Improving the flow of livelihood information among unemployed youth in an informal settlement of Windhoek, Namibia

Abstract

Access to information remains circumstantial, even more as it is channeled through ICTs. While technology rich areas have developed well-functioning information dissemination mechanisms, informal settlements lack basic services including information access. Thus, we are investigating how we can ensure that livelihood information reaches the most marginalized people in the informal settlement that would utilize this information to make consequential life changes. We are engaging youth from an informal settlement of Windhoek into discussions, technology explorations and participatory design workshops, to jointly explore the improvement of citizen-based information dissemination. A contextual mapping of the current information flow shows its strengths and weaknesses. While a user, exploration of a digital noticeboard reveals the communities' eagerness to digitally share vital information with their fellow community members.