After Africa

Chairs

I have previously blogged about the classical, Tanzanian watchman chair here.

In fact, I've come across many chairs.

Concluding then that functionality appears to be key.

Today I walked through the trendy city centre of Aarhus, and  I stumbled over this chair.

Somehow, the chair here, in spite of a certain resemblance with the Tanzanian watchman's chair, has a totally different function.

@kiwanja: 'There should be a "finding Africa gave my life meaning" tax'

 

 

Credit to kiwanja and Twitter.

As I said: 'I have no illusions' when it comes to my role on making change in Africa

Two weeks ago I won KLM's Club Flying Blue photo competition, where I in return had to give an interview here.

The Facebook page Jadili Africa (Discuss Africa) picked up a quote from my interview (and later invited me to become one of the administrators) of a Facebook page with over 7000 members aiming at discussing issues related to Africa. Here is how people commented:

My point is, KLM's Club Flying Blue communicates to one target group, Jadili Africa to another. Both communicate to people who relate to Africa, but in very different ways.

Obviously, it is an honour to win KLM's competition for the principle of winning and for the 5000 air miles, and to be given the change of expressing my viewpoints for a large target group. It is also encouraging when my friends voted for my photo, and click like on the article. (In fact, I've been amazed by the stable response here.)

However, that was the easy part, so to speak.

The interesting part, and the real challenge to me, the mzungu, is to be invited into the forum of Jadili Africa, and to face comments which fit my own personal kali view so much better on whatever I could be up to in Africa 

This is also one of the reasons why I have digged deep into the African pool of social media, because it offers me alternative views which are much more challenging than passing on a stereotype phrase targeting a European reader group where many seem to think that making change in Africa is something you just do.

You don't - and alternative views are hereby brought on.

Potentials and opportunities

I went through these photos and thought of what a Tanzanian friend recently told me:

'I haven't yet reached my full potential'.

His statement still stays with me. Powerful it is, and confident.

Like when my nephew Baltasar (photo above) called me last week from Iceland to tell me he had been rated a top-performing super-pupil.

Important, especially these days where youth in Northern Africa and in the Middle East is taking to the streets - well - basically because they've got potential which has to be used.

It is not a thing I hear very often in Denmark. That you consider your potential, and that you cannot waste opportunities not to use it.

First, we are brought up to believe that we're all equal, that we must blend in and not brag. Secondly, I feel that the Danes take too many things for granted. As if we're expecting that opportunities will always be there, and that opportunities are only there for us.

Not that we have to do something extraordinarily ourselves to reach it.

I think we have to, though.

Life is simply more interesting that way.

(I'm obviously not Kenyan), but curious to see what happens at #Kenya28Feb

We are extremely proud to be Kenyan!
We are proud of our beautiful country!
We are proud of our diversity cultures and traditions!
We are proud of our heroes!
We are proud of our high achievers!
We are proud of being hustlers!
We are proud of our hoods!
We are proud of our tribes and twengs!
We are proud of our kanges and our mats!
We are proud of our artists and musicians!
We are proud of our industries and farms!
We are proud of our sports teams!

On the 28th of February 2011 at 1pm EAT, wherever you are, at work, in the supermarket, in traffic, in school, on campus, in hospitals, in churches, in mosques, in temples, in synagogues, on sports pitches, in court, on your farm, at police stations, at armed forces barracks, in matatus, in buses, on the beach, in the game parks, at the airport, in parliament, in State House, in your homes …
On the 28th of February 2011 at 1pm, we stand
On the 28th of February 2011 at 1pm, we unite
On the 28th of February 2011 at 1pm, we shall speak in one voice.
On the 28th of February 2011 at 1pm, let’s sing our beautiful and powerful National Anthem, all three verses.
On the 28th February 2011 the world will watch as Kenyans stand UNITED;
1pm, 1 nation, 1 people, 1 anthem, united in 1 prayer for 1 Kenya
We are Kenya!

Website: 28Feb.co.ke
Email: unite@28feb.co.ke
Twitter: @Kenya28Feb
Facebook Page: 28FebKenya
Bloggers: We need your help!

Lessons on instant communication of joy



Today I was chatted up by a homeless man on the metro in Copenhagen, who told me he had an exceptionally good day:

'You know what I do then?! I leave my empty beer bottles for another homeless to cash the bottle deposit. You have to remember to share when you finally have something!'

It is as simple as that.

And earlier on this week I got a call from my 8-year-old nephew, Baltasar, who had just been rated a top-performing super-pupil in northern Iceland.

'I'm calling all!!', he said from the mobile phone outside his school (his aunt getting tears in her eyes). 'I tried calling some who didn't answer, but then I just called some other ones.'

Of course, successes must be communicated immidiately, and rewarded accordingly! I now posted a book, and an official congratulations-card.

What I really like about these two incidents is that they both reminded me how easy it is to complain, but how much more gifted the people are, who confidently believe in one's instant right to communicate the feeling of joy.

I'm totally proud of my Icelandic nephew - and in regard of the homeless man on the metro I told him that I'd pass on his advice.

This is hereby done.

Time to rewrite the travel guides for Tanzania!? #bombsindar

Several people have reacted in the aftermath of the explosions at Gongo la Mboto on Wednesday evening in Dar es Salaam. On Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

Have a look here, and enjoy Swahili Street's amazing insight and suggested further reading, and here for The Mikocheni Report's contemplations on potential consequences.

Check also #bombsindar at Twitter, where tweets are decreasing slowly but where you can still find people expressing opinions.

And finally The Citizen's article - somehow oddly brief, titled 'It’s ‘negligence’.

Tanzania is 3 on the TOP 20 list of hottest countries (but do note the key words)

Thanks to Steven Mokiwa I now know that today I'm one of the best influencers on Tanzania, and that Tanzania is one of the TOP 20 list of hottest countries, number 3 in fact:

Tanzania: 17 hits
Current affairs peak at: 9.40 tw/mn [2011-02-17 15:38:05]
See More Stats on Trendistic

Best Keywords: blasts, military, killed, kill, explosions, week, series, people | Best Hashtags: #news, #bombsindar, #lol | Best Contributors: @BrianTusky, @AmandaCrosbyy, @elicoopter_afr | Best Influencers: RT@cnnbrk, RT@bbcworld, RT@afterafrica | Best Links: google, bbc, aljazeera, aljazeera, bbc, notitwits, lemonde, g1globo, bbc, radiobiobio

Not sure I get this tool at all, and I think it is rather scary that the reason for this placement is due to the explosions, and the fact that we repeatedly have used the hashtag #bombsindar. (Also, I wonder why @shurufu isn't among?)

 

Just have a look once again at the key words: 'blasts, military, killed, kill, explosions, week, series, people'

 

This is not good.

The conventional Tanzanian media report, but not as fast as Twitter or Facebook. In fact, the English Tanzanian online newspapers act as if this was just another day in the life of the watanzania. And maybe it was? Kiswahili media report - and a lot has been linked to on #bombsindar, where you can pick the column 'tweets with links' to find it faster.

 

I normally view reports on Twitter and Facebook as useful to find a direction to find more information, but maybe not so useful if you wanna figure out what exactly is going on? I have, however, received a few messages thanking for useful information yesterday, where people comment that Twitter, Facebook and this blog was their main access.

 

But this is - still only - basic, crowdsourced information, and not facilitated or contextualised. Isn't it - what do you say?

 

Personally, I don't have a problem with that or with people adding emotions in the heat of the moment, the problem is if readers don't filtrate. Another problem is when people contribute only with complaints. I think it is important, if possible, also to focus on positive aspects. Especially if social media is to make sense. There has for instance been shared good, positive stories from people doing something offline in Dar es Salaam, like donating blood or volunteering at Uhuru Stadion etc. 

 

Ranking Tanzania as a hot country in Twitter sense, it would need new key words, wouldn't it?

Resources and links: Africa and Revolutions (updated 24.02.)

Here is a sum up - a long list of blogs, blog posts and newspaper articles which I've been referring to the past month. All related to the revolutions in the Middle East and North Africa - most of it - seen from an African perspective.

Far from full list, and I'll keep updating it! But maybe still useful for others:

25.02.: Africa is failing Libya, say NGOs

24.02.: Gaddafi’s ‘African mercenaries’: Myth or reality?

24.02.: The tragedy of Africa

23.02.: Swaziland: What lessons from Egypt, Tunisia?

23.02.: Zimbabweans celebrate with Egyptians on Kubatana blog

22. 02.: The Tanzanian The CItizen, Gaddafi revolt highlights Africa risk spots

22.02.: Solidarity with the Harare 52: Another dark day in Zimbabwe!

22.02.: SW Radio Africa news Zims urged to follow Egypt, Tunisia & Libya’s lead

21.02.: Thought Leader, South African Mail & Guardian 'Why a revolution in Zimbabwe is destined to fail'

21.02.: SW Radio Africa news - The Independent Voice of Zimbabwe: 'Gwisai arrested, badly beaten, over ‘plotting’ Egypt style protest'  

21.02.: In search of an African revolution - International media is following protests across the 'Arab world' but ignoring those in Africa, according to Aljazeera

21.02.: After Tunisia and Egypt, it is now time for our own Kenyan-style revolution, article from  Daily Nation

20.02.: Hvad er sandsynligheden for at revolutionerne spreder sig til Afrika?, an update I made in Danish for the development site U-landsnyt.dk.

18.02.: What the world can learn from Egypt… so far 

17.02.: Pambazuka News, i.e. 'Egypt is an African country'

17.02.: #Uganda bans SMS texting of key words during poll. "Egypt", "bullet", "people power" will be intercepted

17.02.: One of my own blog posts: Sum Up: #Explosions in #GombolaMboto, #DaresSalaam #bombsindar (about the use of social media when other media are silent)

16.02.: Zimbabwean journalist contemplates in South African newspaper: Cairo-style protest not for Zim

16.02.: John Makumbe, political commentator asks 'Is Egypt possible in Zimbabwe?'  

10.02.: One of my own blog posts: Revolutions? What does East Africa say?

09.02: NYTimes: Wired and Shrewd, Young Egyptians Guide Revolt

06.02.: Tanzanian newspaper: ‘Tunisia wave’ to spare none, analysts warn

05.02.: Twenty reasons why it's kicking off everywhere by Paul Mason at the BBC

04.02.: Kenya/ Global Voices: To protest or not to protest?' 

03.02.: Newspaper article: Africa's Despots Write Open Letter to Ben Ali

01.02.:Africans and Revolutions by Emeika Okafor

01.02.: Andrew Mwenda from The Independent in Uganda: Lesson for Uganda from Tunisia’s crisis  

28.01.: One of my own blog posts: On change, activism and revolutions and social media. How do I manage my fascination?

25.01.: One of my own blog posts: Non-violent Struggle Multi-Media Library. What did we learn from Serbia?

19.01.: One of my own blog posts: A new breed of techno-savvy politicians in Africa?

16.01.: Comment from Tanzanian journalist: 'Dear Ben Ali, Tunisians don’t see the Great Leader in you anymore'

01: One of the first blog posts linking Tunesia to Tanzania: Isle of Peace into Pieces: A Call To Disarm

(Danish) Information's interview with Srdja Popovic: ’Jeg er en omrejsende ballademager’  Check Srdja Popovic' English website Canvasopedia, a non-violent struggle library, where the initial experience comes form the Serbian resistance movement, Otpor.

Jillian C. York writes about free expression, politics, and the Internet, with particular focus on the Arab world.  She works at the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University and writes for Global Voices Online.

The Mikocheni Report - a Tanzanian bloggers' views, amongst others on Egypt and Tunesia 

Feel welcome to add on!



#Uganda bans SMS texting of key words during poll. "Egypt", "bullet", "people power" will be intercepted

Uganda has ordered phone companies to intercept text messages with words or phrases including "Egypt", "bullet," and "people power" ahead of Friday's elections that some fear may turn violent.

The other English words or phrases on the list are: "Tunisia", "Mubarak", "dictator", "teargas", "army", "police", "gun", "Ben Ali" and "UPDF".

Insane? Uganda, eh...what you up to?!

Read more here.

Do also read my post here 'Kisanja: Burn it or Embrace it?' from November on the elections in Uganda.