Remote Kwale village is first beneficiary of Digital Communities initative 

Residents of the Busho area of Kwale County can now enjoy free internet following the launch of a digital community. Busho, located in Mackinnon Road Ward, Kinango Constituency, is one of the remotest villages in Kwale and has remained unserved for years.

The village, located approximately 100 km from Mombasa, is home to over 12,000 people, most of whom are small-scale farmers. It is also an area that has lagged for years over the high cases of human-wildlife conflict.

While launching the digital community funded and constructed by ATC Kenya – a subsidiary of American Tower, Kwale Governor Fatuma Achani noted that the centre would economically and socially transform the lives of the residents.

“We want to thank ATC Kenya for bringing this project here in Busho Kwale and assure them that as a county government, we will do our work to ensure it is used to positively impact the lives of the residents of Busho and the larger Kwale County,” said Achani. “We will ensure that we have proper utilization of this facility so that we can improve the lives of our people.”

ATC Kenya CEO Thomas Sonesson said the company would continue partnering with county governments to connect more communities.

“Our dream as ATC Kenya is to create an inclusive society where all members can learn, grow and advance. Through this Digital Community, we hope that the people of Busho and Kwale, in general, will be exposed to more opportunities.

“This Digital Community, although based here at Busho, is open to all members of the larger Kwale County. We want to convert it to a center of excellence where meaningful gains in promotion of a Digital Economy and various sub-sectors, such as health, education, security, financial inclusion, and connectivity, will be realized,” said Thomas.

American Tower Senior Vice President for Legal and Sustainability, Mneesha Nahata, said the Digital Communities program aims to tackle the challenges of poor connectivity, unreliable power supply, low intake of digital skills training and limited resources available in our communities.

“Our program is focused on building opportunities for education and career development and improving access to healthcare and financial support services,” said Nahata. “We all agree that digital skills are an equalizer, and there can be no true equality if such societal gaps are not addressed. By launching this Digital Community, we make a bold step towards achieving Kenya’s Vision 2030. We will work with county and national governments to create reliable connectivity to empower the citizens.”

Digital communities (DC) is a global Corporate Social Responsibility initiative of American Tower. A digital community allows people of all ages to access the internet through digital devices, educator-led instruction, and self-guided kiosks, to improve quality of life through connectivity.

ATC Kenya’s DC project was conceived to provide the community with a platform to improve the livelihood of the communities where ATC has a presence, and to help sustain and enhance their lives through education and technology. The initiative broadly aligns with the Kenya Kwanza government’s Digital Economy Master Plan.