Africa's 1st data journalism bootcamp is looking for civic-minded developers / coders

[Justin Arenstein]

Africa's 1st data journalism bootcamp is offering free seats to 25 developers / coders who are interested in building apps for civic media / open data audiences.

The event is scheduled for Nairobi between January 25 - 27, 2012, and is underwritten by the region's largest media houses.

The bootcamp will be led by some of the world's most senior trainers from the BBC, Google, and the Open Knowledge Foundation. Participants will each receive a free copy of Guardian data editor Simon Roger's new book, Fasts are Sacred - the Power of Data, and will be in line to win Galaxy Tabs after the workshop's two major project sessions. Participants will also get tips on how to enter the new $1m African News Innovation Challenge and the new Data Journalism Awards.

The bootcamp will bring together 50 journalists with 25 young local developers / coders, and will seek to teach them now to work in teams to build news-driven mobile apps and civic engagement websites using the KODI resources already available to Kenyans, plus additional resources from the World Bank and the Open Knowledge Foundation in Germany, plus other global organisations. The best project from the bootcamp will qualify for a $2,000 seed grant, to allow the team to build a fully-functional prototype.

Some of the news-driven civic apps and 'utility news' sites built in similar data journalism initiatives elsewhere in the world include Where Did My Tax Dollars Go and the Lord's Resistance Army Crisis Tracker and Country Sin Rankings.

Bootcamp participants will be invited to help launch HacksHackers.com's new Kenyan chapter so that they can continue to expand their digital journalism skills.

The initiative is underwritten by the continent's largest association of media owners, the African Media Initiative (AMI), and the World Bank Institute (WBI). 

To confirm your seat, you need to commit to attend all three days of the bootcamp at Strathmore University's computer school. You should reserve your seat by replying to this email, confirming the following information:

[1] Your name

[2] Your organisational affiliation & job designation (if relevant)

[3] Your email address & mobile number

[4] An indication of your computer skills

[5] An indication of whether you've got any open data / civic media / data journalism experience

Seats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. You should therefore reply as soon as possible.

Regards,

Justin Arenstein
AMI digital strategist

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