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NOVEMBER 2019 STARTUPMAGAZINE.CO.KE
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Inside
INTERVIEW Emerging Data Sharing Models Impacts On Financial Service Innovation
OPINION Can Africa Overcome Threats to Its Security and Stability?
MOTOR The Land Rover Discovery Review
TRAVEL
Driving Social Literacy Across Africa
Communing With Art, Nature and History at Uhuru Gardens by Oroni Tendera
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Frances Ahene-Affoh, SVP DREAMOVAL FOUNDATION November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
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Contents
14 Emerging Data Sharing Models Impacts On Financial Service Innovation
20 Meeting Women’s Needs via Targeted Financial Products
34 Oroni Tendera writes about the historical Uhuru Gardens
32 The Land Rover Discovery Review
Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
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November
2019
Contents 12
Ed-Tech
20
Meeting Women’s Needs via Targeted Financial Products
Are You an Edtech Entrepreneur?
14
Interview
22
Innovation Can Africa Overcome These Three Threats to Its Security and Stability?
Emerging Data Sharing Models Impacts On Financial Service Innovation 24 18
Finance
ICT How Tech is Benefiting the Commercial Property Broking Sector
Cover Story 30
Leadership Trust - The Key to Leadership
Coffee Break
MEET THE GHANAIAN SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DRIVING DIGITAL LITERACY Getting Africa’s large and growing youth population ready for active roles in the global digital economy is no small task. But as one innovative social enterprise in Ghana has shown, when public and private sector partners collaborate to solve key societal problems, there is virtually no limit to what can be achieved.
32. 34. 36. 37. 38.
Motors Travel and Leisure Book Review Pictorial Song Review
November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
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StartUp Magazine is published monthly. Copyright 2019 Kreative Hub Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or transmitted in any form including photocopy, or any storage and retrieval system without publisher's permission in writing.
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INSIDE
>Innovation
A Sure Bet to Keep Africa Moving Forward
> Koto Housing
Build Your Dream House in Only 21 Days
> Interview; Andrey Yakunin Understanding the hospitality market in Russia
>Travel & Leisure What to Know about the Marine Parks at the Coastal Kenya
The Driving Force To a Successful Family Business Esther Muchemi, CEO and Founder, Samchi Group of Companies
January 2018 I startupmagazine.co.ke
Managing Editor Sylvester Habil Okumu sylvester@startupmagazine.co.ke
Photographer Versatile Photographers
Associate Editor Adisa Hudson Oroni Tendera
Creative Designer Kreative Hub Media
Contributors Njeri Muchunu Lily Williams Michael Armstrong Prof. Morgan Chetty
Published By
Business Development Washingtone Terry Nickson Juma Marketing Executive Irene Okoth Operations Simpson Ayodi
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Contacts 4th Floor, Bihi Towers, P.O Box 3875-30200, Nairobi Kenya. Cell (+254) 724 113 683 (+254) 776 061 644 Email: info@startupmagazine.co.ke Website: www.startupmagazine.co.ke StartUp Magazine EA @StartupMag_EA
The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of the publisher. Readers are advised to seek professional advice before acting on any information contained in this publication. Important Information for Contributors to StartUp Magazine By submitting content before publication you confirm that: (a) You (and/or other named contributors) are the sole author(s) of the content submitted; (b) The content you submit is orginal and has not previously been published (unless you specifically advise us on the contrary); (c) You haven't previously licensed the use of the content you submit; (d) So far as you are aware, the content submitted will not infringe any third-party rights, be defamatory or in any way illegal.
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Editor’s Pen
Brilliant Leaders – how do we make everybody feel like a somebody? By Shalini Gadhia Leadership is about striving to bring out the best in someone else. It’s more about exploring the talents in other people rather than ourselves. People usually feel motivated to use their talents and knowledge to their best when they are given the power to make decisions and they are recognized and or praised. How then do we as leaders ensure that everyone in our team feels like a somebody to achieve optimum performance?
Dump your Ego
This is usually our number one enemy in the workplace – it is the cause of disagreements, conflicts, lack of teamwork and gossip etc to mention a few. We tend to operate from our own perspective and perceptions and hardly ever understand others’ point of view. Often the notion is that if we have been hired for a position, we must make all the decisions and our team must do what we say. It is therefore very important to remember that we must make an effort to change our current ways of thinking, appreciate the presence of our team, be humble and ensure that everyone is addressed from the same level as opposed to having a typical Boss-Worker relationship. After all, isn’t your team that builds you and ensures that you can hold your position as a result of all the work they do? As Adam Grant says ‘promote those who challenge you, not praise you’. Once we treat others as we would like to be treated, they will automatically feel appreciated and an improvement in attitude and performance will result.
Focusing on positive attributes
Teams are usually made up individuals who possess diverse talents and abilities. This means that not everyone may be good at everything they do. In this case, it is very important that we focus on the overall strengths of each individual. This means that we must allocate tasks to each team member based on the strengths they hold. However, it is important to note that we should always continue developing the not so strong attributes of these individuals as their growth is our primary responsibility. After all, as FIFA World Cup Champion Abby Wambach says ‘Your weaknesses are important, because where your weaknesses lie is where my strengths overlap. You have to have weaknesses, otherwise my strengths wouldn’t be my strengths; my strengths wouldn’t be seen’ When we focus on individuals’ strengths, it motivates them and consequently strives them to perform better. As we may all know from our experiences, when we know we can handle a particular task, we are more likely to want to do it faster and with a positive attitude – we feel trusted and we will strive to do our best.
Rewards and Recognition
Having said all of the above regarding attitudes and behavior towards employees, it is essential that we also implement ways of rewarding and recognizing our employees as these methods prove to be more tangible ways of appreciating our team members.
This automatically happens once the ego has been dumped. Once we have checked on our egos, taking into account what others say will come naturally.
Rewards can take the form of having a team lunch or dinner to celebrate the completion of a project, rewarding day(s) off in exchange for overtime done and giving a pay rise for a contract won, amongst others.
Effective listening entails clearly absorbing what the other person is saying and giving appropriate responses.
Recognition usually comes in the form of presenting tokens of appreciation like trophies and certificates in the presence of other company staff.
This will make the other person feel that what they are saying is important and they will automatically strive to push to do better.
Such gestures usually go a long way as employees feel appreciated which in turn wants to make them do better.
Of course, this does not mean that we have to agree with everything that the other person is saying, but just effective listening will make the other person feel heard and hence satisfied.
Making employees feel that they matter plays a HUGE part in the success of a team. We as leaders must ensure that every member of our team feels like a somebody – only then can we become brilliant leaders.
Listening
As a leader, even in instances when we do not agree with our team member(s), it is important to finish listening and we can then express our difference in opinion politely so that we do not hurt or offend the other person.
The author is a marketing professional with 10 years of work experience across various industries.
November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
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StartUp Stories
Letters to the editor “The cost of running a technology company in Nigeria is too high. Besides, poor perception of ICT and lack of solid implementations of technology, basically because of the lack of education about the potential of technology, is a major constraint.”
Temitope Ogunsemo, 34,founder of Krystal Digital NIGERIAN Temitope Ogunsemo, 33, born and raised in Nigeria is the founder of Krystal Digital, a fast-growing educational technology company that specializes in the creation, development and deployment of customized and service oriented software applications for educational institutions in Nigeria. Founded in 2010 in Lagos, Krystal Digital’s flagship service, MySkool Portal, a web-based application for School Information Management System designed for proper
storage and documentation of school data, has been adopted by more than 50 Government-owned High schools in Nigeria, and has more than 65,000 active student users. The firm has employed more than 150 people with annual revenues of more than USD 3 million.
“Entrepreneurship is quite a ride. Be in business to be in business, not to please people. Don’t try to be everything, you’ll be tempted but don’t. Once you start, belittle yourself until profit starts trickling in and most importantly, always be detailed about your business.”
Well done features I had a chance of reading a past edition of StartUp Magazine and i was overly impressed by the quality of your editorial. Keep it up! Erick Benedict Via Email
Good head start The coverage you gave us in the month of September gave us a market edge given the amount of traction and publicity that it led to for us. Yoeal Haile Via Email
Digital credit
June Syowia, 24, CEO, Beiless Group KENYAN
The young and sassy Syowia runs Beiless Group, a fast-growing experiential and digital marketing agency that has handles marketing campaigns for companies within Kenya and across the region. Syowia is a recipient of the 2017 Global Student Entrepreneur Award in Kenya and Top 40 Under 40 Wom-
en in 2015 by the Business Daily Africa. In 2018 Forbes Africa ranked her among the most promising entrepreneurs under the age of 30.
I have done a couple of publications across the region and running a business magazine is not easy. You must be committed with a very functional team. I wish you the best in your endeavours startup team. Otieno Ogeda In Nairobi
“As an entrepreneur starting and growing a company, each stage will require a different set of skills. As your company grows you will need to recruit the best people to join your team. These are skills that I didn’t have.” Fahad Awadh, 31, ffounder of YYTZ Agro-Processing TANZANIA Fahad Awadh is co-founder of YYTZ Agro-Processing, a Tanzania-based cashew production company that focuses on exporting high-quality nuts while boosting the incomes of farmers in Tanzania as a whole. YYTZ’s flagship processing facility in Zanzibar has an installed capacity of 2,500 Tons per annum. Last year, YYTZ Agro-Processing raised a USD 500,000
Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
HAVE YOUR SAY ONLINE investment from the Africa Enterprise Challenge Fund to establish another processing facility in Mtwara, southeastern Tanzania.
The editor welcomes reader’s opinions but deserves the right to edit them for publication. Please email to info@startupmagazine.co.ke More comments are published online about news stories published on startupmagazine.co.ke
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NEWS Emirates Group announces half-year performance for 2019-20, with AED 1.2 billion profit, 7.9% increase in passengers carried to Dubai Group: Revenue down 2% to AED 53.3 billion (US$ 14.5 billion), and profit of AED 1.2 billion (US$ 320 million), up 8%. Results impacted by Dubai International Airport (DXB) runway closure, decline in fuel cost, unfavourable currency movements, and bankruptcy of Thomas Cook. Emirates: Revenue down 3% to AED 47.3 billion (US$ 12.9 billion), and profit increase of 282% to AED 862 million (US$ 235 million). Improved seat load factor of 81.1%, up 2.3%pts, with 29.6 million passengers carried. Dubai’s strong attraction as a destination sees the airline carrying 7.9% more customers to its hub city compared to same period last year. dnata: Revenue up 5% to AED 7.4 billion (US$ 2.0 billion), profit down 64% to AED 311 million (US$ 85 million), reflecting impact of Thomas Cook bankruptcy and last year’s one-time transaction. 51.9m meals uplifted, up 67% due to major business expansion.
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The Emirates Group announced its half-year results for its 2019-20 financial year. Group revenue was AED 53.3 billion (US$ 14.5 billion) for the first six months of 2019-20, down 2% from AED 54.4 billion (US$ 14.8 billion) during the same period last year. This slight revenue decline was mainly due to planned capacity reductions during the 45-day Southern Runway closure at Dubai International airport (DXB), and unfavourable currency movements in Europe, Australia, South Africa, India, and Pakistan. Profitability was up 8% compared to the same period last year, with the Group reporting a 2019-20 half-year net profit of AED 1.2 billion (US$ 320 million). The profit improvement was primarily due to the decline in fuel prices of 9% compared to the same period last year, however the gain from lower fuel costs were partially offset by negative currency movements. The Group’s cash position on 30th September 2019 stood at AED 23.0 billion (US$ 6.3 billion), compared to AED 22.2 billion (US$ 6.0 billion) as at 31st March 2019. “The Emirates Group delivered a steady and positive performance in the first half of 2019-20, by adapting our strategies to navigate the tough trading conditions and social-political uncertainty in many markets around the world. Both Emirates and dnata
worked hard to minimise the impact of the planned runway renovations at DXB on our business and on our customers. We also kept a tight rein on controllable costs and continued to drive efficiency improvement, while ensuring that our resources were deployed nimbly to capitalise on areas of opportunity. The lower fuel cost was a welcome respite as we saw our fuel bill drop by AED 2.0 billion compared to the same period last year. However, unfavourable currency movements wiped off approximately AED 1.2 billion from our profits. The global outlook is difficult to predict, but we expect the airline and travel industry to continue facing headwinds over the next six months with stiff competition adding downward pressure on margins. As a Group we remain focussed on developing our business, and we will continue to invest in new capabilities that empower our people, and enable us to offer even better products, services, and experiences for our customers.” His Highness (HH) Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline and Group The Emirates Group’s employee base remained unchanged compared to 31 March 2019, at an overall average staff count of 105,315. This is in line with the company’s planned capacity and business activities, and also reflects the various internal programmes to improve efficiency through the implementation of new technology and workflows.
November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
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NEWS Augmented Reality Art Show Launches to Champion Africa’s Tech Leaders
unique African augmented reality art experience “Nyota” that showcases and celebrates 24 of Africa’s technology pioneers, has been unveiled by Co-creation Hub (CcHUB). The landmark AR exhibition launched officially on Wednesday 6th November, to mark technology and innovation champions such as Jason Njoku, Iyinoluwa Aboyeji, Funke Opeke, and Rebecca Enonchong, were selected for having contributed immense value to the growth of the innovation and technology ecosystem on the African continent. The pieces, curated by CcHUB and designed by Mayowa Alabi, are created using digital illustration which comes to life when viewed through an augmented reality app called ‘Artivive‘ (available on iOS and Android devices). The app is placed over the piece in order to enhance it and create new dimensions of the art, whereby viewers will also download information about the subject’s journey in the tech world. Speaking at the event, Bosun Tijani, CEO at CcHUB stated: “Technology is Africa’s fourth industrial revolution; it is powering and impacting the lives of millions. There are a number of personalities from across the continent who have been integral to promoting the technology-at-scale agenda in Africa. Nyota is a recognition of these tech leaders, and we are thrilled to be celebrating their work through this incredible augmented reality exhibition.
Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
“Those included have come up from the trenches; they have paved the way for others in a sector still in its relative infancy, albeit one that is making a massive impact on how Africa operates. Nyota is a marker celebrating all that Africa’s technology sector has achieved to date, whilst recognising how much more there is to do. Thank you to all of those who are part of the exhibition – we are happy to share your story and your success with the world via Nyota, an intersection between art and tech in Africa”. The exhibition features 24 of Africa’s tech trailblazers who have paved the way for African tech as we know it. The tech leaders include: Erik Hersman (BRCK), Rebecca Wanjiku (Fireside Communications), Ory Okolloh (Omidyar Networks), Juliana Rotich, Bitange Ndemo (UoN), Dorcas Muthoni (Openworld Ltd.), Gustav Praekelt (Praekelt Group), Strive Masiyiwa (Econet Wireless), Rebecca Enonchong (AppsTech), Nadu Denloye (Telnet Nigeria Ltd.), Tomi Davies (TVCLabs), Funke Opeke (Main One Cable), Iyin Aboyeji (An African Future), Mitchell Elegbe (Interswitch), Jason Njoku (CEO of iROKO), Sim Shagaya (Konga), Barbara Birungi (HiveColab), Omar Cisse (InTouch), Emeka Afigbo (Facebook), David Kobia (Lab1886), Estelle Akofio Sowah (CSquared), Ehi Binite (ClearSpace Labs Ltd.), Lucy Quist (Morgan Stanley London), Herman Chinery-Hesse (theSofttribe). Nyota artist, Mayowa Alabi Damilola, also known as Shutabug, is a multidisciplinary creative with
strengths in Graphic/Motion Design, Photography, Cinematography and Vector Illustrations. He has over five years of professional design experience working as a graphic designer, and then Creative Lead, at Co-Creation Hub Nigeria. His illustrations are created with lines and are largely influenced by the Lagos city life. His art career officially kicked off after he won the European Union/United Nations Women Gender Equality Picture It Comic & Cartoon Competition in 2017. He had his first solo exhibition tagged, “Lati OjuKokoro” shortly after winning the competition. The exhibition will travel to CcHUB Lagos and Design Lab Kigali in 2020
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ED-TECH
Are You an Edtech Entrepreneur? efit from a comprehensive package that includes: customized mentorship, financial support, and the opportunity to test, validate and scale their business. At a recent ministerial roundtable hosted by the Mastercard Foundation in Botswana, education ministers, African Union representatives, academics, young people, and EdTech entrepreneurs met to discuss how EdTech can improve outcomes for teachers and students. During these consultations, two priority areas emerged – professional development and enriched learning content. Innovators are invited to submit proposals that will either:
T
he Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) inviting growthstage, educational technology (EdTech) innovators to apply for an opportunity to grow their ventures while contributing to improving the quality of education in Africa. The deadline for submissions is November 21, 2019. Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
This is the first RFP to be offered by the Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT located in Kigali, Rwanda. The Centre works with governments, EdTech developers, and other stakeholders to identify and eliminate the barriers facing young people pursuing secondary education in Africa. Selected EdTech companies will be supported for a minimum of 12 months and ben-
Enhance and increase accessibility and affordability of professional development for in-service teachers, which also minimizes their out-of-classroom time; or Create and deliver enriched learning content that improves quality, relevance, and accessibility to both in-school and out-of-school secondary school learners. “Our aim is to create an active connection between those who need the solutions and those who create them,” said Joseph Nsengimana, Regional Director, Mastercard Foundation Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT. “Solutions often do not consider the on-the-ground limitations from both a training perspective and the technical environment. We’re talking about
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co-creation every step of the way.” Working with EdTech entrepreneurs and governments, the Centre for Innovative Teaching and Learning in ICT will support entrepreneurs and scale up their innovations. Eligible organizations must meet the following criteria: A registered company that is now post-product with the potential to scale (typically in operations for two years or longer); Company is majority African-led and/or owned; A for-profit or non-for-profit operating model is in place; The company is already operating in, or interested in moving into, the education market in Africa; and
Kopa
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The company’s product specifically addresses (a) the professional development of teachers; and/or (b) the need for enriched and accessible learning content for learners. The Centre was established as part of the Mastercard Foundation’s Young Africa Works Strategy to enable 30 million young people to secure dignified and fulfilling work by 2030. Technology has the power to strengthen and improve how education is delivered across the continent, however, education technology entrepreneurs and implementers often struggle to grow and scale their solutions. Access to quality education is often difficult, especially for young people living in rural and remote communities. While great strides have been made in access to primary education, only 43 percent
of youth in Sub-Saharan Africa enroll in secondary education. Educational technology can be a digital bridge to those hardest to reach. For the vast majority of youth, secondary school is their springboard to employment or to entrepreneurship. In order to find work that provides a decent living, it is crucial that they are equipped with strong foundational, technical, and soft skills. In addition to accessibility, secondary education systems in Africa suffer from a lack of qualified teachers, due in part to conflict, difficult working conditions, poor remuneration, and lack of support. Professional development will improve the quality of teaching among existing teachers, and it may revitalize the profession by providing teachers an opportunity to grow.
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November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
INTERVIEW
Jared Getenga, CEO CIS KENYA
Emerging Data Sharing Models Impacts On Financial Service Innovation Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
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Words Everlyne Oloishorua
I
n a bid to understand the role of Credit Information Sharing about borrowers, their characteristics and their effects on credit markets activity and the economy at large, StartUp Magazine interviewed Jared Getenga, CEO of Credit Information Sharing (CIS Kenya) Kenya. The following are the excerpts. Kindly share a brief history about CIS Kenya? CIS Kenya started as a joint project between Kenya Bankers Association and Central Bank of Kenya in 2009 to catalyse the implementation of a robust credit information sharing mechanism in Kenya. It was later formally registered in 2013 as an independent organisation with membership across the credit market. Credit bureaus are also our members. The purpose of our establishment was to enable every individual acquire a credit report and a credit score that defines their status in terms of credit history and credit scores. These reports define who we are in terms of credit so that we can borrow more easily if we have a good credit score. What are your mandates? Our mandate is spelled out in our mission and vision: Our Vision: To be the institution that leads Africa in shaping and transforming the credit markets to achieve sustainable and inclusive growth. We have done this through conferences and study fellowships from across the continent. Our Mission: To facilitate generation and use of accurate credit information for the benefit of all participants in the
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credit market. We will explain about the mission in the answers to come. What areas of interest does CIS Kenya cover? We have championed legal reforms, educated the public, provided dispute resolution services, carried out research and as a result generated knowledge; all on credit information sharing. We continue to seek out new ways of improving the variety and quality of data available in the credit bureaus, of note is our involvement in the review of the Data Specification Template Version 4 which has introduced daily sharing of credit information. Give us an overview of the credit information sharing (CIS) landscape in Kenya? There are roughly 2500 credit providers consisting of: banks, microfinance banks, saccos, digital credit providers, leasing companies, state lenders, payas-you-go/hire purchase merchants etc. all sharing repayment information of their clients to the 3 licensed CRBs: Metropol CRB, TransUnion CRB and Creditinfo CRB. Other public sources of data include company’s registry, registrar of business entities, business and trade licensing authorities, land registries, tax authorities, county government entities, court registries in respect of information on judgments on debts, insolvency or bankruptcy proceedings or winding up orders, registrar of names, registrar of persons or other relevant public bodies. Alongside the CRB, there are other data aggregators such as PataScore and CredoLab who provide credit scores based on alternative data What are the impacts of CIS on financial innovation? Because of CIS, borrowers don’t have to provide collateral in order to get a loan.
“
Alongside the CRB, there are other data aggregators such as PataScore and CredoLab who provide credit scores based on alternative data
”
Your credit bureau profile score acts as a reputational collateral and as a result, loans have been disbursed via phone in seconds. CIS enabled this trust in lending because it proves to the lenders that their borrowers can repay. Have you faced challenges in the course of running your operations? Negative perceptions about credit bureaus – some people perceive them as blacklists that are intended to punish defaulters People who want to dispute their records find it difficult to challenge lenders who submit erroneous information, some end up going to court, which is expensive an tedious If so, how have you mitigated them? Through public awareness campaigns that demonstrate how majority of Kenyans have positive information in the credit bureau. Only a small percentage has negative history. We established a center for resolving public complaints, referred to as Tatua Center. The Center helps to address customer complaints whenever their credit reports are incorrect. What are the emerging trends in CIS? The rise of consumer protection and data security concerns is on the focus of the industry. We want to access to data but we want to reassure the data subject(the borrower) that we respect their confidentiality. This trend is not going November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
away soon. We are also seeing the rise of use of analytics to automate decisioning in lending which is great because scores are arrived at scientifically and with the help of artificial intelligence which speeds upturn around time and ensures accuracy. The emergence of alternative scores to complement credit bureau information is also being incrementally done. In Kenya, mobile network operators are servicing fintechs with this data to reinforce their risk pricing and thus determine the loan limit of the clients. Faster decision-making by lenders because they have adequate data to rely on. In addition, lenders are no longer insisting on taking physical securities for smaller loans More credit providers are joining the mechanism voluntarily, thus enriching the databases and making the scores more reliable.
Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
2500 The number of credit providers consisting of: banks, microfinance banks, saccos, digital credit providers, leasing companies, state lenders, pay-as-yougo/hire purchase merchants etc. all sharing repayment information of their clients to the 3 licensed CRBs
the credit market with the content here, hopefully, this will entrench the use of credit bureau scores in pricing of credit. We want to use that platform as the go to place for all knowledge on CIS . In it, we have modules on regulation touching on CIS, risk based pricing, collateral registry, customer centricity and much more We are preparing to undertake a public awareness campaign to clarify the benefits of credit information sharing to consumers of credit. The campaign will be launched towards the end of the year and will last for 12 months Other pertinent issue?
What are your plans in the foreseeable future? We have just launched the CIS learning Center to promote the knowledge of credit information sharing amongst credit providers. We plan to invigorate
We welcome you to contact Tatua center if you have any dispute with credit information, both lenders and borrowers are welcome. We provide this service for free to sanitize our data in an efficient and amicable manner.
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November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
COVER STORY
Frances Ahene-Affoh, SVP DREAMOVAL FOUNDATION
MEET THE GHANAIAN SOCIAL ENTERPRISE DRIVING DIGITAL LITERACY Getting Africa’s large and growing youth population ready for active roles in the global digital economy is no small task. But as one innovative social enterprise in Ghana has shown, when public and private sector partners collaborate to solve key societal problems, there is virtually no limit to what can be achieved. Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
“
Our continent is a wealth of innovation and youthful talent, but there is some work to be done to ensure our youth are equipped with access to the knowledge and tools they’ll need to chart their own course in the 21st century digital economy,” says Frances Ahene-Affoh, SVP at DreamOval Foun-
dation. “Recognising the role of public and private sector collaboration and the potential for greater impact when everyone works together to solve key societal challenges, we established the DreamOval Foundation in 2013 to support the spread of digital literacy in Ghana.” Equipping Africa’s large and rapidly growing youth population with the dig-
19 ital literacy and coding skills they need to succeed in the digital economy is no small task. With more than 60% of its population aged 25 and under and the fastest-growing youth population in the world, Africa is expected to add 15 to 20 million youth to its workforce every year for the next three decades. Focused on driving digital literacy in Ghana, the DreamOval Foundation is a social enterprise that manages all the corporate social responsibility initiatives of DreamOval Limited, one of Ghana’s largest and most successful fintech companies. Set up in 2013, the DreamOval Foundation aims to bridge the knowledge gap in Ghana through the creation, sharing and utilization of knowledge within the education and technology sectors. Supporting greater digital literacy among youth, teachers The Ghanaian government has introduced a range of interventions aimed at rapidly improving the country’s quality of education in an effort to prepare its youth population for work in the global digital economy. An estimated 57% of Ghana’s population is aged 25 and under. In 2017, the government introduced free secondary education which has already increased enrolment in secondary education from 57% in 2012 to 65% in 2017.
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“Many schools, especially in rural areas, lack access to PCs and the basic materials needed to learn coding. Recognising an opportunity to play an important supporting role in driving digital literacy in Ghana, we introduced the iTeach initiative with the support of the Ghana National Association of Teachers, working in close partnership with the government to provide teachers with free ICT training. Over the past few years, we have trained 850 teachers across the country, and are now looking to expand our efforts to neighbouring countries, including Togo, Liberia and the Gambia.” DreamOval Foundation is also a key partner to SAP’s Africa Code Week, continent-wide digital literacy and coding skills development initiative that has introduced more than 4.1 million young Africans to basic coding skills since its establishment in 2015. According to Ahene-Affoh, the Ghanaian government has adopted coding as a part of the official school curriculum since the first Africa Code Week was held in 2015. “Initiatives such as Africa Code Week draw in multiple collaborators from the public and private sectors to solve very specific problems – in this case youth access to coding and digital literacy skills. As a social enterprise, we believe this collaborative approach holds the greatest potential for long-term sustainable impact.” Closing gender gap in ICT access
But, says Ahene-Affoh, addressing youth education access is only one part of the challenge. “One of the biggest challenges we face as a country is equipping our teachers with the skills and tools they need to inspire our youth to pursue careers in technology-related fields,” explains Ahene-Affoh. “Often, teachers will not have been exposed to even basic technology – not to mention coding and robotics, which we see as key to the success of our country’s youth – and classrooms have little to no technology.”
One of DreamOval Foundation’s flagship programs is the Females in Tech Initiative (FemITI), a project that aims to train young girls to use coding and robotics to solve problems and build technology solutions to some of the prevalent social challenges in Ghana and across the continent. FemITI was introduced to address the challenge of declining female enrolment in secondary and tertiary education and to encourage more girls to pursue STEM-related subjects
He adds that it’s nearly impossible to instil a sense of excitement at the possibilities of technology when access to technology is limited or non-existent.
“Three-quarters of young girls in Ghana attend primary school, but there is a significant drop in enrolment in secondary and university education,” ex-
plains Ahene-Affoh. “We introduced FemITI with the aim of training 50 000 girls across the country over the next few years, in line with our commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 5 (Gender Equality).” FemITI often works in rural and deprived areas in Ghana where access to even basic technology can be challenging. “We’re running a big project in the Volta region that aims to train 2500 girls for two weeks, giving them exposure to new ideas, new approaches to problem-solving, and access to basic digital literacy. However, the topography of the region makes access difficult, so we are partnering with the Nneka Youth Foundation which has a youth training centre in the region which we’ll use as the venue for our training. These types of partnerships or opportunities to collaborate are essential to our work. Without them, we simply would not be able to deliver on our mandate.” Asked about future plans for DreamOval Foundation, Ahene-Affoh says they are currently exploring greater scope for collaboration with partners from the public and private sectors. “Knowledge-sharing is core to our purpose and mission, and core to what we believe is necessary for us to solve some of the more pressing challenges in our country and across our continent. Often, our most successful collaborations do not revolve around donations or financial support: instead, it is when people volunteer their time, knowledge and expertise in the service of addressing key challenges that we see the greatest positive impact.” Ahene-Affoh is heading to the Social Enterprise World Forum, taking place in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia from 23 to 25 October. “We’re looking forward to speaking to other social enterprises to learn how they work, what impact they have on their communities and how to better collaborate to solve problems in Ghana and across the continent.”
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FINANCE
Meeting Women’s Needs via Targeted Financial Products DOREEN AHIMBISIWE
The Author is a Manager Banking, and Financial Services MSC (MicroSave Consulting).
A
ccording to the Finscope Survey 2016, the overall gender gap in financial inclusion in Rwanda is relatively small. In terms of the total rate of financial inclusion, women show a difference of 4% percentage points. Eighty-six percent of women are financially included compared to 90% of men. However, women still lack access to formal financial products, especially in rural areas. Based on this finding, Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) felt the need to ensure that more women are financially included. They concluded that the process of inclusion had to begin with the design of appropriate products and services that meet the needs of women. AFR commissioned MSC to support three selected financial institutions— Bank of Kigali, Umwalimu SACCO, and Copedu through product development processes. The focus of the assignment was the design of women-centric financial products. Additionally, MSC also trained five local consultants in Rwanda to equip them with skills in market research and product development. As
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a result, the institutions designed three new gender-centric products, two credit products, and one savings product. We share some key insights on the product and behavioral preferences of the women customers whom we developed these products in the following section. 1.Loan repayment Women have financial needs and have the capacity to save and repay their loans. The large numbers of women who signed up for the product demonstrated this. Over six months, women accessed a credit portfolio of RWF 1 billion in one institution. Another institution registered a repayment rate of 100%. We cannot ignore this performance. It confirms that women are a viable segment that FIs can focus on. 2.Individual lending as opposed to group lending Most women prefer to access loans as individuals and not through the group
21 lending approach. They prefer to take responsibility for their own debt and not for others. In one of the FIs, the product had been designed to allow women access in groups of five or individually, but all of them opted to access the loans as individuals. The women reasoned that they wished to access the loans individually. They explained that they found it difficult to make comparatively less responsible groupmates repay the loan committedly. The women did not want to take on the burden of having to repay the loans for members who defaulted. 3. Reasons for the decline of loans The key reasons for loans declined by the bank were poor banking history and negative listing by the Credit Reference Bureau (CRB). Many of the women, especially in the rural areas do not save formally with FIs and thus had no banking history records. They, however, saved informally in their savings groups, SACCOs, via mobile money at their homes, or even jointly with their spouses, among other methods. The financial institutions that considered banking history as a major determinant to accessing the loan, therefore, had to be flexible. The negative listing by CRB resulted from the fact that the women had guaranteed their colleagues while borrowing as a group, and eventually the colleagues had defaulted. As guarantors, therefore, they too were blacklisted. This could explain the reservation against borrowing through the group lending approach. 4. Spousal consent Women prefer to access these loans without the consent of their spouses. Most financial institutions require women customers to get consent from their
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spouse before accessing the loan—regardless of the loan amount. The women, however, explained that they were happy if they had the opportunity to access money without their spouse’s consent. The women explained that in most cases when they involved them, their spouses were more likely to divert the loan funds accessed to cater to things other than the loan purpose. On the other hand, the staff of the financial institutions said they were uncomfortable lending money to women whose spouses had not consented. To them, in the case of default, recovery would be challenging because the spouse would not be supportive as he had nothing to do with the loan. 5. Joint business ownership or collateral Women find accessing credit independently to be a challenge. In general, most of the women either lack collateral registered in their names or jointly own it with their husbands. They, therefore, opted for unsecured loans. This means that they often qualify for smaller sums of money, as larger loan amounts often need to be secured. A significant number of women run their businesses together with their spouses. In most cases, the businesses are registered in their husband’s names, therefore, their husbands had to be involved in the loan process as guarantors. Savings ability We had originally assumed that teachers would not be able to save much since their salaries are quite small. Yet like any other people, teachers have many responsibilities. One of the institutions designed a savings product that targeted female teachers. Eventually, their male counterparts also signed up for the product. It was
therefore interesting to see that the teachers were able to save more than triple the projected savings amount during the pilot period. We discovered that these women have other sources of income and are actually willing to save even more, so long as they can access their money as and when they need it and can earn some interest on it. Besides pursuing a systematic product development process, we made a number of recommendations. The first key recommendation was to encourage women to save formally so that they can increase their chances of accessing loans. This would, in turn, ensure that those customers who are able to save can access their money as and when they wish through alternate banking channels. The second key recommendation was to digitize the loan application process to improve turnaround time. Doing this will not only promote uptake and usage of the product but also lead to the retention of existing customers. The financial institutions have expressed optimism in rolling out these products. It is therefore important that they keep track of product performance and continue to refine the products to make them even better. Overall, no less than 200 new customers signed up for the various products designed with the teams from the three financial institutions. This proves that the products do have great potential. In the near future, we would be keen to conduct further studies to understand the repayment behavior of these clients, especially for the uncollateralized loan facilities since the pilot test time was only six months. Some of the loans disbursed had loan periods of up to 24 months, so we would be interested to monitor if the performance still holds 24 months later. November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
INNOVATION
Can Africa Overcome These Three Threats to Its Security and Stability?
O
PEDRO GUERREIRO
Guerreiro is the Managing Director: Central Africa at SAP Africa
ur continent is hurtling towards an uncertain future that is being shaped by the forces of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It’s too early to tell how exactly the confluence of rapid change and exponential technological advances will play out. But this much is clear: change will be constant and widespread. The uncertainty this creates has the potential to lead to insecurity. For our fast-growing and rapidly developing continent, this insecurity could have far-reaching implications. Africa is expected to contribute 54% of global population growth by 2050; by 2100, this figure could have increased to 82%, or 3.2 billion of the overall increase of 3.8 billion people. That many developed countries are seeing a decline in their populations – both current and projected – only highlights the unique nature of the challenge facing our continent. This level of growth will also put immense pressure on the continent’s natural resources. Africa is a resource-rich continent, but a prevailing lack of infrastructure means the utilisation of our natural resources is not always optimal. Water management, food security, nutrition and infrastructure development will need revolutionary approaches if stability and security are to be maintained. In fact, security – in its various forms, from physical security to water and food security to cybersecurity – is likely to be one of the defining challenges in 21st cen-
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tury Africa. I see three types of security that will be most instrumental in our collective ability to make Africa’s growth story one of prosperity and inclusive development, namely: food security, water security, and cybersecurity. Finding food in fertile lands Despite the immense progress made in combating hunger at a global level, recent evidence suggests that there has been a reversal. The United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) found that the number of undernourished people worldwide increased from 804-million to 821-million last year. Of the nearly one billion people in sub-Saharan Africa, 230-million were undernourished in 2018 – an increase of 25 million since 2014. A third of all people in the region face severe food insecurity, lack the resources to grow or buy sustenance, and regularly go a day or more without eating. This is a dire situation if you consider that 60% of all uncultivated arable land is found in Africa, and that the agriculture sector accounts for 60% of all jobs on the continent. At play is a combination of climate instability – especially unreliable rain patterns and volatile temperatures – and a lack of technology and other resources that
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could increase crop productivity. Africa relies on some 250 million smallholder farmers for the production of 80% of the food consumed on the continent. These farmers mostly lack access to information, best agricultural practices, farming inputs such as fertilisers and seeds, automation, and market opportunities. By some estimates, we will need to double food production in the next 32 years to keep up with growing demand from a ballooning population. Some projects aimed at empowering smallholder farmers with better tools, techniques and opportunities to sell produce at competitive rates are bearing fruit. A number of public-private producer partnerships using the SAP Rural Sourcing Management solution are showing promising results. In Nigeria, 850 000 small maize producers have been integrated into agricultural value chains to improve crop production and empower smallholder farmers with better market access and more competitive prices for produce. However, governments and policy makers need to acknowledge that market access and technology are only parts of the solution. There is great urgency in developing effective responses to the impact of wide-spread climate change. Water scarcity as the new normal One of the most alarming effects of climate change is the pressure it is putting on global freshwater supplies. In Africa, Cape Town was on the brink of becoming the first major city to run out of water as Day Zero approached. Recent rainfall has brought much-needed relief, but it is unlikely that rainfall patterns will return to their former, predictable levels. Water is also essential to food production. A legacy of underdeveloped water infrastructure means as much as 80% of all farmers and herders in Africa rely primarily on rainfall for their water needs. Even small changes in rainfall patterns
can have a devastating effect on local farmers and put immense pressure on food security. The Global Water Partnership estimates that there is a need for $50-billion worth of investment in water infrastructure annually over the next decade if we are to safeguard the water supply for the continent’s rapidly growing population. In fact, the WWF predicts that two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages as soon as 2025. Technology can play an important role in the effective management of scarce water resources. Cape Town has managed to reduce water consumption by 30% over the past 15 years despite the population growing by 30%. Using technology, the City of Cape Town can install, inspect, maintain and repair water and sanitation assets while having a real-time view over the health of critical water assets to improve water management. But as more public and private sector assets become connected or digitised, the risks we face from cybercriminals increase dramatically. The existential cyber threat While not as attractive a target as some of the wealthier nations, Africa is not immune to the pressures of an increasing volume of sophisticated cyberattacks on its people, its businesses and its critical infrastructure. The World Economic Forum even placed cybercrime as a topthree global threat this year. The work of digitising industries and services over the past decade or so has helped the continent boost production and stimulate innovation. But it’s also brought new risks. The lines of modern warfare are blurring, and the battlefield has shifted out of the physical realm into a digital one. The digitisation of critical assets has increased the risk of cyberattacks. Today, many countries face ongoing hostile attacks on their power supplies, industries and services from sophisticated state-sponsored actors.
While our continent lacks the broadband connectivity and internet penetration of its more developed peers, our rapid adoption of mobile phones has exposed us to immense risk. Recent data found that mobile malware attacks in Africa doubled in volume in 2018, targeting the 456 million mobile subscribers across the continent. Consider our fondness for mobile money services: the GSMA estimated there were 122 million active mobile money accounts in Africa at the end of 2017, accounting for nearly half of all global mobile money subscribers. Targeting mobile phone users who lack in-depth knowledge of common cyberattack methods may prove devastating to those who can least afford it. Here, digital literacy can play an important role. Having an informed, digitally-literate citizenry eases the pressure on government to protect them against every emerging cyber threat and ultimately leads to more resilient online communities. The threats to security we currently face in Africa demand a strong, effective response at a policy and implementation level. The public and private sectors have important roles to play: the public sector in prioritising the correct measures and enabling policies; and the private sector in providing innovative solutions to some of our greatest risks. There’s no reason why we can’t rise to the challenge. And in the spirit of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, the role of partnerships (Goal #17) may be instrumental in how the continent responds to – and overcomes – these threats.
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24
REAL ESTATE
How Tech is Benefiting the
SEAN BEROWSKY
Sean is the head of Broll Broking South Africa
o
ffice space is the underperformer of the three major commercial segments, and also has significant technological challenges as companies are becoming more flexible in terms of whether staff work from home or the office. In many cases, this is lowering the need for office space. The South African commercial market cannot be approached with a ‘cookie cutter’ model / pricing and offerings need to be tailored to suit its unique market. Price point is a key driver in the
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commercial sector. Broll Property Intel’s latest report released this year, titled ‘The Evolution of Retail’, looks at how the retail property sector is evolving and highlights some of the changing retail, consumer and technology trends. It finds that South African consumers are anticipated to become more mindful of spending, focusing “more on needs and less on wants”, which filters through to the commercial sector. Competition within the South African
25
FRESH.INSPIRING.ANALYTICAL
Commercial Property Broking Sector
“
The benefits of a tenant dealing directly with landlords remain fairly limited, as in most cases a tenant doesn’t have access to data like market trends and likely landlord concessions.
”
to ensuring control of outgoing vacancy information to market both in terms of accuracy and quality – which ultimately means more deals for the landlords. The benefits of a tenant dealing directly with landlords remain fairly limited, as in most cases a tenant doesn’t have access to data like market trends and likely landlord concessions. They also lack experience in the industry and so have to rely on often conflicted advice to navigate through complex decisions towards a satisfactory financial outcome.
commercial market is rife. As such, new property offerings within commercial parks are vital in order to attract market share. The commercial market is changing and evolving at a rapid pace, with innovation being one of the key success factors to survival. The adoption of more sophisticated tech platforms by property brokers for their customers is also a good thing for landlords, as it significantly reduces the penand-paper, phone tag churn required to confirm financial information between all parties. Streamlining processes with tech improvements will go a long way
Technology enables property brokers to concentrate on increasing deal flows, interpreting the data, advising clients and providing a more intimate and consistent property needs-driven by pre-engagement with tenants. In this way, brokers are evolving towards providing ever more valuable consulting services in commercial property transactions – which ultimately benefits both tenants and landlords alike.
analysis capabilities – Knowledge-driven team-based approach to solving your property needs – National and Sub-Saharan Africa footprints. – Unmatched database of high quality office and industrial properties available to let. – Working relationships with major listed and unlisted property funds Industrial leasing Finding the right industrial property or space often involves a combination of complex technical considerations which include electricity supply, access to distribution hubs, airports and rail links, turning circles for large vehicles, load-bearing floors and roller shutter doors and high eaves amongst others. Investment broking Broll’s dedicated team of investment property professionals can assist with properties within and beyond South Africa through its global network partners. Office leasing Finding the right offices to let is not just about square metres and parking ratios. It’s more about the office space meeting the tenant’s ever evolving and total business needs.
At Broll, when it comes to commercial property broking, we have: – Access to a wide range of value-adding services – Comprehensive in-house research and
November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
26
LEADERSHIP
Trust - The Key to Leadership
NJERI MUCHUNU
To aspire to leadership is an honourable ambition. Should you then seek great things for yourself? Seek them not!
Njeri Muchunu is a Leadership Curator and Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. She has extensive experience in the legal profession spanning over 17 years. She has worked in private legal practice, as an executive in the Corporate sector as well as the Public sector.
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D
o those you lead TRUST you? How do you know if they do (or if they don’t)? Trust and leadership go hand in hand. However, trust doesn’t come with your title. It needs to be earned. Trust is the glue which binds the leader to his/her followers and provides the capacity for organizational and leadership success. I recall one leadership experience which included an exceedingly awkward Board meeting where the Director did his level best to be invisible. Once the Board meeting officially started, these otherwise friendly, loving, and intelligent team
members became an unloving, judgemental and disgruntled horde of dysfunction. The change was so immediate and complete that at first, I thought they were all kidding around. I quickly found out I was wrong; it was genuine and severe organizational dysfunction. The problems discussed by each member were assumed to be “someone else’s” stubbornness or inadequacies. No one offered to help solve issues outside their own narrow responsibility. They were very serious about minor issues but completely ignored the most important responsibilities (and opportunities). The only thing they all could agree on was
27 that ultimately, it was the fault of the Leadership. I felt sorry for the Director; he kept his head down throughout the meetings and seemed completely absorbed in whatever he was writing. This unfortunate Director was the victim of high-level distrust by almost everyone in leadership. A team without trust is NOT a team, it’s a nightmare! I pray that no one reading this would ever endure such high-level dysfunction! What is trust? What does it look like when an organization trusts its leader? The question “Can I trust you?” is always on our minds whenever we interact with other people (particularly when we meet them for the first time) though we usually aren’t consciously aware of asking it. When I trust my surgeon, I allow him to use his scalpel to open me up. When I trust my accountant, I allow him to access to what I buy, spend, invest and waste. When I trust my spouse, I keep no secrets. Trust is the ability to rely on someone, to have confidence in their character, their strengths, abilities, and intentions. Trust requires vulnerability; allowing people to see the “real you.” Unless you create an atmosphere of trust as you lead your organization, business, school, home, Church, effective leadership is not possible. Trust is the foundation of all the characteristics of a Leader. Without it our efforts to cast a vision, or to live a life of character and virtue, or to serve others sacrificially will fail. The leader must have an unshakeable confidence and trust God every step of the way. The greatest leaders do not, at the end of the day, trust themselves – they trust in a Higher power because they realize and understand that they too are fallible beings. When those they lead falter and doubt, the true leader models a deep and abiding faith and looks within for wisdom that is
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beyond all understanding. Such wisdom kindles a passion that then encourages others to persevere. This is leadership! Our families, our businesses, our country, our churches, our places of work, and our communities desperately need genuine leadership. Below are six keys to developing trust based on one of the best leaders that every lived - Nehemiah. If you have a moment, turn to Nehemiah and familiarize yourself with his story before continuing. Seek God Many of us are Type-A leaders who like to charge ahead and make things happen. Yet, we must resist the temptation to rush ahead of God’s plans. Start by processing your honest emotions with God, seeking His will, and submit your plans to him. Spend time alone and as a team praying for God’s vision and wisdom as you plot your course. The team’s confidence in the vision and strategy is closely connected to our dependence and submission to Jesus. Know Yourself Another aspect of seeking God’s direction is to know yourself. You must be clear on your highest values, the non-negotiables, as well as the lower priorities you can be flexible about. You need to have an accurate view of your strengths and vulnerabilities. You need to know what pushes your buttons so when situations arise, you can be calm, decisive, and proactive rather than reactive. Then, those under our leadership can anticipate a consistent and supportive response.
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ICT The Importance of an Effective Data Management Plan
PG. 32
MOTOR REVIEW The Land Rover Discovery Review
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TRAVEL & LEISURE Communing With Art, Nature and History at Uhuru Gardens
Face Reality As leaders, it is vitally important that we deal with what is actually happening and not what we wish were happening. We can become adept at using creative November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
metrics to hide lacklustre performance, glossing over programs that aren’t working, and avoiding difficult conversations. The first step toward becoming a trustworthy leader is to have and share an objective view of the facts and define reality for the team. We must resist tangling up the facts with our ego, misplacing blame, or over-spiritualizing poor performance. When we face reality and say what everyone knows but does not want to publicly acknowledge, we demonstrate a commitment to truth and instil confidence in our leadership. Serve As Leaders, we are called to be serve— those who tend to the needs of others above our own. A servant leader leads by example, humbly rolling up their sleeves and doing whatever needs to be done to accomplish the goal. A servant leader might have positional authority over others on their team, but does not lord it over the team. They are quick to admit mistakes, do the grunt work, take the blame from the outside, and shine the spotlight on others. A leader who consistently serves others builds trust and develops a team that is not only effective, but also joyful. Pay Attention Make eye contact, and hold it—both when you are speaking and listening. Nod from time to time to show you are understanding what is being said to you (and if you don’t understand, ask). Smile, especially when they do. And above all else, really focus and internalize what is being said to you—everyone needs to feel that they have been heard, even when you can’t give them what they are asking for. Trust Others First Human beings have a deeply-rooted tendency toward reciprocity. We are Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
naturally inclined to want to do favours, give gifts, and work to promote those who have done these things for us in the past. And the same holds true when it comes to trust—we are more likely to feel we can trust someone who has trusted us first. So, assign tasks and projects that reflect this trust. Socially, share personal (but appropriate!) stories, talk about your struggles and challenges, let them see your fallible, human side. Allowing yourself to be a bit vulnerable is a great way to project warmth. In closing, let me share a story which maybe a number of you have heard before:
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A servant leader leads by example, humbly rolling up their sleeves and doing whatever needs to be done to accomplish the goal.
”
A little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, “Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don’t fall into the river.” The little girl said: “No, Dad. You hold my hand.” “What’s the difference?” asked the puzzled father. “There’s a big difference,” replied the little girl. “If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go”. In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond. So, hold the hand of the person whom you put faith and trust in rather than expecting them to hold yours. How about you? Can you relate? How have great leaders earned your trust? Speak to us, we would love to hear your story.
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Website: www.fapcl.com November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
30
The Importance of an Effective Data Management Plan
ICT
ALASDAIR PARSONSON
With an overload of data now available, who really knows how to manage it?
Alasdair is a Technical Expert at Data Intelligence for Hitachi Vantara
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D
ata management is more important than ever as it demonstrates the value of analytics in allowing a company to make more informed decisions in real-time, ultimately benefitting its bottom line. But as data management evolves, companies need to implement an effective data management plan or risk redundancy. To sum it up, data management can be used as a tool for innovation development and identifying patterns in information that humans are likely not to see. In a few years, data management will become even more automated with a move to machine learning and artifi-
cial intelligence (AI) operations that will provide mission-critical data insights. The future of data management will facilitate prescriptive business intelligence (BI) with additional real-time analytics, giving companies the ability to become even more agile. Many organisations are already developing future-ready products. Looking at the automobile industry, some companies are creating a sustainable transport ecosystem by connecting electric, autonomous vehicles and gathering real-time data that informs teams of faultiness or any issues that arise.
31 However, the reality is most businesses only scrape the surface of the data available to them. Breakthroughs will come from companies that master the full potential of data to unleash the opportunities the digital economy provides. This begins and ends with an effective data management plan which brings several benefits to the table. Powerful metadata According to a Forbes, 95% of businesses need to manage unstructured data, with over 40% of companies mentioning they have to do so on a regular basis. Any effective data management plan needs to take into account unstructured data. One of the best ways to do this is to make use of powerful metadata to turn unstructured data into objects that can be easily managed and governed. As a result, companies are provided with data mobility and improved data governance. Automated metadata enrichment Data is often lost to a business because they are unable to obtain insights in a simple and timeless manner. Therefore, automated enrichment is vital as it shines a light on dark data, enriching it with valuable metadata to help simplify data management, while adding value to data that at first glance held none. As a result, companies are provided with data mobility as well as improved data governance and compliance. Compliance Legislation and regulations are changing the way businesses handle, manage and store customer data, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Protection of Personal Information (PoPI) Act. Simplifying compliance while helping
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companies stay on the right side of the law, data management also ensures organisations meet policy regulation on public interest as consumers are becoming increasingly concerned with their personal data, worried about who has access to it and where it is being stored. Companies need to manage data, maintain its quality, while enabling regulatory compliance through data governance. Data governance Data governance sets the blueprint when it comes to managing data assets which includes several layers such as the operational framework, architecture and processes. According to a study by Forbes Insights, strong data governance also enables BI. So, by having a sound data governance strategy in place companies will see improved returns from their BI investments. By implementing an effective data management plan compliance is simplified while intelligent data governance provides a single, simple platform that extends across the private and public cloud, reducing the costs and complexities of data governance. Reduce risk For any company, it is of the utmost importance to secure all data assets. Companies need to make data as secure and tamper proof as possible. An effective data management solution archives a business’s data so to protect it from hackers, natural disasters, software and hardware malfunctions, as well as loss of human error. Really, a sound data management plan reduces risk significantly.
agement software is essential and brings added value to a business. Key to understanding data is by pulling all disparate data sources into one centralised location, so businesses can view it, understand it and analyse it to make quick, informed decisions. Something Pentaho offers. For example, Nasdaq OMX which manages over 10 billion rows of financial information every day, with 15 million trades and one billion messages daily was looking for new ways to gain better insight into the equity market to provide better pricing models. And since reports were manual, the company had no way of evaluating daily activity. Leveraging Hitachi Vantara’s Pentaho solution provided Nasdaq OMX with predicative analytics by bringing in historical data while gaining the ability to scale and handle large volumes of data. Plus, with big data integration, the solution provided the company with valuable data-driven insights. Other solutions within the Hitachi Vantara ecosystem can plug into Pentaho. This includes the Hitachi Content Platform, a metadata enabled object storage solution, and Hitachi Content Intelligence which provides companies with the ability to make their valuable corporate data fully searchable, while categorising and informing the business on the status and location of their data. Hitachi Content Platform also provides organisations with the ability to view who within the business has access to specific data, allowing them to either grant or limit access accordingly.
Solution As the world is creating and consuming data at unprecedented rates, data manNovember 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
At the back
Motors
The Land Rover Discovery Review Words MHH International-A Prestige Car Importer
There is not much that can be said about the Land Rover discovery and its sibling Discovery Sport that hasn’t already been written. The latest models take this now almost legendary name to greater heights with a range of enhancements and technology upgrades. We use the term legendary because since its introduction in 1989 this big SUV has proved its credentials on and off road, where it is virtually unbeatable. Here’s the latest on this great family-sized car: Discovery It’s big alright; the flexible interior provides seven full-sized adult seats which are instantly configurable to accommodate any load. Best of all, the seats can now be adjusted from a smartphone using Land Rover’s world-first remote Intelligent Seat Fold technology. That will save some trapped fingers. The semi-autonomous safety technology in the Discovery provides the family peace of mind whilst the premium interior combines class-leading design with durable, high-quality materials and space for the whole family. Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
Land Rover’s full-sized SUV architecture delivers world-beating all-terrain capability making the Discovery unstoppable on all surfaces, all terrains and in all weathers. It is lighter too with aluminium construction which saves no less than 480kg, making the car more fuel efficient and reducing CO² emissions to a low of 171g/km, model dependent. Power comes from the all new super-clean Ingenium family of engines with the latest offering 238bhp via a four-cylinder diesel motor with a mighty 500Nm of torque. This sort of torque makes the Discovery the king of all the tow-cars with a best-in-class 3,500kg towing capacity and semi-autonomous Advanced Tow Assist which helps take the stress out of difficult reversing manoeuvres. The design may have been updated for the modern world yet still retains those key Discovery attributes with space for all. There’s room for up to 2,406 litres of luggage space with seven seats as standard in the UK specification and clever storage throughout for those family es-
sentials. Ingenious features that make life easier and include up to nine USB ports, four 12-volt charging points and an in-car WiFi hotspot for up to eight devices. That’s staying connected. However, let’s not forget the baby brother, the recent Discovery Sport. Starting at
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24 combinations. Under the skin, new electrified engines include a 48-volt mild hybrid to help reduce emissions and fuel consumption in for the 21st Century. The Discovery Sport remains every inch a Land Rover, combining the same assured all-terrain handling with all-weather capability. This car will wade through a depth of 600mm. All-Wheel Drive and a second-generation Active Driveline system (engine output dependent) couples with Terrain Response 2 which automatically detects the surface and adjusts the torque delivery to best suit the conditions. Advanced Tow Assist makes reversing with a trailer (up to 2,500kg) more intuitive and safer than ever.
very competitive mainstream prices this premium SUV still embraces the adventurous spirit that has defined the original Discovery family for the past thirty years. The Discovery Sport is a striking evolu-
tion of the original that does not compromise capability. Demonstrating versatility, the spacious, more comfortable and quieter 5+2 interior has been transformed with a completely new infotainment interface and all the latest connectivity. Additionally, there’s a more flexible seating arrangement with up to
As with the regular Discovery there is a reversing camera as standard on all models, alongside a suite of available advanced driver assistance systems. These include optional Adaptive Cruise Control with Steering Assist, which centres the vehicle in the lane based on road markings as well as maintaining a safe distance from the vehicle in front. Standard safety features include Lane Keep Assist, Autonomous Emergency Braking and Driver Condition Monitor. In either guise, this really is the car that does it all. November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
At the back
Travel & Leisure
Communing With Art, Nature and History at Uhuru Gardens by Oroni Tendera
“Take only memories, leave only footprints,� Chief Seattle. Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
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If you want to beat traffic jam in Nairobi, hit the road on Sunday. You will be embraced by empty roads and overcrowded churches. That has always been my wrong perception of the city in the sun. It is a sunny Sunday morning and traffic gridlock is real. Most major roads have been closed, thanks to the Stanchart marathon. We are crawling on traffic, hooting and hurling curses at impatient motorists. Instead of 30 minutes, it has taken us exactly 2 hours to drive from the CBD to Uhuru Gardens. Uhuru Gardens is the highway to Kenya’s history. It is the largest memorial park in Kenya where the first ‘Uhuru’ (independence) celebrations were held under the leadership of Kenya’s first president, the late Jomo Kenyatta. I am here to particularly commune with history, art and nature. I bid my Little driver farewell and jump-start my mission. “Hello, what is the entrance fee?” I ask the ticketing officer. “We only charge motorists a parking fee of Ksh 200,” he says giving little attention to me. I walk past him. A cool breeze blows my body, weeding out any feeling of fatigue. There is a sea of humanity in this vast park, seeking haven from the hustles and bustles of the city. Religious people praying silently love birds cuddling each other intimately and curious foreign tourists capturing everything and anything around them on camera. I flow with the mass towards a picturesque monument. The main features of the monument include: People raising the flag of Kenya, a dove, heart, clasped hand and a man standing alert. Literature cast on the foundation stone of the monument reveals that it was commissioned on 12th December 1986 by Kenya’s second president, H.E Daniel Arap Moi. The dove signifies peace, the heart stands for love and clasped hands symbolize unity. The human sculpture signifies the readiness to defend Kenya at all times.
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Literature cast on the foundation stone of the monument reveals that it was commissioned on 12th December 1986 by Kenya’s second president, H.E Daniel Arap Moi.
“ A shrill scream suddenly shakes me to the core. I turn back to catch a glimpse of a teenage girl running away. “What’s up?” I ask a startled senior citizen shaking her head. “This harmless warthog was sniffing at her shoes. Poor girl, she thought it would maul her to death. Anyway, maybe she is warming up for the Olympics games,” She responds. “That is the tragedy of watching one million horror movies and reading zero books,” I rub onto her face my reading campaign. “There are two types of readers: ordinary and critical readers. I have mad respect for the latter and indescribable contempt for the former,” she says smiling at me. She gets an Oppo Smartphone from her pouch and requests me to take a selfie with her in front of the historical monument. I honour her request. “I visit this place every Sunday to re-live the bitter-sweet Jomo and Moi regimes. You millennials will never understand our past pain and pleasure,” she says as she scrolls through the photos on her phone gallery.
admiration of Moi’s Nyayo philosophy. History books will never tell you about my elder brother’s displeasure in Moi’s leadership style. History books will serve you exaggerated facts without any pinch of human feeling. History must be humanized.” Silence ensues. A light aircraft zooms past us towards Wilson airport. “By the way, I am Philomena Chacha, a retired teacher of history. You are the people to rectify the grey areas in our history textbooks,” she says. “What do you mean? You must be kidding!” I exclaim She responds by clicking and granting me a contemptuous head to shoes look before walking away. Her unusual utterances and bizarre reaction render me speechless. I compose myself swiftly and walk towards a mugumo tree in front of me. On my way, I pass by an olive tree planted by president Uhuru Kenyatta on 11th October 2013 in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of Kenya’s independence. Coincidentally, the mugumo tree was planted in 1964 by president Uhuru Kenyatta’s father, H.E Mzee Jomo Kenyatta. The tree is of historical significance since it was planted on the spot where the colonial Union Jack (British flag) was lowered and Kenya’s national flag first hoisted. It is already noon. The bright sun has already been hidden by dark-grey clouds, threatening to release a heavy downpour. Rains are catalysts for chaos in Nairobi. I swagger back to the parking lot, scared of the impending traffic snarl but pleasantly amazed by the 1 -hour moment of enlightenment. Thank you Uhuru gardens for teaching me history through art and nature.
“I read history books,” I disapprove her. “History books will never tell you about my feelings towards the introduction of the multiparty system in Kenya. History books will never tell you about my dad’s November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
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Coffee Break
Book Review
Business Adventures Twelve Classic Tales from the World of Wall Street “Business Adventures remains the best business book I’ve ever read.” —Bill Gates, The Wall Street Journal Synopsis
Author: John Brooks
What do the $350 million Ford Motor Company disaster known as the Edsel, the fast and incredible rise of Xerox, and the unbelievable scandals at General Electric and Texas Gulf Sulphur have in common? Each is an example of how an iconic company was defined by a particular moment of fame or notoriety; these notable and fascinating accounts are as relevant today to understanding the intricacies of corporate life as they were when the events happened. Stories about Wall Street are infused with drama and adventure and reveal the machinations and volatile nature of the world of finance. Longtime New Yorker
Blog Review
Five additional stories on equally fascinating subjects round out this wonderful collection that will both entertain and inform readers . . . Business Adventures is truly financial journalism at its liveliest and best.
VentureBeat Reviewer: Adisa Hudson Link https://venturebeat.com/about/ About the Blog Founded in 2006, VentureBeat is the leading source for news and events that provide deep context to help developers, enthusiasts, and business leaders make
Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
contributor John Brooks’s insightful reportage is so full of personality and critical detail that whether he is looking at the astounding market crash of 1962, the collapse of a well-known brokerage firm, or the bold attempt by American bankers to save the British pound, one gets the sense that history repeats itself.
smart decisions. It explains the latest tech and gaming trends with an eye on what is transforming people’s lives. Priding itself on capturing the latest news in disruptive technology and written by a team of experienced journalists, VentureBeat is a great resource for all things tech. It’s particularly good for providing perspective on how the latest industry developments affect your life and business. It doesn’t focus on any particular industry, and is great for almost any entrepreneur or small business owner.
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Bosun Tijani (R), CcHUB CEO during the Launch of Augmented Reality Art Show to Honour Africa’s Tech Pioneers in Nairobi. Sanlam Kenya Group CEO Patrick Tumbo with newly appointed Sanlam General Insurance CEO Caroline Laichena
Dr. Ephrem T. Lemango, Commissioner, Jobs Creation Commission, Reeta Roy, Mastercard Foundation President and EABL Group Corporate Relations Director Eric Kiniti (Left), NEMA Kenya acting DiCEO, and Alemayehu Konde Koira, Country Head Ethio- rector General Mamo Boru Mamo and Lake Basin Development Authority Chairman pia, Mastercard Foundation celebrate the announcement of Odoyo Owidi (Right) at the Clean Water Conference in Kisumu Young Africa Works in Ethiopia.
November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
At the back
Song Review
Mamacita Tyga, YG, Santana
Tyga, YG, and Santana come together for the explosive “MAMACITA” music video. The video is overly busy, and features everything from intense lust to dramatic fights to a bar going up in flames.
Linda Hill
Tyga is re-awakening his magical rhymes and musical flow which had started to fade out a while ago if you ask me. The video starts and ends with the group entering and leaving on motorcycles through bright red arches. Everything in between is an absolute fantastic—starting out with Tyga singing in a phone booth and heading to a dingy bar. A fight ensues with people throwing broken beer bottles at each other’s heads. Santana’s appearance is the one excit-
Startupmagazine.co.ke November 2019
ing moment. About halfway through, he plays an intricate solo in an old, vacant room while Tyga and YG dance along. The latter two make the entire scene musical as they play air guitar and mimic Santana while he performs. It makes the clip even more exciting than it already is. The song is catchy yet repetitive and mixes with the video to create a fussy mood. It is worth a listen and definitely a watch.
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November 2019 Startupmagazine.co.ke
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