The participants in the blogging and photography project have all successfully posted their first blogs and photographs on the Internet!

This is a great accomplishment for my students. All but two had never used a computer before and only one had used a camera before. While they are still getting used to this new technology and simply the idea of a blog, they are learning quickly and have been able to post their writing and photographs online during class.

A total of 17 students are involved with the training. Nine were chosen from USK’s Education and Training program, which helps poor and marginalized children attain an education and gain practical vocational skills. The other eight were chosen from USK’s Street Children and Youth Associations, which are groups of children and youth living and/or working on the streets.

The workshops began with an introduction to blogging and photography, going over the basics of what makes a good blog and photo. Then we went out to take photos as a group and uploaded them from the camera to the computer and put them on a flash drive. Meanwhile, the students were writing, editing and sharing their first blogs on their own and in class. Once the pictures and first blogs were complete, we ventured to the Internet café to type the blogs, create email accounts, blogging accounts and Flickr accounts. Once the accounts were created, they posted their material online on their own pages (links to their work are below).

I encourage you all to read their blogs (including their About pages) and go to their Flickr pages to leave comments on their hard work. Ask them questions, start a discussion, or simply give them some positive remarks. The students have more work to post so continually check their blogs for new material. Also, some write in Kiswahili, but translations will be posted shortly.

Amina is 19 years old and is a student at USK’s non-formal school in Pumwani. Her first blog concerns discrimination she faced because she is Muslim.
www.aminakombo.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/aminakombo

Dominic is 20 years old and is a member of a USK Street Association. He writes about what his life is like on the streets.
www.dominicmuia.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/dominicmuia

Eliud is 18 years old and is involved with USK’s informal skills training program. He is learning mechanics. He tells his audience about Francis, a man who was killed in the post-election violence.
www.eliudkinyanjuichege.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/eliudchege

Elvis is 16 years old and is involved with USK’s informal skills training program. He is learning spray painting. His first blog is about the need for the government to clean up the slums in Nairobi.
www.elvisjamesmajani.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/elvismajani

Grivinson is 15 years old and is a student at USK’s non-formal school in Pumwani. His first blog is a picture from the internally displaced people camp in Mathare.
www.grivinsonmagomere.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/grivinsonmagomere

Harrison is 18 years old and is a member of a USK Street Association. His first blog is about his girlfriend and his second is about seeing death on the streets.
www.harrisonnjoroge.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/harrisonnjoroge

John is 18 years old and is a student at USK’s non-formal school in Pumwani. John writes his first blog about the day he will never forget - the day he learned he was going to school.
www.johnkioko.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/johnkioko

Joseph is 18 years old and is a member of a USK Street Association. The environment is the topic of Joseph's first blog.
www.josephgachira.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/josephgachira

Martin is 21 years old and is a member of a USK Street Association. He writes about how some Kenyan cultural practices are bad for curbing HIV/AIDS transmission.
www.martinndugu.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/martinndugu

Mavish is 15 years old and is involved with USK’s informal skills training program. She is learning hairdressing. She tells of a man being beaten during the post-election violence.
www.mavishjepkemboi.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/mavishjepkemboi

Nancy is 14 years old and is a student at USK’s non-formal school in Pumwani. She blogs about children living on the streets in her first post.
www.nancyanyango.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/nancyanyango

Patrick is 22 years old and is a member of a USK Street Association. His first blog post is about how he lost a friend to drugs.
www.patrickmwema.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/patrickmwema

Peter is 20 years old and is a member of a USK Street Association and is involved with USK’s informal skills training program. He is learning hairdressing. His first blog concerns police harassment and his second blog is about his and his friend's lives on the streets.
www.petermwatha.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/petermwatha

Piliphan is 14 years old and is a student at USK’s non-formal school in Pumwani. She tells her audience about her friend that died.
www.piliphankanana.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/piliphankanana

Raphael is 18 years old and is a member of a USK Street Association and is involved with USK’s informal skills training program. He is learning mechanics. His first post is a photoblog of his base (street association).
www.raphaelngugi.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/raphaelngugi

Rispar is 16 years old and is involved with USK’s informal skills training program. She is learning dressmaking. She writes of her friend that disappeared.
www.risparrusimbu.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/risparrusimbu

Robinson is 20 years old and is a member of a USK Street Association. He blogs about the respect and unity present amongst children on the streets.
www.robinsonmunene.wordpress.com
www.flickr.com/photos/robinsonmunene