Making Numbers Matter: How to Get Data Moving at the County Level
Part Two of a two-part series on data at the subnational level | By Christine Ajulu, Deputy Director – Open Institute Earlier this year,…
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For more than a decade, we've helped citizens, communities, and governments use evidence to create more transparent, accountable, and responsive public institutions.
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Beyond Access: Why Good Governance Requires Information That People Can Understand
Across East Africa, governments have made significant investments in public participation processes. Constitutional provisions, county forums, digital platforms, and citizen consultations have become increasingly…
WE ARE OPEN
Fostering open, informed communities where citizens actively engage with transparent governments for sustainable development.
the highlight reel
From Awareness to Action: Ficha Uchi Phase 4
Kenyans know they have data rights, but most still don’t know how to use them.
Our Ficha Uchi data protection awareness campaign is moving from awareness to action to try and close that gap. Phase 4 of the campaign will be shaped by what we’ve heard consistently across county engagements, radio activations, and focus groups.
Using the formats that have already proven to work, such as humour, relatable storytelling, influencers, community radio, and hyperlocal engagement, Ficha Uchi Phase 4 sharpens its focus on practical steps, helping Kenyans go from knowing their rights to actually exercising them.
the highlight reel
Between the Truth and the Brown Envelope
Every so often, the work forces you to stop, take a breath, and admit what you’ve really seen. Over the past year, our teams from the Open Institute and the Association of Freelance Journalists have sat in many sessions with journalists in Kilifi County, listening to their stories, their frustrations, their dreams…
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Making Numbers Matter: How to Get Data Moving at the County Level
Part Two of a two-part series on data at the subnational level | By Christine Ajulu,…
Beyond Access: Why Good Governance Requires Information That People Can Understand
Across East Africa, governments have made significant investments in public participation processes. Constitutional provisions, county forums,…
From Learning About Data Values to Seeing Them in Practice
By Furaha K. Hesketh – Community Manager, Maono Space and Data Values Advocate When I joined…
From Awareness to Action: Launching Ficha Uchi Phase 4
Five years. Over 200 million touchpoints. One stubborn gap. Kenyans know they have data rights. But…
When Data Belongs to the People: Lessons from the Frontlines of Community-Led Data
There is a quiet disconnect in development data that lies between where data is collected, who…
Maono: Backing the Closest Point in the System
In Kiswahili, maono means vision. It is also the name of one of the projects closest…
Brown Envelopes and Broken Trust: The Real Threat to Democracy
The brown envelope has its own language and names. Every journalist in Kenya knows it. Za…
When the Pump Runs Dry on Trust: Kenya’s Fuel Crisis and the Case for Transparent Governance
By The Open Institute | 19 May 2026 Kenyans woke up this week to near-empty roads…
The evidence exists. Are we using it?
Across Africa, researchers are producing credible, rigorous, and often urgent findings. Governments are making decisions without…
Statement: The Open Institute Announces Leadership Transition
After twelve years at the helm, Al Kags has left the role of Executive Director of…
Evidence Mkononi: Putting the Power of Data Back into Community Hands
Across many communities, data is constantly being collected about people’s needs, challenges, and lived realities. Yet,…
AI Mtaani: Making Artificial Intelligence Practical for Communities That Need it Most
Artificial Intelligence is no longer a distant concept, it is already shaping how we work, learn,…
