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Ken Banks

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Ken Banks
Ken Banks at PopTech in 2012
Born1966 (age 57–58)
Jersey
NationalityBritish
Alma materUniversity of Sussex
Occupation(s)Social entrepreneur, mobile technologist
Years active2002 - present
Known formobile technology
TitleFounder of kiwanja.net and FrontlineSMS

Ken Banks (born 1966) is a British social entrepreneur and author. He is the creator FrontlineSMS, a mobile messaging platform that allows communication in areas with limited internet access worldwide.[1] He is also the founder of Kiwanja.net, an NGO dedicated to the use of mobile technology for social and environmental change, with a particular focus on Africa.[2]

Early life and education

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Banks was born in 1966 in Jersey, Channel Islands. Banks attended Hautlieu School and Highlands College. In 1995, he attended his undergraduate degree at the University of Sussex, studying social anthropology and development studies, graduating in 1999.[2][3]

Career

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In 2001, Banks became a project manager at CERCOPAN in Nigeria. His time there was cut short by a traffic accident in Calabar in 2002, after which he returned to Jersey to recover. During this period, Banks was approached by Fauna and Flora International (FFI), an international conservation organization, and his work there lead to the launch of the Wildlive! Mobile Portal in December 2003. The initiative provided images, animal sounds, conservation-themed games, and live news to Vodafone subscribers.[4]

In 2003, Banks founded kiwanja.net, an NGO dedicated to the use of mobile technology for social and environmental change, with a particularly focus on Africa.[5] In 2004, Banks was approached by Kruger National Park officials in South Africa, asking for a solution to update Bushbuckridge community members on changes in the park using their mobile phones. This inspired him to develop FrontlineSMS, a platform that sends and receives text messages (SMS) via mobile phones without requiring internet access, in 2005.[6]

FrontlineSMS

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FrontlineSMS was used by a Nigerian organization called Humanitarian Emancipation Lead Project (HELP) to assist Nigerians in reporting on their 2007 national elections.[7] The BBC ran a story, Texts monitor Nigerian elections, mentioning FrontlineSMS. User downloads and global interest accelerated as a result.[8] In 2009, Banks started a two-year FrontlineSMS Ambassadors Programme with the Clinton Foundation.[9] FrontlineSMS received partnerships and supports from numerous international donors including the MacArthur Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, Open Society Initiative, Rockefeller Foundation, and Omidyar Network, among others.[10]

Additional career

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In 2012, Banks launched Means of Exchange, a project aimed at rebuilding local communities through technology.[11] One of the first initiatives was a "cash mob" during the London Olympics.[12]

In 2012, Banks stepped down from the day-to-day running of FrontlineSMS, handing leadership to Laura Walker Hudson and Sean McDonald, respectively.[13] He transitioned to the role of Chair of the Board, and in 2015, he took on new positions, including Entrepreneur in Residence at CARE International and Visiting Fellow at RMIT University in Melbourne.[14]

Other considerations

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In 2011, Banks was invited to join the UK Prime Minister’s delegation to the Africa.[15]

Books

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Banks has authored three books:

  • The Rise of the Reluctant Innovator (2013).[16]
  • Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation (2016).[17]
  • The Pursuit of Purpose (2022).[18]

Impact

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Banks's work with FrontlineSMS and kiwanja.net, has impact on the use of technology for development and social change, particularly in under-resourced regions.[1]

Recognitions

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References

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  1. ^ a b Burbank, April. "How Ken Banks Built a Startup One Text Message at a Time". Forbes. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  2. ^ a b Butler, Rhett A. (2007-04-15). "Cell phones, text-messaging revolutionize conservation approaches". Mongabay Environmental News. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  3. ^ "Ken Banks, BA in Social Anthropology and International Development (1999) talks about his career". University of Sussex. 2018. Archived from the original on December 18, 2018. Retrieved December 18, 2018.
  4. ^ Sitas, Nadia (2008-04-16). "Mobile game to help save gorillas". EDGE of Existence. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  5. ^ Imani M. Cheers (2013-02-25). "Changing the World, One SMS at a Time". International Reporting Project. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2017-12-03.
  6. ^ "Ken Banks revels in extraordinary pursuit of life as a social innovator in new book". Cambridge Independent. 2022-05-13. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  7. ^ Stuart Thornton (2011-01-21). "Spreading the Message". National Geographic Society. Archived from the original on 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  8. ^ "Texts monitor Nigerian elections". BBC. 2007-04-20. Archived from the original on 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  9. ^ "FrontlineSMS Ambassadors Programme". Clinton Foundation. Archived from the original on 2016-11-10. Retrieved 2017-12-12.
  10. ^ Livingston, Steven, ed. (2014). "FrontlineSMS:Grassroots M4D Innovation and the Challenges of Success". Bits and Atoms: Information and Communication Technology in Areas of Limited Statehood. Oxford University Press. pp. 84–85. ISBN 978-0-19-994159-9. Retrieved 2017-12-07 – via Google Books.
  11. ^ Kathryn Cave (2015-01-15). "Ken Banks interview: Technology for social good". IDG Connect. Archived from the original on 2015-08-06. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  12. ^ Monty Munford (2012-08-15). "Cash Mobs: how the internet can revive local shops". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2017-12-10. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  13. ^ Monty Munford (2012-08-15). "Cash Mobs: how the internet can revive local shops". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2017-12-10. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  14. ^ Rob Goodier (2016-05-12). "Five Questions with Ken Banks: ICT4D Writer, Editor and FrontlineSMS Founder". Engineering for Change. Archived from the original on 2016-08-11. Retrieved 2017-12-10.
  15. ^ "In the Spotlight with Ken, Head of Social Impact at Yoti". Yoti Blog. 2018-04-17. Retrieved 2019-03-10.
  16. ^ "The Rise of the Reluctant Innovator". LPP - The London Publishing Partnership. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  17. ^ Banks, Ken (2016). Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation: International Case Studies and Practice. Kogan Page. ISBN 978-0-7494-7591-8.
  18. ^ Banks, Ken (2022-02-21). The Pursuit of Purpose: Part Memoir, Part Study - A Book About Finding Your Way in the World. Ken Banks. ISBN 978-1-7397717-0-6.
  19. ^ Tides. "Tides Awards the 2011 Pizzigati Prize to Ken Banks". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  20. ^ Zeichner, Baruch (2015-11-01). "Curry-Stone Design Prize Winner 2011: Frontline SMS - Ken Banks, Sean McDonald & Laura Walker McDonald". Paradigms Podcast. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
  21. ^ "The Association for Computing Machinery Awards Ken | Ashoka". www.ashoka.org. Retrieved 2024-10-15.
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