Nairobi.
After having arrived in Nairobi we first payed a visit to “Nairobits”.

[Foto: Merel]

The Nairobits organization is based at “The Go Down Arts Centre” which is an old car warehouse,  located in the industrial area of Nairobi.

A variety of not-for-profit cultural initiatives are situated here, like a record studio, a theater/dance/acrobat company,  a television studio, an art gallery, exhibition space, practice rooms and a theater hall.

see: http://www.thegodownartscentre.com

Nairobits is an organization that trains youth from the Nairobi slums to become professional
web designers.

We met with the Nairobits staff and were welcomed by Ann Ikiara (general manager)

and Roseirene Wangui (training coordinator).

We did an interview with Jane, Kevin, Jaqueline and Gideon;
four of the students who are now enrolled in the Nairobits training program.

To enter the Nairobits web design program the students have to be active members of a
community based organization in their home town area and be selected by that organization
for an interview with Nairobits.

After they have passed the interview, the students start a
training program that takes a year and consists of 3 levels:

-”Inside the web”. Learning basic computer skills, designing end presenting.
-”Webstar”. making a website (HTML) on your neighborhood and on a cultural theme.
-”Media lab” learning PHP and MYSQL and making a website for a company or organization.

The students who succeed in completing all the courses get a chance to do an internship with
a company or organization.
Most of the students didn’t have any computer experience before they started the course and
will have a good chance to find a job after.

Link: http://www.nairobits.com

At the Record studio “Ketebul Music”(Swahili for drumsticks) we talked to the producer Tabu
Osusa who introduced us to a musician from Mombassa named Makadem.

Makadem is a singer and guitar player who has so far made two c.d’s: Ohanglaman and Jambamboo.
see: http://www.myspace.com/makadem

[Foto: Merel] Meeting Makadem

He was interested in joining our research project and to do interviews with the students from Nairobits, on film next Friday.

By: Merel

Armed gard sitting on computer room chair #25 at a secondary school in Kisii

foto: Enno

A traditional Luo dish in Kisumu with

Ugali, vegetables and fresh Tilapia from lake Victoria

foto: Enno

Home is where the heart is…

We will be in Africa (Kenya and Tanzania)  from the 15th of October until the 21st of November 2007.

We are leaving tomorrow from Amsterdam to our first stop on the African continent : Nairobi

I’m very exited to go back to Africa after such a long time

Enno