Mediating voices and communicating realities. Using information crowdsourcing tools, open data initiatives and digital media to support and protect the vulnerable and marginalised. Final project report.

Abstract

In November 2010 I facilitated a participatory reflection and assessment process, commission by the Institute of Development Studies University of Sussex. The overall purpose of the assessment was to draw lessons, challenges and opportunities from the experiences of an Open Source Technology (OST) Pilot Project, “Map Kibera” that was initiated through the effort of a US-based organization called Ground Truth initiative. As a participatory methodologies practitioner my focus was on facilitating a process that would enable a cross-section of those involved in the project to assess how participatory the approaches were used in the project and how they could be improved in the future. In this short article I share the key insights emerging from the focus group discussions and a joint workshop with all the groups involved in the project. I also weave in my reflections based on my experience as a participatory methodologies, trainer, facilitator and research. It was exciting to be involved in this reflection process. It not only provided me with an opportunity to learn how important it is to invest in building relationships and a shared vision with communities at the onset of any participatory initiative, but also how survival needs could hinder individuals and groups from releasing their capacity and commitment to engage in processes geared toward social change in their communities. This process itself was an opportunity for the participants to interrogate and discover challenges related to personal and group dynamics that were hindering them from conceptualizing their vision for change and how the Map Kibera project would fit in and contribute to this. The reflection process concluded with a joint reflection that saw natural leaders emerge and take the driver’s seat in their “Matatu2” that had been abandoned in the middle of the road. As I put down these reflections I have had the chance to meet the youth from the Map Kibera initiative and it seems like the Matatu is back on track and headed in the right direction. This article is only an initial glimpse into the use of participatory methods and approaches in Open Source Technology and any other initiatives using new media and ICT for development.

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