="FR-CA">www.crdi.ca</span></a></p>
                          <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in
                            0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span
                              style="font-size: 10pt;" lang="FR-CA"><img
                                moz-do-not-send="true" src="" alt=""
                                hspace="0" align="baseline" border="0"></span></p>
                        </span><span style="font-size: 10pt;"
                          lang="FR-CA"></span>
                      </font></div>
                    <br>
                    _______________________________________________<br>
                    kictanet mailing list<br>
                    <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                      href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke"
                      target="_blank">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br>
                    <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                      href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet"
                      target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet</a><br>
                    <br>
                    This message was sent to: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
                      href="mailto:eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke"
                      target="_blank">eric@ictinfrastructure.co.ke</a><br>
                    Unsubscribe or change your options at <a
                      moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/eric%40ictinfrastructure.co.ke"
                      target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/eric%40ictinfrastructure.co.ke</a><br>
                  </div>
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
          </div>
          <br>
          _______________________________________________<br>
          kictanet mailing list<br>
          <a moz-do-not-send="true"
            href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a><br>
          <a moz-do-not-send="true"
            href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet"
            target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet</a><br>
          <br>
          This message was sent to: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
            href="mailto:andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com">andrea.bohnstedt@ratio-magazine.com</a><br>
          Unsubscribe or change your options at <a
            moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40ratio-magazine.com"
            target="_blank">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/andrea.bohnstedt%40ratio-magazine.com</a><br>
          <br>
        </blockquote>
      </div>
      <br>
      <br clear="all">
      <br>
      -- <br>
      <a moz-do-not-send="true"
        href="http://ke.linkedin.com/in/andreabohnstedt" target="_blank"><span
          style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">Andrea Bohnstedt</span></a><br
        style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">
      <span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">Publisher</span><br
        style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">
      <span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">+254 720 960 322 </span><br
        style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">
      <br style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">
      <span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"><a
          moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.ratio-magazine.com"
          target="_blank">www.ratio-magazine.com</a></span><br
        style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">
      <a moz-do-not-send="true"
        href="http://www.ratio-magazine.com/careers/index.php"
        target="_blank"><span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">Find/post
          East Africa careers</span></a><br style="font-family:
        verdana,sans-serif;">
      <a moz-do-not-send="true" style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"
        href="http://www.ratio-magazine.com/businessevents/index.php"
        target="_blank">Find/post conferences, workshops, trainings,
        other business events</a><br style="font-family:
        verdana,sans-serif;">
      <br style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">
      <br style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;">
      <span style="font-family: verdana,sans-serif;"></span><br>
      <br>
      <pre wrap="">
<fieldset class="mimeAttachmentHeader"></fieldset>
_______________________________________________
kictanet mailing list
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke">kictanet@lists.kictanet.or.ke</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/listinfo/kictanet</a>

This message was sent to: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:cgfoster@gmail.com">cgfoster@gmail.com</a>
Unsubscribe or change your options at <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/cgfoster%40gmail.com">http://lists.kictanet.or.ke/mailman/options/kictanet/cgfoster%40gmail.com</a>
</pre>
    </blockquote>
    <br>
  </body>
</html>