Dear Ally,
I hope you’re doing well as we inch toward the end of 2024. Can you believe we’re already here? It's been a wild ride with Arctive Citizens, and I wanted to take a moment to share some updates, reflect on the journey, and give you a little glimpse of what’s coming next.
Personal Check-In
If I’m being honest, the last month has been a whirlwind—equal parts exciting, joyful, and yes, pretty exhausting too. Launching Arctive Citizens has been such a rewarding experience, but wow, the operational work? Way more than I anticipated. Thankfully, I’m surrounded by an incredible team of volunteers who’ve really stepped up, but balancing this with my consulting work to keep things steady has definitely been a juggling act.
This whole experience has got me thinking a lot about what it means to build from a place of abundance versus scarcity. When I feel emotionally and financially grounded, I can pour so much more energy into Arctive Citizens with clarity and intention. That’s where I want to be. As much as I love the adrenaline rush of making things happen, I’ve realized that building from sheer willpower only gets you so far, you know? But the vision is crystal clear, and I’m confident we’re building something special here.
A Quick Look Back: One Month In
So, what’s been going on at Arctive Citizens since we went public last month? Here are a few highlights:
- Our Platform (MVP) has seen 80 signups with 1,200 unique visitors and over 3,200 page views. Kenya and the US are leading in terms of traffic, with an average visit duration of 1m 52 seconds—not bad for a new platform! Discussions on the platform have already started to flow, with topics like youth opportunities, public participation in ongoing bills, and citizen advocacy.
- Social Media Growth: We’ve established ourselves across multiple platforms. On TikTok, we now have 565 followers, 23k views, and over 1,694 likes. Instagram is also gaining traction with 198 followers and 21k views. And while we’re still growing on X (formerly Twitter), our content is gaining visibility.
- Feature Moments: We’ve already had the opportunity to be profiled at events like the Forum on Internet Freedom in Africa in Dakar, the Youth Climate Collaborative Nairobi Hub Launch and Pioneer University Academic Week. Plus, we were featured on Ghetto Radio, Just a Pod and by the Peace by Peace Initiative in the Netherlands, spreading the word about Arctive Citizens and our mission.
- Community Events: Our first major event, the Arctive Citizens Mashujaa Experience, held on Mashujaa Day (Heroes Day) on 20th October 2024, was a resounding success! We welcomed 154 attendees, ranging from 1-year-olds to 85-year-olds. It was inspiring to witness both children and adults engage in meaningful discussions about what active citizenship means to them. The forum provided a critical platform for citizens from Mathare to spotlight the key challenges they face, including inadequate housing due to the floods in April 2024, the recent fires near Mlango Kubwa, environmental injustices, and human rights violations, such as extrajudicial killings.
Most notably, Arctive Citizens partnered with various community groups and organizers to launch the Mashujaa People’s Park initiative, which aims to transform the riparian land and dumping site along the Mathare River into a community park. This project will enhance the community’s access to green public spaces for recreation, gatherings, and civic organizing. Watch the video about the Mashujaa People’s Park here
Key Reflections from This Journey
A few things I’ve learned along the way:
- Operational Reality Check: There’s a lot of day-to-day work that goes into this. While the volunteer team has been amazing, their competing priorities mean sometimes I wear all the hats—community manager, tech support, fundraising, you name it.
- Financial Balance: Dedicating more time to Arctive Citizens has impacted my consulting work and income. So, as we grow, it’s really important that we find a sustainable financial model.
- Managing Expectations: This mission is all about real people and real challenges, which means it’s not always smooth sailing. I’m learning to manage not just public expectations, but also those of my team, especially the younger volunteers who are so passionate. It’s a delicate balance between ambition and practicality.
Despite the challenges, I’m so proud of what we’ve achieved in just one month. The early successes are beyond anything I imagined, and the support from friends and allies like you has been invaluable.
Call to Action: Help Us Grow
As we continue to expand, we need support to sustain and improve our work. If you believe in the mission of Arctive Citizens—creating a platform for everyday citizens to share ideas, access resources, and drive change—please consider contributing.
Our immediate needs are:
- Developer Support: We need an in-house developer to help us experiment and iterate on feedback more efficiently. If you or someone you know has 5–10 hours per week to donate to a civic tech initiative, please get in touch!
- Financial Contributions: We need $100/month to cover our digital tools and stipends for our volunteers ($200/month for each of our 9 team members). Providing stipends will allow us to retain quality talent and ensure high-quality work.
- Community Engagement: We have several proposed engagement activities targeting university and college students. Your support can help us bring our mission to more communities.
If you’re interested in donating or connecting us with anyone who can help, shoot me an email at arctivecitizens@gmail.com or info@arctivecitizens.org.
Every donation counts!
Building in Public: Our Journey So Far
We will be sharing the lessons we’re learning from this initial phase of Arctive Citizens in a comprehensive report soon. This report will include data driven insights on what we’ve learned about citizen engagement, including our attempt on this collective inquiry:
How can we promote a culture of active citizenship and solidarity to empower everyday citizens in shaping a just and equitable society?
I can’t wait to share those insights with you.
Birthday Vibes & Slow Living Ahead
And now for something personal… My birthday is coming up on November 21st (mark your calendars, lol), and I’ve decided to take the next two months to really slow down. I want to reflect, rest, and celebrate all the little wins from this year. For me, my birthday is when my year truly starts—perfect timing for planning and setting intentions for 2025. So, I’ll be embracing the slower pace, gearing up for what’s to come, and trying to live more mindfully through the end of the year.
You’ll still hear from me every two weeks, but in December, I may go off the grid for a bit—unless November throws some unexpected magic our way at Arctive Citizens!
Thank you, as always, for your support and for being part of this journey with me. I can’t wait to see where we go next.
P.S. Don’t forget to check out our MVP. Follow us on Instagram, TikTok, and X, and stay tuned for more updates on our new features, events and opportunities. For now, turn up the playlist, explore the website, and have a lovely weekend
Until next time,
Wevyn Muganda
