Filming a commercial in 2012
many languages do you speak (and which are
they)?
After spending some time working in Germany,
you returned to Africa, developing some projects
I speak a great deal of German – I learnt this using a
in Malawi, involved with the internet. What kind
program the C.I.A used that time: Rosetta Stone.
of impact did this work have on the local industry?
Learning a new language is like being born again.
You get to learn things you already know, but in a
new way. You get to appreciate the culture, it expands
your brain, and you don’t get talked about behind
your back. Whenever you learn something new, you
open up doors you never thought existed. And besides
my five native languages, which I am fluent in, I
speak English, German, a bit of French and pub
Spanish – that’s just good enough to order a beer and
ask where the toilet is. Comes in handy, when
travelling.
This was a defining moment as I was leading a team
which changed the way people communicate in
Malawi. We pioneered a company that introduced
fibre optic internet technology, which meant faster
internet for learning and business. This technology
has seen an increase in university graduates and
technical personnel in the country. Malawi is
considered to be one of the poorest countries in the
world economically, but thanks to the work we did
with the boys at Tonse Solutions – it is now ranked
amongst the top countries with the fastest Internet. I