Originally from Jersey in the Channel Islands, Ken moved to the UK in 1996 to pursue an academic interest in global conservation and development, graduating from Sussex University with a degree in Social Anthropology with Development Studies three years later. Before, during and after university he travelled throughout Africa working on government hospital and school building projects in Uganda and Zambia, assisted a biodiversity survey in Karuma Wildlife Reserve in Uganda, carried out technology research in South Africa and Mozambique, project managed a primate sanctuary in Calabar, Nigeria and more recently has been involved in ICT capacity building for NGOs in Zimbabwe.

Ken’s practical NGO experience is coupled with a strong technology background. He has worked in IT since the 1980's with a range of private sector, corporate, educational and charitable environments in the UK and overseas (including Vodafone UK, Vodafone Global, Microsoft and TTPCom). He set up kiwanja.net in 2003 and since then has been self-employed specialising in the application of appropriate technologies in conservation and development, working with organisations such as UNEP and Fauna & Flora International (FFI) in particular on the application of ICTs in their work. Ken’s first contract culminated in the development of the first conservation-based mobile phone service - wildlive! (see www.kiwanja.net/wildlive!.htm), a service which he project managed. It was rolled out on the Vodafone network, initially in the UK and then Europe the following year. Ken’s role included the management, development and testing of a range of mobile content and WAP/SMS services, including multi-format ringtones, wallpaper images, information services and Java-based games. Approximately £100,000 was raised through the service. It was launched at FFI's centenary celebrations in December 2003 and was nominated for the Interactive Award at Wildscreen the following year. Ken is currently Technical Advisor to another FFI project – Technologies for Conservation and Development (t4cd – see www.kiwanja.net/t4cd.htm) – which investigates and trials technologies in developing countries and is in the process of developing a web-based ICT information hub in collaboration with Microsoft.

Ken has have given ICT-related talks and presentations at a number of events in the UK and South Africa, co-authored a major study on mobile and ICT use in conservation, and has a keen interest in the Open Source movement, in particular its potential in helping close the digital divide in developing countries (he is Trustee for a Cambridge-based charity, with university links, specialising in the use of open source software for social benefit). More recently he designed and developed an SMS management 'hub' – FrontlineSMS (see www.kiwanja.net/frontlinesms.htm) – which has attracted global interest among a wide range of profit and not-for-profit organisations. He continues to provide advice and programming services to charities interested in exploring the potential of mobile phones and other ICTs in their work.

The Digital Vision Fellowship provides Ken the opportunity to use his skills and experience in a wide range of geographically and technically distinct projects, and to work closely with some of the most dynamic social entrepreneurs working in the field of ICT and development. Specifically he hopes to apply his mobile phone software and systems development skills to projects with a wireless element, and use his practical experience in the assessment and application of appropriate technologies. Ken will also share his project management, anthropology, conservation and development experience (particularly his work with NGOs in Africa) and his research and focus on needs-driven, sustainable, appropriate technology projects with other Digital Fellows, and contribute as much as possible to the continued growth and development of the Programme and to the work of colleagues sharing the same vision and goals. Ken also welcomes a return to an academic environment where he hopes to take full advantage of the opportunity to attend lectures, seminars, talks and events in the Stanford technical environment, but also within other departments such as The Center for African Studies.