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fi rst time software that allowed local observers to submit reports of violent incidents
using their mobile phones or the Internet, and placed these incident reports on a
Google map. It included a feature that integrated satellite imagery to create a crisis
map based on the alerts and archived the information for future reference (Gao et al.
2011
). The method only uses trusted information sources and makes it available to
the public instantly. As a result, Kenyan communities were provided with early
warnings about violence in certain areas and due to its success, it was deployed in
other areas like Afghanistan, Haiti, and Mexico for violence prevention (Gao et al.
2011
). Crowd sourcing platforms like Ushahidi are an important way to share local
information with decision-makers for relief operations so that action plans can be
made and response times for humanitarian operations shortened (Gao et al.
2011
;
Mashhadi et al.
2013
).
Although, the Ushahidi platform focused on violence, it has relevance for disas-
ter reduction. Research shows that post-disaster use of social media can bring atten-
tion to relief, emergency response, and post-crisis aid (Wu et al.
2002
; Goggins
et al.
2012
; Gao et al.
2011
). Whether through text donations, photo uploads of
post-disaster areas, gathering data from different regions or crowd sourcing with
geotags, social media plays a role in recovery and response coordination during
emergency response planning (Wu et al.
2002
). Up-to-date information for key
actors and stakeholders involved in disaster relief operations can reduce loss of life
and property damage when disasters are imminent (Wu et al.
2002
). Social media
has been useful in response and recovery operations including the Wenchuan
Earthquake in China in 2008 (web forums) (Lu and Yang
2011
; Qu et al.
2011
),
the Yushu earthquake in 2010 in China (microblog), the Haitian earthquake in
2010
(Forum, Twitter, MS Sharepoint) (Goggins et al.
2012
; Wei et al.
2012
;
Caragea et al.
2011
), and the September 11 attacks in the United States (Flickr)
(Liu et al.
2008
).
19.8.2
Cell Phone Growth in Kenya and EWS Opportunity
Currently, more people have access to social media sites, as mobile phones are
becoming more accessible and relatively affordable even in some of the poorest
communities around the world. Even in small villages in Africa, far from the bustle
of the city, it is not unlikely to see a repaired Nokia that uses credit for talk and text
and has access to the Internet. Moreover, social media channels are able to provide
the user with direct, timely information that may not otherwise trickle down to vil-
lages and rural areas by word of mouth. Cell phone companies are now covering a
network that comprises 86 % of the world's population and in 2009, 3.2 billion
people in the developing world were noted to have cell phone subscriptions (ITU
2010
). In Kenya specifi cally, 93 % of the population are mobile phone users and
73 % are mobile money customers (Demombynes and Thegeya
2012
). Therefore, it
could be possible to use social media to provide communities with information
regarding disasters.
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