… then just a few km’s away we are faced with problems which lead our community to difficult social circumstances
Our community was faced with an impossible environment where the community needed one thing above all else…..
Hope. There is nothing worse than looking into someone eyes and seeing no HOPE!
People
We had humble beginnings. This is a pic of our first computer borrowed to us by our local partner Impact Direct. A community based NGO. We used one of their rooms and dial connection in 2007.
After training the first group at CPUT, we then acquired a few more computers and upgraded to ADSL connectivity. The original champions now became the facilitators and trained the women in the community. Called them Mom2.0. The same women they used to disempower they were now empowering.
As interest from the community grew so did RLabs. We received a donation of laptops and expanded our training to include Social Media for Teens, Senior Mobile Sessions, Mom3.0, The Reconstructed and Social Media for Social Change courses.
Also started training the community in Citizen Journalism and using their mobile phones to access the web.
Mobile phones in Africa are a unique part of everyone’s lives. We all have one or have access to one. People want to be connected.
Positive change through the use of innovation and technology became a core component. Changing the lives and circumstances of those involved with RLabs and doing that in a positive way. Truly reflecting a Living Lab
South Africa - 2011: …28
it is powered by Innovation. Innovation and creativity is what fuels and drives RLabs and its growth.
An example of our first innovation that was birthed in RLabs. Because the first group of champions we trained in Social Media for Social Change were all ex-drug addicts, gang members, gang bosses or suffered from some addiction or social ill. When we asked community what is the tension (problem) drugs was high on the priority list. The community then asked if there was a way to use technology and to help their own community at the same time.
An online drug advice support platform was formed called: JamiiX is a web-based enterprise platform that allows organisations to engage with their users on various instant messaging and mobile chat platforms. It is currently mostly used by non-profits and development agencies who use JamiIX to provide low-cost communication between people in need and social service organisations.
Uusi: An innovative jobs, business and education mobile social network matching people with empowerment opportunities.
