For years, Wajir has been synonymous with remoteness: vast stretches of arid land, limited infrastructure, and communities cut off from the digital revolution sweeping across Kenya. Today, this narrative is shifting. Affordable internet connectivity, powered through a partnership between Mawingu and the Internet Society Foundation, is taking root in the county. The arrival of reliable and accessible internet is enabling schools, businesses, and households to participate in Kenya’s digital economy in ways that were previously unimaginable.
“When we started Mawingu, our mission was simple but ambitious: to bridge the digital divide by making reliable internet accessible and affordable for communities that had been left out of Kenya’s digital growth story,” said Farouk Ramji, CEO of Mawingu. “Wajir represents that mission coming to life. If we can connect Wajir, we can connect anywhere. And with partners like the Internet Society Foundation, we are proving that connectivity in even the most remote regions is possible.”
In schools, children who once relied solely on outdated textbooks are now able to access a wider pool of knowledge through online resources and interactive learning platforms. A teacher at Wajir Primary School observed:
“Before, we could only dream of digital learning. Today, my students are researching science topics on tablets and exploring the world beyond our classrooms. The internet has opened their eyes and broadened their aspirations.”
For many students, this represents the first step toward competing on equal footing with their peers in Nairobi and other urban areas.
The economic impact is also becoming visible. Local entrepreneurs and small businesses, once constrained by distance and poor infrastructure, are tapping into new markets and opportunities. A shop owner in Wajir town shared her experience:
“With Mawingu, my shop is not just for Wajir anymore. I can now sell to customers across Kenya. I use online platforms to show my products, and I even receive mobile payments without having to leave my shop.”
Affordable internet, enabled by the partnership, has allowed her to transform a modest kiosk into a business with national reach.
Healthcare delivery in Wajir is quietly undergoing a revolution of its own. Clinics that previously operated in isolation now benefit from telemedicine, enabling local health workers to consult with specialists in larger towns. Families, too, are gaining faster access to health information and services, reducing the need for expensive and time-consuming travel. For a region where access to healthcare has long been a challenge, connectivity is not only bridging a digital gap but also addressing critical health needs.
The benefits are perhaps most profound for the county’s youth. Nineteen-year-old Ahmed, a student in Wajir, described how internet access has changed his outlook:
“I want to study computer science at university. Before Mawingu came, I didn’t even know how to access coding tutorials. Now, I spend hours every evening learning online. It makes me believe I can compete with students from Nairobi or even abroad.”
His story reflects a quiet but powerful shift—one in which opportunity is no longer determined solely by geography.
Beyond infrastructure, connectivity in Wajir is redefining social inclusion. Women entrepreneurs are leveraging the internet to expand their businesses, young people are acquiring new skills, and families are staying connected with relatives both near and far. Affordable internet is giving Wajir’s residents a sense of belonging in Kenya’s wider digital community.
“The internet is a great equalizer,” Ramji emphasized. “When a child in Wajir can access the same information as a child in Nairobi, that is when real development happens. That is when opportunity stops being determined by geography.”
As Kenya continues to pursue its national digital agenda, Wajir offers a compelling case study of what is possible when local innovation meets global partnerships. Through the collaboration between Mawingu and the Internet Society Foundation, affordable and reliable internet is proving to be more than a tool for communication, but an enabler of education, commerce, healthcare, and social inclusion.
The story of Wajir is a clear picture of how affordable internet can change lives across rural Kenya.
