[UgaBYTES] Kenya Calls - Can you help?

[Pamela McLean]

Dear Karim, and everyone concerned with, or about, the situation in Kenya.

I do not usually contribute to this list but I lurk, because of my ICT4Ed&D
interests (particularly in Nigeria and Kenya).

I am writing now because of the situation in Kenya and because Karim wrote: I
have no idea what can I do from here ... in Cairo .... I would also try to
suggest few things, I have no idea how relevant to reality out there but
hope they would be of any help.....

You may like to connect with work that the internet community "MInciu Sodas"
http://www.ms.lt/ <http://www.ms.lt/>is doing online and on the ground in
connection with the turmoil in Kenya. Minciu Sodas (Lithuanian for "Orchard
of Thoughts") is an on-line community of "independent thinkers" directed by
Andrius Kulikauskus. Its human network covers many countries including
Kenya. It is visible on the Internet through various inter-connected yahoo
groups, a chat room WorkNets Chat Room
<http://www.worknets.org/chat/base/>and a wiki.

Since the turmoil began we have been coming together to find ways to keep in
contact with our friends in Kenya (and in neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania)
and support them.

Below is some information I wrote for another purpose which gives more
details.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thanks to the Internet and online communities we have more detailed
information coming out from Kenya. (This is information from people within
Minciu Sodas - http://www.ms.lt/) We seek your help in sharing this
information and using it to the greatest benefit of all.

There have been problems making contacts by phone but persistence has paid
off. The people we are getting information from are listed at our list of
Kenyans to call
http://www.worknets.org/wiki.cgi?KenyansToCall
(what you will read there may be the first information we managed to get
from them - not the latest).

Also some people have got to cyber cafes. There are various yahoo groups
within Minciu Sodas. One of the yahoo groups is lead by Samwel Kongere who
is one of the Kenyans on the phone list. He leads a group called Mendenyo.
Much of our information is flowing through that group
(http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mendenyo/
).

We are also in contact with people in the neighbouring countries of Uganda
and Tanzania. Our people are not the kind of people whose voices are usually
heard. They are not amongst the elite.

Other useful links from the Minciu Sodas wiki are:

Ways to help - http://www.worknets.org/wiki.cgi?HelpKenyans

Information on what kinds of communication are working in Kenya during this
crisis - http://www.worknets.org/wiki.cgi?KenyaCommunication

Another page concerned with Kenya - http://www.worknets.org/wiki.cgi?Kenya

Introduction to Andrius Kulikauskas - director of Minciu Sodas -
http://www.worknets.org/wiki.cgi?AndriusKulikauskas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I also wrote something today for the Cawdnet Newsletter - it includes very
positive news of peace activists, and practical action to help people.
See http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcnkw5vd_476c9w4gx8f


Anyone interested in accountability should note how, even in the turmoil,
careful accounts are given of how gifts of money are being allocated.

I hope you will be encouraged by this flow of information and it may help
you to decide how to get involved.

Pam


<http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dcnkw5vd_476c9w4gx8f>
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