Data helps us make better decisions and effective data collection is the foundation of this process. But for many organisations working in the field, data collection is still a challenge due to poor connectivity, expensive tools, and disconnected systems that make analysis and sharing difficult. Meet Sabasi Suite, an all-in-one platform designed for real-world data collection. Explore more: sabasi.io Come see us live at the @ICT4DConference , Nairobi, 20th–22nd May 2026. #ICT4D2026 #DataGovernance #DataCollection #Sabasi #DevelopmentData #DataForGood #ICT4D #DigitalDevelopment #Tech4Good #HumanitarianTech

Data is power. But only when people can access and use it. Through our Active Citizenship Programme, Open Institute is helping communities collect their own data, generate evidence, and advocate for the change they want to see. Meet Sabasi, a mobile data collection tool that works offline and allows peer-to-peer sharing via Bluetooth. 800 surveys conducted 500,000 responses collected Built for real-world community contexts Because when communities have evidence, they have a stronger voice. Learn more about Sabasi and start using it today: sabasi.io/ @nyogude @Data4SDGs @Hewlett_Found @gatesfoundation #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataForDevelopment #CitizenGeneratedData #DigitalInclusion #CommunityEngagement #DataGovernance  #Sabasi #EvidenceBasedAdvocacy

Loan apps raiding your contacts. Fake jobs. WhatsApp scams. Investment fraud. Digital fraud is an everyday reality for young Kenyans, yet most don't know they have rights, can demand accountability and can report violations. Ficha Uchi Phase 4 is here. From awareness to action. Read about Ficha Uchi Phase 4 at openinstitute.africa/2026/06… @Hewlett_Found @nyogude @bcharagu @dataRights_ @ODPC_KE #FichaUchi #DataProtection #DigitalRights

Ficha Uchi Phase 4 is officially here. We are moving beyond awareness and into action on data protection in Kenya. This phase is focused on helping young people understand their rights under the Data Protection Act, recognise real-life data violations, and take practical steps to protect themselves online and how to report violations to the @ODPC_KE Knowing the law is only the first step. True data protection happens when people understand their rights and confidently use them to safeguard their personal information. Read more about Ficha Uchi Phase 4: openinstitute.africa/2026/06… @Hewlett_Found @nyogude @bcharagu @dataRights_ #FichaUchi #DataProtection #DataRights #DigitalSafety

At the Global Data Festival, one insight stood out: Data creates the most impact when it is owned, understood, and used by the people closest to the challenges. In the session Data on the Ground convened by @Open_Institute, we saw a clear shift, communities are becoming producers of evidence, not just sources of data. This is central to our work at Open Institute through Evidence Mkononi Project, we are equipping communities with tools to collect, analyse, and use data for action. But a key challenge remains: data collection alone is not enough. We need stronger collaboration across governments, CSOs, media, and communities. Read more: openinstitute.africa/2026/04… @bcharagu @nyogude @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataForDevelopment #CitizenGeneratedData #EvidenceMkononi #DataForGood #DataGovernance

Data is collected. Reports are written. Millions are spent. Yet communities closest to the problems are often the last to benefit. Evidence Mkononi is flipping that script, putting data tools into the hands of the people already doing the work. Data shouldn't describe communities. It should empower them. Read more about her project openinstitute.africa/2026/04… Watch her presentation on YouTube on youtube.com/watch?v=KT7s8yLL… @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataForDevelopment #CitizenGeneratedData #DataGovernance

#GDFKSEC2026 Day 3:Plenary Session: From Data Silos to Shared Insights The session highlighted the importance of breaking down institutional data silos to unlock the full value of data for national development. Speaking during the session, Eng.John Kipchumba Tanui, CBS, Principal Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy, Kenya, emphasized the need for greater data interoperability and collaboration among institutions to drive innovation, improve service delivery, and enhance the use of data in policymaking.

What will it take to make inclusive data the norm, not the exception? Join the #MIDN Peer Exchange Event as practitioners, policymakers, and data leaders explore how to build data systems that reflect all communities. Focus: citizen-generated data, AI, governance, and inclusion in decision-making. @nyogude Deputy Executive Director, will be participating. @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataForDevelopment #CitizenGeneratedData #DataGovernance

What does meaningful data protection look like at the grassroots? One of the biggest lessons from the #FichaUchi a  campaign by Open Institute, is that data protection is not just a legal or technical issue but a people issue. While 73% of Kenyans have heard of the Data Protection Act, only 36% say they understand how companies use their personal data. At the same time, 54% have experienced mobile money fraud, and 90% want to learn more about data protection. Our experience working with communities shows that awareness grows when data protection is made relevant to people's daily lives. Local languages, community-led engagement, radio programmes, and culturally relevant messaging are proving more effective than one-size-fits-all approaches. As AI and digital services become more widespread, data protection must move beyond policy discussions and into communities where people can understand, exercise, and protect their rights. @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #FichaUchi #DataProtection #DigitalRights #DataGovernance  #InclusiveData #DigitalInclusion

How can citizen-generated data move beyond community use and meaningfully inform national statistics and decision-making? Join this session to explore how CGD is being integrated into official data systems, and what it takes to build trust, standards, and collaboration between communities and national institutions. Be part of the conversation on making data systems more inclusive, representative, and grounded in lived realities. @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataForDevelopment #CitizenGeneratedData #DataGovernance #InclusiveData

In our latest blog by our interim executive director Jay Bhalla , we talk about Maono Space and how it is reshaping the way Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) engage with data, governance, and local decision-making. This work closely connects with the efforts of Furaha L. Hesketh, our Community Manager at Maono Space who works with CBOs to ensure that communities are not just data subjects, but active owners and users of their own data. Through her project, CBOs are supported to collect, understand, and apply data in ways that strengthen local action, improve accountability, and centre community voices in development processes. Join her session today at the Global Data Fest to learn how Maono Space is providing a platform for communities to learn about data and truly own it. Read the blog: openinstitute.africa/2026/05… @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found @gatesfoundation #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026  #MaonoSpace #CommunityData #CitizenGeneratedData #DataGovernance #InclusiveData #DataForDevelopment

“Data sovereignty requires building the right data infrastructure, skills, and investments so that AI solutions are developed on the African continent. This ensures that the models we create reflect our realities, represent our people, and serve our needs.” Dr. Linet Kwamboka - Executive Director, Institute for Development Data @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataSovereignty #AIinAfrica #InclusiveAI #DigitalTransformation #DataGovernance

Happening today! Join our sessions on: From Citizen Voices to Official Statistics: Integrating Citizen-Generated Data into national systems Data on the Ground: Lessons from community-led data initiatives in East Africa What Happens When Communities Hold Their Own Data? Be part of the conversation on inclusive, community-driven data. @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #CitizenGeneratedData #InclusiveData #CommunityData #DataForDevelopment #DataGovernance

Join Esther for "Ficha Uchi: What Citizen-Led Data Protection Looks Like at the Grassroots." How can communities protect their data, safeguard their privacy, and exercise greater control over their digital lives? Explore practical lessons on community-driven data protection and grassroots data governance. @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found @ODPC_KE #DataProtection #DigitalRights #DataGovernance #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026

How can Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) work effectively with governments? This important question was explored during the Make Inclusive Data the Norm (MIDN) session. In Kenya, collaboration around data is demonstrating what’s possible when civil society and government work together to advance inclusive development. At the Open Institute, we are helping make inclusive data the norm by: Contributing to the Citizen-Generated Data (CGD) technical working group. Equipping CSOs with inclusive data skills through training available on Somo Global. Supporting the digitisation and anonymisation of inclusive datasets. Supporting organisations to manage and use data effectively through Sabasi, our all-in-one data platform. When communities are represented in data, they are more likely to be represented in decisions. This session was led by @nyogude, our Deputy Executive Director. Learn about Somo somo.global/ Learn about Sabasi sabasi.io/ @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataForDevelopment #InclusiveData #Sabasi

Join our Deputy Executive Director, @nyogude as she contributes to the conversation on Making Inclusive Data the Norm (MIDN). As data increasingly shapes policies, investments, and innovation, ensuring that everyone is represented in the data we collect and use has never been more important. Inclusive data helps uncover inequalities, amplifies the voices of marginalised communities, and supports evidence-based decisions that leave no one behind. Join the conversation and explore how making inclusive data the norm can drive more equitable and effective outcomes for communities across Africa and beyond. @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @maono_space @Hewlett_Found #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataForDevelopment #GenderData #AIforGood #DataGovernance #WomenInData

“When women are absent from the technology design and decision making, innovation loses valuable perspectives and inequalities risk being reinforced” - Hon Harriet Chiggai, President's Advisor on Women's Rights @UN_Women @Data4SDGs @KNBStats @SpaceAgencyKE @SDGsKenyaForum #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataForDevelopment #Sabasi #DataGovernance #AIforGood #DataInnovation

“Data drives growth, and both the UK and Kenya recognised this more than a decade ago. That shared understanding has underpinned our partnership to strengthen data reliability and enhance national statistical capacity.” - H.E Matt Baugh OBE, @UKinKenya #DataFest2026 #KSEC2026 #DataForDevelopment #DataGovernance #DataInnovation