The Digital Learning Space for Isolated Communities Project (2018), funded by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC), will enable ALIN to develop the Ng’arua Digital Library. The library will be used to collect, manage, index and distribute digital items to communities around Ng’arua Maarifa Centre, Laikipia County, Kenya.
Communities in arid areas of Kenya have to walk long distances to access the Internet. Communities in such areas do not have equal access to learn about, define, access, use and shape the Internet.
ALIN proposes to enhance the digital literacy and citizenship of Laikipia County, Kenya by creating a Digital Learning Space (DLS) combined with means of accessing Internet resources. Communities in arid areas can thus access the resources anywhere where there is connectivity. ALIN will support the Digital Learning Space through creating new and valuable digital materials using DSpace. ALIN will use the open access software to collect, manage, index and distribute digital items to communities.
ALIN will enable communities to use the digital learning space to inquire about best agricultural practices, market information, climate change information, and indigenous knowledge among others. Communities would also use the space to devise interventions, collaborate, and make community observations. This would lead to a more robust, continuously improving community of practice.
Planned Outcomes
- Support communities to accessing a digital repository that contains information on agriculture, climate change information, and indigenous knowledge
- Enhance local capacity in knowledge generation and management
- Avail an online digital repository for isolated communities
- Increase access to knowledge assets such as videos, multimedia formats and texts
Expected Outputs
- Community members learn and pledge their support for the Project
- Community members acquire knowledge and skills on creation and use of digital content
- Information on agriculture, climate change and indigenous knowledge available online
- Women acquire knowledge and skills on how to develop digital content that speaks directly to them
- Community members share their project experiences and lessons
Activities
- Conduct a sensitization workshop about the Project with community members
- Output- Community members learn and pledge their support for the Project
- Conduct three training workshops on creation of digital content on Wikis, DSpaces and other digital tools
- Collect and curate agriculture, climate change adaptation and indigenous knowledge materials
- Workshop for women to develop content that speaks directly to rural women and girls
- Participatory Impact evaluation