Digital Storytelling Project helps young Kenyans speak out
October 2008 - Issue #8
The voices of Kenyan youth are reaching wide audiences through Internet blogging. This month, we feature the recently initiated Digital Storytelling Project, which trains young people to write, photograph and post stories about their lives on their own blogs. Following a three-month training phase, there are now 17 active blogs created and written by Kenyan youths, who share experiences from their daily lives and talk about the issues that are important to them.
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Watch the power of photography
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Interview with participant Martin Ndung’
The power of storytelling, Internet-style
The Digital Storytelling Project – a new programme of the Undugu Society of Kenya (USK), in collaboration with one of its partners, the Advocacy Project – is teaching the power of photography, writing and the web to at-risk Kenyan children and adolescents.
Through blogs and photographs, young people between the ages of 14 and 22 are learning to speak out about issues affecting their lives, such as environmental degradation, drug abuse, life on the streets, poverty in informal settlements and post-election violence.
http://aminakombo.wordpress.com/
http://eliudkinyanjuichege.wordpress.com/
http://martinndugu.wordpress.com/
All of the youths involved in the Digital Storytelling Project come from other USK programmes, such as Street Children and Youth Associations, Non-Formal Schools and the Vocational Skills Training Programme. Selected by the teachers and field officers who work closely with them, they were given the opportunity to participate in the project based on their age, enthusiasm and level of engagement. Girls and students with lower literacy skills were especially encouraged to participate in this project.
During the first three months of training, from June to August, 17, lead trainer Kristina Rosinsky from the Advocacy Project instructed young participants in basic writing and photography through both theory and practice. With Kristina’s help, the participants wrote stories about their daily lives and went into their communities to take photographs. Using computers at local Internet cafés, the young people learned how to create their own blog.
Participant Amina Ibrahim is grateful for having the opportunity to learn and share her stories. "I am very thankful for the chance that I have had because I have learned a lot in the past few workshops. Teacher Kristina and teacher Ruth were the best teachers ever. They made everyone feel free with each other and they were always there for each and every one of us. I truly love blogging, for I get to share most of my ups and downs with other people."
Training young people to be advocates
With the potential to reach local and global audiences on the internet, youths are making their voices heard through digital storytelling. By using the stories that the youth produce to lobby key stakeholders, such as government officials, development partners, parents and communities, USK helps affect real policy reform around issues that impact the lives of children and youth.
Because many of the students participating in the Digital Storytelling Project either live or have lived on the streets, the project is also helping to address stigma and stereotyping. The project hopes to teach the public that through empowerment, these children and youth can engage in productive activities and can contribute positively to Kenya’s growth.
So far, the public’s response has been overwhelmingly affirmative. Comments from readers posted on the blogs show that public attitudes about youth are shifting towards a more positive impression of their abilities and potential for leading healthy and productive lives.
Youth-generated work
The Digital Storytelling Project is committed to youth participation, and hopes to be fully youth-run in the near future. To help reach this goal, the Advocacy Project will conduct a three-month ‘Training of Trainers’ workshop to teach 12 students the leadership skills they’ll need for teaching other children.
In addition, two exceptional young people – Joseph Gachira, 18, and Martin Ndung'u, 21 – will be trained on a full-time basis over the next few months so that they can lead the project in 2009 and beyond.
In mid-October, USK will officially launch the Digital Storytelling Project in Nairobi by holding a forum entitled ‘Listening to Children and Youth’. At the forum, youths involved with the project, as well as other USK programmes, will be able to speak to government leaders, police officers, development agencies and non-governmental organizations about issues important to them.
The students in the Digital Storytelling Project will display an exhibition of their photographs at the event and will hold a fundraising auction for the project. To expand the audience for this youth-generated work, the project is planning another photography exhibit to be held in Kisumu, western Kenya, early next year.
Click here to visit the Digital Storytelling Project website.
Links
The 10th Leeds Young Peoples' Film Festival
The festival is now accepting submissions for the 2009 Festival, taking place 2
-10 April 2009. We are looking for exciting and innovative films made both FOR and BY children and young people from across the UK and the world. Entries can be any length, genre or format and submissions from anywhere in the world are welcomed. Deadline for entries is Monday 15th December 2008. Go to www.leedsyoungfilm.com to download entry forms.
John Smith Fellowship Programme 2009
The John Smith Memorial Trust is inviting applications to participate in the John Smith Fellowship Programme 2009. Administered by the British Council on behalf of the John Smith Memorial Trust, the Programme targets outstanding young leaders working in politics, local government or civil society who have an interest in promoting democratic reform. The five-week fellowship combines a seminar series, placements, and visits designed to give an insight into democratic practice. Fellows produce a project at the end of their stay indicating how lessons learned can be applied in their own countries. Applications are due by 5th November 2008. More info
<http://www.johnsmithmemorialtrust.org/Web/Site/Programme/how_to_apply.asp.
Sixth Videotivoli searching for films
International children's and young people's film event Videotivoli is
looking for films made by children and young people ages 16 or
under from all over the world. The purpose of Videotivoli is to give
children under 16 years of age a chance to show their works to public.
Deadline for all films is 15 November. Rules and entry form can be
found at www.videotivoli.fi.
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Join the discussions!
Do you have something to say about issues affecting children and young people?
Media Magic Digest is a monthly e-newsletter produced by UNICEF's International Children's Day of Broadcasting and the Voices of Youth Media Magic project. The digest is for people interested in how young people create media around the world and aims to promote dialogue between broadcasters and young media enthusiasts.
