With the increasing need for latest information and connection with friends and family, the person who knows first what’s trending in technology, especially that do with social media, becomes the pro in society.
It is in this era that most of the information that people feed on is got from online sources. This has even forced the traditional media (newspapers, television and radio) to opt for other online social media platforms so as to cope with the developing technology and also to modify on their content accessibility by a wider range of people who use internet.
Basing in this fact, two Makerere University students, driven by their passion and love for technology and website designing, have now created an online magazine – The African Belle.
Emmanuel Columbus Mugenyi and Joseph Okello are students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering respectively.
“I’ve always liked technology, website designing and programming since my senior six vacation,” Mugenyi explains, adding that they were both driven by the passion for technology to give the world a different perspective in how things can be done.
MISSION
But one would wonder why the duo decided to invest in online magazine? What is new in this soft copy version? But the love for African culture has remained their answer.
“We are Africans and our cultural values, way of dressing, norms are being replaced with western culture, Okello says with a look of concern visible on his face.
He adds: “So in a bid to keep African beauty, we thought of an online magazine and its mission is to unearth Africa’s beauty, culture, to remind people about their traditional norms and promote tourism in Uganda especially.”
ONE OF ITS KIND
The African Belle’s striking different is that its entirely online and the fact that it entirely focuses on African culture gives it another new look in the market on magazines.
But Okello and Mugenyi wouldn’t also sit down and look at gossip filtering into the magazine industry.
“African Belle is not about gossip like other online websites. It aims at upgrading on the social life style of people. This explains why there is space for career and money which guides on saving skills and career building,” Okello adds.
CHALLENGES
The two are now facing the pangs of financial constraints. According to Mugenyi, they lack sponsors and funds even when their task force to produce the content is still wanting.
“We are only two and yet the magazine needs various people to feed it with information. Additionally, there’s also a problem of marketing.
We need our innovation to be known everywhere, but marketing it is a challenge as we lack sponsors and influential people to support us,” says Okello, who is also the in-charge of marketing.
PROSPECTS
“We are looking forward to launching our magazine on November 10 and making it among the leading online Magazines in the world,” Mugenyi revealed.
However, The African Belle is not only the innovation the two have ventured in. They are the same brains behind a social media application called Crackit. Crackit is more like Facebook where one posts and shares their own videos and also be able to view those by other people on the network.
Crackit will be launched in November. The app will also be available on Google play.
“I wanted to challenge Mark Zuckerberg the founder of Facebook who started his invention while in his first year at Harvard University,” Mugenyi proudly says.
They eloquently asserted that Crackit aims at bringing out the other fun side in people and killing boredom since most people enjoy fun.
REPORTING BY: Ruth Nakafuuma
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