By SN, Bihemo and AK on behalf of the studio crew
We would like to thank all our readers, viewers and listeners for another great year. Together with you, we have been able to produce over 700 posts and almost 2000 comments on topics concerning education, employment, politics and other fields in Tanzania and greater East Africa.
Here are a few highlights from 2011:
- Aspiration of a Nation
- Ni Hamsini, Ni Hamsini: Tanzania at 50 what do we have to show for it?
- TEDxDar – Who Killed Zinjanthropus?
- Satellite Cities: Is this the future of East Africa’s urbanization
- Mbwa wa Pavlov III
- Things Fell Apart
- Uwezo Tanzania presents ALA 2011 report
- Saidia Zanzibar Initiative
- Spitting on Marshall
- Ni uchawi, nguvu za asili ama sayansi isiyoonekana?
- Vijana Nguvu ya Mabadiliko
- Chausiku: It’s complicated
- Youth and their well being (I)
- Zebras with spots and leopards with stripes
- Osama is dead; but…
- I am African
- The International Village for Science and Technology
- An evening with the JF-guys
- A little humor on our electricity woes
- Ukiwezeshwa unaweza; usipowezeshwa je?
- Nyumba Moja, Katiba Moja
- Bajeti ya Bongo
- Drowning Fish: Failures of the Tanzanian Media
- Uchambuzi: Fid Q – Propaganda (III)
A few people we interviewed this year (full listing here):
- Blogger & photographer Pernille Bærendtsen
- Artist and lawyer Lotus Menezes
- Filmmaker Amil Shivji
- Twaweza founder, Rakesh Rajani
- Cartoonist FeDë Nestory
- Hip hop artist One the Incredible
- Spearhead Branding and Kina Klothing’s Mkuki
We have also been fortunate to have had the support in various forms of our friends and partners, who have helped us launch a few initiatives since we launched in September 2009:
- TZelect: Mapping reflections of East African youth on the 2010 Tanzania elections.
- Art @ Vijana FM: Focused blog-posts on art in Tanzania
- Bila Sanaa: Regularly-updated playlist supporting Tanzanian hiphop, powered by ReverbNation.
- TZhiphop: Website platform supporting Tanzanian hip hop.
- Vijana FM UserEcho: Initially launched to support the planning of Tanzania’s OpenGov plans.
Major credit for these projects goes to: CheusiDawa TV, atKariakoo, MLab Records, Kina Klothing, Voice of the Underground, GongaMX, Crowdmap (by Ushahidi), Userecho, Ndogoworks, WeWrite, Bongoline, Sribuo Media, Wavuti and, of course, the volunteers that make these relationships happen.
In 2012, we will continue to try and develop sustainable initiatives that ease the exchange of ideas for development among young citizens of East Africa.
This month, we’re making a few updates to our website and introducing two new initiatives titled Elimushare and Swahili Labs respectively.
Elimushare aims to make it easy to find and discuss knowledge on Tanzania. It’s primary services at the moment include Maktaba, a library under development, and a moodle site for conducting virtual classes. We hope Elimushare can archive research similar to JSTOR, Wiley and other research databases, but also informal research not necessarily conducted with schools. We also hope that Elimushare becomes an accessible place to both students and non-students, teachers as well as aspiring instructors. This initiative is currently being managed by volunteers from Vijana FM, the University of Dodoma and Wanazuoni.
Swahili Labs’ objective is to set up a collaborative tool for knowledge sharing that is available in Swahili and one that aims to benefit a Tanzanian who can not communicate in English. The ultimate goal is hoped to become a framework upon which several projects employing and/or developing up to date technology will be established. Currently we are working hard to get the first project live this month. This project is an effort to make available technical terms from English to Swahili. We call this project Kamusi ya Istilahi. This tool is expected to benefit informal knowledge seekers in ways yet in conception.
Later in 2012 we’re hoping to be more involved with terrestrial radio, newspaper and television networks in East Africa. We will continue to facilitate the production of media content among youth online as well. Please do send us feedback whenever possible to keep us in check!
Thank you all once again. Kila la heri na tunawatakia baraka na fanaka tele za Mwaka Mpya!