Slum-Midia, giving young women control of and access to diverse business ideas through video technology in low income regions.
Slum-Midia creates employment for young women who learn and embrace journalistic skills to identify, shoot, edit and produce objective business documentaries for free distribution on DVD. They also explore, share and capitalize on new ideas with convenience of time. All costs will be met through sale of advertising space to active Micro finance institutions e.g. Jamii Bora, KREP,Banks and Donors.
Sobre Você
Seção 1: Sobre Você
Seção 2: Sobre a Sua Organização
Is your initiative connected to an established organization?
Sim
Nome da Organização
THE SLUMCODE GROUP
Página da organização na internet
Telefone da organização
254 722 60 44 51
Endereço da organização
42468 - 00100
País da organização
Quênia, NA
Sua organização é
OSCIP/ONG
How long has this organization been operating?
Entre 1 e 5 anos
As informações que você fornecer aqui serão usadas para preencher todas as partes do seu perfil deixadas em branco, como interesses, informação da organização e website. Nenhuma informação do contato será tornada público. Por favor, desmarque aqui se você não deseja que isso aconteça..
Sua ideia
Dê um nome ao seu projeto
Slum-Midia, giving young women control of and access to diverse business ideas through video technology in low income regions.
Describe Your Idea
Slum-Midia creates employment for young women who learn and embrace journalistic skills to identify, shoot, edit and produce objective business documentaries for free distribution on DVD. They also explore, share and capitalize on new ideas with convenience of time. All costs will be met through sale of advertising space to active Micro finance institutions e.g. Jamii Bora, KREP,Banks and Donors.
Country your work focuses on
Quênia, NA
INOVAÇÃO
What makes your idea unique?
We are hiring, training, exposing, capacity building, resource mobilizing, networking, showcasing best practice, taping potential and talent amongst young women all in one package. One must not personally own a computer or DVD as community bases including churches, libraries, clinics and member houses will serve as collection, viewing, reviewing and training zones for DVD.
Sponsors, grant givers or financiers will use advertising space on the 1 hour video with related businesses clustered per show to attract similar thoughts and ideas. We use DVD media to share this content based on the design of content i.e.an introduction and brief by a lady presenter, a 5 min commercial, four group presentations, a second 5 min commercial, another four group presentations, a final 5min commercial and some 5 min entertainment interlude. Ownership allows for group and individual views at any convenient timings without strain of particular strict schedule. We are encouraging flexible team work and group dynamics as visual content is easy to remember and relate to. At advanced stages we may incorporate a broadcast system via women's mobiles to send occasional alerts on relevant upcoming events, summits or business tit bits. Group owns the content and can keep reviewing for clarity, understanding and specific recommendations for content analysis. Women will quickly embrace, adopt technologies, ideas and practices that have had success across borders. This business model has potential to replicate easily through inclusion and participation. We target this to be a weekly production. It will be interactive, user friendly and easily accessible unlike television which has fixed program schedules and are non repetitive. Our DVD version then leverages on the power to control business content women watch, where, when and with whom at their own free time.
Finances accrued will help build infrastructure for better production and staff remuneration.
Do you have a patent for this idea?
Impacto
Temas relacionados à inscrição
Tell us about the social impact of your innovation. Please include both numbers and stories as evidence of this impact
Conventional television is profit oriented and thus focus very limited time on business related programs. Expected to reach over a million women in less than 6 months, our video based news DVD will empower communities. After developing the Slumfest, our strategy of an annual community convention bringing together over 1,000 participants from low income communities to a day of business showcase, exhibition, networking has frequently empowered the young women and youth with limited opportunities. It’s attended by funding agencies and stakeholders with key interest in the community based market and wish to harness the potential of low income innovators through idea exchange and financing opportunities.
Partners like Nokia Research Africa, Strathmore University, Safaricom, Universal Peace Federation and Hope World Wide have supported and participated in our past activities. The inaugural event of April 28th 2007 with the theme, "celebrating the face of community development" had an attendance of over 800 participants and addressed job creation, participatory approaches and advancing community outreaches for women showcase and exhibition, the second event of August 16th 2008 themed, "Our Place, Our People, Our Potential" brought together over 2,000 participants to take responsibility and live harmoniously, capitalize on locally available resources and appreciate diversity with a backdrop of the post election violence where women in business had been largely affected, the third edition of the Slumfest of 1st December, 2009 with the theme, "Mpango ni LIFE" – urged young people to stop stigma, embrace safe sexual practises and keep off drugs.
Young women who engaged in commercial sex from Mukuru and other slums were introduced to modeling and fashion as a business tool and alternative income generation and 120 of the over 1,000 participants were tested for HIV/AIDS and plans are at an advanced stage for Slumfest IV of August 14th, 2010 on leadership to reach over 3,000 community participants and encouraging young women to take the mantle in business development using modern technology, social media and video. Women try hands on performances, display of handcrafts and get access to use of internet and web to make contacts and sales. Others have been awarded study scholarships and job opportunities.The desire to replicate this idea across other regions is impressive.
Problem: Describe the primary problem(s) that your innovation is addressing
Slum-midia was conceptualized during the process of our events. There were clear gaps and barriers to development of talent and entrepreneurial skills.
Lack of exposure to innovative ideas, limited networking, low investor confidence, traditionally unexplored potential, limited focus on development of low income regions, inadequate product development techniques, packaging and marketing opportunities, fixed programming of and very few business related programs on local television, limited resource mobilization mechanisms due to lack of information, business incubation, mentorship and less opportunity to tap entrepreneurship skills or capacity building programs at community level, unavailability of an affordable, less rigorous mechanism to facilitate an enterprising culture through digital media. Traditionally women mostly away working, fending or handling household chores have little time to understand and review relevant content during scheduled timings as most programs would be aired while they are at work, hence spending limited time on innovative ideas which slows their development.
Groups can come together and comfortably purchase video players and smaller television sets with a total cost of $ 120 affordable for even the poorest communities and have no hi-tech user instructions. 10 women can each contribute $ 12 to acquire the devices or have a church or community base play safe custody for such.Our DVD weekly business news version allows her the power to control content and reduce the time poverty barrier.
Actions: Describe the steps that you are taking to make your innovation a success. What might prevent that success?
Our growth strategy aims for success. Women are already organized into self help groups with various ideas, inclusion and wide participation, unlimited program specification for diverse ideas, partner financed advertisement & low user expense, our weekly digital news video will cluster related business sharing common ideals, participating groups will register at a minimal fee and receive full package including reference to business incubation centres, workshops, a free business directory and participation at major community exhibitions and showcase, marketing opportunities with stakeholders, interactive, exciting content and strategically located collection points will enable quick spread and reliable distribution.
Successful women role Models will be used as ambassadors during the cause of implementation to inspire participants as well as use of advice by young women in the Media and Communication Industry for guidance
Obstacles to success would relate to limited resource, government bureaucracy, sensitizing women on new ideas, slow or limited partner commitment, illegal concept duplication leading to poor adoption and growth projection and language barriers of communication to various groupings and cultural inhibitions to women empowerment.
Results: Describe the expected results of these actions over the next three years. Please address each year separately, if possible
Slum-midia will revolutionize the spread and concentration of business related specific media content as a means of information, education and communication to low income community based initiatives by women. Implementation will be clustered into zones and growth made systematic to accommodate human resource requirements.
Year One, From initial stages of implementation, 10 young women between ages 18 – 35 women trained to shoot video, record interviews and collect data hitting the streets of Nairobi starting with sorrounding slums of Huruma, Mathare, Korogocho, Dandora, Kariobangi, Kayole with an estimated population of over 1,500,000 people and over 50% being women and youth involved in businesses such as garbage collection, computer typing bureaus, hairdressing salons, tailoring, vegetable vending, self help groups, informal schools, catering and small food shops. With growth and spread, this team will be identifying, tagging and training vibrant human resource of other women on location to enable a network management system for staffing, evaluation and reporting. This team will train communities on the benefits and success of program and target to reach 24 groups of an average 10 women in the first month and aim to develop a replication strategy. Initial team; as human assets armed with knowhow would not need to traverse huge geographical areas, but pass on to specifically selected trainees to handle prescribed locations. Constant evaluation on reporting will improve process of growth and concept development towards identifying and establishing community base during the first year.
Year Two will focus on replication and spread of idea to wide networks based on success of Year 1. More community bases with local women groups will put in place a platform for collection and viewing points also used for follow up capacity building sessions. Marginalized areas will see our innovation bring on board partners to ease on challenges such as lack of electricity, lighting, video players, television units and other relevant facilities. More focused and particular training, financing and capacity building packages will also be developed based on evaluations.
Year Three will seek to establish a 24hr business television channel to reach the wide national market and target to replicate the success of the slum-midia concept. This should run alongside the video based project since access and infrastructure development would still be a long way coming. Seeking commitment to wider sponsorship packages, business finance, broader clientele base and collaboration.
How many people will your project serve annually?
101‐1.000
What is the average monthly household income in your target community, in US Dollars?
$50 - 100
Does your innovation seek to have an impact on public policy?
Sim
If your innovation seeks to impact public policy, how?
Participation in creation of employment and enhancement of opportunities for community based social development is a key component in the achievement of Millennium Development Goals 1 and 2 to eradicate extreme poverty and achieving universal primary education. Our innovation will seek to increase access to relevant information hence empowering women to invest wisely allowing them to generate income and sustain children in school. This compels participation and advocacy towards implementation of policies and infrastructure for economic empowerment more specifically empowering women for equity and equality. Access to finance, scientific knowledge and technological engagements.
SUSTENTABILIDADE
Em que estágio está seu projeto?
Implementado há menos de um ano
Does your organization have a board of directors or an advisory board?
Sim
Does your organization have a non monetary partnerships with NGOs?
Sim
Does your organization have a non monetary partnerships with businesses?
Sim
Does your organization have a non monetary partnerships with government?
Sim
Please tell us more about how partnerships could be critical to the success of your innovation
- building a strong business case and program foundation.
- add value through relevant and specific business advertisements.
- plan trainings and showcase workshops, distribution of free content will be done through registered partners, who will add needed content to the relevance of the weekly news video releases.
- Provide the access to businesses far and wide.
- Income from advertisement from Partners, will pay staff, buy equipment, build improved messaging platforms and sustain recruitment as we grow.
- Organization, development and enhance a wider base for program growth through business opportunities.
- Aid in spread of concept and appearance at International Film Festivals.
We would like to learn more about how your initiative is financially supported. Please explain your business plan/revenue model
From initial contributions to purchase the basic equipment for the pilot stage and development process as build up for revenue will see Women groups of ten (10) pay a one time registration fee for administrative purposes. Secondly prospective partners' interested in small scale and medium enterprises, will pay for advertisement and marketing opportunities on video.
Video runs for 60min, advertising space of 15min divided into 3 sections between a two-part show of 4 groups each.
Number of dvds per week..........................Kshs 1,000 pcs
Cost of production per dvd.......................Kshs. 50.00
Total cost of production.........................Kshs. 50,000.00
Total cost of producing 4,000 pcs per month......Kshs.200,000.00
Cost of advertising space per week...............Kshs. 30,000.00
3 Advertising slots per video....................Kshs. 90,000.00
Total income per month from advertising..........Kshs.360,000.00
Income from advertising space....................Kshs.160,000.00
Registration fee @ Kshs. 1,000 per group
with 32 groups per month.........................Kshs. 32,000.00
(Income will cater for administration overheads
- salaries, training, repair and maintenance,
government taxes, equipment upgrading and accessories)
This will ensure the innovation's sustainability, growth and self reliance over time.
A História
What was the defining moment that led you to this innovation?
Having served in low income communities for a long time and interacting with many people, organizations and services being offered towards the welfare of the community, the 2008 post election violence in my country exposed gaps on our social structure, the woman, child and young people suffered immensely as equity, equality and economic issues came into play. A reason to unite similar ideas, share thoughts and protect human dignity was inevitable. This doesn’t come better than in social integration where people have a sense of belonging. This barrier had to be overcome and sharing business ideas through visual media created a deep seated economic connection between communities – women being a driving factor in uniting villages.
Tell us about the person—the social innovator—behind this idea.
Albert as founder and mentor in this organization, retired from public service at the tender age of 30 to pursue his passion in humanitarian services. With a calling to community service; he has led many young people to identify and exploit their potential with limited resources. A well spoken father of two married at 22yrs has lived with wife and two children 12 and 7 since 1997. His charisma and spontaneous nature led the community to engage him in pursuit for elective posts as a civic leader in national elections. He has attended workshops and seminars with Grace Africa, Ministry of Youth Affairs, National Democratic Institute, Africa Nazarene University and Global Campaign against Poverty, through his innovative idea of the Slumfest™ now running into its fourth edition, a young women empowerment strategy was envisioned. He is a team player, mobilizer and motivator. This earned him a scholarship to study leadership and management at the acclaimed Strathmore University starting May 2010. Albert poses qualities that if well nurtured will take him and the community he serves to great heights.
How did you first hear about Changemakers?
Mídias sociais (ex: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)
If through another source, please provide the information
Bahiyah Yasmeen Robinson
ICRW
Does your project address any of the following barriers to women’s technology access and use?
Women’s time poverty, Social norms, Economic or institutional constraints, Women’s lack of involvement in the technology development process.
If you checked any of the boxes above, please explain how.
Womens' total commitment to household chores, farm work, income generation and cultural structures reduce the time they might have to watch and follow television programs effectively, engage in learning technology based innovations and explore new frontiers. Slum-midia will make access very flexible, available and accessible. It will boost information and knowledge base.Renowned Models will inspire participation, hope, insight and motivation through sharing best practise
Does your project involve women in one or more of the following stages of the technology lifecycle? Identification of the problem the technology will solve:
Technology design, Market research, Technology introduction, Technology training, Technology supply and distribution, Creation and maintenance of market linkages for women's economic outputs, Assessment and evaluation.
If you checked any of the boxes above, please explain how you will ensure women’s involvement in each relevant phase of the technology lifecycle.
Slum-midia and involve women in content collection, prioritization, development and distribution.Journalistic skills of reporting, researching, editing and production to marketing and sales of advertising space will greatly empower the woman. Satellite stations across the regions will be manned and operated by women who will coordinate, report and evaluate needs as is relevant to particular sites for content enhancement, training and monitoring.
If women are a focus of your project, how did this focus evolve?
The project developed a focus on women over time..
Which type of women will your project reach directly?
Rural, Peri-urban, Low income, Middle income.
In what ways does your project team/leadership involve women?
The core project team includes women., The core project team includes women from developing countries..
Has your organization formed any new partnerships in response to this challenge? If so, with what type/s of organization/s?
Non-profit/NGO/community-based organization, Women's organization.
Has your project leadership had prior experience with the following?
Working with women, Working with technologies, Working to increase women's economic empowerment through technology, Working on innovation.
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Comentários
Hi Albert, I LOVE this project! Providing women with the technology and skills to share their voice with a broad audience is so important! Do you know of anyone else doing similar work? In addition to getting your footage on 24-hr news channels, have you considered aggregating footage to make documentaries for film festivals? Would love to watch your footage when it's available! Thanks for entering.
Hey Sarah, thanks a lot for your kind words and support. At least no one is doing this in Kenya so far.Conventional TV is what is there at community level. Our main barrier was time poverty, choice of multiple views and convenience. The Closest I have seen is someone hoping to do MP3 Audio for women to listen around Rwanda. The idea of film festivals would be great. Please check us out here too (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=71356959402) We are currently hosting the Grand Slumfest at regional level and hope to grow. Do not relent to spread more thoughts and ideas my way. Hope to hear from you.
Dear Albert:
There is a great energy and focus in your proposal to teach young women to become photo-journalists and then use what they produce to inspire thousands of women in need of better jobs or entrepreneur ideas to set up small business and to involve the major business sector to buy ads to support your ongoing costs as the project expands. I love what your organization has achieve thus far at your mass encounters, and I love this specific idea.
I have a couple of questions and suggestions, and hope you will let me know if they are helpful or not.
1. Something seems a bit contradictory about how the women who most need to see the content on these DVDs will be able to. You say most of them are very busy working, tendng their family or other domestic tasks and do not have personal access to computers. So, how will they have the time to go to the local intermediary organizations with the technology to see the DVDs if they are so busy already?
This is a question of effectively marketing the value of going to see the entire DVD to very stressed women. I'd suggest you think about, perhaps, editing each DVD into a 1-2 minute YOUTUBE-like video and then use it as an advertisement to go to the local site to see the whole thing -- and have it played on radio and tv (for free as a community service ad) to interest your target clients-- the millions who really need to see them.
2. You propose training 10 young women during the first year. Given the number of areas you want them to cover, and how much they'll have to learn themselves during this period, I'd suggest you start with 20. Some will drop out. Some will have difficulties. It always happens. So if you start with 10, maybe you'll end up with 6 -- far too few to produce enough content, to cover all the areas in need, and too few even to form a great support group among themselves. If you start with 20, maybe you end up with 15 or so. A better number to divide the various geographic areas to focus on (they should begin to map out the human assets in each and become knowledgeable themselves about good stories or leads to follow up on -- and if they're too dispersed, they'll not accomplish this in a year).
Also, with 20, you'll have more reliable data at the end of the year about what worked, or what needs rethinking. A smaller number may not show you trends you need to be aware of.
3. You propose to leave identifying the intermediary organizations who will show the DVDs until Year 2. That's because you want to develop your stock of shows first.
But I think you actually should be attracting these partners during Year 1. Here's why: by involving them at the start, they'll be able to watch the young women evolve and will become more motivated to help with the outreach in Year 2 because they've been through the hopes, challenges and results produced in year 1. ALso, they may be well in touch with local issues, leaders, assets in their communities and may help the young women to make good contacts, identify stories or leads that are really of interest to that specific community by collaborating with the people who work daily in those institutions.
I'm not suggesting you start any programs with them in Year 1,simply identify them, ask them to join with you, keep them involved in your training and in the women's work as they proceed, invite them to some initial screenings and ask for teir reactions and suggestions, etc. It will make them more active partners in Year 2 and beyond when you really need them.
4 Finally can you say a bit more about the danger you mentioned of not securing rights to content and perhaps endangering some business' intellectual property unintentially by broadcasting it? And also, do you plan to build or link the women who will want to start their own businesses as a result of your DVDs to any form of technical assistance, business planning and management training appropriate to their education level and local needs? In my experience, by so doing, you will multiply the overall effectiveness of your effotts by reducing the number of good ideas that don't work out as businesses -- but could with mentors, information and training.
Hope you know that these questions or comments are given with great respect for the work you've already done and the terrific potential I see in your proposal. Look forward to any comments and questions from you!
I appreciate very much for your ideas and input.Kindly find my rejoinder and clarification and will get back on No. 4. Each was received very positively and ammendments executed.
Question 1. I like the idea of brevity and conciseness, however our focus is local television shows business related programs at very specific times and women might not be available then. Our DVD version then leverages on the power to control business content women watch, where, when and with whom at your own free time over and over. Issue of scheduled programming is taken care off as they can do this comfortably during their weekly gatherings and not necessarily on computers but video players and smaller television sets with a total cost of $ 120 affordable for even the poorest communities and has no hi tech user instructions. 10 women can each contribute $ 12 to acquire the devices or have a church or community centre play safe custody for such. The youtube option will limit many as internet use is still a farfetched idea to many who do not even have an email. However the radio ads are an added value. Thanks.
Question 2: On training, 10 was an initial number for a launch process within a smaller target area on pilot basis. With growth and wide area coverage, each of the 10 will have graduated to train own team to apply a multiplier effect during specific time scales and periods. Network systems of management and reporting will be most effective and the initial team as human assets would not need to traverse huge geographical zonings. Drops outs though are an expectation and clear mechanisms will be put in place to cover this, including sourcing funds to train and retain more. Good incentives for work will also form a motivation as they work and gain. A feedback system is being developed to capitalize on reports and evaluation done by the field data officers who accompany reporters. A follow up process is also part of the plan.
Question 3: Thanks for this note too, I guess it’s a wording omission, stakeholders and partners are forming part of the process from day 1. Year 2 will simply map out a wider zone and is meant to spread word and replicate idea to other geographical areas. I am editing that to create a more precise meaning. I agree if they grow with the process, they advice, internalize and create synergy relevant and crucial for our growth and sustenance.
they say give power to the woman and the whole nation is empowered. Great work
She can do this by being empowered and motivated by fellow women as far as they would want to reach a common goal. Nice and great stuff right here debbie.Am impressed!
Hey Trisha, we at Slumcode couldn't be more grateful. Please note that by you reading this idea already is a move to reckon with. We are on process to do a formal launch and kiss goodbye a many under served women in our low income communities. Please join us here (http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=71356959402) to follow and track on progress. Invite like minded women too to share in this success story.
SLUMCODE GROUP.
You gave hope to many, you moved a mountain in many people's path and you still shine for the path to always be clear for others.
We appreciate you in one peace.
Regards.
Dear Albert Nashon,
Here I am commenting about a project in Kenya again. Somehow I came to love this country.
Anyway, I like very much your project. Giving access to information or, in this case, creating this information and sharing it among Kenyans and the world seems amazing.
Here are some of my comments on your entry:
1. As the other comment already mentioned, I would love to watch some of the current videos. Youtube is a powerful tool for that;
2. Are you associated with http://slum-tv.org?
3. It is clear for me how your organization will receive funding from the partners and sponsors. I was wondering how the women will receive a share of that? Could they aspire to have this as their full time jobs? From the entry is clear how they will benefit from receiving more information and even creating it. But how will they be compensated? How can they spend time doing this and not worry about having a family, a house or other responsibilities?
4. What could be a potential long-term partner for your organization? I understand that you have some partners for some of the events but I believe a long-term partner could add a lot as well as your organization. Maybe a 'hollywood' type studio, or a western TV Station etc.
5. Are DVDs the best media to share this content? I understand internet access is not that great but can mobile be an alternative? I don't have the answer but DVDs doesn't sound to be the best one and, if it is, I would like to see a better explanation of it on the entry. You know, just to make sure...
Hope this helps.
Please let me know if I can help you with anything else.
Best,
Mauricio
I very much welcome your superb thoughts and concerns. These keep improving my innovation and have adjusted some areas of the text accordingly.
Q1. We are working on uploading some of our preliminary works here – Youtube would suffice.
Q2. Our innovation is steering clear of conventional TV programming which is a mix of every community based activity and occurrence to focus on business, we are not associated with http://slum-tv.org but will venture into 24hr business channel with success of Slum-midia project.
Q3. About finances and compensation for women, we are first of all hiring and training which is a direct benefit and staff will multiply with scope and reach of innovation to different regions. Secondly, while we can’t compensate respondents and business participants, our program will aim to put a funding scheme in the next phases and directly participate in promoting great ideas with limited seed capital and finally the sponsors will not only advertise but extend financial input and services as part of their ongoing micro financing schemes which is a positive gain for program participants.Most of our acquired and saved funds will go towards infrastructure development.
Q4. Identifying and engaging potential long-term partners for our organization has been the greatest challenge, but with more exposure to program growth and development we hope to find interested stakeholders? This could add a lot of value as well as boost our organization. Kindly make reference to us of any you might have in mind.
Q5. DVDs come tops as the best media to share this content, first based on the design of video, which will have an introduction by presenter, a 5 min commercial, four group presentations, a 5 min commercial, another four group presentations, a final 5min commercial and some 5 min entertainment interlude(music, dance, rib cracking). And the ownership allows for group and individual views at any convenient timings without strain of particular strict schedule, mobiles would not suffice as we are encouraging team spirit and dynamics, video improves memory and easy to relate with visual content, we may incorporate a broadcast system via mobile just to send occasional news alerts on relevant upcoming events, summits or tit bits. A better explanation will be edited and entered thanks to your concerns.
Great help from your concerns, we will keep engaging.
Albert
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