I am Mitu, Co-Founder of Addis Ideas. This project is based on a mobile application that solely relies on African innovation and crowd sources African development ideas from African nationals and the African diaspora. Continue reading
The AfriBox Initiative
The AfriBox Initiative
During my last trip to Mali, fellow technologists and I decided to create an adapted computer named Afribox, based on a single-board microcontroller such as Arduino or Raspberry pi, to bring digital educational content and games to kids. Indeed, access to education is still a big issue in West Africa and we saw the promise of inventing a kind of « old school » Nintendo Entertainment System for rural Africa. This computer could be played with pads, and used on a TV screen or a pico-projector. Below is the concept note of the AfriBox Initiative.
Building a Developing Country Open Government Initiative
Harvard metro station in Cambridge
I applied to the Berkman Center fellowship program for the academic year 2015-2016 with the following subject: Building a Developing Country Open Government Initiative. Bellow is my personal statement that I submitted to the Berkman Center. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Continue reading
Setting up radio stations in West Africa
The Geekcorps truck in the Sahara desert
I spent two years working for Geekcorps in Mali, from 2005 to 2007, a Washington DC based NGO specialized in ICT for development. I was the Country Director and I had to manage an exiting one-year project named the Community Mobilization through Radio Technology Program funded by USAID. It aimed to set up five renewable energy community-based radio stations in the north of Mali and I spent my first year managing the program, building with my team OpenFM transmitters, building local solar panels, designing mast antennas and organizing training sessions for northern Mali communities.
Writing a National Open Source Policy, Strategy and Action Plan for Mauritius
Mauritian National Computer Board reception
I have been lucky enough to spend six weeks in the beautiful island of Mauritius to work on their National Open Source Policy, Strategy and Action Plan. My colleague, Andrej Kositer, and I were based at the National Computer Board (NCB) in Port Louis. The NCB was set up in 1988 to promote the development of ICT in Mauritius and they expect to be the key enabler in transforming Mauritius into a cyber island and a regional ICT hub. Continue reading
Building a photovoltaic central at the Casablanca’s Technopark
50Kw photovoltaic central on the roof of the Casablanca’s Technopark
I have been involved in building the first photovoltaic central in Casablanca. It was at the Technopark which supports the creation and development of businesses in the Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) areas. The Casablanca’s Technopark hosts about 180 companies and they started to turn green with this first public/private partnership focus on sustainable development. The consortium was composed of EnRafrique, ISEEP, Technopark and Sunset Solar. We spent five months building the 50Kw photovoltaic central on the roof of the Technopark. I also participated in giving workshops on smart energy and legal frameworks to government officers.
Having a long journey on the Trans Siberian train
A locomotive in Ulan-Ude
During summer 2012, I took a long trip from St Petersburg to Beijing. Taking that journey was on my mind for ten years while I took a one year trip at the end of my university studies. I was thinking at that time to come back from India to France through China, Mongolia and Russia but I never did it.
Improving eLearning and building the National research and education network in Guinea
French Institute of Conakry
I spent one week working in Conakry on a consulting assignment for the French Institute. I had to study the National Research and Education Network (NREN) in Guinea and I had also to find eLearning solutions to improve French learning in Guinea. It was an intense week as I had to find time to meet with colleagues from the French Institute, Ministry of Higher Education and Research, the University of Conakry, local telecom providers and the French Embassy. Continue reading
Building the Solidays’ network
The Solidays’ truck
Solidays is the biggest music festival in France and take place at the Longchamp Racecourse, a 57 hectare horse-racing facility, located on the banks of the Seine River in Paris. The event brings together more than 150 artists and 170,000 festival-goers for three days. The proceeds from the festival are donated to organizations fighting against AIDS, especially for those focusing on the African continent. Continue reading
Motorbiking in Morocco
Iriki lake in the south of Morocco
I love taking long journeys with a motorbike. I started driving a dirt bike when I was a teenager in the countryside around my parent’s town. I had at home an old 125cc Peugeot from 1954 and a scooter that I tinkered with every weekend.