PeaceTXT Bolts Into Action In Kenya To Maintain Peace

PeaceTXT, the collaborative initiative of PopTech and a squad of leading technology and peacekeeping experts, is now active in Kenya working to prevent a repeat of the violence that raged there after the 2007 elections. The power and land disputes that followed those elections resulted in more than 1,000 deaths and the displacement of many thousands more.

PeaceTXT exemplifies PopTech’s commitment to fostering unconventional collaborations that might actually change the world.

The initiative is designed to reach out to Kenyans through mobile messages and create a social narrative to counter violence and foster peace. Our capacity to achieve this is made possible by the work of our Nairobi-based partner, Sisi ni Amani, which was founded by PopTech 2012 Social Innovation Fellow Rachel Brown.

Nearly 100,000 Kenyans have opted in to receive Sisi ni Amani’s messages, which are made possible through a 50-million-message donation by Safaricom, one of Africa’s leading communications companies.

PeaceTXT is a true team effort. It was launched in partnership with Cure Violence, Sisi ni Amani, Medic Mobile, QCRI , the Praekelt Foundation and Ushahidi, which was co-founded by PopTech 2008 Social Innovation Fellow Erik Hersman and 2009 Social Innovation Fellow Ory Okolloh.

PeaceTXT collaborator Patrick Meier provides an amazing overview, and PeaceTXT has been noted by The New York Times and CNN.

Learn more at: http://poptech.org/peacetxt