[okfn-za] Request for help: creating an open African mining database

Fri May 31 15:40:31 UTC 2013

Will do.

Rufus, I actually chatted briefly to Michael while in Accra earlier this
week, suggesting that we explore mounting a joint Data Expedition into
specific types of extractives data in Africa. There is loads of scraping /
liberation than needs to happen. We can then ensure that folk actually
built stuff with the resulting data.

How do we make it happen?

Cheers,
Justin

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On 31 May 2013 13:58, Rufus Pollock <rufus.pollock at okfn.org> wrote:

> This is brilliant Justin and do keep the list looped in on these great
> developments :-)
>
> rufus
>
>
> On 31 May 2013 09:28, Justin Arenstein <justinarenstein at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Hi Rufus,
>>
>> These are great suggestions. I'd also looped Nimi into an off-list
>> discussion about the pan-African investigative project into extractives
>> industries that we're already funding, through the new African Network of
>> Centres for Investigative Reporting (ANCIR).
>>
>> We're investing into a 2yr EI focus with ANCIR, that includes significant
>> data-driven tech stuff, as well as hard-hitting investigative reporting /
>> documentary making, etc. We've just this week kicked off the 1st of a
>> series of planned ddj bootcamps on the issue, have just created a
>> standalone African instance of DocCloud and Poderopedia as repositories to
>> function alongside the existing CKAN portal (which is in the process of
>> getting a makeover), and will be announcing a couple of other related
>> projects soon.
>>
>> Augmenting the journalistic stuff on EI with ANCIR, our Code for Africa<http://code-africa.org>programme is also supporting citizen tech projects in this space. Here's an
>> example of one (still very early stage) project from Ghana:
>> http://labs.code-africa.org/WhereMyMoneyDey/. The local teams are still
>> scraping data, fleshing out the functionality, etc, and building CSO
>> alliances for a massive rollout in partnership with major media in the
>> country. We've had requests to replicate the platform in Nigeria, Uganda,
>> Tanzania, etc.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Justin
>>
>> Justin Arenstein*
>> *
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>> US Mobile: +1.650.336.5878
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>> On 31 May 2013 01:34, Rufus Pollock <rufus.pollock at okfn.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Nimi,
>>>
>>> This sounds really good. In terms of getting started, I have a few
>>> thoughts:
>>>
>>> - Love the focus on extractives. Could you write out 2-3 most
>>> interesting questions you'd like the data to answer
>>>
>>> - Start with the simplest thing possible e.g. google docs spreadsheets
>>> for the data, or contributing data to http://africaopendata.org/ which
>>> is a nice CKAN instance already deployed for you!
>>>
>>> - The fewer the sorts of data you need to collect to get something
>>> useful the better (you already seem pretty focused in your design doc so
>>> this is great!)
>>>
>>> I really like this and I think there are natural synergies with
>>> http://OpenSpending.org/ + http://AfricaSpending.org/ so would love to
>>> help where I can. (I also suggest that it may be posting about your ideas
>>> to http://lists.okfn.org/mailman/listinfo/openspending)
>>>
>>> Rufus
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 15 May 2013 10:40, Nimi Hoffmann <Nimi.Hoffmann at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi all
>>>>
>>>> As far as I'm aware, there's currently no open continental databasefor measuring and comparing the actions of extractive industries across
>>>> the African continent. The little data that exists is hidden or is
>>>> behind a paywall. The poor quality of data is compounded by the lack of
>>>> transparency in the sector, the lack of oversight by Africangovernments, and the low levels of investigative research and journalism.
>>>>
>>>> This data poverty has bummed me out for too long. I'm greedy for
>>>> continental data which is collected, organised and curated so that it is
>>>> verifiable and actionable.
>>>>
>>>> In my quest for an open, relatively comprehensive database, I'm
>>>> planning to create a platform for crowdsourcing information from
>>>> specialists and affected parties. The areas covered are incidents related
>>>> to water, land, labour, violence and finances.
>>>>
>>>> To this end, I have two requests for help. One for hacks, the other for
>>>> hackers.
>>>>
>>>> First, I'm not a coder, and I'm not sure how to set up this database.
>>>> I'd considered using CKAN, but I got a little confused by the site. If
>>>> anyone can point me to an online architecture for setting up a database,
>>>> that would be wonderful.
>>>>
>>>> Second,  I've got a rough first draft of the variables I'd like to
>>>> capture. It would be fantastic if some of you guys could take 20 minutes
>>>> out of your day to look at it and briefly let me know - am I missing any
>>>> importantquestions; could some questions be dropped or modified? Problem
>>>> areas are highlighted in yellow in the document. I'm also planning to try
>>>> and integrate this with other open data, such as financial data fromOpenCorporates, Money to Metal and EITI (where it exists), as well asMiningAtlas, an application of google maps to
>>>> mines. The idea is that one should be able to cross-check data with
>>>> other sources, as well as try to use techniques such as GIS for checking
>>>> some of the larger environmental claims. If you have thoughts on this, do
>>>> let me know as well.
>>>>
>>>> There are two documents. The first concerns the design, and the second
>>>> concerns design notes. If you want to make changes to the design, please
>>>> add them as track changes. If you want to make notes, or comment on the
>>>> workflow or potential problems, please do so in the design notes. Comments
>>>> in the margins get very messy after a while!
>>>>
>>>> Please note: first *data freeze* *is* *30 May.* Just so's this project
>>>> doesn't get stuck in cyber limbo.
>>>>
>>>> If anyone is interested in taking a more active role in the project,
>>>> please do let me know. The more the merrier :)
>>>>
>>>> Cheers,
>>>> Nimi
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> *
>>>
>>>  Rufus Pollock
>>>
>>> Founder and Co-Director | skype: rufuspollock | @rufuspollock<https://twitter.com/rufuspollock>
>>>
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>>
>
>
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> Rufus Pollock
>
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>
> The Open Knowledge Foundation <http://okfn.org/>
>
> Empowering through Open Knowledge
> http://okfn.org/ | @okfn <http://twitter.com/OKFN> | OKF on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/OKFNetwork>|
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