For Immediate Release
September 13th, 2023
Contact: Elizabeth Robey
Coherent Digital, Moi University, and Digital Divide Data partner to digitize a major East African Archive.
[Alexandria, VA, and Eldoret, Kenya] – The legacy of Hilary Ng'weno, recognized as one of Africa’s most accomplished journalists, can now be studied online through a groundbreaking partnership among Moi University, Digital Divide Data (DDD), and Coherent Digital’s Africa Commons.
Digitized for the first time, The Hilary Ng'weno Archive offers a rich repository of historical documents, articles, and films that captured Africa's sociopolitical landscape during East Africa’s postcolonial period. The archive contains over 100,000 pages of full text, including full runs of The Weekly Review, The Nairobi Times, and Rainbow - a children’s magazine, along with hundreds of films produced by Ng’weno, providing research avenues for new insights into Africa's journey towards independence, socioeconomic development, and cultural transformation.
A key feature of the project is the commitment to source and digitize within Africa, using African-based partners exclusively. The archival materials were collected by the Ng’weno family and donated to Moi University in Kesses, Eldoret, Kenya. Digitization is underway at Moi University through Digital Divide Data (DDD), based in Nairobi, Kenya, a nonprofit that uses “impact sourcing” to break down economic barriers.
Once digitization is complete, materials will be organized, further indexed, and delivered on Coherent Digital’s award-winning Africa Commons platform. The completed collection will be made freely available across Africa and to HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the US). The project is sustained through purchases and subscriptions from other universities. Coherent will give twenty percent of sales revenues back to Moi University through the Ng’weno family, to help maintain the archive.
With the launch of The Hilary Ng'weno Archive, researchers, journalists, historians, and students will be able to explore a comprehensive collection of writings, publications, and films that offer a nuanced understanding of Africa. The digital collection empowers users to delve into the past and gain fresh perspectives on critical events, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped the region.
"We are proud to help preserve Hilary Ng'weno's invaluable work," said Professor Abraham Mulwo, Dean, School of Information Sciences at Moi University. “The digitization of the Hilary Ng'weno Archive represents a significant step towards democratizing access to historical knowledge and stories about Africa told by Africans.”
"We are thrilled not only to digitize this iconic archive but also fulfill our social mission by empowering talented individuals from underserved communities to work on this project,” said Jeremy Hockenstein, CEO at DDD.
Africa Commons is a new project from Coherent Digital that is focused on amplifying African voices. "The Hilary Ng'weno Archive is vital to preserve and important to make accessible," noted Elizabeth Robey, Publisher at Coherent Digital. “We're excited to contribute to this transformative project and to make it part of the larger Africa Commons initiative, and we look forward to working with other important African archives."
The launch of The Hilary Ng'weno Archive marks a milestone in preserving and sharing African history and fostering a deeper appreciation for the continent's cultural heritage. The archive is available for sale to non-African universities now and will launch in late 2023.
About Moi University:
Moi University is a leading public research institution in Kenya, dedicated to academic excellence, research, and community engagement. The university is committed to preserving and promoting African heritage, fostering innovation, and contributing to sustainable development. For more information please visit https://www.mu.ac.ke/index.php/en/
About Digital Divide Data (DDD):
Digital Divide Data (DDD) is a social enterprise that offers training, mentoring, certifications, and job placement for people in underserved communities through digitization, data analysis, and content creation services. DDD empowers young professionals while delivering high-quality solutions to clients around the world. For more information please visit https://www.digitaldividedata.com/
About Africa Commons and Coherent Digital:
Africa Commons is an initiative from Coherent Digital to enable Africa easily to control, digitize, and disseminate its archival riches, saving and preserving at-risk content and cultivating a deeper understanding of Africa and its people. Coherent Digital is a technology solutions provider that specializes in digital archiving, preservation, and access. The company is committed to helping organizations digitize and preserve their valuable historical and cultural assets, making them easily accessible for research and exploration. For more information please visit https://africacommons.net
About Coherent Digital LLC
Coherent Digital was founded in 2019 by industry veterans including Stephen Rhind-Tutt, Toby Green, Eileen Lawrence, Pete Ciuffetti, and others. Our mission is to find important content and make it useful. Through Coherent, information is saved, uniquely tagged, stabilized, and made discoverable. Coherent Digital publishes collections on its Commons platforms: Policy Commons, Africa Commons, History Commons, South Asia Commons, Mindscape Commons, and Canada Commons.