[liberationtech] Advice for Somali NGOs?

[Steven Clift]

Thank you for the few private replies.

Is there not a good "101" starting point on liberation technology for
technical novices risking their lives in conflict zones?

I hear a lot about Iran and China here and an enormous amount of
high-level expert exchange, but what about resources that translate
your cautions and passions into something accessible to someone on the
ground in a conflict zone?

Imagine that you just took video on your phone of a tragic event. You
feel compelled to share it with the world,  but you'd rather not die
yourself. You've entered a cyber-cafe, where should you visit online
to figure out what to do next that keeps you safer?

Steven Clift - http://stevenclift.com
  Executive Director - http://E-Democracy.Org
  Follow me - http://twitter.com/democracy
  New Tel: +1.612.234.7072



On Sat, Oct 16, 2010 at 7:39 AM, Steven Clift <clift at e-democracy.org> wrote:
>
> I just spent three hours with a number of amazing people involved with NGOs
> active in Somali. Their bases of operations are here in Nairobi, Kenya where
> I have been for the last week.
>
> Much of what I speak about in terms of democracy building and civic
> engagement simply doesn't apply in such a setting when it comes to identity,
> basic assumptions about access to technology, your life being at risk, etc.
> (We have are active in Minneapolis with the large Somali community and
> public participation online - http://e-democracy.org/inclusion - so diaspora
> online engagement is a greater fit.)
>
> I was a guest of the US Embassy in Kenya and my other events were geared
> toward the Kenyan context which has the freest press in East Africa and an
> increasingly (mobile) connected population. Read up on Facebook Zero,
> text-only version of Facebook available for free on some mobile carriers.
> Wow.
>
> So, I'd like to pass on your "starter 101" tips, links, and suggestions on
> how these NGOs, media outlets (two radio stations that broadcast in
> Mogadishu from the transitional government zone were there) , and others
> might use the Internet/social media/mobile to make things better on the
> ground in Somali while being safer to Embassy staff who liaison with the 30
> folks who attend the session today.
>
> So again, thinking "101" please share some text/links I can pass along. (I
> highlight MobileActive.org big time, mentioned GlobalVoicesOnline.org
> orally, suggested invited only use of online groups like this one for behind
> the scenes communication ... but are their solutions for e-mail list like
> tools where the loss of a laptop with past messages to wrong people doesn't
> threaten people's lives months after a once quite exchange, etc.)
>
> I was very cautious to say much of what I presented simply did not apply in
> their situation and they were clear to say for all sorts of reasons they
> can't and won't put their real name on things online in certain places, but
> that via Facebook, YouTube, etc. youth with mobiles and some income were
> taking risks to upload videos after bomb blasts, report on the number dead,
> etc. There is also an opening to do more in Somaliland and Puntaland were
> the security situation is better and a version of M-Pesa (mobile money in
> Kenya ... Zaad is one version) is taking off in Somalia.
>
>
>
> Steven Clift - http://stevenclift.com
>   Executive Director - http://E-Democracy.Org
>   Follow me - http://twitter.com/democracy
>   New Tel: +1.612.234.7072
>