Isinya Citizen Voices takes off

By Bob Aston 

Free Citizen Journalism training has just been concluded at Isinya Maarifa Centre under the sponsorship of Arid Lands Information Network (ALIN). The exercise that begun on 25^th November 2013 drew over thirteen aspiring Citizen Journalists from Kajiado County.

Participants being taken through the services provided by ALIN

Citizen Journalism training was launched by ALIN in 2011.This initiative was aimed at promoting community Journalism by training young people in basic journalism skills such as News Writing, creative writing, Feature writing, interviewing, photojournalism, online journalism and Media Laws and Ethics.

“The training has given me basic Journalism skills which I will apply from January when I join University to study Journalism. I will ensure that I write a lot of articles to improve on my writing skills,” said Levis Selian.

The training is in line with ALIN’s strategic plan, known as ALIN 3 which sees ALIN becoming more directly involved in engaging the end users of its information in order to ensure that the information delivered through its Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania-based Maarifa Centres help end users to improve their livelihoods.

Participants writing their stories

The training has been anchored on ALIN’s core business of using ICT’s to improve the livelihoods of arid lands communities through the use of modern information and communication technologies.

“I look forward to enlightening the community on issues and events happening in Kajiado County,” said Kelvin Salaton.

The major motive behind ALIN’s approach in this kind of initiative was to create a responsible localized means of civic expression and social action amongst the communities, through the voices of their own reporters.

“I will sensitize farmers through my articles on modern farming techniques,” said Ruth Kikanga.

The training will enable the reporters to be able to look at news from different angles and in addition give them a deeper understanding of what is going on in the outside world.

Participants during the training session

Isinya Citizen Voices will be an advocacy and lobby blog that allows members of Isinya and the larger Kajiado County to voice the concerns that would otherwise be ignored by mainstream media. It will attempt to boost development and livelihoods of the residents by highlighting issues affecting the community.

ALIN has already formed a blog dubbed ‘Isinya Citizen Voices’ which gives the local communities a platform where they can share their own stories. It will also give them an opportunity to be part of a global community of men and women who are passionate about development news.

ALIN has so far conducted Citizen Journalism training in all its seven Maarifa Centres in Kenya.