@dsl: Sounds great. Email me. We could certainly use alternate power solutions, even in our “grid” schools. A loaded courseware machine should be no problem.

@nick: The price is fair. A place a quarter the size on Main Street is double the price or more. We’re two streets off main. The upstairs and the courtyard make this a unique place on ANY street. The cost of bandwidth is what it is. All the cafes pay the same rate. Existing cafes are full, and the “Westerner cafes” are dim, slow and ancient. I’ve got a really good feel for what’s needed. Small? No. That’s just the thing. We’re jumping into a niche that’s not realized. Small is safe, but relocating is a hassle. We’re putting a stake in the ground. Hour rate is 20/= per minute (about ten cents). Cost per hour for general use (no Internet) is 1000/=. At this rate, full Internet saturation in the cafe (8 hours/day, 7 days a week, 30 days a month for six stations) pulls in $864/month, or close to our operating costs. Double the stations, at that sustained rate, and Internet alone pulls in $1728, a tidy profit from only 12 stations. Add gaming and training upstairs, and we’re rocking. Add food, sodas, coffee.. you get the idea. So Internet use alone could sustain us. We keep it clean, fast, fun and accessible to the tourists, we build our reputation, this thing will carry. Add faith and… kapow! =D

@Ciaran: Awesome. Email me.

@Scott: Kiva? Yep. Know them. In fact, interestingly enough, we’re located right next to Pearl Microfinance. They are one of the groups running Kiva on the ground. The day I signed the lease, I went to the property and met the Pearl manager and three women that were getting their Kiva seed payments. The manager told me if I was doing a community center I should come to them and they could help with finance… Hrm… CNN? Funny. People have said that before. We’ll see. Use johnny (At) hackers for charity (dot) org. Thanks!

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.

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