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Artificial Intelligence and the future of employment

Lolyne Ongeri
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Artificial Intelligence and the future of employment

By Billy Gibendi

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation have a huge part in our society, we don’t know what is to come. There are things that we do on a daily basis, that robots can’t automate for example love and show compassion, but AI machines are able to work and react like humans. Since AI came in a few years ago, robots are ever-present in our lives in hidden ways, from apps to algorithms. As the pace of this change accelerates, what is the likelihood that robots will be able to do your job? 

AI threatens to remodel how we all live our lives, with capabilities to be able to train systems to acknowledge emotions and behaviors. This can be seen currently happening within the financial services, call centres because machines are becoming better in understanding language. Other areas would be in law, where you’ll be able to contest your fines saving consumers millions. 

Thinking about machines replacing jobs, what comes to mind is routine production line jobs and not other domains of our lives. Consider for instance the world of sports journalism, the traditional means of social media and the laws of social journalism handbook would be producing chunk of journalism or report of what happens at the sports sector, someone will feed information about the happenings into a computer or robot and packaged over,processed and piece of journalism or report produced. The human component that may be elusive is the emotional character separated from the facts. 

Machines and robots are going to be a part of our future, some see that as a threat while others are ready to embrace this transformation where robots are more like us with human characteristics. Who is conversant with our future and how we’d work alongside machines are international questions. The future has already begun and as usual the place where dreams become a reality is leading the way. Within the world of medicine; a principle in development and research for Al within the workplace, huge strides are being made within the diagnosis of life threatening illnesses with results outperforming human components. 

Al challenges us not only in an exceedingly technological or economic way, it poses really important existential questions for us as humans to what really is meaningful in life, which stems from very many aspects not limited to religion,wealth, relations and work, of these are going to be impacted in one way or another. 

We got this massive opportunity now. Whether we realise this or not, it is happening and we have a role to play, both in terms of how we adapt, adopt this technology and use it for good.

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How Kenyans are coping during a pandemic

Lolyne Ongeri
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How Kenyans are coping during a pandemic

By Wendi Ndaki

The Coronavirus was first detected in Kenya on the 12th of March 2020. I remember I was at a scriptwriting training in Baraza Media Lab, Nairobi on that day when one of our facilitators broke the news to us. A week later my father was scheduled to travel to Germany for work and he was not certain whether or not he would proceed with the trip. Luckily, he ended up travelling on the 23rd of March right before the Kenyan airports were locked. He got stuck in a French airport while on transit for a whole day before he could proceed with his trip. He arrived safe and sound and we were glad. That is a small and personal recount of my own experience with the coronavirus otherwise my family and I have been blessed with good health.

The virus has affected the way we learn now and many children will have to skip a year in school. As a child, I was always excited when schools closed. However, repeating a whole year in school is not something I would have been excited about. Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has been providing school programs through online means,  radio as well as television. Unfortunately, while some have been able to cover their syllabus this way, not everyone has the resources and access to the technology needed for this kind of learning. 

Entertainment has gone virtual and brands are embracing this new trend and have been sponsoring online concerts such as the recent Sauti Sol album launch. The travel and tourism sectors were the most affected on the onset. International flights were cancelled meaning we did not have international tourists coming in. We also had a county lockdown which also affected local tourism. This resulted in heavy job cuts and revenue losses. Artists and many other stakeholders in the entertainment industry have resorted into finding alternative sources of income like offering essential products and services. Oyo a musician currently engaged in bag gardening told (Xinhua) in an interview.”My friend introduced me to this method of farming last year but I was too occupied with my music career. However, when live shows became elusive, I decided to venture into it so that I can continue feeding my family.” 

In addition to the sensitization, the Kenyan government is doing to educate the public on how to stay healthy there are also some innovative ways it is coming in to help Kenyans. According to Anne Nyagah Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture who was interviewed by (Xinhua)   “The government is launching a campaign to establish kitchen vegetable gardens, we have issued guidelines to support both rural and urban dwellers with technologies for setting up within the resources available.”  Other than keeping Kenyan families fed this initiative will also help boost the immune system of Kenyan households as they feed on organic vegetables.

We are resilient people and we are finding ways to cope during this pandemic and it is very encouraging.

Twitter @wendiartit

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How COVID 19 Has Affected Various Sectors of the Economy

Lolyne Ongeri
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How COVID 19 Has Affected Various Sectors of the Economy

By Maurice Gathu Munga

A pandemic brings about both negative and positive impacts. Kenya is one of the developing countries that heavily depend on agriculture whilst commercial trading being a major contributor to its economy.  Evidently, a number of sectors in Kenya are very essential to delivering services and products to the people. These sectors include education, trade, agriculture, health, tourism, and transport.

Education is a major sector of the economy, coronavirus has affected the quality of education in a negative way. Many of the schools have closed, school children were sent at home and with most staying idle at home. Although a majority of schools transformed into digital learning, major challenges like the affordability of data cost, poor network connectivity and related poverty issues have affected access to quality education to most young people in Kenya.

Agriculture is the backbone of the Kenyan economy, farmers and agribusiness enterprises have cited a drop in sales and operations due to the slow economic activities attributed by the coronavirus in the country. There has also been a number of underlying factors that are affecting the sector like climate change, poor regulatory frameworks and epidemics and infections i.e. armyworm infestation, foot and mouth diseases to animals, locusts infestations and airborne diseases to both crops and animals.

Our health is one of the most vital systems in attaining a healthy environment and the welfare of the people in Kenya. Over the last seven months, a health crisis has been noted and thus hindering access to sexual and health rights, health services and other related services. However, the main challenges in the pandemic are the capacity to handle patients affected by the virus, the number of protective gears for the health workers and the safety of the health workers and the public.

Kenya trading industry has had a good opportunity to advance into the digital spaces especially e-commerce services and digital marketing services. An increase in the number of digital shops and trading services has been on an upward projection. A lot of companies, small businesses and micro businesses embracing digital payments and digital marketing to attract consumers and improve their sales during this harsh economic conditions.  Despite the good opportunities presented by the digital spaces, the majority of the small and medium enterprises have been affected. Bars, hotels, entertainment joints and recreational businesses have faced regulatory orders hindering their sales and resulting in laying off many workers and employees in the industry.

The mobility sector which is heavily dependent on our day to day activities has also faced a harsh condition especially the public transport. The transport sector employs a majority of the young people in Kenya and has been a lucrative business over the past years. Traffic rules and public health orders have caused a decrease in sales in the public sector, remote working is a contributor of low incomes from the transport sector, high fuel prices and among other factors has greatly affected the transport sector in Kenya.   

Generally, the coronavirus disease has affected the economy both positively and negatively. A further study on impacts of the pandemic is highly recommended in order to ascertain the possible effects, this will be helpful in adapting the new normal and stabilizing the economy as a way to recovery of Kenya`s economy.

Maurice Gathu Munga is an Environmental Studies and Community Development Consultant

[email protected]

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Ways to regain media freedom in Kenya

Lolyne Ongeri
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Ways to regain media freedom in Kenya

By Cynthia  Manzi

The Kenyan constitution allows for freedom of expression which does not extend in cases of incitement of violence, the propaganda of war and spread of hate speech.

It may appear in a paper that as a country we have the freedom of expressing ourselves. Thanks to corruption there has been a rise in censorship and oppression of journalists across the country. 

The dependence of the government to purchase advertising spots in the media houses has made it a soft target of oppression when certain news pieces are aired. 

It is very clear that impunity towards media freedom will be here to stay for a while. What are some of the steps we can take as news conveyers to overcome this oppression?

  • Run a people sponsored media channel

It is public knowledge that media houses heavily depend on advertising revenue to sustain their day to day activities. 

How about we move away from this kind of thinking and run our journalism activities by being responsible to the citizens. This will help curb the instances where political influence run the news. 

This can be easily carried out by fundraising from the public. Also, running subscription-based news outlets. Make it worthwhile for people to consume your content. 

  • Training on ethical reporting

It is said that negative news sells. This makes everyone scramble for the negative news pie at the expense of the wellbeing of the general public. This has conditioned us to expect nothing of value from the news outlets.

As news outlets, it is our responsibility to change the narrative and stop being prophets of doom. This can only happen if we take it upon ourselves to educate ourselves on better communication practices.

Take classes on ethical reporting which will impart knowledge on you on how best to put across information with the end consumer in mind and not high revenue.

  • Collective responsibility

As individuals, we have to take it upon ourselves that we are the owners of our journey and it is up to us to know what we consume. 

So, before sharing any piece of information take a minute or two to verify whether it is the truth to avoid fear-mongering. It takes only one click of the button and we are in panic mode. 

Call out any news outlets that are being used for political mileage by oppressors. This will make us all aware of which outlets to avoid for our mental wellbeing.

Let us all take it upon ourselves to be mindful of the content we churn out and remember it is our responsibility to feed our followers with authentic news. 

Do take a minute to check out @Cindishel 

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Covid 19: A blessing in disguise

Lolyne Ongeri
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Covid 19: A blessing in disguise

By Victor Werimo

I would have never thought that the world would come to a near standstill. Not for an hour, but for months. For 7 months, life has not been normal even for the world-leading economies like the United States. COVID came into the world and that was it. Governments have been forced to respond quickly and with equal measures to protect citizens from mass infections. Schools have been closed, international travels suspended, public gatherings banned and terms such as self-isolation, quarantine, and social distancing have become the new normal.  

For me, the pandemic has been a blessing in disguise. In as much as my university academic calendar was disrupted by the pandemic, I have been able to accomplish a lot over this time. I have had an opportunity to offer communication support to three different organizations while working from home. I have made virtual friends and colleagues in the comfort of my bedroom. But this has not been rosy. The experience new as it was, took a lot of time to adapt to. 

If asked to choose between working from home and the office I will go to the office. Working from home has forced me to work for extra hours and with low productivity due to the short concentration span. Working from home even in a single day has been hectic, a lot is going on and all of these need your attention. Prioritizing one over the other means that one has to suffer for the sake of the other. The concept of life and work balance is lost amid all these things. 

But this has also come with benefits, I have been able to do a lot of online courses that I could have not in normal times; I have been relieved of the hustle and bustle that comes with the morning and evening rush hours in the city at least now that I am in the village. This has been just therapeutic for me.

Yes, COVID might have affected me but in a positive way. 

Twitter @vwerimo

Facebook Werimo Werimo

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My positive experience with Covid-19

Lolyne Ongeri
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My positive experience with Covid-19

By Judy Mbugua

2020 has been a rough year for all of us. For a couple of months, everything seemed to be on a downward spiral. A lot was happening all at once and life left us in a daze. Yeah, Covid-19 happened! Around the world, many people lost their lives. Others lost their sources of livelihood while others barely got by. On the upside, some were able to push through life normally while others made it big. 

For me, January 2020 started as a promising month that would see my dreams come true. The stars were finally aligning in my favour. But that would not be the case. All my plans were met with curfews, lockdowns, and restrictions and everything came to a standstill, literally. 

Despite this, I was able to realize and understand a couple of things in the months that followed. It was an aha period that gave me awareness and appreciation. 

My mental health

During my stay at home due to the lockdown, I was able to get a better understanding of my mental health and how I needed to safeguard and be more aware of the things and triggers around me. For instance, when alone and in my thoughts, I was able to learn my moods, how to adjust them, and how to employ different coping mechanisms. 

Made more meaningful connections with loved ones

During this period, I couldn’t help but worry about my loved ones. I would call and text and always eager to know how they were doing and feeling about this situation. This has made me more aware of the importance of family and close friends. Because of this, I have learned to always check in on them regularly to date. I have also created more time for my family and created deeper bonds with them. 

Lifestyle changes 

If there’s one thing that Covid-19 has taught me is that there’s so much more to life than partying and getting wasted all the while spending loads of money. I have recognized that I can have fun in the comfortable confines of my home and spend next to nothing while at it. I have learned to be more cautious about what I eat, drink, watch, and say. I am now able to make more conscious decisions and adjust to a healthier and fulfilling lifestyle. 

Focusing on what’s important

Thanks to the lockdown and curfews, I have been able to focus on more important things and finish up on projects that I started. I have taken several courses within that time that have gone ahead to be a part of my self-improvement journey. I have also been able to prioritize and critically think about what is necessary and what’s not. 

Despite the positive impact that Covid-19 has had on me in the past months, there is also the uncertainty of what lies ahead; what life has in store post-Covid. There is uncertainty in the resumption of work, how the health system has changed, how the economy is still on its knees, the fate of schools and education lies solely on how we control the virus and how we can adequately adapt to the new normal. 

Although Covid has had negative impacts on us all, I have learned to be more caring, empathetic, and compassionate towards others; values I believe will help me get by in life. 

What impact has Covid-19 had on you? 

Twitter @Judy_Mbugua

Facebook Judy Mbugua

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Art Attack? A journey towards mental, emotional and spiritual growth

Lolyne Ongeri
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Art Attack? A journey towards mental, emotional and spiritual growth

By Wambui Karori

October is here, two more months to January 2021 and I´m eager to see what the new year holds. At the beginning of this year, one of the decisions I made was to be more intentional with all that I do especially in terms of growth. It was one of my new year’s resolutions second to working out. I’m still working out a plan to get the second part running.

When the COVID-19 infection curve started peaking, the president Mr Uhuru ordered for a lockdown in Nairobi followed by a dusk to dawn curfew of 7 pm to 4 am. This decision did not sit well with most Kenyans as a lot of businesses were directly or indirectly affected. Public gatherings being banned was a huge blow for most performing artists, I included. See, I´m a poet, a spoken word artist. This means that I am a creator, I bring life into words and the thrill of standing in front of a crowd during performances and watching their reactions; their laughter, smiles, frowns, bored expressions, concentration or lack thereof is brings me to a certain high.

No, I’m not narcissistic or anything, their reactions act as a motivation for me. A chance to know my strongholds, what people appreciate and what they don’t take kindly. The ban meant that I, like every other performing artist, had to transition into social media live performances. It was hard for me, mostly because people´s real reactions were well hidden at the other end of the screen. The life in physically being present at a show felt like it had slowly died.

I was forced to take a temporary break from performing and focus more on my growth as a person and for my craft which called for mental, emotional and spiritual growth. Before, I wouldn’t have admitted that out loud simply because it would have felt like some Kumbaya phrase that people with issues keep saying; maybe as a constant reminder that things fell apart but they haven’t allowed themselves to give up or give in. That kept me in check. I, however, doubt if my bank account agrees.     

Conversations with people from my community from stage actors, poets and other artists who depend on crowds for their performances felt like their ´´Uhuru (freedom)´´ of earning something small or big for themselves had been limited. This, coupled with the fact that art for most people in Kenya doesn’t pay well, it was a head trip. Artists just like many other Kenyan´s felt like they couldn’t provide for themselves as they should and that pressure of trying to figure things out brought on stress which led to depression for some. Safe spaces like places of worship had been locked down. Bars also, thus the chance of drowning one with friends listening to loud music to hush down the noisy voices of stress and depression was also not an option. Drowning one alone behind locked doors would essentially trigger even more thoughts.

Conversations around mental health awareness on social media became more pronounced and knowing that there are other people going through the same thing created this new courage to speak out and ask for help. This saw the rise in advertisements from agencies example the Kenya Red cross giving out a toll-free line for people to call and get help from counsellors, groups being formed on different social media platforms with the intention of helping. 

Months later with a new normal being embraced, things have started to look up. The creative juices are still flowing as it´s now common to see online concerts with people being supportive by streaming and going as far as sending in money as a way of showing support to the artists. Thank you technology!!!

 These trying times have been both a curse and a blessing. The blessing is that a majority of people have gotten around having their own start-ups. Something they probably would have never thought or imagined would come this soon in life but all in all, it was and still is more than obvious that people have been going through a dark place because of so many reasons. Some are from being unable to provide, losing loved ones, not knowing what move to take next for the sole reason of survival. My prayer is that things get better for anyone struggling and reading this. A prayer for my self, that we find the strength to hold on. Let us remember to be kinder, love more and be a lot more caring. 

Twitter @WambuiKarori 

Facebook Wambui Karori

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Covid 19 made me get out my comfort zone

Lolyne Ongeri
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Covid 19 made me get out my comfort zone

My name is Victor Karuga, a BAKE member who likes to read and to write a little. Like most people, COVID has had a mostly negative impact on my life. Loss of income, mobility and the uncertainty that surrounds this period has been unprecedented. Personally, I had to move out and go back home to save on the associated costs of living on my own.  This was the hardest decision I have had to make in a while, but it was a necessary one and had to be made. 

On the flip side, I have realized that I needed to do LOT more to achieve what my intended goals were. I feel like I was in a comfort zone and I wouldn’t have made efforts to figure things out were it not for traditional sources of income drying up and forcing my hand in alternative sources.  I have done two courses over the COVID period (The online course by BAKE and a film program by the KCB Foundation), and with extended periods of alone time, I have had the opportunity to go over the coursework away from the constant activity that surrounded ‘normal’ life. 

Socially, being away from friends has had me reevaluate my relationships, and what they mean to me. I have had to learn to be a better friend and to demand the same from my friends. In a way, however, I am saddened that it took a pandemic for me to change my MO, and that most likely I’d be stuck in my old ways. 

Overall, I have read a lot more books, watched a lot more content and had a lot more time to figure out what I want with my life, and the steps I need to make to get there. Would I change anything about the pandemic?  Yes, I wish it didn’t last as long and take lives, but we have to deal with what we are facing. Hopefully, when the dust settles, we shall all emerge from this with new perspectives on reading, on online courses, on relationships and on life itself! 

Twitter @victor_karuga

Facebook Victor Karuga

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governance promotion in the digital age

Lolyne Ongeri
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governance promotion in the digital age

By Sylvester Addo

Today, we live in a world where everything is moving online and becoming digital because of the fourth industrial revolution. We shop and sell online, chat and meet with family and friends on social media platforms, have business meetings and attend events virtually. 

The digital landscape has become a necessary component of our lives. This is telling on our reliance on it during the current Covid-19 pandemic, where social distancing, lockdowns and curfews changed the norm. It was also spurred on by the governments laid out Covid-19 protocols. Where sellers prefer mobile money and card payments to cash, most meetings are virtual, and students are having classes online. 

Citizens through the digital landscape can promote oversight of government and advocate for good local governance in their communities. By contributing to conversations on anti-corruption, fairness, transparency, and accountability. Leaders on the other hand can also easily hear the views of the people they represent and serve. 

Let’s look at how we can achieve this and some of the tools to use. 

Digital communication tools such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp can act as collaboration channels where citizens discuss issues affecting them. Being able to freely express their views and opinions on policies introduced by governing authorities. On social media platforms, people can rally around subjects of interest using hashtags. Authorities on the other hand can use these same channels to communicate directly to their citizens. 

At a time where misinformation, disinformation and mal information exist, citizens can be each other’s keeper, fact-checking and sharing right and accurate information. We can flag out the information we identify as fake news and report them so such details can be removed. People can share weblinks to the correct data and story to encourage the spread of the right information. Hootsuite, Buffer and Sprout Social are some of the listening tools that can be used to discover what others are saying on social media platforms. 

Through the digital landscape, leaders can show transparency by creating websites and social channels to inform and receive feedback. With shared details on projects and services, citizens can also hold them accountable. 

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FACT CHECK: SAFARICOM SPIN AND WIN PROMOTION POST IS FAKE

Vallary
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FACT CHECK: SAFARICOM SPIN AND WIN PROMOTION POST IS FAKE

A fake Safaricom spin and win post has been circulating on social media urging people to spin and win money to their M-PESA accounts.

The post says “Here’s a chance to get Ksh2800 sent to your M-PESA account from Safaricom’s yearly spin and win promotion “

As you can see the picture above, the poster has the intention to lure Safaricom customers into clicking onto the link that redirects them somewhere else. I clicked on the link and surely it redirected to a different page with Safaricom embedded logo at the top of the page to make it legit. However, this is not Safaricom’s official page.

There have been countless of such cases of imposters using other companies to lure people into fake rewards. In most of the cases, Victims are asked to share their personal ID or M-PESA details to allow the fraudsters send them the cash and, in the end, they fall for the scams and get conned in the end.

This particular post is no different. Once you click spin on the link, it redirects to another link that will now introduce the offers you have won and makes them real to you. You see, we all love gifts and the fact that you know Safaricom form the link you clicked the post had nothing to get you suspicious, why not share your number to get your goodies?

This online trick has happened so many times and most Kenyans have fallen for this and sadly it keeps on resurfacing from time to time with new targets.

We have looked into the authenticity of the post and found out it was created by an imposter to con from innocent Kenyans. We searched for the poster at the Safaricom’s official page and there’s nothing related to the poster above. The Safaricom social media pages and blog as well have no similar posts on the reward service and has since cautioned customers against the services.

As always, Safaricom does not in any way create external links outside their page for new projects or offers and only communicates through their official website or official social media handles.

Below is a sneak peek of what’s new on the Safaricom official website.

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FACT CHECK: Advert for jobs at Kenya National construction Authority Fake

Lolyne Ongeri
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0
FACT CHECK: Advert for jobs at Kenya National construction Authority Fake

An advertisement for jobs at the Kenya National Construction Authority (NCA), that was posted on Twitter on 16th September is FAKE. The twitter post advertises 18 positions ranging from architects to secretaries and plant operators among others, that is, more than 1500 vacancies to be filled in various departments of the NCA.

The NCA is a government body that regulates the construction industry and coordinates its development. Some of its roles include registering and licensing contractors and construction workers, as well as overseeing construction works.

According to the advert, interested candidates were to send their applications-CV letters and testimonials by 25th September via a given email. They were also advised to apply for a single position, failure to which one risked an automatic disqualification. The emails where one was supposed to send their applications were [email protected] and forwarded to [email protected], the first red flag, as government agencies’ domains are .go.ke and not .co.ke

On September 15, NCA tweeted from its official account that the advert was fake and should be disregarded by the public. They asked the public to go to their official website National Construction Authority for further information or clarification.

This job advert is indeed FAKE!

Have you spotted information that you think is false on social media?  Send us a tip on [email protected]. Remember to verify information before sharing it, to reduce the spread of misinformation.

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Can the government and its citizens connect through the digital space?

Lolyne Ongeri
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0
Can the government and its citizens connect through the digital space?

By David Gitari.

Peter Drucker once said “If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old” The planet we live in today is evolving fast in technology, the urge to simplify and fasten operations in several industries is strong and intense. 

Digital disruption is a bad and good thing, this only applies to the lens that one uses. Through my two lenses, the Kenya national values and principles of governance as expressed in chapter 10 of the Kenya Constitution, can be promoted effectively through the use of platforms, applications and innovations that exist in the world wide web, these would result in healthier systems of managing communities especially in lower political-administrative units.

An understanding of the applications in various sectors of the digital space would allow the counties and other similar actors to keep communities happy through exposure and networking forums online.

It’s through engaging online by county governments and other state and non-state actors on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tik-Tok that would fulfil the principle of democracy and participation of the people. It is through use of social media that Government can be able to connect easily with its citizens and hence smoothly promote Good Governance, Transparency & Accountability providing hard-wearing impetus for rapid social, economic and political transformation. 

The interaction of the Government and its communities in the digital space would amplify the sense of patriotism, national unity, sharing and devolution of power encourage the application of rule of law, democracy and participation of the people hence ensuring happiness among communities.

The use of monitoring and evaluation tools in the digital space can help counties to understand and analyze trends which would help in strategy formulation and implementation and programs of sustainable development plans that would ensure equity, human dignity, social justice, respect of human rights, non-discrimination in service delivery and protection of the marginalized communities. 

Web: www.daviditumbi.com

Facebook, LinkedIn: David Gitari Itumbi / Page: Daudi Ule Mmoja 

Twitter: @ItumbiDavid 

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When we become each others’ responsibilities we build better communities

Lolyne Ongeri
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0
When we become each others’ responsibilities we build better communities

By Tibo Deo

Most people called him the tiny bird, messenger, some the confused village boy while others called him a wise boy.  He was everything you needed to know about the updated political prevailing situations of the community.  I would name him but I liked calling him by his name’- I’mana.

I’mana was young and energetic… he worked and lived beyond the expectations of his age.  His motives and selfless deeds really changed the way everyone viewed leadership and livelihood in the community.  He always had information and trends of his community.

He interacted with his siblings, neighbours, parents, schoolmates, people above his age and watched television.  This helped him compare the information to get authenticity and would share it with anyone he met.  This is why most people loved him and others thought he was too much or his age.

Something special stood out in him.  What made me love him more is when he organised members of his scout’s club to form “long sight eye wide ear association”.  The association was meant to spread positive messages to the community.  It also organised promotions for a better community that feeds on truth and togetherness.  This all started as a joke to many but when the message spread all over the community, we all got pleased and joined the association.  This was no longer an association but a communal affair where leaders and everyone had one goal for the better living. 

I remember his speech during the launch of the association.  When he stood everyone cheered as he walked fast through a small crowd.  He stood on top of a table so that everyone could see him. “Am so excited and honoured to see you all here,” he said. 

“Today is a great day for our association, the scouts, and this community.  We hope and believe for the betterment of everyone. From today, we believe in working and living together in tranquillity as one family.  We wrap the past that carried hatred, wrangles, lies, hypocrisy and everything that retards growth.  We hope for a true and meaningful living today and tomorrow.” Everyone continued listening to his long speech and narratives.  He also invited members of his association for introduction and recognition.  This was a new Era.

With the influence of the association, ‘ MY VIEW’ – a free website and app were launched by the leaders. Through this, the community would watch over each other to promote growth and fight negativity.  They would share ideas and use the platform to live as one family.  Healthcare, Education, Entrepreneurship, Governance, Religion and other public benefit facilities were given high priority.  The community became everybody’s responsibility.

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How to spark a conversation that will effect change

Lolyne Ongeri
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0
How to spark a conversation that will effect change

By Brian Muchiri

As a budding writer/content creator, I seek to entertain my readers and take their minds off the stress that they may be going through in their lives. I desire to provoke critical thinking  and introduce them to deeper, more meaningful conversations. Above all things, I want to add some kind of value to their lives. 

We are a fortunate people because we get to live in the age of accessible information and endless possibilities. We now have voices that can be heard by hundreds of people without having to shout. Our voice lies within the content we put out. 

Social media is a platform that supersedes all others in the way it bridges gaps and connects communities. It is amongst the greatest inventions of our times and when used in the right way, can be a powerful, formidable tool for change. 

As a young man, I am inspired by the fellow youth that are relentless and steadfast about their stands on social issues. The youth are the future and the future is now. Important conversations about unemployment, governance and healthcare must take centre stage because every morning we wake up to cases of looting and corruption that greatly undermine our progression as a country. 

In order to spark a conversation that will hopefully effect change, we as writers have a responsibility to be intentional about the content we create. Each article/vlog/clip we publish has to possess certain integral qualities in order to appeal to our audiences. 

In the course of my three day training which was facilitated by BAKE, I got the opportunity to get an in depth perspective on the effective tools of communication and persuasion. Whereas the term ‘persuasion’ might seem out of context when referring to content creation, it is imperative to any writer for their pieces of work to be presented in a way that is meaningful and significant to their readers. The goal for any blogger/writer is to  positively impact their readers lives, hopefully for a long time. 

Ethos, Pathos and Logos are modes of persuasion used to convince audiences.  They are also referred to as the three artistic proofs. 

Ethos

Ethos is the Greek word for ‘character’. As a persuasion tool, Ethos seeks to appeal to the audience about the writer’s credibility. Readers and consumers of your content will only develop a sense of loyalty towards your craft if they trust you. For there to be trust, there must be a lot of emphasis on being honest and unbiased. Your tone should also be one that resonates with your readers. Knowing your audience, you should adjust your vocabulary and choice of words in a way that makes sense to the majority. 

Pathos

Also referred to as the ‘ Emotional appeal’, Pathos means to persuade an audience by appealing to their emotions. As a writer, you use specific words and tone in an attempt to create empathy so that your readers can feel what you are feeling and evoke a specific emotion. It could be sympathy, anger or happiness. The goal of Pathos is to prompt a particular action through emotion. Writers who write about personal stories and journeys to self improvement often implement Pathos in their work. 

Logos

This refers to the use of logic and voice of reason to appeal to the audience. Logos is the Greek word for ‘word’. While using this tool, it is imperative the writer be as factually correct as possible. To use logos would be to cite facts and statistics, historical and literal analogies, and citing certain authorities on a subject. This type of persuasion is found to be  ineffective should the writer fail to present comprehensive evidence to support his/her content. 

How about you? How would you spark a conversation that would effect change in your community?

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How I would use the digital skills learnt to promote governance issues in my community

Lolyne Ongeri
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How I would use the digital skills learnt to promote governance issues in my community

By Peter Mmbando

The Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) has been conducting online training sessions, since August aimed at equipping young minds with digital skills to spark conversations and  promote governance issues in their communities.

Here is a perspective of Peter Mmbando, from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

The Digital Literacy and Fake News Training 2020 was a phenomenon virtual workshop conducted by the Bloggers Association of Kenya (BAKE) that combined different internet packages of programs and competent facilitators that unlocked my mind, and the aim of creating a community of professionals who writes online contents in digital tools for education, advocacy, informing, entertainment as well as promoting digital economy in Africa particularly in East Africa. 

From the workshop, the facilitator Mr. David Indeje, well elaborated how to create content online, doing research, target online consumers, using digital tools to make income, advocacy, educating and entertainment. 

In addition, he identified online actors/ influencers, challenges and way forward taken along the milestone of innovation and technology, cited ethics in journalism and social media management. 

How will I use the skills to promote good governance issues in my community or country?

First, I will share with different stakeholders platforms on what I have gained from the training particular how to use digital tools in the right way to promote good digital governance, digital economy and digital for social life. As well as the public should be, ready to engage in policymaking and implementation. 

Second, I will educate the public on the issues of digital rights as human rights and important to enhance freedom of internet and expression in lining with the available rules and regulations, digital ethics and digital protocols (regional and international) as the world itself is out of analogue system. Everything is now done through the internet. 

Third, I will convince the public that internet governance stakeholders should continuously learn and train others to create genuine contents and policies relying to the people’s cultural diversity as well as mind mapping and engaging partners on how to run internet governance meeting platforms especially virtual meetings and onsite meetings. 

Moreover, I shall educate the public on how to remain safely while using or working virtually most of people are vulnerable to cyber-attacks, cyber bullying or harassment, which can damage personal, or organization image. 

In additional, I encourage youth to seek opportunities and being eager to learn how to communicate effectively in digital space, as many people are not aware of the digital opportunities that can make a living for them as well as to create more digital opportunities and engage the public at large. 

Lastly, I would like to thank BAKE Training organizers and trainers for this key training to present different topics concerning Social Media Management, Media Ethics  and How to Use Social Media to address  Internet Governance at local, regional and global level. 

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