^{Translated by Teodora C. Hasegan}

Colmena aims to be a solution for the double crisis of COVID-19 pandemic and disinformation

^{Illustration by Global Voices}

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted many community media, which often have poor internet connection. Some even had to close. But Indigenous and rural communities sought solutions to strengthen connections, solidarity, and sharing of tools and information. Colmena (“Beehive”), a digital and radio newsroom, is one of these remedies, a legacy of the COVID-19 crisis as well as the disinformation surge. It seeks to be a space for Indigenous and rural communicators and journalists from Latin America (Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Brazil) and Africa (Morocco, Tunisia, Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Kenya).

The internet is one of the communication infrastructures that is scarce in rural territories where native peoples live. For many, this is the consequence of abandonment by states and repression by the colonizing hegemonic cultures. The Indigenous peoples have constantly sought ways to deal with the issues they have to face every day, such as the lack of basic services (electricity, water, drainage, health, education) and the communication infrastructure (internet, roads). For many of these reasons, local community-based journalism is usually carried out by radio stations.

Colmena is an open-source site where journalism can be carried out without the need for an internet connection or with little connectivity, with the aim to keep these communities connected in times of crisis. It stands at the intersection between being a newsroom, a community, and a means of communication. It was created with funding from DW Akademie. In Latin America, some of the members of this site are the Mexican community media network REDES, radio stations from Colombia (Ocaina), Guatemala (Radio Sayaxché), Ecuador (Remando), and several from Brazil, the Bolivian digital media outlet Muy Waso and the women-led NGO from Peru (Unión de Mujeres Aymaras del Abya Yala).

Global Voices interviewed Adrián López Angulo, who is part of Colmena′s media coordination in Latin America.

^{Union of Aymara Women of Abya Yala, Perú.}

Global Voices (GV): Why was the name “Colmena” chosen, and what does it mean?

Adrián López Angulo (ALA): How the name was selected is a story that I really like and I think that it exemplifies how the project works. The name was chosen collectively by media from Latin America and Africa. After discussing their visions from their territories, each of them proposed a name that signified their communicative work. Following a vote on all the proposals, the name Colmena (“Beehive”) was chosen. The name can be understood as a metaphor, but it was also important when creating the design of the application.

We identify with the diversity of beehives that exist in the world. There is not just one way to make a hive since the regions are very diverse. The bees and their vital work of pollination are currently being affected by monocultures and accelerated industrialization that only has economic purposes. The same phenomenon affects the communication made from, with and for the territories and communities. There are platforms and interests that seek to homogenize discourses, languages, and needs. I think the fact that media have chosen the name “Colmena” represents a commitment to diversity, to the understanding that there are many perspectives which need to be respected and cared for.

^{Radio Ada, from Ghana}

GV: What differentiates Colmena from other media?

ALA: It is important to understand that Colmena was created based on the meeting and communication between various media, organizations and people. Colmena seeks to be an open source platform, based on free software, aimed to strengthen alternative, popular, Indigenous, community and other communication that represents people from various regions and which seeks to contribute to local needs and goals.

This platform aims to be “all in one,” to have the necessary tools for the production of content. Also, to function as a space for meeting, communication, translation and organization between people and groups that work and fight for communication processes for the benefit of their communities. The platform is currently translated into six languages (Spanish, English, Portuguese, French, Kiswahili, and Arabic).

GV: What issues has Colmena faced?

ALA: We started the platform during the pandemic, when stable internet and mobile data connections are essential for remote work. But these are also complicated in the geographical, social and historical conditions in which rural and Indigenous communities live. These are not a problem, but become an opportunity as long as the communities and/or organizations can decide on the connectivity they need. While companies view these applications for their economic interest, Colmena sees them as promoting a plurality of voices, wisdom, and knowledge for the global challenges we are facing.

^{Radio station Remando, from Ecuador}

GV: What are the foundations of this journalistic space, or what is needed to be part of it?

ALA: An individual, media, collective and/or community is required to have an interest in creating pertinent and relevant communication processes for their communities, not only by creating content, but also by supporting its dissemination; also, to be interested in utilizing, caring for, and, thus, strengthening Colmena. One of the great lessons of working together with rural and Indigenous communities in Latin America is that taking care of the community means participating, contributing, and creating. When one cares, it strengthens the community in the face of present and future risks, be they near and external.

GV: What is the impact of Colmena in the modern world, in rural and Indigenous areas, as well as in places where it is dangerous to be a journalist?

ALA: There are several benefits, but I will point out just two that are very important to me. The first is the issue of privacy, as many media use applications that are not secure for communication, especially when sensitive information is disseminated. Colmena aims to ensure that the information and content of the media are protected and secure.

The second is organizing between different media to share and create content, with or without connectivity. I think that this can have a positive impact in areas with low or no connectivity, where different media, groups or people can use Colmena as a platform to spread and promote their struggles and goals. Colmena is the voice for the historically neglected peoples who found in the open platform an opportunity for them to be heard once again.

^{This post is from Rising Voices, a Global Voices project that helps spread citizen media to places that don't normally have access to it.} 

Original Contents by Global Voices