StarTimes brings satellite to rural Kenyans

Chinese pay TV firm StarTimes’ digital project Access to Satellite TV has benefitted more than 1,600 Kenyan households in 47 countries.

The initiative was aimed at helping rural African families access information about the world and improve agriculture and knowledge about science and sanitation, thereby reducing poverty.

During the official completion ceremony, Hesbon Mwalei, Kenya’s ICT director, said the Kenyan government was committed to fully exploiting opportunities offered by digital broadcasting to enable young people to unleash their talents through creative arts.

He said: “The noble initiative enabled households and institutions that had been left out without access to television after the digital migration process to now benefit from digital television.

“The availability of a balanced mix of local and international channels through this project will increase access to information, which will go a long way to bridge the urban/rural digital divide.”

China’s ambassador to Kenya, Wu Peng, added that the implementation of the project was an important part of the China-Africa Cultural Exchange Cooperation Program.

StarTimes Group, a multi-national media company and content provider working in the African broadcasting industry, was tasked with rolling out the programme.

tagged in: China, Hesbon Mwalei, Kenya, StarTimes, Wu Peng