CEO at 25, Rachel plots massive onslaught on YouTube
Rachel Hakim Edward aka Ray is the CEO of Go-go Play, an online streaming platform with an ambitious aim of putting the country’s music and entertainment content on the map.
Go-go Play platform was born out of her dream of creating something that would quickly connect her to local content, particularly music and videos.
“Our goal is to create a platform like YouTube, but tailored to support local talents by providing the much-needed platform. So, just like YouTube, I will eye the international market. But first, we must start from somewhere,” says 25-year-old Ray.
Every year, 14 per cent of mobile phone users in the country grow their internet phone users. In South Sudan majority of the population is young and heavily reliant on smartphones. So, there is going to be a great future for Gogo Play.
The Go-go Play is a digital entertainment platform centred on music, video, and online entertainment that will be available soon.
“Go-go Play is going to be an income in the entertainment industry, including myself, and another big thing is going to be a source of employment for the youth in the country, as well as a source of pride for me to contribute to my country,” she stressed.
However, she said the biggest challenge facing the Go-go Play’s ability to move faster is financial issues, which she said have affected its development.
In May South Sudan’s NileBoda beat more than 1000 competitors in the East African Community (EAC) Digital Innovation to emerge winners at the dSkills@EA regional finals. From South Sudan, the other idea that made it to Kampala for the finals was Go-go Play.
“When we went there, I got exposed to a lot of people. I got a lot of ideas on how to strengthen the Go-go Play, and at the same time, the competition made me understand what the pitches were all about and the major things that were required,” says.
One of the unique things about the pitches according to Ray was that it was not about having the best points or talking, but it was all about how you showed interest in what you wanted to do and how you started your business and getting more experience in whatever you are doing.
She believed that the net time spent by her team in such competitions would be greater than just pitching.
Ray is also a radio presenter at Classic FM.
“I would like to inspire the next generation. I want to see someone near me grow, so in short, I am the goal-oriented girl, passionate, hardworking,” she says.
The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) estimated that South Sudan had 12% Internet penetration in 2017, whereas other research findings, such as the 2015 Internews survey, indicated that average Internet use was much higher when only the capital Juba was considered.
DataReportal (2019) indicated that as of January 2019, the Internet penetration rate in South Sudan had grown 0.5 per cent year on year between 2018 and 2019 and currently stands at 17 percent, equal to 2.23 million users.
Mobile Internet users account for 16 per cent of the population, or 2.13 million people, implying that roughly 95 per cent of Internet users access it via their mobile phones of education affects how the South Sudanese use the Internet.
The Internews survey indicated that only 1 percent of those with no education have ever used the Internet compared to 16 percent of those with some level of education.
