Four young Kenyans become mobile reporters
“This is a great opportunity to promote responsive journalism and democracy in Kenya,” says Munene Kilongi. He is standing in a street in Nairobi while he is sending his report on the elections in Kenya from his mobile phone.
Nairobi - Kilongi is one of four Kenyan mobile reporters who are joining the Voices of Africa project, an initiative of the Africa Interactive Media Foundation.
Each reporter is provided with an advanced mobile telephone, a portable keyboard, a telephone credit and a monthly stipend. The reporters produce articles, photos and videos and upload the content with the use of their mobile phones. In this way they are given the chance to report on African issues they consider to be newsworthy.
The Africa Interactive Media Foundation is helping young Africans build up a career in media, using mobile technologies that are now becoming available to the continent at a rapid pace. This process serves to support good governance, transparency and the development of democracy in Africa.
Voices of Africa was piloted for several months in Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa and Ghana. This period was used to master technology. Now, thanks to a donation of ASN Foundation, the project is gaining momentum in Kenya. As soon as Africa Interactive Media Foundation is able to secure additional financial support the project will be rolled out in the other three countries already tested. The ultimate goal of the Foundation is to get mobile reporters in all African countries.
The content that is produced by the mobile reporters can be seen on the website
http://www.voices-of-africa.com. This website is developed and maintained by Africa Interactive with the technical support of SKOEPS.com.
More background information on the goals of the Africa Interactive Media Foundation can be found on the website
http://www.Africa-interactive-Foundation.com.
Connected by: Uninet
muti
del.icio.us
stumbleupon
yahoo
google
facebook
newsvine
Digg
Reddit
GoGuide
