[Imc-africa] Information from Nairobi

[sphinx]

Hi all! Hi John!

Quoting David John Bwakali <jonbwak at yahoo.com>:

> Dear comrades,
>  Receive sunny greetings from Nairobi. Its quite interesting that we 
> now have less than three months to go before the World Social Forum!
> In light of this, it is advisable that we now accelerate our concrete


You are absolutely correct we do not have much time left.


> discussions and concrete preparations. I therefore request Sphinx, 
> Peter, Glenda, Fabian, Jay and all comrades to please provide some 
> input on the following issues:

Surely everyone who have ideas on these issues can throw them out here, 
then we
can together fine turn.

>  - How many countries in Africa currently have full Indymedia status?

-Three;Ambazonia, South Africa and Canarias.
The place to check for all full functional IMCs is to check if they are listed
on the left side of the main indymedia website :
www.indymedia.org
Nigeria-will be removed from there soon, because the link is dead as of now,
until the new IMC-Nigeria completes the process of NEW-IMC:
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/NewImcHowTo


-Nigeria disbanded itself and Zimbabwe also self disbanded without completing
the newimc  process.



>  - How many countries are still going through the application process 
> and what are the hitches if any? Maybe we could use this increased 
> communication to tackle some of these issues because they address the 
> bigger picture.

Kenya has not yet completed the new IMC process:
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/NewImcHowTo

Basically Kenya went through the first step, which is to feel the application
form, And ask for help (if you have an emergency to report) from imc-tech list
to start a website.
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/NewIMCForm

But Kenya has not been able to come back to write back to new-imc to 
prove that
they are a FUNCTIONAL GROUP OF PEOPLE involved in the community and meeting
regularly in open meetings to discuss how to use their indymedia to empower
their community. Normally this involves indicating how many community based
organizations you are working with and how you are engaging your community to
report daily struggles of your community and how the community could use the
indymedia resources via website, newspaper if you have one and other face to
face meetings to organize and solve the problems of the community.
This is normally rounded-up by a liaison from the local IMC replying to the
Membership criteria one point after the other.
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/MembershipCriteria





-Mali: is organizing but has not gone through the new-imc process as well:
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/NewImcHowTo

Mali has started what most people in indymedia consider the most 
IMPORTANT step.
Which is ORGANIZING in the communities.
After that they will fill the application form and go from there. 
Basically when
a group does much organizing and has many people and groups in their community
working with them. The rest becomes really simple and quick. They also got a
temporal website going which is always good place to demonstrate to others in
the imc- network that you are indeed an active group as will be portrayed by
the updates on your website and will be proof you are ready to join the
network.

Nigeria is reorganizing: They are in the new-imc process.
https://docs.indymedia.org/view/Global/NewImcHowTo
Nigeria just started. They have filled the application form, but needs 
to go on
with more community engagement and active involvement of community based
groups.


>  - Does anyone have hands-on experience with community radio here in 
> Africa? How did you handle the legality issues?

These rules are quiet different from different countries.
I know Prometheus radio just help build a station in Tanzania not long ago.
I also think in SA things are relatively easier from the regulation point of
view.
We did try pirate radio in Ambazonia which is of course illegal and very
dangerous. It was put on the hold and has remained so for a while.

>  -When are we looking to hold Indymedia workshops. One week before 
> WSF? This would mean that we commence the workshops around the 13th 
> of January.

Basically we need to be in Kenya in the beginning of January to try and 
hook-up
with local networks etc. I plan to fly into Kenya in the first week of January
and that is amongst the things we discussed in the last Conference call.
For most that beginning of January , we should be able to hold open public
meetings with communities and other groups doing community projects and try to
build as solid a network as possible.
A week to the 13th we should get all our equipment and hopefully more 
people and
especially people from the community. And the radio station and the indymedia
Center should open it's doors on January 13th. With broadcast and 
programs both
on air and online. Hopefully we must have built together a good enough network
with locals for the locals to be actively engaged in content production.
Of course we hope to start holding hands on workshops on content 
production and
similar stuff on the 13th. The radio Station will be build jointly with 
locals.
Hannah and Sidaye will build with the people so that they can learn in the
process and hopefully learn much enough to be able to train and help other
people in Kenya and around Africa who may need help from the Kenyan 
activists to build their own station in the future.


>  - Concerning the workshops, so far, Glenda and CT Butler have 
> expressed an interest in facilitating workshops. I suggest that we 
> come up with a preliminary draft agenda, identify any gaps and fill 
> it up as time goes by. Could you therefore suggest workshop topics 
> and facilitators?


Since at the core of the whole work of INDYMEDIA IS THE CONCEPT OF
HORIZINTAL/PARTICIPATIVE DEMOCRACY, C.T. will run workshops before the 13th.
The hope is that they skills acquired in how to organize along concensus lines
could be put to practice in all the workshops in tech skills.
So, I know Hannah and Sayade will run workshops on Building and running low
Powered FM, building antennas with canned food containers (con-tennas) and
other stuff in that realm. I know C.T. Will do formal
consensus(http://consensus.net/ocaccontents.html).
Ange will be helping out with radio; streaming etc...
C.T. Hannah, Sayade and Ange; I didn't mean to talk for you. So, if you 
wish to
add some more info on your workshops, please do.

I'll run some workshops on most of the software used in indymedia like 
MIR,WIKI,
Mailman and a handful of others.
This is a general idea I have about workshops. Those who wish to run workshops
during the event please indicate.

> - Please also let us know if you intend to come earlier than 13 
> January and if you would like us to make any logistical arrangements 
> for you. Since we plan to rent a house for the entire month of 
> January, anyone coming from 01 January onwards would be assured of 
> accomodation in that house.

I Think it will definitely be very helpful in our networking with local groups
if all of us get to Nairobi as soon as we can afford. 13th January is the day
we START.

>  - If you are unsure if you need a visa to come to Kenya, let us know 
> so that we find out. Of course you can get such info online but you 
> may also want to further clarifications.

>  - Concerning the budget for the community radio, kindly send us a 
> list of all the items that are required so that we can check what is 
> available locally and advise accordingly.

The list is here in this wiki:
http://wiki.radiolivre.org/Main/WorldSocialForum2007

Other basic tools like hammers, saws and pipes for Antenna will be bought in
Nairobi.

>  - Once we know the situation at Maseno university, we will be able 
> to know whether it is essential to make other arrangements. Sphinx, 
> do you have the telephone numbers of our Maseno colleagues?

Judith did write.

>  - Is there already a project proposal both either for the radio 
> project or otherwise and do you need any particular input from us?
>

What does Kenyan law says are the legal requirements for running a Low Powered
Fm radio-say 100WATT.
>  All the best with your preparations.
>
>  Cheers,
>  Jon Bwak
>

Till soon for a more detail proposal of a budget.

Sphinx

> sphinx <sphinx at indymedia.org> wrote:
>  Hola Serip! Every langauge goes. Including Italiano! :-)).
>
> Hope that was helpful.
> Sphinx
>
> Quoting "Serip (Magic Show)" :
>
>> Re: project proposal jan 2007: World Social Forum 2007,
>> Nairobi-Kenya. Indymedia and social centres - widening the
>> discussion (sphinx)
>> Perhaps I'm interested to come.
>> Whot languages are speaked?
>> Serip
>
>
>
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