SA’s Maholla, Ikeja collaborate to enhance internet access. One other story and a trivia

This line-up of stories will help you discover the latest happenings around the tech world today.

1. SA’s Maholla, Ikeja collaborate to enhance internet access

Maholla, a consumer rewards app in South Africa, has joined forces with Ikeja, an internet service provider (ISP), to ensure that young people in townships have fair access to affordable and high-quality internet services.

Having secured $1.5 million in funding earlier this year, Maholla is an app that rewards users for scanning receipts from any store.

In its effort to bridge the digital divide prevalent in townships across South Africa, Maholla will introduce Ikeja vouchers as part of its rewards system.

The aim, according to the partners, is to make the Ikeja voucher the most appealing reward option available on the Maholla app, with the hope of encouraging widespread adoption among South African youths.

Based in Philippi township of Cape Town, Ikeja is a trailblazer in developing customized wireless infrastructure, driven by its commitment to enhancing internet connectivity in underserved communities throughout South Africa.

Ikeja’s hotspot service has already gained popularity among young users who benefit from 15 minutes of complimentary unlimited data each day.

Matthew Symonds, the Chief Operating Officer of Ikeja, expressed the company’s dedication to providing affordable internet access to youth in townships.

He said: “Together with Maholla, we aim to increase access to employment opportunities, educational resources, and skills development courses for young people living in communities where digital resources are limited.

“It’s a simple and effective approach – scan your receipts and start claiming your ikeja internet voucher right away.”

TECH TRIVIA: What is an example of hypermedia?

A. An image on a webpage that links to another page

B. Text-to-speech that reads selected text out loud

C. An interactive 3D model

D. Virtual reality

Answer: see end of post

2. Standard Chartered selects 15 Kenyan startups for $175k women in tech program

Standard Chartered Kenya in collaboration with @iBizAfrica – Strathmore University, has chosen 15 startups led by women to participate in a 12-week business incubation training as part of the Women in Tech Program.

The training will culminate in seven businesses receiving $10,000 each in funding.

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The Women in Tech Program aims to support female-led entrepreneurial teams through business management training, mentoring, and seed funding.

The top 15 teams for this year were selected from over 250 startups representing various sectors.

The program has expanded compared to previous cohorts where 10 businesses were incubated, and five startups received funding.

The selected companies include Ecorich Solutions, Imani Health Wallet, Sol Active, Saidiwa Rides, Ento Farm, AgriTech Analytics, Techtenum Minds, MyAfya Africa, Rhea Soil Health Management, Know Learning, Sign With Us, Acre-insights, Instruct Africa, Panacare, and Tynka Global.

Standard Chartered’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand, and Marketing in East Africa, Joyce Kibe, said the continued funding of the program was a response to research indicating that female-led startups in Africa received less funding in 2022 compared to their male-led counterparts in the region.

Female-led enterprises face greater challenges due to societal barriers and limited financing.

By focusing on capacity building and targeted funding for female-led enterprises, Standard Chartered aims to contribute to closing this gap.

Trivia Answer: Image weblink

Most Web navigation is done by clicking text-based links that open new pages in a Web browser. These links, which are often blue and underlined, are referred to as hypertext, since they allow the user to jump from page to page.

Hypermedia is an extension of hypertext that allows images, movies, and Flash animations to be linked to other content.

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