Praekelt an African NGO using open source technologies to deliver essential information and vital services to more than 10 million people in over 40 countries, has selected 100 startups all over the world to go for the free basics incubation in partnership with facebook.
Free Basics is a programme that makes the internet accessible to more people by providing them access to a range of free basic services like news, maternal health, travel, local jobs, sports, communication, and local government information.
A couple of African startups have made it to the Incubation after the panel reviewed the application made by the interested parties. Andela Nigeria, Elimu, sauti ya jamii, lively hoods fromKenya, sweep south and much more have been selected in the different categories that the programme will cater for:
- Advocacy
- Agriculture
- Economic Empowerment
- Education
- Gender
- Health
- Health
- Youth
“Our hope is that the 100 organizations who have now joined the Incubator constitute the first wave of hundreds more NGOs and social enterprises who take advantage of Free Basics and similar platforms to reach those who have never been online before – more than half of the globe’s population – and those for whom costs present an insurmountable barrier,” said Jonathan McKay, Head of Global Partnerships, Praekelt.org.
The Information created by the Selected applicants will be assessed by the Molo Platform a tool that allows organisations to create, publish and manage content on the web in a way that makes it accessible to millions, especially people living in low-bandwidth, resource-poor environments where data costs still present a significant obstacle.
