by Shefali Malhotra | 3 Mar 2023 | Africa, Educators' Catalog, Government, Technology, University of Toronto Journalism Fellows
If a government agency stores the DNA and fingerprints of its residents can it serve them more efficiently or control them more effectively? (Image: News Decoder) A year after Kenya’s historic digital identity program was declared illegal, the Kenyan government is...
As more countries around the world adopt digital identification systems, concerns about the legality of such programs have come to the fore. This month, University of Toronto global journalism fellow Shefali Malhotra walks us through arguments for and against the implementation of digital IDs in Kenya.
Exercise: As students are reading the article, have them create a list of arguments for and against the implementation of digital IDs. Then, have students write a paragraph on whether or not they support adopting digital IDs in your country. The paragraph should include arguments around at least two of the following subtopics: data protection (legal), privacy (personal & commercial), internet penetration/the digital divide, potential discrimination against vulnerable groups. To extend the activity, students can engage in a structured debate with classmates after writing their paragraphs.
by Stella Mapenzauswa | 11 Aug 2022 | Africa, Economy, Educators' Catalog, Politics
One out of three young Africans is unemployed, and the youth population will double by 2050. How can Africa create jobs for the young and avoid unrest? A man holds a poster marking South Africa’s Youth Day holiday in Soweto, South Africa, 16 June 2020. (AP...
Marshaling official reports and authoritative data, correspondent Stella Mapenzauswa lifts the lid on one of Africa’s biggest challenges – youth unemployment. On a continent as large and diverse as Africa, it can be perilous to generalize across borders, but Mapenzauswa puts her finger on a problem that threatens numerous governments and societies there. Not satisfied with merely identifying the problem, the experienced journalist from southern Africa glimpses a solution in “hustling” – young Africans using whatever skills they have to earn money as entrepreneurs. Some of the best journalism identifies both problems and solutions.
Exercise: Ask your students to identify a critical problem facing their local community, assessing its economic and social impact, and then to list possible solutions and the attendant costs.
by Bryson Hull | 19 Feb 2020 | Africa, Americas, Economy, Media Literacy
Donald Trump has disparaged African countries in no uncertain terms. Why, then, does he keep meeting Kenya’s leader in the White House? Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (L) shakes hands with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House, Washington, DC, 27...
by Lily Annenberg | 7 Nov 2019 | Africa, Contest winners, Student Posts, Thacher School
Poachers trading ivory are threatening Africa’s elephants with extinction. I shot a film showing how dogs are stemming the flow of illegal ivory in Kenya. https://vimeo.com/366888651 This story won honorable mention in News Decoder’s recent Storytelling...
by James Langan | 7 May 2019 | Africa, Economy, History, Student Posts, Thacher School, Youth Voices
I recently returned to Kenya to see China’s hand in Africa’s economic development. But does China have the continent’s best interests at heart? A brand-new Chinese-backed cargo train heads from Mombasa to Nairobi, Kenya, 30 May 2017 (AP Photo/Khalil...
