Addis Voice reportedly announced that over 10,000 people in about 60 countries are using Addis Voice Conduit to receive news and information about Ethiopia that is denied by the Ethiopian government.
The Addis Voice Conduit delivers information through the Internet in Ethiopia where Web censorship obstructs free flow of information and curtails freedom of expression.
Adam Boyden, president of Conduit, said that Addis Voice has leveraged the capabilities of Conduit’s platform.
“It is remarkable how Web 2.0 technologies can help communities voice their opinions and overcome oppressive governments,” he added. “Much like Iranian election protesters used Twitter last summer to share information, Addis Voice is using their conduit to help Ethiopia.”
Abebe Gellaw who was earlier jailed by the Ethiopian government for his critical writing and activism escaped from the country and got involved with exposing the truth about the political, economic and human rights conditions in Ethiopia and created Addis Voice. However, the Ethiopian government controls access to all information, the Internet and has also blocked critical Web sites in the country, sources familiar with the matter said.
Desirous to overcome such hurdles Gellaw used the Conduit platform as an additional way to deliver up-to-date news and also connect with community members. He created his Conduit-powered community toolbar 2 years back in order to customize the Web experience according to his needs.
“After using my personal toolbar for a few days, I saw an opportunity to make it a media platform that can help deliver news, music, videos, radio, and of course circumvent web censorship,” Gellaw said.
The Addis Voice multimedia conduit has been downloaded by more than 10,000 users and it offers news about Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. It allows users to access major Web sites that have been blocked by the Ethiopian government. This was possible owing to the powerful tool that Conduit provided which enabled the free flow of information, Gellaw added.
Addis Voice can also share breaking news and announcements via the Conduit Platform to the growing community of users. Alerts can be delivered instantly to the desktop of users. This empowering platform helps organizations customize and refine their Web experience, with no limitations and with infinite possibilities.
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