DRIVE – Digital Reading for Inclusivity, Versatility and Engagement

Once again we are so happy to be collaborating with Professor Bronwen Thomas, Head of the Narrative, Culture and Community Research Centre at Bournemouth University on DRIVE, an exciting new network project in partnership with The Catholic University of Eastern Africa and Chuka University in Kenya, and Worldreader.

DRIVE is one of 24 new networks funded by UK Research and Innovation Global Challenges Research Fund, to bring together academics, industry, NGOs, policymakers and practitioners from Africa, with UK partners, to maximise digital techologies to address development challenges including health, energy and accessibility to online resources. DRIVE runs from May 2020 to April 2021.

DRIVE focusses on promoting gender equality and social inclusion for people living with disabilities to identify gaps in provision in relation to access to reading and explore the positive role technology can play in enhancing readers’ lives.

We were to run Digital Storytelling workshops to reflect on participants’ experiences of using digital devices to access reading in Kenya in the early part of 2021. In response to COVID-19, we are now working hard to train facilitators in Kenya online and support them in the field to run the workshops. Watch this space for updates on our progress!