The social and communication networks of a grassroots organization in Kibera, Kenya

Authors:
Wojciech Gryc
Affiliations:
University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
Venue:
Proceedings of the 2009 international workshop on Intercultural collaboration
Year:
2009

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Abstract

Shining Hope for the Community (SHOFCO) is a community-based organization in Kibera, Kenya focused on improving the lives of youth in the slum through grassroots, bottom-up initiatives. It is a unique organization in that it was founded and grew from within the slum, without any initiation from external organizations or institutions. Since its founding, SHOFCO has obtained a great deal of support from urban groups in Kenya, as well as individual supporters and small organizations in Europe and North America. Following interviews and observations of SHOFCO, this paper provides an overview of the social and communication network structures that have shaped the organization and have led to its growth and success. It is argued that other organizations can increase the likelihood of their own success through use of similar communication structures as those of SHOFCO with its international supporters and other groups in Kibera, as well as mimicking SHOFCO's focus on network heterogeneity.