How are you holding up? It can feel overwhelming with all the chaos and violence across the world, so I wanted to remind you to take a moment for yourself—pause, breathe, rest, and find peace when needed.
As for me, it’s been intense. I’ve committed more deeply to my path in social entrepreneurship, and while it’s been both exciting and fulfilling, it has also been incredibly challenging. Navigating new professional, emotional, and mental territories as I work on validating ideas and building a platform for citizen engagement and collective action has stretched me in ways I didn’t anticipate. But it’s rewarding work, and I’m eager to share updates with you.
Between now and the end of October, I’ll be sending out newsletters once every two weeks instead of weekly. The upcoming launch of the digital platform I talked about in my last article, requires a great deal of my attention, and I want to ensure I deliver quality in both the platform and the content I share here. After the launch, we may return to a weekly schedule, but for now, I’m focusing on making each article as meaningful as possible.
Civic Engagement in the Digital Age
At its core, this platform is more than just a project—it’s a tool for rethinking and reshaping civic engagement, especially for young people in this digital era. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter have become modern public squares where ideas are shared, and movements are sparked. While these platforms offer immense potential for visibility and connection, they also present limitations. They weren’t built for the deep, sustained citizen engagement needed to drive societal change.
Our platform, however, is intentionally designed to go beyond the quick viral post. It’s built for long-term engagement, where citizens—particularly Gen Z—can actively participate in shaping their communities. It offers tools for learning, connecting, and contributing to participatory democracy and decision-making processes.
Empowering and Amplifying Citizens’ Voices
One of the biggest frustrations people often have with social media is the sense that their voice gets lost in the noise. Yes, a post might go viral, but does that lead to real change? The viral nature of social media often lacks the follow-up needed for sustained impact.
Our platform is a response to this disillusionment. Every action a user takes—from participating in a discussion to sharing an idea or voting in a poll—feeds into processes designed to drive real, measurable change. It empowers citizens to see the impact of their contributions, not just as individuals but as part of a larger collective movement.
Civic participation is not passive. It’s an active force for shaping society, and this platform is designed to give people the tools and confidence to know that their voices matter, that their actions can drive real results.
Rethinking Democracy: Participation for All
True democracy is participatory—it requires citizens to actively contribute to shaping their communities, not just during elections but throughout their daily lives. Unfortunately, for many young people, civic engagement feels disconnected from their reality. It can feel intimidating, inaccessible, or even boring.
In my previous article on sustaining the Gen Z movement in Kenya, I discussed the importance of diversifying civic engagement strategies. We must offer multiple entry points and opportunities for public participation, recognising that not everyone is drawn to the same forms of engagement. Some may prefer traditional methods like voting, while others may be more interested in digital advocacy, creative media, or organising local events. Civic engagement should be flexible and varied, providing avenues for people with different interests and skills to get involved.
The Power of Community Engagement
When citizens feel seen, heard, and valued, they are more likely to take ownership of their role in public engagement. This platform aims to foster that sense of ownership by providing the tools for people to co-create solutions to the challenges their communities face. It’s about fostering a sense of belonging, where citizens aren’t passive recipients of policies but active shapers of the future.
Community engagement is about power—giving citizens the power to influence decisions that affect their lives. But that power must be distributed equitably. It’s not just about bringing citizens to the table; it’s about ensuring they have the knowledge, resources, and influence to shape the outcomes meaningfully.
Addressing Challenges to Meaningful Youth Engagement
While there is a growing desire among young people to engage in movements for social justice, environmental sustainability, and equality, many face significant barriers. Time constraints, complex issues, and skepticism about whether their engagement will make a difference are real challenges. These concerns must be addressed if we want to see increased citizen participation.
Our platform aims to dismantle these barriers by offering accessible, intuitive ways to engage. Whether online or offline, through creative media, art or dialogue, we want to make civic participation feel less like a chore and more like an exciting opportunity.
Building in Public: The Journey So Far
Onboarding a Team of Young Creatives and Innovators: Recently, I onboarded a team of talented young people under the age of 30 (Gen Z leadership woop!) to help bring this vision to life. Their innovative and creative ideas, energy and expertise are shaping this platform, making it a truly collaborative effort.
Consulting with Experts: We’ve been working closely with legal, data, and digital security experts to ensure that the platform is not only impactful but safe for its users. Data privacy and user security are top priorities as we develop this platform in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
Branding and Testing: We’ve been testing different branding ideas and validating the concept with potential users to ensure it resonates with our target audience. The feedback has been promising, and it’s exciting to see people connect with the mission we’re building.
Development and Launch: We are currently in the development phase, preparing for beta testing in the coming weeks. I’ll be inviting early adopters to try the platform and provide valuable feedback before the official launch. Your input will be critical in refining the experience and ensuring it meets the needs of our communities.
International Day of Democracy: A Timely Opportunity
Today, I’m honored to be participating in the International Day of Democracy event hosted by ForumCiv in Nairobi. This year’s theme—Empowering the Next Generation and the Use of Artificial Intelligence for Good Governance—aligns perfectly with the mission of this platform. Technology is rapidly transforming how democracy and governance function, and our platform is a direct response to the growing need for digital spaces that empower citizens to engage meaningfully, especially young people.
As we move closer to launching this platform, I’d love to hear your thoughts on how we can continue to expand civic engagement. What barriers have you encountered? What inspires you to get involved in your community? Stay tuned for more updates, behind-the-scenes content, and ways you can participate in shaping this game-changing platform.
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Thank you, as always, for being my ally. Your support means everything.
With solidarity and hope,
Wevyn Muganda
