ForgetMeNot Africa has been chosen for the event
ForgetMeNot Africa has been chosen for the event for the deployment of its Message Optimiser technology with the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen (GNAFF), which enables all GNAFF members to access internet-free Facebook, email and online chat services via SMS. Through the partnership all GNAFF members will be able to bypass the need for internet access, expensive smartphones and data plans to access vital information such as agricultural techniques, weather reports, market pricing, soil cultivation, cropping activities and new product and distribution information on even the most basic mobile phone.

Innovative Technology
Jeremy George, Chief Operating Officer at ForgetMeNot Africa, said: “This is a great opportunity for ForgetMeNot Africa to showcase the effect our innovative technology is having on rural parts of Africa to the mobile industry. Vital agricultural information has only previously been available to GNAFF members on smartphones or PCs which remain limited in rural areas due to economic and technological constraints. We are using existing tools and infrastructure in smarter and more efficient ways to improve livelihoods and sustainable outputs, contributing to the overall national food security program of Ghana.”

Fresh Digital Thinking
ITU’s Secretary General Dr Hamadoun Touré said: “This competition draws on our long-standing expertise in harnessing the power of fresh, digital thinking. Applications, services and products driven by next-generation networks can truly transform the everyday life of millions. This is a unique and exciting opportunity for digital innovators to receive the support, recognition and seed funding needed to turn promising digital ideas into valuable, working contributions to a better world.”

For more information click here

The ForgetMeNot Africa team are excited today after having been nominated for two categories at the prestigious Meffys Awards in London tonight.

The Meffys – regarded as “the benchmark in the mobile media industry” has shortlisted ForgetMeNot Africa for both the Best Technology Innovation Award for eTXT Facebook from Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, and in the Best Mobile First Innovation category for Message Optimiser.

Fingers crossed.

Technology to help boost agricultural production
The use of technology to help boost agricultural production, be it pre-cultivation, crop cultivation and harvesting or post harvest management is one of the key areas that the Government of Ghana wants to strengthen.

Using FMNA’s award winning, patent pending interactive messaging technology, members of GNAFF will now be able to access and use information previously only available through high end devices; devices that continue to be inaccessible to the majority of members due to financial or technological constraints. FMNA transforms any mobile phone into a 2-way messaging and information capable device, opening the doors to a vast repository of information and services that can be critical in assisting sustainable and meaningful agricultural improvements.

GNAFF members will be able gain access to vital information
With the capability to also improve agricultural extension programmes through the dissemination of information and critical data retrieval capability GNAFF members will be able to have far greater access to vital information such as agricultural techniques, weather information, market pricing, soil cultivation, cropping activities, new product and distribution information etc. FMNA is a strong believer in using existing tools and infrastructure in smarter and more efficient ways to improve livelihoods and sustainable outputs. The work we are doing with GNAFF is a great example of this and we hope to be able to contribute to the national food security programme of Ghana overall.

John Dziwornu, National Secretary Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen commented:
“GNAFF is excited to be working with FMNA on this project. With this collaboration, our farmers and fishermen will not only be able to share critical information like market prices, but will also be able to receive and share agricultural extension information, network amongst themselves, as well as have access to new product and service information using existing, easily accessible and low cost technologies. Our members have always expressed the need for real-time information on their activities to be available and also the desire to be able to communicate interactively so this collaboration is indeed timely”.

Bernard Otabil, Regional Manager FMNA commented:
“FMNA’s association with GNAFF is in line with the Government of Ghana’s aim of strengthening agricultural production through an extensive programme for the sector. We are thrilled to have been chosen to provide our interactive messaging and information services to GNAFF and look forward to working with GNAFF in helping the organisation boost its member’s outputs and incomes throughout the country.”

ForgetMeNot Africa’s Message Optimiser technology took home the title at the events ceremony on Wednesday, June 22. The Message Optimiser system bypasses the need for fixed telephone line Internet access, PCs, expensive subscriptions, smartphones, Java downloads and data connections to provide email, online chat, instant messaging and social networking to even the most rural communities in Africa. It transforms even the most basic SMS-enabled device into a virtual smartphone.

Jeremy George, Chief Operating Officer for ForgetMeNot Africa, said: “This award celebrates ForgetMeNot Africa’s continued progress in bridging the digital divide in Africa. Our goal remains to provide internet messaging on every mobile phone on the continent. In the past year our technology has enabled access to Facebook, in addition to email and online chat, for more than 47.5 million people in east, west, central and southern Africa, with further expansion planned in the next 12 months.”

ForgetMeNot Africa was also nominated for the Messaging Application: Consumer award for its Facebook through Message Optimiser service.

Award winners can be seen in full here.

FMNA finalists for two awards
The tenth anniversary of the Mobile Messaging Awards sees ForgetMeNot Africa shortlisted for the Innovation in Messaging award for its Message Optimiser technology and the Messaging Application: Consumer award for its Facebook through Message Optimiser service.

Transforms even the most basic SMS-enabled device into a virtual smartphone
ForgetMeNot Africa’s Message Optimiser system bypasses the need for fixed telephone line Internet access, PCs, expensive subscriptions, smartphones, Java downloads and data connections to provide email, online chat, instant messaging and social networking to even the most rural communities in Africa. It transforms even the most basic SMS-enabled device into a virtual smartphone.

Jeremy George, Chief Operating Officer for ForgetMeNot Africa, said:
“ForgetMeNot Africa’s nomination for the Mobile Messaging Awards is a sign of our continued progress in bridging the digital divide in Africa and our goal of providing internet messaging on every mobile phone on the continent. In the past year our technology has enabled access to Facebook, in addition to email and online chat, for more than 47.5 million people in east, west, central and southern Africa, with further expansion planned in the next 12 months.”

The Mobile Messaging Awards will be presented at a cocktail reception as part of the Global Messaging Congress, supported by Informa Telecoms & Media, on Wednesday (June 22) at Radisson Blue Portman Hotel, in London.

For more information on the awards visit: http://www.globalmessagingcongress.com/features/awards_2011

The Meffys – regarded as “the benchmark in the mobile media industry” has shortlisted ForgetMeNot Africa for both the Best Technology Innovation Award for eTXT Facebook from Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, and in the Best Mobile First Innovation category for Message Optimiser.

Latest global trends in the evolving mobile ecosystem

Rimma Perelmuter, MEF’s Executive Director, said: “The Meffys provide a window into the latest global trends in the evolving mobile ecosystem. This year’s shortlist demonstrates the rise in mobile content and commerce services that not only entertain but also enable deeper consumer engagement and monetisation directly via the mobile connected device.”

FMNA implementations across Africa
ForgetMeNot Africa’s technology has been implemented across east, west southern and central Africa, giving 47.5 million people access to Facebook, email and online chat via SMS in the past year alone.

No need for fixed telephone line Internet access
The technology bypasses the need for fixed telephone line Internet access, PCs, expensive subscriptions, smartphones, Java downloads and data connections to provide email, online chat, instant messaging and social networking to even the most rural communities in Africa. It transforms even the most basic SMS-enabled device into a virtual smartphone.

The Meffys Awards 2011 will be presented at a gala dinner on July 7th in London.

Peperusha

The new service, branded Peperusha, has been launched with ForgetMeNot Africa and its local partner Rapid Communications to give yu a competitive edge over its rivals in the rapidly growing Kenyan telecoms market. It will drive SMS traffic and attract customers from rival networks, while allowing yu to generate more revenue from mobile email, chat services and social networking integration.

No smartphones or Internet connections

Peperusha requires no smartphones, Internet connections, device upgrades or application downloads for users to send and receive email and online chat messages to friends and family at home and abroad.

It is particularly attractive to the technically-literate youth of Kenya, who are already very familiar with email and chat. Peperusha incorporates popular chat services such as MSN Messenger, Yahoo!, Windows Live and Gtalk so that users can send and receive messages and invitations globally.

To read the full news release please click here

In a David v Goliath contest, ForgetMeNot Africa’s Message Optimiser came second to Blackberry Messenger for the Innovation in Messaging award, at the Global Messaging Awards held last night in London.

While we were disappointed not win we are delighted that our Global Messaging industry peers recognise Message Optimiser (MO) as a major innovation in the messaging space and one we know will change the lives of millions of people in Africa going forward.

We congratulate RIM on their achievement and hopefully we will be back again next year to do battle once again!