For the past seven years, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has implemented Universal Service Fund initiatives, and significant ICT projects have impacted communities in different ways. One of them is the growth of small towns as Kenyans gravitate towards digital connectivity.
Speaking during the launch of the Universal Service Fund Strategy 2023-2027, Mr. David Mugonyi, Director General, CA, stated, “When you think of the impact of the USF, imagine Kora sub-location in Kajiado County, where small townships are mushrooming because of mobile connectivity in the area.”
Part of this success, the CA observes, is due to applying lessons from the past to overcome community resistance. Efforts to reduce community resistance to digital access have seen the authority dig boreholes in several areas in the country. People moving towards these centers with boreholes have reaped the benefits of being in digitally connected areas.
Under USF projects, the CA has also installed mobile charging centers powered by solar. These charging points can charge up to 10 mobile phones at a time, acting as another reason for communities to congregate. Security and access to medical facilities have also been part of the transformative impact of the USF.
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The DG pointed out areas like Siyu Sub-location, in Pate Island in Lamu County, or Elhadi Sub-location in Marsabit County as examples of underserved, far-flung areas now connected to the information superhighway.
Impact in Education
Education is another key sector that has benefited and shown positive results in the last seven years. The authority has connected 886 public secondary schools to high-speed Internet so far. The USF has also transformed 56 public libraries into dynamic e-resource centers, offering specialized assistance for the visually impaired.
This has not only brought some fun to education but has also brought about improvement in grades.
“Again, let’s imagine General Mulinge High School in Machakos County, which witnessed exponential interest and consistently high grades in the computer studies subject for five (5) years running, following the intervention by the USF,” added Mr. Mugonyi.
