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What is DeepSeek and why is it disrupting the AI sector?
by Victor Kapiyo 29 Jan '25

29 Jan '25

Chinese startup DeepSeek's launch of its latest AI models, which it says are on a par or better than industry-leading models in the United States at a fraction of the cost, is threatening to upset the technology world order. The company has attracted attention in global AI circles after writing in a paper last month that the training of DeepSeek-V3 required less than $6 million worth of computing power from Nvidia H800 chips. DeepSeek's AI Assistant, powered by DeepSeek-V3, has overtaken rival ChatGPT to become the top-rated free application available on Apple's App Store in the United States. Read more : https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/what-is-deepseek… This seems like a good opportunity for African countries to develop and implement low-cost AI solutions.

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Email
by Kelvin Kamau 28 Jan '25

28 Jan '25

my email: zipapakelvin909(a)gmail.com *Regards,* *Macharia Kelvin K.* *Mobile: 0720103404/ 0740366728* *Water Resources Authority - Rift Valley Basin Area* *R. ICT officer / DBO : // Cyber Security Analyst Eng.*

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New Starlink POP to Improve Latency and Capacity
by Victor Kapiyo 27 Jan '25

27 Jan '25

Dear Listers, Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, is significantly improving latency for users in Africa by routing them through a new "point of presence" (POP) in Nairobi, Kenya, reducing latency from 100-200ms to around 30ms. The POPs connect the Starlink satellite network to terrestrial internet infrastructure and are crucial for enhancing both capacity and latency; the closer a user is to a POP, the faster their connection speed. Currently, Starlink operates 37 POPs globally, with a concentration in North America but expanding rapidly into other regions like Africa and Europe to meet growing demand and improve service in underserved areas. Read more: https://www.pcmag.com/news/what-is-a-starlink-pop-how-ground-stations-impro… For users of starlink, have you noticed the changes? Victor

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Re: Validation Meeting for Report on Processing of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data on 23rd January 2025
by Angela Minayo 26 Jan '25

26 Jan '25

DearListers, ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa invites you to a validation meeting of a report on processing sexual orientation and gender identity data on the 23rd January 2025 from 9:00am to 11:00 am on Microsoft Teams. Please find attached the concept note for more information. To attend please register here <https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/da4e0447-7c10-40a2-bf18-a40af64232…> Best Regards, *Angela Minayo Kidiavai*

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Fwd: [DCAD] Call for Mentor: DCAD Fellowship Program for IGF2025
by Nicodemus Nyakundi 25 Jan '25

25 Jan '25

Dear listers, This may interest you. The IGF's Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability (DCAD) is calling for DCAD Fellowship Mentor as indicated in forwarded email. Best wishes, Nicodemus Nyakundi Digital Accessibility for PWDs KICTANet Sent from my phone ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Muhammad Shabbir Awan via DCAD <dcad(a)lists.igf-dcad.org> Date: Sat, 25 Jan 2025, 02:28 Subject: [DCAD] Call for Mentor: DCAD Fellowship Program for IGF2025 To: Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability < dcad(a)lists.igf-dcad.org> Cc: Muhammad Shabbir Awan <mshabbirawan(a)gmail.com> Dear DCAD Members, The Internet Governance Forum Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability (IGF-DCAD) is thrilled to announce an exciting opportunity to serve as a *Mentor* for the IGF-DCAD Fellowship Program for IGF2025. This voluntary role is pivotal to supporting persons with disabilities in their meaningful participation in the IGF processes, promoting inclusion, and advancing digital accessibility. *Key Details:* - *Responsibilities:* - Mentor fellows and guide them in preparing for and participating in IGF2025. - Provide insights into IGF processes, discussions, and sessions. - Share best practices in digital accessibility and disability inclusion. - Monitor fellows’ progress, provide feedback, and report on their achievements. - Serve on the Fellowship Selection Committee and collaborate with the DCAD team. - *Eligibility Requirements:* - Expertise in digital accessibility and disability inclusion. - Comprehensive understanding of IGF structures and processes. - Proven fellowship and mentoring experience. - Strong organizational, communication, and progress-monitoring skills. - Preference for candidates with lived experience of disability. This is a voluntary position with significant time commitment before and during the IGF2025. However, reasonable travel expenses for in-person participation in IGF2025 may be reimbursed upon request and approval. For the full announcement and application details, please visit: *https://igf-dcad.org/mentor-announcement/* <https://igf-dcad.org/mentor-announcement/> *Application Deadline:* 03 February 2025, 15:00 UTC *Email for Submission:* info(a)igf-dcad.org BR, Dr. Muhammad Shabbir, Coordinator, Dynamic Coalition on Accessibility and Disability (DCAD), Twitter: https://twitter.com/MShabbirPhD/ _______________________________________________ DCAD mailing list SEND MESSAGE - DCAD(a)lists.igf-dcad.org SETTINGS - http://lists.igf-dcad.org/listinfo.cgi/dcad-igf-dcad.org MEMBERS - https://igf-dcad.org/members/ WEBSITE - https://igf-dcad.org/

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Study: AI and Innovation
by Samuel Waithaka 24 Jan '25

24 Jan '25

Dear Listers, The study is still ongoing. This survey is part of the study to discover what executives and leaders are doing to drive innovation, in light of the rapid advancements in GenAI, and how prepared they are. We request you to take 2 minutes or so to fill out the short survey; in return, we will send you the full analysis of the results so you can rate yourself, if interested. https://forms.gle/NTKW2wE7NEW1fGBKA -- Samuel Waithaka Cell: +254 720 317929 | +254 770 451280 http://twitter.com/samwaithaka

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Consultancy Services: WiDEF Curriculum Development
by David Indeje 23 Jan '25

23 Jan '25

Dear Listers, KICTANet, with the support of USAID and CARE through the Women in the Digital Economy Fund (WiDEF), is implementing a project to bridge the gender digital divide exacerbated by the rural-urban divide. This project empowers women in 10 rural counties with the skills and knowledge to leverage technology for economic empowerment. *Objective* We seek a consultant(s) to develop a comprehensive and modularized curriculum and an illustrative guidebook, videos and offline resources that will be used to enhance digital literacy skills among women living in rural areas of Kenya to use technology for their economic empowerment. Interested consultants should submit their applications to info(a)kictanet.or.ke, by 31st January, 2025. For further details regarding the application process, timelines, and contact information, check our careers page https://www.kictanet.or.ke/careers/ -- *Kind Regards,* *David Indeje* *@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________

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Re: Validation Meeting on the Report on Balancing Freedom of Expression and Data Protection: Journalistic Data Protection Exemption 23rd January 2025
by Angela Minayo 23 Jan '25

23 Jan '25

Dear Listers, ARTICLE 19 Eastern Africa is pleased to invite you to a validation meeting on a report on the Journalistic Data Protection Exemption on 23rd January 2025 from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm EAT. Please find attached the concept note with further details. This is a virtual meeting and to attend you have to register here <https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/0171a0f4-a6d3-4d5e-919b-c495a318ed…> . Best Regards, *Angela Minayo Kidiavai*

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Invitation: Validation Meeting on Needs Assessment and Curriculum for HR-CSOs in Kenya
by David Indeje 23 Jan '25

23 Jan '25

Dear Listers, We invite you to a validation meeting on the needs assessment and curriculum development for human rights civil society organizations <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/validation-meeting-on-needs-assessment-and-curri…> (HR-CSOs) in Kenya. This meeting is part of the KenSafeSpace Action, an initiative by KICTANet, Internews, and Internet without Borders (IWB) to empower HR-CSOs in advocating for a democratic, safe, and inclusive digital environment. The meeting will focus on validating the findings of a needs assessment conducted to identify key challenges and capacity-building priorities for HR-CSOs. The assessment evaluated awareness levels of digital rights violations, including hate speech, disinformation, cyberbullying, and online gender-based violence. Your valuable input will help shape the development of a tailored curriculum to address the specific needs of HR-CSOs in Kenya. *Meeting Details* - *Date: Thursday, 23 January 2023* - *Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM* - *Place: Zoom * - *[Zoom Meeting Lin <https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/EexwsOjdSuaGWogxQ8bfwA#/registrati…>k]* We look forward to your participation in this important discussion. *Kind Regards,* *David Indeje* *@**KICTANet* <https://www.kictanet.or.ke/> * Communications *_____________________________________ +254 (0) 711 385 945 | +254 (0) 734 024 856 KICTANet portals Connect With Us <https://linktr.ee/Kictanet> ______________________________________

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Open Position for Open Source Consultants
by Evans Ikua 23 Jan '25

23 Jan '25

Dear Listers, *ITU *and *UNDP *are collaborating with the *European Union* to implement the *Open Source Ecosystem Enabler (OSEE)* program. One of the pillars is the implementation of an *Open Source Program Office *(OSPO) in two countries initially and Kenya has been selected to host one of the *OSPOs*. Towards this effort, ITU has openings for *Open Source Consultants* and interested candidates are invited to apply for this position. BACKGROUND INFORMATION The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), together with other UN partners are collaborating to advance the maturity of the adoption of Digital Public Goods (DPGs) and Open-Source for digital government services and to enable global, regional and national Open-Source ecosystems through: 1. The development of Open-Source Ecosystem Enablement Framework to guide work that promotes structural changes to accelerate the adoption of Open-Source software and data. 2. Pilot initiatives using the Framework in selected countries to establish Open-Source Technical capabilities to act as focal points to strengthen local Open-Source ecosystem. 3. Share knowledge globally and build skills to replicate models of successful Open-Source ecosystem development through producing relevant knowledge products, trainings, and developing communities of practice which can be further be adopted by governments at different levels. Please follow the following link for more details and if interested in this position: https://jobs.itu.int/job/Home-Based-Open-Source-Consultant-Roster/946143655/ -- *Kind Regards,Evans Ikua,* Cell: +254-722-955831 *----------------------------------------------------* *Data Protection | Information Security | ISO Management Systems | Green Mobility | Clean Energy*

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