For 12 years, I have documented my community's journey of growth through the lens of my camera, capturing the heartbeat of a community that has blossomed from a small group of 10 university students to a vibrant ecosystem of over 12,000 techies, entrepreneurs, innovators and creators.
Dipping into my rich archive of historical photographs taken during the infancy of my community to the present day, I will showcase our story of growth, resilience and change. Each image will represent a moment in time, meet up by meet up, event by event, programme by programme, that has helped shape us into a vibrant, globally-recognised tech community.
This installation will be more than just a nostalgic journey. I will elaborate on the evolution of community-building based on adaptive systems. I'll look back at how we implemented human-centred design principles, prioritising collaboration and tapping into the lived experiences of our community. I will show how we used feedback from listening closely to the needs of young people, women, students, developers, and entrepreneurs within my community to shape programs, spaces, and partnerships.
My installation will show how systems changed as my community grew. How we shifted from informal meetups in coffee shops to structured meetups in a rented space/innovation hub. From spontaneous events to a well-coordinated calendar of programs aligned with long-term outcomes. How we redesigned our governance structures, introduced open-access learning tools, embraced agile development, and embedded inclusivity into the very fabric of our work.
I will showcase the evolution of online conversations about my community. I will bring up old tweets, for good measure, from the early days of "Let's meet at coffee shop X to talk about Python" to latter-day tweets like "Hosting a multinational consortium of start-ups working on climate change"
I will showcase the evolution and emergence of smaller innovation hubs from within the larger community we have built over a decade, the governance policies that we have influenced based on our human-centred approach, as well as direct investments that have benefited community members.
My installation will be a story of building more than just a tech community. It will be the story of nurturing a resilient, self-sustaining ecosystem in Kisumu, Kenya that will leave an indelible mark on festival attendees.
Dorcas Owinoh is the Executive Director of Lakehub and co-leads Zone01 Kisumu, a cutting-edge digital skills program in Kenya. A tech leader, mentor, and storyteller, she empowers women and youth through innovation, education, and entrepreneurship. Her passion for fashion and self-expression is woven through her work and vision for digital inclusion.
Deril is a seasoned Corporate Communications and Public Relations expert based in Kisumu, Kenya. He is currently the Community and Communications Lead at LakeHub Foundation. Deril is an all-around talent with over eight years of experience across the tech, healthcare and advertising industries. His expertise spans strategic communications, copywriting, content strategy, and brand messaging, having worked at Scanad, one of Africa’s leading advertising agencies and VitalRay Health Solutions, a revolutionary healthcare start-up in Kenya.
With a Master’s in Communication Studies and a Bachelor’s in Commerce (Marketing) from the University of Nairobi, Deril has brought deep expertise in managing every aspect of communications for LakeHub Foundation programs. Beyond his professional work, he is an avid photographer and sports writer. Having benefited from LakeHub’s programmes, Deril’s burning desire is to transform the lives of youths in his hometown through similar LakeHub initiatives.