Digital Divide Data launches company in Kenya

Social enterprise Digital Divide Data (DDD) has launched business operations in Nairobi, Kenya.  The new company will offer business process outsourcing (BPO) services, including data entry, electronic publishing, and back-office administrative tasks to customers in East Africa as well as international markets.

Since 2001, DDD has powered the data entry, XML conversion and digital preservation needs of publishers, libraries, content hosts, academic researchers and businesses globally. Its clients include Reader's Digest, Harvard University and the National Library of the Netherlands.

Through the new company DDD aims to create jobs for Kenyan youth, building on its experience in Southeast Asia. Its expansion to Kenya is funded in part by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. DDD has also received technology support from Cisco Systems and Microsoft to start the new venture.

DDD Kenya, which is a for-profit company, plans to train and employ at least 300 talented high school graduates from the slum areas in Nairobi over the next two years. The staff will receive support for their post-secondary education as well as on-the-job training.