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made, but rather, acknowledge significant impact? our interconnectedness and
we still have work to do. I offer one solution. Simple, not grant everyone unrestricted
Nonetheless, I choose to see novel, but with the potential to access to the rest of the world.
the world through a lens of have a significant impact: Treat With the Internet, comes access
opportunity, looking at an Internet service as a public to new markets, opportunities,
old problem in a new light utility across the continent and and learning. Research by The
and finding a new beginning make it free. Brookings Institute has shown
for it. Embracing technology Many African countries have that the Internet has spurred
and fostering an environment focused on building roads and many modern economies
and attitude towards it that highways; however, the digital allowing individuals to offer
advances thought leadership highway, of which the Internet services and pull themselves
and ingenuity would ultimately is the foundation, has been out of poverty. (Rivlin & Litan,
help us find solutions in places ignored and has become more 2001) The value of Internet-
we never thought to look before. of an opportunity for extracting based companies is self-evident.
Although technology is not a taxes from citizens. On this The reduced unemployed labor
magic bullet, when we look at metaphorical highway, we levy force and subsequently increased
the overall net impact globally, tolls that not all can afford and in tax revenue would pay for the
it has been positive. effect restrict access to segments investment several times over.
In software engineering, we of the population, while some Treating access to the Internet as
teach young engineers to riders enjoy faster commutes. a right and not a privilege would
follow the KISS principle, Much like a toll lane, those catapult many communities into
“Keep it Simple Stupid.” The willing to pay more experience the 21st century and uncover
idea is never to over-engineer less traffic. Unfortunately, we are hidden talents across the region.
any single solution and avoid driving in the wrong direction The African Union have
unnecessary complexity, the on this metaphorical highway. come together to sign on to
relentless pursuit of the purest In contrast to the current state an agreement known as the
form in which a solution can of affairs, we should be moving Programme for Infrastructure
present itself. I believe extending to a model where Internet access Development in Africa (PIDA).
this same principle to solving becomes more and more readily PIDA is a strategic continental
more significant problems available, creating the bedrock initiative which has the buy-
outside software engineering for younger generations to build in of all African countries,
can be part of breaking the the future. Let’s offer a vision for mobilizing resources to
‘Genesis’ cycle; simple, discrete of an Africa where we address transform Africa through
answers that chip away at a shortage of medical services modern infrastructure. Its 51
the problem. In chaos theory, through Tele-Healthcare, a cross-border infrastructure
there’s a phenomenon known technological possibility only projects comprise more than 400
as the butterfly effect whereby achievable with fast, reliable actionable sub-projects across
a minute localized change in Internet. The competitiveness of four main infrastructure sectors,
a complex system can have our education system could rank namely energy, transport,
significant effects elsewhere. amongst the best with massive transboundary water, and ICT.
(Lexico.com, n.d). To me, online courses (MOCs), giving (African Union PIDA, 2013).
finding new beginnings is about students access to the most PIDA’s ICT vision is to enable
operating on the micro-level cutting-edge information and all Africans to have access to
to identify small tweaks to an research. reliable and affordable ICT
existing framework that yields The undertaking to implement networks through:
massive change and impact. The this on the surface is vast, but • Meeting Africa’s demand for
next logical question is what the reality is, it merely takes broadband at an affordable cost
small changes can become the political will. The 21st-century • Increasing access and
catalyst for a disproportionately problems require that we value

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