How Kenyan female blogs differ from Tanzanian blogs

Having read four Kenyan blogs, Savy Kenya, Kawi Snippets,  Blessed, Amusing and Genius as well as  She blossoms, three differences were obvious.

One of the owner of Kenyan blogs
Kawi Snippets

One big difference is in the use ‘linking feature’ which is used to create a network with other blogs and websites. Whereas most of Tanzanian blogs are linked to other blogs, Kenyan women’s blogs are not linked and most often stand on their own.  This in a way limits Kenyan blogs expansion because the best way to advertise a blog is by linking to other blogs.

Furthermore, most Kenyan women blogs contain original composition in terms of short articles, based on authors’ experience.  On the other hand, Tanzanian blogs mostly contain plagiarised materials from news organisation and other established blogs such as Michuzi’s and Millard Ayo Website.

Another obvious difference is on language used. Most Tanzanian blogs are in Kiswahili while Kenyan women blogs are mostly in English. 

Training Pictures

The trainer Peik Johansson

Participants listening attentively...

Practical work: Creating blogs

Sophia Ndibalema from SJMC writing his first blog post

Egbert Mkoko making a point in one of discussions 

Zamda George and Shekha Ally Hussein

Zamda and Rehema admiring Shekha's blog 

 

SJMC IT expert helping Mr. Peik with internet connection 

Internet training for Journalism lecturers begins

Journalism lecturers from three universities in Tanzania are attending three days training designed to enhance their ability to use internet in journalism training organised by The Finnish Foundation for Media and Development (VIKES) in collaboration with University of Dar es Salaam.

In the first day of the training, the 15 lecturers from University of Dar es Salaam's School of Journalism and Mass Communication, Open University of Tanzania (OUT) and Tumaini University have said that they expect that the training would help improve their teaching.

Lecturers also had several specific expectations. The trainer, Mr. Peik Johansson from Finland who is also VIKES Africa Programme said he hopes the training would help the lecturers incorporate internet into journalism teaching and therefore make journalism teaching more participatory.

Among the topics taught in the first day included statistics of internet users, growth of internet in Africa and in Tanzania. Participants noted that there was an increase of internet users in Tanzania from 2008. Participants discussed reasons for the increase.

 Participants were also taught how to open blogs and each participant created one.