The #MyGoogleZA competition asked South Africans to share how they use Google’s technology in their everyday lives. The overwhelming response proved that when it comes to technology, South Africans really do use it day in and day out, for all sorts of things.
Here are 7 ways ordinary South African women use Google Search to empower themselves.
1. I helped my son with his homework
In her entry, Theresa said she uses Google multiple times a day for any number of things. “Homework time: my son just started at Montessori school… I need to Google their methods and ways. Basically, I’m not very imaginative and I need Google,” she confessed.
2. I landed my dream job
Renulka used Google to prepare for a job interview – she’d been unemployed but, thanks to Google, she got the job and started on 1 June.
3. I lost weight & got into shape
Talia Komal researched healthy lifestyle changes, eating plans and exercise to lose weight – she’s lost 30.5kg – going from 85.5 to 55kg. And she’s smiling.
Research healthy lifestyle changes/eating plans/exercises etc 2 lose weight-I’ve lost 30.5kgs goin from 85.5 to 55kgs????#MyGoogleZA @dontparty
— Talia Oneida Komal (@TaliaOneidaK) May 12, 2016
4. I impressed my in-laws
Roxanne C figured out how to be a gourmet chef and knock her in-laws’ socks off when she invited them round for dinner, using Google.
5. I broke up with my doctor
One of the winners, Blair Scheepers, used Google to break up with her doctor. “My friends like to tease me and say I am the only person who has ever Googled “How to break up with your doctor”, but I am not. There are about 80,000,000 results to that question, and I copied my ‘break-up’ letter from one of them. I Google everything, so much so that I don’t even use a calculator anymore, I just Google the problem.”
6. I got a scholarship to study
Another winner, Nonkululeko Ngcobo, found a scholarship to study for the course of her dreams.
In 2014, I was lonely, having a really dreaded time at work and had not been out of the continent. I was approaching 30 and feeling like my life was such a disappointment. I didn’t have the money to travel but knew that a scholarship would help me fulfil my dreams, so I Googled and found several opportunities but only applied to one, Carlton University. What happened was miraculous, I got and it was supposed to be via correspondence, but I was told I needed to spend a month there to attend. Boy was I happy. I got to travel the province of Quebec, made friends there who we later traveled to Toronto with and subsequently to the Niagra falls. It was an amazing experience I’ll never forget. Eternally grateful and it all started with a search engine. That’s #MyGoogleZA story @chica_africa
A photo posted by Nonkululeko Ngcobo (@nonku101) on
7. I helped raise money for hungry children
Sam Posselt used Google Ad Grants to advertise an NPO feeding scheme to help feed hungry children.
Thank you @a_well_heeled_woman and #MyGoogleZA for this prompt! Loved writing this knowing how thankful we (myself and many other NPO’s) are for @google ❤ Link to my story in my bio ➡ @samposseltsa ✌ #flashesofsouthafrica
“The stories that South Africans submitted have given us insight into how real people use our products in their homes, businesses and communities,” says Google SA communications and public affairs head Mich Atagana.
“From the Twitter user who avoided going for a job interview at a sham company thanks to information she found via Google, to the many, many moms who use Google to find out how to help their children when they’re ill, or to do their homework. From saving time in traffic, or finding that dream bursary to study overseas — South Africans use Google in more ways than we had ever imagined.”
These insights were provided by Google SA.
