Johann Ludwig Krapf — in Memoriam

Today, 202 years ago, Johann Ludwig Krapf was born. He lived from 1810 to 1881 and was a German missionary in East Africa, as well as an explorer, linguist, and traveller.

Largely forgotten today, he wrote the first grammar (1850) and dictionary (1882) of the Kiswahili language!

Why does Krapf’s activity serve us as a guide for Tanzanian IT-development?

In terms of Information Technology he set the standards by creating a database of words and the programming rules. As a result work he initiated the transition of African tribes into more complex modern societies making Kiswahili the common language of East Africa today.

The KUKU Trust intends to complement the work of this German pioneer by setting up the digital foundation for the free and self-determined Tanzanian Information Society of tomorrow.

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