Kabissa Gong Gong: August 2008 - Spotlight on WildlifeDirect and Sukuma Kenya

A monthly newsletter for members of the Kabissa African civil society network

1. Dear Mimi: Internet Advice Column

1) I notice Kabissa staff using photos in their blog posts. I would love to be able to add my photos on Kabissa's site, how do I go about doing this?

The term of "picture is worth a thousand words" may be an exaggeration however photos are useful way of beautifying or enhancing your post. The process is similar to other blogging sites and it is fairly easy. Here's how you do it: First save the photo you want to use on your own computer (tip: right-click on images on websites to save them). Start your blog post on Kabissa, and place the cursor in the body of the post where you would like to insert the photo. Now click on the green tree "photo" icon which is on the 2nd row first from the left. From here you will be taken to another menu "insert/edit image". On the far right of the "image url line" you will see a small box. Click on this box to go to the next menu. Click on Browse and go to the folder where you stored your photos and select the photo you want. Click on "Upload" and your photo will appear in the box. You now have to double click the photo and it will then be inserted into your blog post. Once the photo is inserted on your blog post you can click on it to resize. For more information on how to do this watch this ScreenCast.

Two points to note about using pictures when blogging. When using any photo or image other than your own, take care only to use images you have permission to use and credit the source. Ideally, you would do this by linking the photo to the source or by writing the source name as a caption for the photo or in the text of your post. Ideally the photo you use will be licensed using the very liberating "Creative Commons" license, as is all content on the Kabissa website.

2) The Kabissa site is sometimes too s-l-o-w from my location. Are there other ways to post to the Kabissa blog?

Yes! You can post directly to the blog by sending an email to blog@kabissa.org. Read on for details!

We have heard numerous reports of Kabissa being slow from cybercafes and slower internet connections in Africa. We apologize for this and are working to speed things up. Meanwhile, many common webmail sites like Google and Yahoo are still fairly fast in many places, and you might be using an email program like Outlook or Thunderbird to work on your emails offline and connect only periodically to send your mail. This means that often an email can get through even if you can't get to many websites.

To post by email, log into the mailbox account that is associated with your Kabissa membership. Address your message to blog@kabissa.org, type the title of your blog post into the subject line and then type your blog post in the body of your email. Send it - and within the hour your post will appear on the Kabissa blog!

You will want to return to the Kabissa site later to review the post for possible formatting issues, add tags and images. The Kabissa team will also be on the lookout to fix posts that don't make you look your best.

This feature is under testing - please report to Kabissa with any feedback or suggestions.

2. Under the Baobab Tree: News and Blogs from Kabissa Members

ChildHelp Sierra Leone will be hosting an International Conference on the 4-7 December 2008 on the theme... Girls as Powerful Agents of Change.. For more information click here.
Networking for Success
The project run by W.TEC in Nigeria teaching women professionals on how to use Web 2.0 technologies to develop their work came to an end today. The Project is the first one of it's kind and congratulations must go to W.TEC found, Ore Somolu who had a vision two years ago and followed it through single handedly.
Using Media for Sensitization: Listen to the Voice of the People
The major factor that will shape the future evolution of Africa is in the education and sensitisation of the people. A commonly cited example is the AIDs epidemic. Over 20 years after its outbreak, ignorance and stigma still surround the epidemic to the point where AIDs victims are unable to openly talk about their struggles for fear of discrimination or violence. AIDs workers still encounter examples of HIV patients who are ignorant of how they contracted the disease.
Working towards peace in Somalia
The National Post a Somali independent news paper is organized by training about covering peace process in Somali Since 2007, Somalia has become Africa's most dangerous country for journalists and the world's deadliest place for media professionals outside Iraq and funded by American Embassy in Nairobi. The Somali Journalists Rights Agency has been posting actively in support of journalists. Click here to view all blog posts from SOJRA.
The Multi Media Resource Kit (MMRK) elaborated by PROTEGE QV under the auspices of the Commonwealth Connects Programme, merged under one document all the subjects relating to the creation, improvement and management of the micro-enterprises. The MMRK is available in hard copy as a book, Compact Disk to be use on computers with exploitation Windows XP and on the web.
Living in East Africa is a rollercoaster. One day you are on top of the world, the next reality comes crashing in. The last three days have been quite a experience. We came to Nairobi to register Voices of Africa as an NGO in Kenya. We wanted to register here first while we are waitng for to finish the legal work behind the US and UK applications. In the meantime I was invited to a conference on the Kenyan IC policy and its harminzation within East Africa.
Sustainable use of fuel wood is and essential issue that most people
in developing countries are not aware. In Cross River State Nigeria,
the Mafaminyen Conservation Society, a community based organization,
took up the issue with the aid of the Wild Gift Foundation, on the
construction of clay fuel efficient wood stoves with chimney. This has
lead to a reduction in the burden of fetching wood in the community,
increased interest in forest conservation and soil fertility in the
community.

3. Kabissa Matters

New members this month: We welcome 13 new members this month from Nigeria, Cameroon, South Africa and Uganda. This brings our membership to 1241 African civil society organizations.

Keep an eye out for improvements to the Kabissa site. We are planning some enhancements in the coming weeks that will make the site look better and work faster. Please help us make Kabissa better! Send feedback to support@kabissa.org and join the Kabissa Online Community beta tester group.

4. Technology News and Resources

5 Technology events in Africa: Via White African Blog

African Technology Conferences and Events

In Africa

Tech4Africa - The Technology for Africa conference has a group of really interesting speakers from around the web, mobile and ISP space in Africa. A lot of grassroots guys who are actually doing things, intermixed with some international, and well-known, speakers.
Dates: October 3-4, 2008
Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Int’l Bloggers Roadshow - Still being put together, it sounds like an interesting group of US-based big name bloggers will be heading to South Africa. More by Matthew Buckland.
Dates: Unannounced
Locations: Unannounced

FOSS4G (Free and Open-Source Software for Geospatial) - A meeting of international mapping gurus. Hopefully we can get some major African mapping work started here.
Dates: September 29 - October 3, 2008
Location: Cape Town, South Africa

In the United States

BarCamp Africa - Organized in California as a way to bring people interested in Africa, on a variety of levels and topics, together in one place for a day of exploration, connection and enjoyment. Some big Silicon Valley names are getting behind this.
Dates: October 11, 2008
Location: Pending

In Europe

Surprising Africa @ Picnic’08 - A one-day program designed to inspire and update the Picnic public - creatives, innovators, trendsetters and technologists - with a range of cross media and culture happenings from various Africa countries. From South African urban identity photography to Ethiopian architecture, to mobile banking to Kenya (online) critical writing, amongst others.
Dates: September 26, 2008
Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

5. Opportunities Pot

Kwani LitFest: Nairobi How to set up your blog, chose your subjects, deal with comments, make posts interesting and get your blog to stand out among the millions added daily to the internet.
Grameen Foundation will provide $10,000 each to up to two organizations to launch Village Phone programs. To participate, organizations should submit their proposals via email to villagephone@grameenfoundation.org by August 24, 2008.
Conference on Global Ethics, Values and Mindfulness will be held in Jos Nigeria on October 21st - 23rd, 2008

6. Member Spotlight: WildlifeDirect and Sukuma Kenya

This month Sokari Ekine interviews Kenyan blogger and animal conservationist Dipesh Parbari [Kabissa Profile] [Blog - Sukuma Kenya].

Sokari: In 2006, Wildlife Direct was formed by a group of animal conservationists including Richard Leakey with the aim of building a social network of those interested and dedicated to the conservation of Africa's wildlife. Could you explain a little about the project and how you came to be involved?

Dipesh: I believe the person behind WildlifeDirect was the first Chief Executive, Dr. Emmanuel de Merode, who has a long history of working in conservation in DR Congo. WildlifeDirect grew out of a project to build capacity of the Virunga National Park Wildlife authorities (ICCN) who had little support from the government. I think Emmanuel felt that little attention is ever given to the real people on the ground especially the rangers who work for next to nothing and risk their lives daily for the protection of wildlife and the environment. Blogging is the best tool for people to use to interact with the world through their own voices and telling their own stories. The other unique aspect about WildlifeDirect is that it is a platform for conservationists on the ground to take full control of fundraising and appeal to the thousands of people around the world who want to know where their few dollars that they donate are going to and moreover, that 100% of the funds will go directly to the project rather than get eaten up by administration.

In less than a year, WildlifeDirect had grown from a few blogs in DR Congo to over 60 blogs around Africa. There was a lot of media attention especially around the gorilla protection program in Virunga where the projects and the people were covered on every major media from CNN to National Geographic. As there was such a clear link between increased traffic and thus more donations whever there was a media story particularly if it appeared on the internet, I was asked to join to help structure the communications and campaign strategies within the organisation and deal with the media outside of the Congo paradigm.

Sokari: How difficult / easy was it to encourage conservationist in Africa to start to blog about their work and experience.

Dipesh: I don't think it is particularly difficult to get people going; I think the biggest challenge was to keep people going. Sadly there have been so many amazing conservationists that started blogging but for one reason or another did not keep it up. Most of the target group have technological hindrances and also have very little time on their hands as they are busy doing what they are supposed to do - conservation.

Sokari: Who are the bloggers in Wildlife Direct and how successful has the project been?

Dipesh: If you look at the list of bloggers, there are over 80 different blogs. Sadly, only about half regularly post. The people who really could benefit from blogging as a way to raise awareness about their work and funds really need special attention to get them going and I think should remain the focus on WildlifeDirect. Take the Mara Triangle blog which is run by the Mara Conservancy rangers. During the post election crises in Kenya, the Conservancy approached WildifeDirect to help them raise desperately needed funds as they were 100% dependant on tourism revenue. My colleague at the time, William Deed, who was instrumental in building up the capacity of the bloggers in Congo (in one year, the Gorilla Protection blog raised $350,000) was asked to go and work with the Mara rangers to get them going. These things take time and he was willing to give the necessary time to make the Mara Triangle blog successful. It has taken six months but if you have a look at the blog and what the rangers write and the media attention and funds they raise, it has clearly been succesful. Rangers like Kimojino who were virtually computer illiterate are now using things like twitter and facebook and connecting with thousands of people around the world. This is the way it should be and I love the fact that I can read stories written by guys like Kimojinolink? -Tobias Eigen 8/4/08 10:11 AM .

Sokari: In your article Guns, Gorillas and Blogs you make the link between the conservation of Africa's wildlife and the sustainablility of rural communities who live alongside the animal world. Why do you think it is important to look at conservation and human survival as one and the same thing?

Dipesh: Structuralists concepts which have been embedded in dominant human interventions for far too long and done far too much damage have very much created a world of black and white, binary thinking. There is no question about it that this is a western model of doing things; animals on one side and people on the other; the environment one side and people on the other. Without sounding like too much of a post-colonialist, I honestly feel that this sort of thinking has been one of the main contributions to the failure of conservation, and development in general.

I think we are slowly moving away from this redundant model and trying to look at the bigger picture. One of the fundraising appeals that I really respected that was launched by WildlifeDirect was last year sometime when there was a huge influx of refugees that settled around the periphery of Virunga National Park. From a conservation point of you, the consequences of this were disastrous as people need to eat and in order to eat, peope need to cook and in order to cook, people need fuel wood. Of course people would start chopping down trees. You have to keep the scale of this in mind. Tens of thousands of people settling next to an indigenous forest. Anyways, WildlifeDirect sent an appeal out to through the blogs to raise funds to buy "good wood" and provide fuelwood to the refugees. WWF has been growing trees with the communities for fuel in the millions for a while around the periphery of the parks so it was a question of sourcing funds to buy from the local communities and provide fuel wood for the refugees. Within a matter of weeks, $21,000 was raised online. The best bit about this campaign in terms of strategy was its honesty. "We need to raise funds to help the refugees". This was an appeal sent out to people who are animal lovers in the western sense of the word yet hundreds of people responded.

Sokari: I started blogging some 4 years ago but I remember it took me a couple of months of thinking about blogging - the content, style, whether to remain anonymous or not - before I finally launched my blog. What led to your decision to start blogging [Sukuma] and why did you choose to focus on political and social issues rather than continue writing about conservation and Africa's wildlife?

Dipesh: I was working for WildlifeDirect at the time Kenya went into the post-election political crises. I had learnt so much about how powerful a tool it can be. When my mother who runs a charity in Kisumu which was one of the most affected areas in Kenya approached me saying that she wants to help with the crises but did not have the funds, I thought I could help by reaching out to friends around the world. Sukuma Kenya was launched primarily as a way to raise funds and inform friends of what is directly happening on the ground in and around Kisumu. In less than a month we were able to raise almost 10,000£ directly through the blog. The response was overwhelming and all of this came through friends and friends of friends. The funds were used to resettle IDPs and try and get as many people back on their by giving them provisions to start small businesses.

As things settled down and our politicians cut deals and went back to lining their pockets, I could not bear what was happening. Thousands killed and displaced in the name of politics and the very people that Kenyans had supported by giving their votes and taking to the streets had been forgotten. I can't bear to keep quiet about this. These politicians are sitting comfortably in their 4wd cars and their big fat salaries and each and every one of them is responsible for what happened - and they are getting away with it.
Sokari: Finally can you tell us why you joined Kabissa's online community and do you have any suggestions on how we can develop and improve the site? I registered with Kabissa many years ago when it first came out as an online directory for NGOs in Africa. I thought it was a great idea to learn and connect with other projects from around the continent. When Kabissa relaunched, I was very excited about the additional applications and to able to tap into a huge network where we can post about similar issues. I love the fact that it has evolved to be a platform for connecting and sharing ideas and new concepts and online applications that give people in Africa the tools to take control of our own lives.

One thing that definitely needs improvement is the speed. The site is too heavy for some reason and takes too long to upload and I often lose my patience. I also think that a more sophisticated internal search engine would be really useful. I would like to not just find out more about who is doing what but more importantly for me is what is being done. The Resources and Training pages could do with a lot more easy to use information.

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If you would like your organisation to feature in the "Member Spotlight", please email Sokari at community@kabissa.org