An Amazing Mobile Story From Kenya
By Justin Oberman, 06/29/2006 - 7:09pm

Picture 4-2 For those of you that watch the hit Vlog Rocketboom everyday then you already know what I am talking about... but for those of you that don't or missed last Tuesdays there was a very interesting piece of "Field Reporting" by Ruud Elmendorp from Nairobi, Kenya.

Picture 3-6Its about two men named Duncan Karanja and John Mbunu both of whom suffered from childhood polio and are now confined to wheelchairs. For years this left the two men with a sense of hopelessness as they struggled to survive on the streets of Nairobi selling clothing and things. "When the government started to chase us out we decided to get into the business of phones." Yep. Thats right, you the man right.

Both men have attached fixed phone lines to their wheelchairs which are connected to a mobile network in Kenya. The phone works just like any fixed phone. Duncun and John ride their special three wheeled hand cranked wheelchair around the public square every morning allowing those who do not yet have a mobile phone to use theirs to make phone calls.

They make around 2 thousand to 3 thousand Kenya shilling (20-30 US ) when you remove expenses.

Some customers have pointed out that what Duncan and John provide is even cheaper than using a mobile phone at times.

Watch the video here. Amazing stuff.


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