Access to information is a vital and empowering component of any community. An open exchange of information allows people to learn about local news, events, services, and other important issues in their neighborhood. During July and August 2008, Candy returned to Johannesburg for Global Studio, a program where international interdisciplinary students, academics, and professionals come together to collaborate with under-served communities. Candy's Communication Team worked closely with the non-profit Diepsloot Community News (DCN) to help improve ways residents can share information in Diepsloot township.
After conducting a community survey on information accessibility last year, the team spent this year helping to develop skills, capacity, and networking contacts, and explored ways to immediately establish affordable mediums for collective communication. Inspired by a community chalkboard model in Liberia, DCN and the team installed a community chalkboard in Diepsloot and reserved another as a portable tool. Public and paperless, the community chalkboard gives residents an accessible platform and allows them to share information on a daily basis, self-organize, and empower each other through local knowledge. And it's cheap to boot! The DCN will monitor the chalkboards to see how they can be improved, and the team will continue to collaborate with them on finding ways to expand communication tools, including a local radio station and SMS technology (great resources: Mobileactive.org, Knight News Challenge, Kiwanja.net).
Global Studio participants: Anja Bredell, Jennifer Graeff, Belinda Kanpetch, Crighton Nichols, Elonah O’Neil, Dr. Marc Aurel Schnabel, Michelle Tabet, Candy Chang. Community participants: Bongani Baloyi, Lucky Mkah, Lungile Maphumulo, Tebatso Lebotsa, Selaelo Chuene, Phumlani Suka, Warren Mabona, Lawrence Matshidiso, Sam Sikhosana
Download more detailed Information report (1.6 MB pdf) |
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