Comments on: The HFC Internet Cafe: Uganda, Africa?

By: Johnny

Johnny — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:02:07 +0000

Great ideas! I’ll look into tourist guide kickbacks. Satellite? Tough here. It’s expensive to setup, and has caps on usage. Pop the (low!) cap and you pay a premium per MB! Gick.

By: Bryce Alexander

Bryce Alexander — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 18:05:16 +0000

While location is OK, I have found in my travels that the tourist guides are the ones who define the best locations for the tourists.
Find out who the guides are, talk around with some of your trusted sources, and find out what kind of kickback the guides should get as a percentage of what their tourist group spends at your cafe. I know this is a very common practice in Israel.
You may also want to begin researching the cost of an Internet satellite link to get faster speed, you could become your own ISP for the area.

By: nickhacks

nickhacks — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:42:08 +0000

I think this is a great idea, but am I the only one who thinks $1100 base operating costs for an internet cafe in Uganda seems INCREDIBLY expensive?

I’ve been in a couple developing countries before and there’s always the ‘local’ rate and then the ‘Westerner’ rate. Usually the Westerner rate is a lot more (triple, or worse) because they think we (Westerners) have lots of money. I’m not saying that’s the case here, but it’s a valid question.

The other thing was in an earlier entry (Fred 2.0) you mentioned how for Fred to rent a place with power it would cost $7.50 a month. That’s uh, a big difference from $1100. Are you going to be able to generate enough revenue from this internet cafe to cover operating costs? What’s the going rate for an hour of internet in Jinja? Are the existing cafes filled?

Please don’t take this the wrong way, I’m just trying to be realistic and I really want this effort (HFC) to succeed, which is why I’m offering this input. Maybe it would be better to start smaller and then increase the size as the base builds and builds?

Either way, I think an internet cafe is generally a good idea and I wish you the best of luck.

By: Mike Wamanga

Mike Wamanga — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:21:35 +0000

Thanks for the good work done by you guys. I would like to help but how ! i have no job but i can help in terms solution.
Am a MCSE: Security. living in uganda also.
If need help let me know.

By: henry

henry — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 10:23:53 +0000

am on the ugandan ground and i have ever done a cafe stuff so let me come down and help you set up stuff plus am doing a lot of computer work so at some point i know i will help, thought not with money but i know i can help with others. God bless you and i will keep praying for you……….

By: bpx

bpx — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:56:37 +0000

Definetly go for it mate, not risk no reward and all that :)

By: David Scott Lewis

David Scott Lewis — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:54:11 +0000

Go for it, Johnny … take the next steps in faith.

BTW, we’d be interested in see how we can tie up with you, possibly in conjunction with the World Bank.

Problem: Try getting computers into villages, especially when so many villages don’t have power.

Solution: Hybrid solar/wind systems. And we make solar modules (panels), small wind turbines, and all-electric neighborhood and fleet electric vehicles — although I don’t see a role for our EVs in this scenario.

There’s still a problem with Internet connectivity, but load up laptops and desktops (donated, of course) with all sorts of courseware, and we’re at least taking a step in the right direction.

Godspeed,

- David (from WarGames)

David Scott Lewis,
Group Senior Vice President (Zytech Solar, Zytech Aerodyne &
Zytel),
President, Zytech Solar, Inc. (California & Colorado R&D centers)
& General Manager, Zytech America, Inc. (Texas manufacturing
plant)
+(011.86) 532.8870.5770 (direct line)
+(001) 650.539.5235 (Google Voice: transcribed v-mail)
Skype: zytechsolar :: Twitter: dsl
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/davidscottlewis

By: V3L0city

V3L0city — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 03:31:46 +0000

Here’s a thought to raise money http://www.goodsearch.com/AddCharity.aspx. Someone would need to add the charity.

By: Don T

Don T — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 19:24:43 +0000

Sounds like an awesome idea. It also sounds like a great project for the next HFC trip.

By: Ciaran moloney

Ciaran moloney — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:28:28 +0000

Sounds perfect to me,I would also like to volunteer myself to help you get everything up and running free of charge of course,I have allways loved anything to do with computers and I know a good bit about everything,let’s just say I know my way round a shell. I have money to get over to you and I should have some money left over to help out with everything.I got saved a year ago and I feel god wants me to give back something,it’s a long story feel free to email me if you want to know more.I know you are looking for money not volunteers but I had to put it out there hope everything works out and I will be praying for you and your extened family.God bless

By: john

john — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:41:22 +0000

I forgot, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Talk is cheap.

By: john

john — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 14:40:59 +0000

@adam: if i had a million dollars, I would donate half. If i had a chicken I would give you all the eggs. If bla bla bla, words mean nothing.

By: V3L0city

V3L0city — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 04:21:29 +0000

Definitely Do it.

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 02:15:25 +0000

I think it’s a great idea – I can’t do a large donation up front but would be willing to commit to a monthly gift – I can’t seem to find the proper donation area however. Can another reader point me to the right place?

By: Scott Christiansen

Scott Christiansen — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:31:12 +0000

Have you looked into Kiva (www.kiva.org). This won’t fit your immediate need but it certainly may help sustain funds in the future. Your story, mission and goal are all very compelling. This seems like something a daytime talk show would pick right up (i.e. tell Oprah) and at least provide an initial influx of cash.

I have also nominated you for a 2010 CNN Hero award, and I encourage all readers to do the same (although Johnny you will need to publish an email address to contact you at – it is a requirement by CNN – I used an old one I had from an email conversation we had a while back). The CNN Hero site is (www.cnn.com/heroes)

Scott C

By: Matty

Matty — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:02:50 +0000

Do it!

By: JJ

JJ — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:58:27 +0000

Do it.

If you need help, you know where to find us ;)

-jj

By: Adam

Adam — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 19:02:49 +0000

Yes, absolutely.

If I could, I would volunteer my time and a very long plane trip to help set up, and to help run things until full-time employees could be found. (I can usually wire an RJ-45 connection correctly on my second try. ;) ) All that I’d ask in return would be food, shelter, and a cot, since I’d be setting down with only clothes in my duffel bag and a laptop. (Although, once it becomes profitable and self-sufficient, a plane ticket back to the states would be nice.)

My problem is that I can’t afford a plane ticket, nor can I afford to have lengthy periods of time when I’m unemployed… HFC’s money would be better spent paying fair wages to Ugandans, rather than flying Americans out and paying American wages… especially if the money is going to start coming from the Ugandan economy. The leap of faith is tempting, calling up primal exploration instincts, but I’ve got to pay rent on my house.