Tweet for change

Earlier this week our very own journalist Edwin Musoni moderated a global debate on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) via twitter. For 30 minutes the journalist had 350 twitter users glued to a discussion on role of media in fighting NCDs. The impressive conversation contributed to is on how best media can be equipped to report on issues surrounding NCDs in Africa and beyond. This bores a perfect face on what today’s discussion is capable of in regards to social change and in engineering of pertinent policies. Like our journalists government and non governmental institutions have turned to new media to facilitate dialogues, encourage involvement and deliver as one with targeted populace. Social media is about giving voice to issues that surround our everyday life; it is about striking for action amongst community members. It is also about championing for change within a society. On such media anybody is his or her own celebrity, endorsing causes and driving involvement and action. Impact is ensured by the viral nature of the social platforms. One popular avenue of doing this is the Facebook groups and Causes application, which brings a group of people together for a particular cause or purpose. This enables them to share events and happenings and around them that relate to the specific cause. Google+, has also enabled circles around causes and humanitarian actions. Facebook causes application also allows users to browse ‘search’ for featured cause and humanitarian profiles. For example, United Nations has over the years used their different causes page to raise awareness on development issues in the world and to carry out disaster response awareness. Red Cross has also championed its causes across social media platforms including Youtube channels. Now the same force and power comes to an individual equipping them with possibility of influencing creation and directing innovative solutions to today’s problems and issues. 120 Characters status updates on twitter are perhaps the most famous engineers of change with the world connected tweet community constantly raising awareness on issues and causes in real time. Now, UN reports that social media is dramatically transforming advocacy, moving discussion from conferences and world meeting to desktops and phone screens. Ordinary citizens are talking for change in policies that govern them and report on how their governments are serving them. Social media has been used to present reports and connect families after and during disasters. As businesses build brands and portfolios online, individuals are also growing their influence and directly delivering desired impact in countries’ development. Today and even more in future, social media sites and applications are being used to facilitate dialogues, harness coordinated efforts and drive action towards a shared, desired outcome. It is a tool that when used wisely, will assist our people to build our country together to coordinate their efforts while nurturing innovation. pgathoni@gmail.comTweeter gmuoriaThe writer is a Public Relations Manager at The Advertising Company (TAC)