Migrant voices in South Africa - training initiative
Adapted from a UNESCO Chair in ICT4D page which first appeared on 10 February 2023.
Migrant perspectives on video training in South Africa
Listening to what migrants want, and how we can best support them is an integral part of the work led by our digital technologies team on digital tech, inequality and migration in South Africa as part of the MIDEQ Hub. A series of videos by migrants for migrants. These videos, created by migrants with the support of local professional video makers, cover a range of issues affecting migrants including the safe use of digital tech as well as lifestyle matters relevant to migrant communities.
Much monitoring and evaluation tends to be focused mainly on quantitative measure of success, but it is crucial to balance this by using qualitative approaches, and listening to the voices of migrants.
Reflections on the process of video making
The two videos below provide insights into the teams processes of training migrants in the safe, wise, and secure use of digital tech, and especially video making, in November 2022, and include some reflections on the workshops by the migrants involved. The first is from workshops in Johannesburg, and the second from Cape Town
Cape Town, https://bit.ly/UNESCOICT4D-r-ZA-CTR00
Johannesburg, https://bit.ly/UNESCOICT4D-r-ZA-JR00
Public launch of interventions in South Africa
The team organised public launch events for these activities in Johannesburg and Cape Town in January 2024. Through these events the team premiered a documentary film, "Through Their Eyes," showcasing the lives of the migrants involved. Migrants also has an opportunity to showcase the videos they created through the training programme. Finally, participants got access to information about the training conducted by migrants to educate others on the safe, wise, and secure use of digital technology.
Migrant voices
The migrants who participated in our training programmes were also invited to share their reflections on four aspects of their experiences:
- What made you decide to join this programme?
- What did you learn?
- What did you enjoy most about this experience?
- How will you use the new skills you’ve learnt?
Click on the links below to see and hear what they had to say.
Mac - https://bit.ly/UNESCOICT4D-r-ZA-VR3
Fatima - https://bit.ly/UNESCOICT4D-r-ZA-VR26
Videos created by migrants
The videos are grouped into three sections:
THINK – using social media safely (J)
57 seconds of tips on how to use social media safely.
Made by Neema.
Click here, or share this link https://bit.ly/UNESCOICT4D-r-ZA-14
Five tips for newcomers (CT)
A 1 minute 51 second video containing five useful tips for newly arrived migrants in South Africa.
Made by Michael, Memory, Pascal and Eustekia
Click here, or share this link https://bit.ly/UNESCOUCT4D-r-ZA-CT01
Five tips for making money online (J)
Five tips on ways through which migrants can make money online (1 minute 26 seconds).
Made by Ali, Glodia, Fred, Daniel, Milayi, Laetitia and Antoinette.
Click here, or share this link https://bit.ly/UNESCOICT4D-r-ZA-04b
Partner reflections
This is what Simone from our Partner, the Scalabrini Centre in Cape Town had to say:
Symone – from our Partner the Scalabrini Centre
https://bit.ly/UNESCOICT4D-r-ZA-VR33
Our reflection
And finally, hear from Dr. Maria Rosa Lorini who led this contribution from our UNESCO Chair in ICT4D for the MIDEQ Hub:
https://bit.ly/UNESCOICT4D-r-ZA-VR34
Migrant feedback
Learn more about the training provided to the migrants, and their feedback (as part of our commitment to rigorous monitoring and evaluation) by watching these further videos.
The UNESCO Chair in ICT4D’s contribution to the MIDEQ Hub in South Africa
The UNESCO Chair in ICT4D‘s contribution to the MIDEQ Hub’s WP9 in South Africa is primarily led by Dr. Maria Rosa Lorini (Post-Doctoral Research Assistant), supported by our two Co-Investigators, Professor G. Hari Harindranath and Professor Tim Unwin (Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in ICT4D). We work closely with the MIDEQ Country Lead, Dr. Faisal Garba (Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town), and are very grateful for his support and that of the UCT team. We are also most grateful for support in kind provided by two of our Partners, The Scalabrini Centre (Cape Town and Johannesburg) and the GSMA Mobile for Development Foundation (The Connected Society and Connected Women Programmes). Colleagues and staff from the following organisations contributed very significantly to delivering the workshops and providing advice on the production of these videos (in alphabetical order) and we are especially grateful to them all:
Further details of our work for MIDEQ can be accessed here, and our working papers on migration and digital tech can be found here. Please use our Contacts Page to get in touch with the team.
