Ushahidi means 'witness' in Swahili. This attempt to use social technology to chronicle incidences of violence in Kenya is the brainchild of Erik Hersman, Ory Okolloh and David Kobaya.
The site is painfully simple in design and concept - it's a Google Maps mash-up that allows users to report incidences of crime and violence by description and location. Right now this is done via the Web but SMS functionality is in the pipeline. The site doesn't require registration (because, of course, nobody here wants to make money). From the site:
Ushahidi.com is a tool for people who witness acts of violence in Kenya in these post-election times. You can report the incident that you have seen, and it will appear on a map-based view for others to see. We are working with local Kenyan NGO's to get information and to verify each incident.
What you can do is get the word out about Ushahidi so that it's utilized to it's full potential. This especially extends to talking to the people that you know who have seen things in Kenya and getting them to the site as well. You can also help by using the contact form to volunteer to help with the tracking and verifying of each incident.
This site took less than a week to conceive and build. It is a meaningful, accurate representation of something that we need to be taking cognisance of. Please show your support by putting a badge on your site and spreading the word that someone is doing something important, not for their own gain, using technology as the medium. My thanks nad appreciation goes out to Erik and team for doing what most of us can do or know that we should do but don't prioritise.
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