Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Google launches Baraza in Africa

Google launched Baraza, its Question and Answer online service yesterday 25th October. Baraza which means 'council' or 'task force' in Swahili is a question and answer service that will also be integrated into search results on Google Search. I had the previledge of testing Bazara a few days before it was launched in Africa. Personally commend Google for incorporating a reward and punishment scheme into the service. On Google Baraza, individuals are rewarded with points or reputation when they perform certain positively on Baraza.

African's with access to the Internet can now pose their questions online and receive answers from the Baraza community within a few hours depending on the complexity of the question. Since the service is targetted towards the African population, most of the questions are African related.Baraza is available in 40 countries across Africa. Local domains of the service have been set up in South Africa, Cameroon, Uganda, Senegal, Nigeria, Kenya, Ivory Coast and many other countries. With the Baraza, Google hopes to get more Africans online with this service.

Google Ghana has partnered Databank and BusyInternet to make Baraza more popular in the country.BusyInternet, with three branches in Accra and Tema will open its doors to Baraza users for free during Drive Time on Joy on Wednesday between 3pm and 6pm.This will be followed by an exclusive event at the Kofi Annan Center of Escellence KACE where Estelle, the Google Ghana Country Lead will meet bloggers in Ghana.

To join the rest of Africa on Google Baraza, please go to google.com.gh/baraza

2 comments:

gamelmag said...

Google Baraza is a really cool tool, and I'm enjoying it. Obviously some people have started abusing it.

Edward Tagoe said...

It's true about the abuse. Will cast a shadow on the power of the 'good users' should we allow such people to collapse the Baraza service. Wikipaedia is still around because some good people have resolved not to allow others to abuse it. I think the ball is in our court :-)