http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1456247168/hackers-in-uganda-a-documentary
This documentary will tell a story about a developing African community, its people, and one technologically-minded charitable organization’s attempts to provide humanitarian services in the most unlikely of places: Uganda, one of Africa’s most disadvantaged nations. In 2009, a group of computer hackers and benevolent technologists known as Hackers For Charity (HFC) set up a tuition-free computer school and internet café in Jinja, Uganda. In a country where thousands live with HIV and only 67% have access to clean drinking water, HFC offers classes and internet-enabled computer access, teaching local Ugandans the computer skills that allow them to find work and apply for medical and social benefits on the web that they otherwise may never have known existed. HFC embodies the spirit an Information Age Robin Hood, using technology to bring education and services to those most in need. HFC's work extends beyond their computer education; they also act as an organizational champion for other local charities who need technological assistance, providing equipment, software, training, and maintenance free of charge. In an exceedingly complex global technological system that is sometimes staggered by governmental interference, slow-moving bureaucracy, and corruption, HFC helps humanitarian organizations find ways to provide aid and services. This documentary will raise implicit questions about the role and implications of international humanitarian aid in the non-Western world. HFC seems to afford real, tangible benefits to those who are willing to take advantage of the charity's computer training classes. We are interested in how HFC works together with the Jinja community. This documentary will articulate an intriguing facet of twenty-first century humanitarian aid, juxtaposing the charity's Western technological sensibilities and the day-to-day struggles of a region in need. The film will feature a cross section of the Jinja community, including HFC staff members, students in the computer classes, and local residents living and working around the area. We will focus on one or two students, following them both in and outside the classroom, enriching our story with aspects of their home and social life. We will also focus on one HFC staff member or teacher who works closely with the African students. Concentrating on both students and teachers will help us closely examine the complexities of the relationship between Western charity and its intended beneficiaries. Additionally, we intend to include the perspectives of other working Jinja locals who are not necessarily associated with HFC or its operations to add further depth and diversity to our story. This ethnographic consideration will provide an essential cultural context for the documentary. While HFC is highly respected by their peers in the hacker community, the organization and their humanitarian activities are not widely known. To date, there has not been a documentary featuring HFC or their operations in Uganda. This documentary will call attention to a seldom-explored part of the world and the people who call it home. It is our goal not only to examine a unique operation of humanitarianism, but also to generate discussion about the scope and implications of global technological charity. This documentary will examine the role of technology in contemporary Western humanitarianism and Hackers For Charity’s contributions in the 21st century. -- Moritz Bartl https://www.torservers.net/ -- Too many emails? Unsubscribe, change to digest, or change password by emailing moderator at [email protected] or changing your settings at https://mailman.stanford.edu/mailman/listinfo/liberationtech
