Dear readaers,
it is a lazy Saturday and a lazy Saturday means I’m probably watching TikTok number 372. Sounds like a lot, it probably is. But then I do know now how I can cook the perfect crispy chicken, how I should let go of what weighs me down, how much food my 9 months old should eat (including 2 new recipes which I may or may not try myself), and multiple posts about Mahsa Amini and the protests going on in Iran right now.
All over TikTok: The death of Mahsa Amini
TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all have one thing in common. They give a voice to whoever has something to say. It can be an everyday topic such as the crispy chicken grandma Dora used to cook at family dinners since 1973 or it can be a heartbreaking, anger-stirring, and disturbing topic like the injustice done to a young woman in Iran showing too much hair ending in her death. My point is, almost everyone with access to a Smartphone and the internet can use those channels to communicate, gain followers and reach a crowd of activists, some of them lazily lying in bed on a Saturday watching TikToks.
A glimpse into online activism in Malawi
Now as you know from my introduction, I am based in Malawi, working for an NGO that is concerned about climate change and permaculture. So naturally, I’ve been wondering what role social media can play in Sub-Sahara Africa, giving a voice to the voiceless (this sounds very dramatic but I’m sure you get me, especially with movements such as Fridays for Future on the rise and young people taking action in different parts of the world to fight injustices. Lucky me, I happen to know a young Malawian who calls himself a climate activist. So I hit his inbox on Facebook messenger and asked him about his activism. His name is Simeon (not Simon, sorry Simon) and he calls himself a digital climate activist at the young age of 23.
“I can say I’m a digital climate activist because my activism I do online – I do raise awareness about climate change on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. And I do host zoom meetings to educate fellow youth about climate change.” ~ Simeon Kalua
Check out the full video here
Now you might wonder, digital activism, does that really mean we are all slowly turning into TikTok warriors, dancing for change? Make sure to check out Kat’s post on digital activism where she dives deeper into TikTok warriors and the Trump rally in Tulsa if you are interested to find out more. Simeon obviously isn’t the only digital youth activist in Malawi so if you’re looking for more inspiration you should also meet Zakaat Sambo, who is a UNICEF youth advocate.
What to expect from my blog
What I would like to focus on with you in my next blog post is digital activism in Africa. How is it different from activism in Europe or the States? Is Simeon more like the next Greta Thunberg of Malawi or is he facing totally different challenges? Are movements such as Friday for Future really global or is it still more of a ‘white privilege to be able to reach a significant number of people?
If your head is now spinning because of all these questions and you would really like to hear someone’s perspective (mine) on this, make sure to check out my other blogs.
Simeon working with students on the ground at a school in his home district. Online activism turns into action.
Thank you very much for reading to the end and I look forward to lively discussions directly on the post’s “Comments” section as well as on Facebook and Twitter. Did you know that Malawi even has an online activism space? What did you find inspiring about Simeon? And what is something you feel was missing in the analysis? I’m eager to know and to broaden my horizons. Thank you in advance for the engagement!
“Read” you next time!