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Mobile Phones in rural life: Insights from fieldwork in western Kenya

Mobile Phones in rural life: Insights from fieldwork in western Kenya. Presentation to CDCs and MOH 24 September 2008 Laura Murphy, PhD Tulane University. Study site & topic. “Hybrid Technologies” Mobile Phones, Kitchen Gardens & HIV/AIDS

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Mobile Phones in rural life: Insights from fieldwork in western Kenya

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  1. Mobile Phones in rural life: Insights from fieldwork in western Kenya Presentation to CDCs and MOH 24 September 2008 Laura Murphy, PhD Tulane University

  2. Study site & topic • “Hybrid Technologies” • Mobile Phones, • Kitchen Gardens & HIV/AIDS • Case study of social and technological change in a village

  3. Sidenote: Other “Mobile Phone Research” • -national GDP • -impacts on fish trade • commercial farming • Small business • Financial transactions • Mpesa for remittances • entrepreneurship Image source: The Economist

  4. A study of changing livelihoods, • responses to HIV/AIDS, • the social construction of technology

  5. Amaranth and other local plants: still grown? Pre WWII hoes

  6. Marakaru,Bungoma DistrictVillage case study Household survey (census), in-depth interviews with owners, group discussions Population of 5100 in 848 households (29 non-response) in 15 square kilometer catchment area

  7. Who owns phones?

  8. Findings: phone ownership • Households owning >1 phone: 15% (125 HH) • Primary owner is male head: 78% • Owners education levels > secondary: 59% • Year first phone acquired: 1999 • MP HH with HH-head working away: 21% • Non MP HH with head working away: 5% • Respondents who “ever used” MP: 38% • Range spending/month/airtime only: Ksh 50-6500 • Airtime use/month, all owners: Ksh 95,000 • 6% of owners account for 20% of airtime spending

  9. Phone use • Voice > text: “Ear to Ear” • Personal/household/communal uses vs. strictly business • Strengthen family & local networks • Sharing phones, but reluctantly

  10. Mobile phone users in 2007 group discussion

  11. Significance to rural lives • Phones mean freedom, convenience and connections • Replace costly transport: foot, matatu, bus • KSH, time and uncertainty • Communication vs. information

  12. Rural User #1. Farmer/Community Health Worker/”Long-Distance Housewife” • “R” got a phone in 2003 (used Nokia 3310). • In her mid-40s now, she uses a phone to help manage a small farm, raise 6 children (& grandchildren). Her husband lives in Mombasa most of the year and sends airtime and brings home cash. • HIV+ (on ART in 2006), she is active in her HIV support group and volunteers as CHW and HBC. • Death & disease figure in her conversations about how her phone is useful. • It is important for “knowing about people” but and sometimes for finding about prices. • Text messaging is something she just learned: amazing, you just “write a message!” • Cost and inconvenience of charging a phone are large problems. She lacks cash so “I never buy any airtime”. • While expensive, with the phone, you “Can’t starve to communicate!”

  13. Rural User #2: Grower/Trader • “E” (24) is the eldest son in a large family, still single and living in his father’s household. • He has a new Moto c113 (2007) –the only phone in the household, replacing older handsets • Farming is a business: the phone helps with “tenders to K-- and B– schools” • He likes voice more than texting: you talk “Ear to Ear” • The phone must be shared as it is not “mine alone”, but changing SIM cards is frustrating! • He feels privileged “…walking with MP” and my “heart is ..happy” • Without phone, I was in total darkness” • (In July 2008: We could not reach him on his old line which is “out of service”)

  14. Problems • Cost a lot of money! • “Lack of cash” #1 constraint to owning handset among non-owners, and operating (owners) • Charging batteries • poor quality batteries, poor access to electricity is #1 problem for owners • Hard to maintain! (handsets & Lines)

  15. Charging those batteries (1) • “There was a time I wanted to call a friend… it just made a funny sound …there was etaa ye lichumuni (a lantern lamp) and writings saying “slow (low) battery”. I was told that it meant that kumulilo kwa welemo (the charge was finished)...” • (Wilfred, age 60+)

  16. Charging those batteries (2) • Spent on commercial charging kiosks: Ksh 100-200/mo • Plus travel time & uncertainty • Batteries ruined through generic chargers • Local owners with access to electrical outlet: 18% (teachers, etc.)

  17. Solar not yet the answer Rose testing Ksh 5000 portable charger: Repair costs Ksh 650

  18. Lack of continuity: phone update 2008 • 44% (35/84) households reached by original phone number • 24% “line out of service” • 31% temporarily out (call diverted, out of signal, switched off) • Phone survey over 5 consecutive days (Fri-Tues) in July 08

  19. Implications for health communications & applications • Mobile phones not widespread in all rural communities (social differences) • Poorest don’t own/use MP effectively • Text messaging not yet popular • ‘keeping track’ for privacy & targeting a problem with mobility and turnover • Health professionals lack electricity, cash too

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