This is an interesting discussion to me. I have been working on an ICT4D non-governmental organization specifically designed to use ICT to "teach the people to fish". We have experienced tremendous hurdles in this endeavor. First we experienced the bureaucracy of having to wait for almost 11 months before our NGO was legally registered in Kenya. It would have moved fast had we had the excess resources to pay "chai". Our organizational ethics are against corruption, so we have had a diffcult time moving from point A to point B. Yet despite our ethics, we have had to pay for a number of "services" that should come for free to the public or by the roadside on a police "toll" road. As technology infrastructure is not low cost, we have had issues raising capital for projects. Also in on the road to raising capital, we have had unscrupulous people pose as support only to use our intellectual property for their own benefit. Perhaps now is the time when the businesses in Nairobi will see the long term benefits of development for the country as a whole. As we went to a number of companies in Nairobi their primary focus was still on the elite market and in Nairobi. Most development institutions are not interested in long term sustainable development solutions, but on providing a short term fix. This is something like putting your finger in the whole in the dam and the walls are crumbling down. I do not mean to sound cynical, but only to elucidate why there are few people using technology to serve the needs of the poor. If you look at the ICT4D world, you will see mostly people in developed countries and those in developing countries are in large cities. Wher the development is needed most is in the rural areas, the semi arid and arid regions, and the slums. These are the places that are in the greatest need. The study of diffusion of innovations has shown that innovators first target those with the greatest resources not the greatest need. Targeting solutions for the greatest need often do not have the immediate financial rewards. So the poor are alienated and left behind. So there has to be a turning point in the way development is imagined and funded in this country. We good legislation that favors Universal Access, Freedom of Information and Data Protection. We also need legislation that protects people's intellectual property to ensure that those who are attempting to bring change are proetcted. There is little anyone can do when they end up hungry alongside the people they are trying to serve. VOA4SD is always looking for more people dedicated to ICT in Kenya for ALL. We are working on a number of projects "behind the scenes" and need more support. If the ICT community really wants to bring long term solutions and lasting change to Kenya, we need to think and act. Many blessings, Crystal 2009/5/28 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
I volunteered to get stats and related data on hunger in Kenya, and any other non-technical issues at this point. What I didn't see, in my opinion, was another voluntary step in this regard. I stand to be corrected if someone contributed in that angle.
On 28/05/2009, Riyaz Bachani <riyaz.bachani@ke.wananchi.com> wrote:
Guys,
So who's going to take the lead and start something on this ?
A bunch of us has always talked about a Kenyan GeekCorps (it's even in the archives I think).
But who's going to really start this movement now ?
R
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tech List Kenya" <techlistkenya@gmail.com> To: "Skunkworks forum" <skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke> Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2009 4:26:16 AM GMT +03:00 Iraq Subject: Re: [Skunkworks] Hunger - the plight of our fellow Kenyans, what can the ict community do?
These ideas make me wonder why skunks are not running the nation. But i have a different aspect to it: would you invest in practical agric as an individual? If we can grow *lots* of food in Ukambani by irrigation, etc, then why cant the locals do it? The answer: financial challenges.
So, if you, as a private citizen, were leased a chunk of land at a very subsidised rate (or free for a season or so), would you invest in it? That way its easier to use collective bargaining to lower cost of imputs and employ appropriate technology. You will be amazed how much info KARI has that has not been put into practice.
On 5/27/09, Murigi Muraya <mmskunkworks@gmail.com> wrote:
Maybe we need foreigners to come in and help us grow food because of bad politics.
Skunkworks for example, is a byproduct of creative passion - geeks in love with their chosen ICT's - not the result of destructive politics.
Irrigation is not too hard. Maybe Israel could teach us to probe (and prosecute) corrupt politicians (from our own tribes) instead. Corruption talk (which in our context is usually war mongering ) ONLY when it involves another ethnic group is sooo tribal!
2009/5/27 Solomon Mburu <solo.mburu@gmail.com>
My idea on this would be we mobilize ourselves {with technological brainstorming etc} and present proposal at Hon. Ruto's Kilimo House, on averting food insecurity in Kenya completely. I feel jittery when we tend to trust foreigners in sorting our issues. They should be the last resort. Let us take tasks, instead of saying this and that intelligently... anything un-technogical at this take nitaichukua e.g. assessing food insecurity in kenya and someone takes the tech part then we develop a proposal for presentation. any other option?
On 27/05/2009, Odhiambo ワシントン <odhiambo@gmail.com> wrote:
2009/5/27 J. N. Kimani <ngugikimani@gmail.com>
Can Govt (Ruto) bring in the Israelis to Kenya for the survey and Skunkworks contributes for their accomodation and food? Seeing is believing and only when we see the Israelis here surveying will we believe in the next step in the process.
I wonder how accessible these ministers/MPs are. I have never tried getting to meet any of them for a discussion. We should find a way to ask him for the progress on the project.
-- Best regards, Odhiambo WASHINGTON, Nairobi,KE +254733744121/+254722743223 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ "Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society." -- Mark Twain
-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
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-- Solomon Mburu P.O. Box 19343 - 00202 Nairobi Cell: (+254-0) 735 431041
Man is a gregarious animal and enjoys agreement as cows will graze all the same way to the side of a hill!
AND
It is better to die in dignity than in the ignomity of ambiguous generosity! _______________________________________________ Skunkworks mailing list Skunkworks@lists.my.co.ke http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks Other services @ http://my.co.ke Other lists ------------- Skunkworks announce: http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/skunkworks-announce Science - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/science kazi - http://lists.my.co.ke/cgi-bin/mailman/admin/kazi/general
-- Crystal "Naliaka" Watley Kigoni Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development crystal@voicesofafrica.org http://www.voicesofafrica.org/ "You must be the change you wish to see" - Gandhi