"VOF Week 1: (Empowered to transform)."

Go Web 2.0.
Web 2.0 is the new trend of communicating that for me means freedom of expression, space and right to be heard and the world is truly getting to that point where it is a global village. Global village makes me think of my African setting where in a village, everyone knows everyone, what the other person is up to is not a secret, there is sharing of various items such as salt, sugar, etc. people come together to help each other out.

Web 2.0 makes information our salt and sugar. It connects people so that each person in say a social networking site such as PulseWire, is aware of the other person, what they are up to and especially if you share a community or a cause. I also like that in the PulseWire’s site each of us like own their site within it as a user and determine what content is available on it.

Web 2.0 has broken all ranks of color, race, class etc that initially separated and divided people. For example through my RSS feed, I am informed of what is happening in Kashmir, through a story posted by a journalist or a civilian either via a phone, email or video. If there is a cause that needs my help, I am able to make my sisters voice louder all by the click of a button.

Web 2.0 and the global women's empowerment movement.
Web 2.0 brings a number of solutions to the global women’s empowerment movement. One of them is allowing women to tell their own stories in their own ways and with whatever they have. For example as a participant of the Feminist Tech Exchange (FTX) workshop held in Cape Town in November 2008, I learn't how to use photos to tell a story. These photos can be drawings, nothing complicated. The story is the spoken word and one can use some bit of music for bridging etc. There were amazing digital stories/movies made by women in less than 48 hours.

In some countries such as Jordan and Lebanon, the government controls information in many ways. In my own country Kenya, if one publishes a book that attacks the government, they can be barred from selling it. Web 2.0 allows women to share their information on the Internet and through other technological means without it being subjected to censorship or putting one’s life in danger. For example a participant at the FTX told of how when her government censors one of their sites, they direct their information to another and therefore are able to pass on the intended message.

Empowered!
Web 2.0 empowers me in that it is simple to use and navigate to get what I am looking for or want to share, for example tags make it easier to get the information through search engines. It also enables me to tell the stories of my world on a global platform therefore contributing to the women’s empowerment movement.