Bridging the digital gap in Nairobi's townships

Nairobi's Githurai 44 township is what many would consider a no-go zone especially for foreigners. That is why it is rare to find a bustling IT hub run by foreigners right in the heart of the informal community.

Ahadi Wireless, a Chinese company run by Tao Zhou, the director, is one such company. Established in 2018, Ahadi Wireless has beaten the odds and reversed the norms by successfully setting up shop in the digitally underserved community.

The company, which runs three hubs in the community named Konnect Hubs, is keen on delivering affordable internet services to informal communities by building an expanded Wi-Fi broadband network in the Githurai 44 community as they expand to the rest of the country and the East African region.

Zhou said his company aims to reach low and middle-income Kenyans, many of whom cannot afford the high cost of internet services in the country. This demographic forms an unexplored digital market that has the potential to grow and create new opportunities, he said.

"The people in this neighborhood we serve are faced with one challenge when it comes to internet access and that is affordability. Most of the residents in this area depend on costly data bundles from telephone service providers to access the internet. Our service on the other hand is a practical solution to this problem because it is not only affordable but also fast and reliable," Zhou said.

Working in conjunction with China Telecom, Ahadi wireless has connected more than 45,000 users in the densely-populated Githurai 44 estate that has more than 240,000 residents. Zhou said China Telecom, one of the world's largest providers of telecommunication services, has enabled his company to provide affordable and reliable internet to an overlooked market.

Level of flexibility

"What makes our service unique is the level of flexibility we offer our customers. We have packages that range from daily, weekly to monthly subscriptions and that offers our clients some room to pick a subscription that suits them," he said.

Over the years, the Konnect Hubs have grown from service providers to community centers and shared spaces where creative freelancers can grow their talents. The centers are part of the value-added services offered by Ahadi Wireless and are aimed at providing facilities and services that many youth lack in this community.

"We put up coworking spaces within the community so that the young people who have talent but lack the facilities to utilize their skills can realize their dreams" Zhou said.

Gail Xu, a volunteer teacher from China who works with the children in the Konnect Hubs, said the program has been instrumental in helping the children keep up with their school work.