Abstract
Web developer Mikel Maron and I launched Voice of Kibera, a Map Kibera project, in 2010. Its aim is to provide residents of Kibera, a 2.5 sq km slum in southwest Nairobi, with the digital tools necessary for self-empowerment. At the time, there were only about two local media outlets in Kibera, which, by our estimates, is home to around 250,000 people. Residents relied heavily on national media, which either overlooked events in the slum or added to the community’s already negative image. By contrast, Voice of Kibera reports on a variety of stories, from the regular outbreaks of fire to news about local artistic talent. This not only informs residents of important matters but also provides a platform for more positive information to be disseminated.
The project helps give a voice to residents, who can send in news via the internet or mobile phones. Once verified, reports are aggregated and mapped using Ushahidi’s crowdsourcing technology. The website displays feeds from other local media initiatives and blogs, as well as from the Kibera News Network, a citizen video journalism programme. Members film, edit and upload local news stories to YouTube, which are then re-posted on Voice of Kibera.
Mikel and I headed to Kenya in 2009, each with our own objectives. Mikel hoped to expand the reach of the OpenStreetMap project, a user-created editable online map of the world, while I wanted to build on my academic research on how technology can be used to influence development.
After a group of young Kiberans created the first open, digital map of their community using OpenStreetMap software, the obvious question was what to do with it. We talked about how it could be used as an entry point to understanding one’s surroundings and how the online sphere could be used for self-representation, both on a personal level and in dealing with local authorities and government officials. We added a narrative to the map, incorporating news stories allowed Kiberans to share a more multi-faceted view of their community. We wanted to include information about whatever the Kibera people felt was important: development planning and challenges, local campaigns, breaking news, art projects and monitoring of local government budgets.
Mikel and I were familiar with Ushahidi and organised a focus group of community members, including the mappers, to find out how the software might be of use to Kibera residents.
The focus group instantly took to the idea of having an online news site and formed an editorial group to ensure the news platform would be reliable and accurate. We demonstrated how a text message from anyone with a public phone would appear on the website after being approved by the editorial team. It was agreed that verification was important, as rumours are common in Kibera.
Along the way, we encountered numerous challenges. In additional to technical issues, we initially found it difficult to get residents to send in news via SMS, partly due to the cost. We began to reimburse dedicated reporters, some of whom became part of the core team. Growing the team of citizen journalists in Kibera meant creating a trusted network of residents invested in the site and connected to each other offline as well as online. Another key element was building relationships with as many local organisations and initiatives as possible.
Residents of Kibera now have a reliable news source and a platform to share updates, publicise activities and track problems within the community. The sheer quantity of reports we’ve received so far has helped create a fuller picture of Kibera.
The site provides local perspectives on national news stories, which will be instrumental in monitoring the March 2013 election in Kenya. Following on from our success monitoring the constitutional referendum in 2010, we plan to expand our coverage by launching similar projects in at least two other slums in Nairobi. Through this we hope to further unleash the true potential of citizen journalism and give a voice to those who would otherwise go unheard.
