helpingbit

InterviewtoJamesNguo,RegionalDirector,AridLandsInformationNetwork,EasternAfrica1.
Inonesentence,whatistheaimofALINTopromoteinformationandknowledgeexchangeamongcommunities2.
Concretelyandprecisely,howhasALINworkcontributedtotheimprovementofruralcommunitiesinEastAfricaCouldyougiveusconcreteexamplesofacommunityorpersonswhoselivelihoodhaveimproved/changedthroughALIN'ssupportThroughthecreationoftheMaarifacentresALINhasenabledruralcommunitiestoaccessinformationthatwasimpossibleforthemtogetpreviously.
ThroughtheuseofemergingtechnologiesandphysicalpresenceofMaarifacentresinthoseplacescommunitieshavebenefittedfrominformationandICTskills.
InNgurumanbloggingskillsenabled(http://loitasafaritrekks.
blogspot.
com/p/home.
html)tosetupabusiness;atNg'arua,avibrantgroupofcommunityreporters(http://laikipiaruralvoices.
blogspot.
com/)ischanginglivesofpeopleintheareabyusingablogtoreportonissuesaffectingthecommunity,demandingandgettinggovernmentattention.
ThroughinformationsharedviaALINlong-runningmagazineBaobab,communitieshavelearntpracticessuchuseofsimpletubularbio-digesterstoproducebiogasandrockcatchmentrainwaterharvesting.
Thesearenowhelpingthemcopewithclimatechangesee(Videolinkonwaterhavestinghttp://bit.
ly/vUHpAJvideolinkonBiogashttp://bit.
ly/uQqWl1).
3.
WhatisALIN'smostrelevantcontributiontothefieldofmediadevelopmentWhatisyourshowcaseoroutstandingcontributionALIN'ssignificantcontributioninmediadevelopmenthasbeenthetrainingandexposuretensofyounghighlytrainedmediaprofessionalstothecommunity,somewhostillworkatMaarifacentresasfieldofficersstillactivelyworkingacrossEastAfrica.
Asaresultoftheirwork,storiesaboutgoodpracticesbeingadoptedbyfarmersandpastoralistsregularlyfindtheirwayintheinternationalarenaviaALIN'spublications,JotoAfrikaandBaobab,localandinternationalmediaandviatheinternetthroughMaarifacentreblogsandotheronlinespaces.
IndigenousKnowledgeisbeingcapturedanddigitizedintotheonlinespaceviavideoclips,mediaarticlessocialmediaincreasinglocallydevelopedcontent.
ALINinpartnershipwithMediaFocusonAfricapromotedciviceducationandparticipationduringtheelectoralprocessofmarginalizedcommunitiesthroughmobilereporting.
The"CommunityInformationVolunteers"fromalloverthecountryreportedontheKenyanpoliticalatmosphere.
Thesemobilereportersprovideawayforvariouspeoplewhoarenotoftenaskedtoexpresstheiropinionsandprovidediscourseonissuesthattheythinkshouldbeattheforefrontduringthiselectionsuchascorruption,powerofthevote,genderissues,youthleadership,accountability,ethnicityandthecandidates'views.
Theirfindingswerepublished(videos,photosandarticles)onourwebsitewww.
mediafocusondevelopment.
com.
NewtechnologieslikethisgivevotersfromthemarginalizedcommunitiesavoiceinthepoliticalarenaandachancetobeheardnotonlybypoliticiansbutalsobytheirfellowKenyansinurbanareas.
http://www.
mediafocusonafrica.
org/index.
phpPageID=424.
WhatarethechallengesthatALINforeseesinthefutureHowdoesALINplantohandlesuchchallengesAkeychallengeforALINisanincreasingdemandforreplicationoftheMaarifacentremodelbydifferentagencies.
WhereasALINiswillingtoseethecentresconceptperpetuated,resourcesareconstraining.
Toaddressthechallenge,ALINbeganofferingservicestohelpotherssetupsimilarcentres.
IthasalsoengagedthegovernmentofKenya(whichhasawellresourceddigitalvillagesinitiative)forpossiblepartnership.
AnotherchallengeiscostofconnectivitywhichstillremainshighdespitethelandingofthreefiberopticcablesinKenya.
RESOURCESOthertestimoniesonimpactcanbefoundonMaarifablogs1.
NgurumanMaarifaCentreBiogasusershttp://ngurumanmaarifa.
blogspot.
com/2011/05/free-cooking-gas-for-nguruman-community.
htmlICTtrainingandlocalchiefempowermenthttp://ngurumanmaarifa.
blogspot.
com/2011/04/free-access-to-information-for-nguruman.
htmlhttp://ngurumanmaarifa.
blogspot.
com/2010/10/even-without-power.
htmlhttp://ngurumanmaarifa.
blogspot.
com/2010/06/more-technology-for-local-chief.
html2.
NdhiwaMaarifaCentreAdobeyouthvoicestestimonieshttp://ndhiwamaarifacentre.
blogspot.
com/http://ndhiwamaarifacentre.
blogspot.
com/2012/01/how-i-benefitted-from-ndhiwa-maarifa.
htmlhttp://ndhiwamaarifacentre.
blogspot.
com/2012/01/how-i-benefited-from-adobe-youth-voices.
htmlMutomoAdobeYouthVoiceshttp://mutomomaarifa.
blogspot.
com/2011/11/thank-you-for-this-great-opportunity.
html3.
MarigatMaarifaCentreInfoimpacthttp://marigatmaarifa.
blogspot.
com/2011/03/information-impact-from-maarifa-centre_08.
html4.
IsinyaMaarifaCentrelibraryserviceshttp://isinyamaarifa.
blogspot.
com/2011/05/they-say-that-reading-book-is-like.
htmlICTtestimonieshttp://isinyamaarifa.
blogspot.
com/2012/02/free-icdl-training-testimonies.
html5.
Adobeyouthvoicestestimonieshttp://ndhiwamaarifacentre.
blogspot.
com/http://ndhiwamaarifacentre.
blogspot.
com/2012/01/how-i-benefitted-from-ndhiwa-maarifa.
htmlhttp://ndhiwamaarifacentre.
blogspot.
com/2012/01/how-i-benefited-from-adobe-youth-voices.
htmlMutomoAdobeYouthVoiceshttp://mutomomaarifa.
blogspot.
com/2011/11/thank-you-for-this-great-opportunity.
html