Africa Connected: Success Stories Powered By The Web

Hey there! I hope your past week and weekend were good. However, I can’t possibly use that adjective to describe mine as that would be the understatement of the century!! This past week was the illest, it was happening, it was on point and it was out of this world…extra-terrestrial!! LOL, okay you get the point!

I had told you about the Africa Connected Web Summit and Africa Connected Youth Forum that were to take place last Tuesday and Wednesday but if you didn’t catch that post you can check it out here. Well, they did happen and there was no way I was not turning up. I promised to share with you what went down and I’m going to do just that. I can’t possible put everything into words so I will leave a lot of it to the photos. But they say a picture is worth a thousand words anyway so.…  Anyway, stick around, won’t you?

The main agenda for the web summit was to crown the 5 winners { +Sitawa Wafula – Kenya, +Eseoghene Odiete – Nigeria, +Eric Obuh – Nigeria, +Christopher Panford – Ghana and +Eunice Namirembe - Uganda} of the Africa Connected challenge and that was done in a very orderly fashion. They totally deserved it.

Their stories were just amazing and inspiring. They got a whopping 25,000 dollars! But the other remaining 5 finalists also got a 10,000 dollar reward. Nobody walked out empty handed. They were all winners to be there in the first place!

 

 

The entertainment was not lacking. For starters the MC, Peter Okwoche who is a host for BBC Focus on Africa, was entertaining. I got chance to have a little chat with him later on in the day so I’m definitely expecting a shout out during the news briefs or something! Hehe.

Not to be a name dropper…but I also got a chance to hang out with +Stella Mwangi – STL (Kenyan song bird), Scott the violinist and the Tofu Tofu dancers (Mozambique).

 

For those who don’t know who the Tofu Tofu dancers are, they are the ones in Beyoncé’s Who Run The World (Girls) video. Their story is just inspiring!! You must check it out.

We also networked and had fun with CEOs, MDs, GMs, Reporters, Bloggers, Googlers and Nooglers as well. It was awesome to see and hang out with +Jeminatu Alabi-Isama and she was looking lovely as usual. We should do this more often :) This list can go on for days…but do I say!

From left to right
 +Geoffrey Mosongo, me, +njihia jeremy, +Jacquey Njue, +Jeminatu Alabi-Isama,
+FAITH MUCHANGI, +Chintan Gohel, +Stephen Mudibo and +James Odede  

The fashion sense at the event was on point. The theme was African and everyone was in their own way sticking to the memo. I was also not left behind, hehe!

 

Even the décor was perfectly executed by +WaridiEvents and they never stop amazing me with the stunts they can pull. That’s a very talented lot. They know how to throw a classy party!

The venue was spectacular. You can’t go wrong with +Villa Rosa Kempinski, Nairobi. They have set the bar so high for hotels in Nairobi. It was my first time there but God willing, it won’t be the last!

The food was more than delicious! My Instagram saw some action! And by the end of the day all sorts of drinks were available to the guests. I’m not much of a drinker but one glass of red wine never hurt anyone, yes?

Quote of the evening: 

If you are not on Google, I do not do business with you. Because it means you cannot be found!

– Eric Obuh.

Probably if Caro was on Google, +Wizkid Ayo wouldn’t have such a problem finding her…Just saying! LOL

By the end of the day we also got some pretty neat Africa Connected swag. Inside the bags were some cool headphones which I have already tried out and the quality is just amazing. There were also numerous stickers, a t-shirt, a pen (which was missing in my bag but it’s all good) a 4-port USB connector device thingy which glows in the different Google colors and a cap. They all came inside an either a white Google bag or a black kikoi bag.

The Youth Forum started very early on Wednesday. I was pretty woozy because I barely had sleep due to all the activities of the previous night. But I was determined to make the best out of it.

I was there on time to help out with the preparations. Taifa Hall in the University of Nairobi was the Venue. And though it is an ordinary school lecture hall, it did manage to look Googley.

Thanks to +WaridiEvents, the GSAs +James Odede, +Geoffrey Mosongo and +Stephen Mudibo and the help of many others as well.

I was working the registration desk along with +Michelle Ngure and +njihia jeremy. There were a lot of attendees…more than 500. Props to everyone who attended!

+njihia jeremy, myself and +Michelle Ngure 

The Africa Connected finalists got to share their stories and how they used the internet to make their stories successful. The audience also got a chance for a QnA session with them.

It was a great learning experience for those who I got to interact with after the event. And such great feedback after a tiring and complex event preparation is what makes the stress and work worth it.

I haven't been able to get much sleep this week because after the event I had a continuous assessment test and about two assignments due. However, if I got another chance at such an experience…I would do it over again! Twice!! LOL, turn down for what?? Plus, doing cool things that matter is very refreshing!

I hope you enjoyed the post as much as I loved writing it. Forgive the post for being a little bit too picture heavy, but in my defense...They were all too good, I just couldn't choose!

Do have a lovely Monday!

#happydays