Youth groups from different places and cultures in Mexico are nodes of the Tlalana network www.tlalana.org.mx [1]. They take action based on collective learning and experience exchange to solve local issues such as environmental problems, unemployment and violence. We want to train such nodes in audio editing, blogs and social networks to achieve greater visibility and facilitate their documenting and sharing capabilities between projects.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Mexico City, Aguascalientes, Chiapas
Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.
We will be working with young and poor entrepreneurs part of the Tlalana network that develop betterment projects in their communities. Some of them lack of formal education, or places to exercise their freedom of speech but mainly do not have access to ICTs. Through recycled laptops, workshops and social networks they will acquire the know-how to share information, achieve visibility thus strength and empower their initiatives.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
Beneficiaries will learn how to create podcasts, photographs and video. With this knowledge they will be able to record and tell their daily lives, personal story and diagnose their community problems. This content will be uploaded in blogs and the Tlalana network to find and share solutions, strengthening their groups and projects alongside the network itself in a virtuous cycle.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established that will contribute to the success of the project.
Currently Labdoo and Tlalana collaborate together. Labdoo collects and sanitizes unused laptops to provide hardware infrastructure to people that has no access to ICTs. Tlalana provides training and counseling to projects executed by young people to develop their communities. We have started Open Source software workshops in conjunction with the Hackmeeting community. In future we will seek support from local government and civil institutions.
How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?
The Tlalana network currently holds 13 groups and more than 120 participants. With the grant we will be able to kickstart this project giving workshops to at least three groups. The invitation to participate will be open for anyone, we estimate at least 30 to 45 participants who will directly benefit from this undertaking. The Tlalana network, monthly meetings and annual gathering will perform as advertising points and tracking vantage spots.
Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?
Through publicity we could achieve greater reach and depth: 1) Connecting with similar funding institutions that relate to our views and goals such as the digital divide, youth empowerment, marginalised communities. 2) Outreaching possible volunteers who wish to donate laptops or fulfill any of the other steps towards closing the digital breach, 3) Publicity that encourages collaboration with other networks and organizations.
Contact name
Angel Peralta Gallardo
Organization
Adeco Acciones para el Desarrollo Comunitario