Zimbabwean entrepreneur turns tree into a wi-fi hub

On 3 February 2020, William Sachiti, a UK based Zimbabwean artificial intelligence expert and entrepreneur published an open-source technology called Trees of Knowledge to improve educational access in Africa using smartphones.

The technology uses a tree or rural landmark with a microcomputer to broadcast a wi-fi connection, giving access to free educational content on any mobile device within a radius of 100 metres. A solar-powered battery charging station is also available for users.

Sachiti said that the technology is a solution to the challenges of low 3G coverage, high data costs, and phone power, faced by education through smartphones in Africa.