The ongoing TED Conference in California makes me think back to remember TED Global that was held in Arusha, Tanzania in 2007. From the opening talk by Euvin Naidoo President to the last talk President Jakaya Kiwkete this TED conference was a unique event; it was a magical event full of euphoric, optimistic and inspiring moments. Links, networks and friendship were formed and the path was set out to open a new chapter for Africa, through business & investment, with diseases & poverty largely eradicated. Sadly, in 2009, not much has changed in the continent and even some of the shining economic models then like Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, have had politics overshadow and handicap their economic ambitions.
Housekeeping
New tools
– Heard about Twitter in Arusha, but only signed up last month. It’s a bigger world than blogging, and fills in a lot of the gaps e.g. found something unique, but too small to post, or you just want to share in a second via mobile phone? Twitter’s the answer!
– Never has much interest in photography as a blog tool, but got a camera now, so fellow shutterbugs – Hash, Mental, Afromusing, Mweshi – your influence has rubbed off, and I’ll be throwing in random photos of travel and daily work events here are a few
– Bankelele is listed as one of the 100 best blogs to learn about Africa – not sure how the selection was made, but there are some interesting reads on that list 87 Bankelele. Banking and business are at the forefront of this blog written by a Nairobi banker.
– The best way to learn about blogs in other parts of Africa or the non-Western (US, Europe) world is through Global Voices. They have a post that mentions the top-ranked blogs in Africa with Bankelele (ranks 18) from Kenya who writes about baking banking, finance and investment in Kenya and Bongo Celebrity (ranks 20)
– The Business Daily ( a Kenyan financial newspaper) had a feature on blogging with topics like Blog post revolution hits corporate Kenya, Blogs command attention of corporate world, Blogs emerge as avenues for making money, Companies use online platform to monitor views from the public, Fibre optic cable to pave way for corporate blogging, Mounting lawsuits could sound death knell for social sites and What is likely to compete with the mainstream media which noted Some are born out of events like bankelele.com Bankelele, started in 2004 after the blogger attended a “very riotous AGM.” And he describes his blog as “ It’s my diary of financial events —and as a banker and investor. I use it to keep track of pertinent events.
Anyway, I hope to link up with some friends from TED and collaborate on projects in the future and that the Business Daily leads to more corporate blogging opportunities and ideas in this part of Africa.
well done on featuring in the top 100 in africa
Congratulations on making the Top 100 in Africa list! Well done!
Congratulations Bankelele! And good job putting your camera to good use. And the descriptions of your photos… LOL! Now, you are not a boring banker.
Salaams from Atl.
Congrats! Your blog is one of the best as a matter of fact.
Those slippers have given me an idea.
Congrats! Well deserved & long overdue.
We don’t need no stinkin’ lists to tell us how great these blogs are. 🙂
In fact, those that have survived this long, have well-earned the praise they richly deserve.
Cheers to our blogosphere family!
I signed up in Twitter two days ago after reading an article in times.com about the stars of twitter but am still at lost on how to use it.
Hey congrats Bankelele, you are on top there
Hi Bank! am definitely going to sign up on twitter
Congrants Banks! Yours is always a source of inspiration.
Congratulations on being one of the best blogs to learn about Africa!
I could have told them that 4 years ago when I started reading/following your blog!
Great blog!
And appropriately so at No. 18. Funny though about the “baking” I’m sure you’ll be getting some warm hits from the housewives, but no matter they’ll learn something else instead 🙂
What kind of cakes/bread do you specialize in?
Lol @the baking thing. Congratulations on making the list. Not surprising, you have very good content on here………well that was until I saw those slippers LOL!(are they made to order?)
I’da put you on #1!
Great stuff banks!!! Been a long time coming, thanks for your insights into my work as well, true to fact: you are a resource!
Oh..I do have a few dark chocolate recipes you may wanna use:-)))
Cheers mate!
Congrats banks, you deserve it!
MainaT, Biche Maishinski, PKW, Rafiki: thanks y’all
Mama Shujaa: boring banker? Me? Hope to visit ATL when KQ or Delta start US service
Pink M: how do those slippers inspire you?
E-Nyce: I know many great ones have fallen off/stopped blogging. As I told the Bdaily writer, this is my diary of things I follow, easier to track than any newspaper archive
Kachwanya, pesa tu: you’ll see! It took me two years to sign on to Twitter, wish I had done it sooner
Ka-investor: thanks for the tip on Radio Africa
Sanaa: housewives welcome
3TOC: some hotels don’t want guests pinching their stuff so they disfigured the slippers
Chebet: thanks for your tips & contributions too (picha), send food not recipe (I am hopeless in kitchen)
Banks you deserve to be on that list and even higher.
Heheheheheehehe! I have always been of the opinion that if one wants to steal, they will, having holes in slippers is not a deterence to theft.
Congrats on being listed, that is so nice!