As part of Global Studio, Candy worked with Diepsloot Community News, a community group in Johannesburg striving to improve local communication. One day a little girl was lost in Diepsloot, a township in Johannesburg. She was safely found but it took three days, and local resident Bongani Baloyi was so affected by this that he started a non-profit called Diepsloot Community News (DCN) to improve local communication. After conducting a community survey, they helped develop a local radio station by learning the process and challenges from successful radio stations in other townships. Working with Wits University and local businesses, they helped improve capacity by developing a business plan, journalism training, and a local creative arts network. They also explored ways to immediately establish affordable mediums for collective communication. Inspired by a community chalkboard in Liberia by Alfred Sirleaf, they installed customized site-specific community chalkboards in high-traffic areas and left others portable for flexibility. The chalkboards give residents a free and accessible platform to publicize events, post jobs, ask questions, and self-organize on a daily basis. 2007, 2008.

Team: Bongani Baloyi, Lucky Mkah, Lungile Maphumulo, Tebatso Lebotsa, Selaelo Chuene, Phumlani Suka, Warren Mabona, Lawrence Matshidiso, Sam Sikhosana, Anja Bredell, Jennifer Graeff, Belinda Kanpetch, Crighton Nichols, Elonah O’Neil, Dr. Marc Aurel Schnabel, Michelle Tabet, Candy Chang. Big thanks to Matthew Millar, Happy and Edwin of Spit n Polish, Yolande Kluth, Sam Sikhosana, and Jennifer van den Bussche.

Downtown Joburg

Diepsloot township