App developer and techie Josny Severe favors a technology-friendly Haiti, and he want to make sure that Haitian Creole speakers are not left out of the equation. To that end, he’s started a Haitian Creole hashtag #TiKozeSouTeknoloji to encourage Haitian Creole speakers around the world to take part in native language-centered discussions about tech, apps, and emerging technology.

Kreyolicious: I think it’s cool that you started a technology hashtag, and one in Creole at that! Please explain why? And also how you came up with it!
First of all, I want to thank you for this opportunity given to me to talk about #TiKozeSouTeknoloji, which I started on Twitter not too long ago. It[‘s turned out to be] so important for many that I had to change it [from mere hashtag to an actual] vlog this February. We all know that in Haiti we have two languages French and Creole. But at the same time, it’s crystal-clear that Creole is the most spoken language in the country at every level of daily activities. And as we all know, people learn better when they are being taught in a language that they’ve mastered. Tech terms are being mystified in Haiti, which lead [some] people to be afraid of anything related to this field. So one day, while I was tweeting about a technology [topic], I told myself why not come [up] with something that would help people understand technology [better]. [This way,] these concepts can be demystified, and help them have a better use of it, therefore it is actually everywhere in their entire life.

Kreyolicious: What has the feedback been for the chats?
So far, so good! Since we’ve just started, we are identifying our audience and manage to reach as many people possible. It is important that a great majority get access to the content so the purpose which is educating our people about technology can be reached.

Kreyolicious: And how do you determine what to discuss during the weekly segments?
As for the choice of the weekly [topics], it is like math. We can not talk about multiplication without understanding the basics which are addition and subtraction. So, we start with a series of the basic terminology before we land in more complicated subjects like artificial intelligence, internet of things, to name only these two.

Kreyolicious: Why do you think it’s important to get the youths of Haiti and others engaged in technology?
From simply chatting, sharing media on social networks, banking, and easing [the] process at work, to study, technology is involved in every single aspect of our life in this century. There is no way you can escape the use of technological tools in 2017. But, here in Haiti, we have this issue of invading new stuff coming abroad without really understanding them. On one hand, we [either] misunderstand and misuse them. Or, we just stay away from them. [Meanwhile,] in terms of geopolitics, everyone around us are moving with the era—the Information Era. A simple example: I went to study software engineering in Dominican Republic in 2005. At [that point,] an automated teller machine—ATM—was not a big deal for the Dominican people. So, how can it still be a big deal here in Haiti for clients to use them properly? [And why do] the banks [tend] to advertise them like they’re [the most] high-tech stuff ever to be available to the clients, when we know ATM has been around since the 80s? So, it’s important that we shake [things] up a little bit, get to learn and share the knowledge in the easiest way possible so [that] everyone can understand—no matter his or her background.

This concludes Part I of the interview…Be sure to watch out for PART II.

[Main photo credit: Samuel Dameus]

CLICK HERE to keep up with Josny Severe and his discussions regarding #Yontikozesouteknoloji!

Haiti techie Josny Severe is the founder of an app Lenkop. Last year, he created the hashtag #yontikozesouteknoloji to encourage techies in Haiti and Creole-speaking tech enthusiasts around the world to discuss technological concerns, news and issues in Haitian Creole. In Part I of the interview, he discussed how he got the idea for the hashtags. In this segment, he talks about broader topics in Haiti’s technology sector.

Kreyolicious: When we compare our part of the century to that of others who lived before us, we note that social media has changed, has revolutionized a lot of things over the world. What do you think social media has changed in Haiti?
Here in Haiti, we tend to follow a trend without really understanding its purpose. Social media started back in the days when the web turned from web 1.0 to 2.0…which means before today’s era of the popular social networks, websites were all about serving content for the consumer to just consume. When the web 2.0 hit with possibility for the consumer to participate in the game, we started with the blogs then social networks. Nowadays, in other countries social media goes further then just post[ing] media, interact[ing] [with] media posted by friends and family. We are at a point where employers, before hiring you, go on your social media profiles and check your background. Traditional media uses social networks as sources and publish scoops, and governments identify potential threats to the security of their nation and so on. But in Haiti, [even as we speak] some traditional media don’t use social networks. When news is being spread, there are a few and limited sources you can refer to [verify for] authenticity. Others take advantage [of social media to] create [and amass] popularity…[and do so] by using it [to spread malicious gossip]. Nonetheless, we need to highlight that social media in university is added as a subject in mass communication curriculum and people are being hired as social media specialists in those other countries. Talking about Haiti, there is not too much to say. We use social media on a daily basis for sure, but I don’t think we could say it has changed [anything much]. There [aren’t any] laws [that govern] behavior—good or bad in the country on the internet. We are one of the countries on the planet [who aren’t governed by any established internet laws] which leads people to do whatever they want, whenever they want on social media.

Kreyolicious: Besides taking internet abuse measures, what else would you like to see the tech sector in Haiti do?
Actually, I [think] that we [have this great urgency to] educate our nation about computer science, the use of the internet, and so on. Cause, what we actually know about internet in Haiti is just the edge of the iceberg. Then the community of computer scientist, software developer needs to get together and propose real laws that reflect our culture and morals as a nation in other to move side by side upon the arrival of new technologies. At the end, I think it is very important that the tech sector becomes a real entity as it is for the medical and accounting sector, to name these, where a license is delivered in order for engineers in the field to be recognized accordingly.

Kreyolicious: You created an app as well. How does it fit into everything?
Two years ago, I released Lenkop with the purpose of having a platform for events promotion and helping people interested in events, specially the night life. One year later, I realized I was doing it all wrong since it relies all on me to do everything. So I decided to shut it down for a while, learn some new technologies and actually developing what should be the version 2.0 of Lenkop. In other words, I’ve learned from the mistakes, step back and flexing to make a great and strong come back. Hopefully by this March or early April, I’ll be able to share what the second version of Lenkop looks like in terms of features, and [will be able to expand its] international reach.

Kreyolicious: You said you’ll be concentrating on Lenkop…do you see it tying in somehow with your plans for the hashtag?
They are obviously two different projects with different focus. With TiKozeSouTeknoloji, the purpose is to educate, debate and propose solutions, while Lenkop is here to connect party-goers, assist event planners and create a community for those people where they can really relate. That being said, educating people about technology is the main gate that will empower them to make a proper use of any app or other tools they are interested in.

You can watch a video of Haiti techie Josny Severe having a tech discussion in Haitian Creole below.

CLICK HERE to keep up with the Haiti Techie and his discussions about #Yontikozesouteknoloji!