Social change-makers readjust to the new normal
Blackstar Media Kenya is a communications hub of change-makers based in Kenya. They create media and communication content for organisations working on social change endeavours.
The first COVID-19 case was reported on 12th March 2020, and the Kenyan government quickly took measures to ensure the safety of its citizens, including banning large meetings, mandating the wearing of masks, and requiring hand sanitiser and washing facilities to be available in public areas. The government also called for social distancing (requiring people to not be in close proximity to each other), gave an advisory for remote working, and instituted a dusk to dawn curfew, which meant that all citizens had to be indoors before 7pm at night. The organisation had been scheduled to carry out projects which involved travel and assembling large groups of people, but these new safety measures meant they had to shutdown on some of the projects, and scale down on the plans.
The next alternative they had, was to use technology and the online space, to coordinate events. "Our social change model is one of community building, bringing together players in particular niches, and using conversations to keep the movements alive. Some of the projects we did around this were members of Kenya’s creative economy, civil society, women in politics, women human rights defenders, and mental health" says co-founder Kingwa Kamencu.
"The FNF campaign question asks what we can learn from the pandemic. The answer I would give is simple. It is that life goes on and entrepreneurs must carry themselves fluidly and flexibly enough that they are able to adjust through the shifts and turns that emerge. Entrepreneurs need to be agile and ready to change tact and strategy where necessary."
On World Innovation and Creativity Day, 21 April 2021, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Sub-Saharan Africa invited entrepreneurs, innovators and creatives across the region to submit the most innovative solutions they have made that have helped their initiatives, start ups, businesses re-establish or survive during the COVID-19 pandemic. This forms part of the FNF 2021 global campaign titled RE:START21
We ask, what can we learn from the pandemic? Let's talk new ideas! #Restart21