RightMesh Welcomes First Ambassador, Zack Matere (Kenya)
In 2009, a farmer in rural Kenya made the audacious decision to bring relevant information, news, and connectivity to his community. He decided to make what he called ‘the internet that my grandmother could use’. Each week, he would ride into the nearest town, access the internet, and print off as much relevant information as he could carry. He would then spread this information to his community by posting it on a network of wooden noticeboards he put up in the village market centres.
Through this initiative, residents of the three Villages in Soy, near Eldoret, Kenya, had access to their own content, printed out and posted, for all to access and share.
This was done by Zack Matere.
This venture inspired Zack to participate in the development of digital technology that provides solutions for rural and urban communities in Africa.
Over the past 10 years, Zack has provided his unique insight into the development of ICT solutions for the East Africa region. He has been recognized as one of the top 40 game Changers in Kenya (2011) and has been hailed by Google for his innovation ‘Leo Network of Community Noticeboards’.
We are excited and honored to have Zack as the first RightMesh Ambassador.
Zack’s understanding of Africa from the perspective of the rural and urban low to middle-income demographics, and his passion for bringing connectivity to these communities, make Zack a fantastic addition to our growing global team.
Interested in being a RightMesh Ambassador? Learn more here.
I sat down with Zack to discuss his thoughts on RightMesh, his passion for innovation, and his goals for the role.
Amber: What makes the RightMesh project appealing to you?
Zack: From 2009 onward, I have been on a mission to connect local populations in Africa to the internet… the majority of them being farmers and entrepreneurs. RightMesh’s vision of ‘putting the power of connectivity in the hands of the people’, is one that I identify with. The vision is audacious, yet doable… it is a goal that I can envision.
I believe the project is also scalable. Using what people already have, smart phones, and harnessing them in a unique way with mesh technology, provides accessible connectivity.
As each device (node) has the potential of being an enterprise, and connected nodes can easily become a digital marketplace, anyone with a phone or an IOT device can thrive in the planned RightMesh ecosystem. This potential drew me to the project.
Amber: Why is RightMesh important to your community?
Zack: Within Africa, cable internet is confined to exclusive areas, and when WiFi is available it is locked, so the general public cannot use it. RightMesh allows anyone with internet access to be an ISP (Internet Service Provider). This will enable small sized internet pockets that lower-income people can afford and access. Giving them access is really needed.
RightMesh also provides user freedom. With a lot of focus being given to social media by African governments, such as in Uganda, people are looking for a communication system they can own and trust. They are seeking to be freed from the feeling of having someone looking over their shoulder. Having the ability to build apps or use communication tools that cannot be shut down by the government is sought after.
Lastly, I think the Ethereum Identity layer will impact many communities. It will provide a start to creating identity portfolios that many Africans do not have. This opens the door to growing trust for business and social life.
Amber: What do you hope to achieve by being an Ambassador representing RightMesh in East Africa and beyond?
Zack: As a resident of a rural African village, I understand where RightMesh will work and the use cases it can have. I can envision an app used at the village health center in the management of patient data, or an app used at the village school as a tool for teacher training. As an Ambassador for RightMesh, I will use my personal experience and knowledge to develop these links with local entities so that effective apps will be developed at a local level.
From there, I hope to ensure that the retrofitting of RightMesh into mobile apps becomes part of the app building process in East Africa. I plan to assist by creating a forum for developers to thrive in the ecosystem that the RightMesh platform will create.
I also want to develop partnerships and linkages with the key players in the industry — ISP, Mobile Services, and Media Houses specific to East Africa — to facilitate the expansion of the project.
Finally, I want to make the average internet user realize he or she can be an internet maker and a content provider. Each node (user) has the potential to be a media owner and an ISP.
My goal is to highlight this opportunity to all Nodebodies.
Amber: Why did you want to be a RightMesh Ambassador?
Since learning about it, I have been fascinated by mesh networking. It’s a technology that has remained under the radar but has so much potential. RightMesh has been able to harness the ‘natural’ energy in mesh technology that is freely available and make it accessible to many.
I also wanted to be an Ambassador so I could support the team in the thoughtful expansion of the platform. Understanding the mindset of the average device user in Africa needs a local eye from the onset. As an observer and participant in the African digital story, I believe I am the individual who will ensure that there is African DNA in the making of the RightMesh platform.
I believe in the long-term vision and being a RightMesh Ambassador enables me to be part of this amazing Journey.
About Zack
From a nondescript village in Western Kenya, Zack Matere has been on a mission: to connect the local population to the internet, the majority of them being farmers and entrepreneurs. He has provided his insight into the development of ICT solutions for the East African region. Zack has a background in Business Administration, farming and wetlands conservation and has over ten years as a participant and innovator in Internet for the development community. He has been recognized as one of the top 40 game Changers in Kenya (2011) and has been hailed by Google for his innovation ‘Leo Network of Community Noticeboards’. His understanding of Africa from the perspective of the rural and urban low to middle-income demographics has provided his unique position of link person to tech firms venturing into East Africa.
Stay in Touch
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