In this episode of the Civic Tech in Africa podcast, Nathi Mcetywa discusses the African Union Civic Tech Fund (AUCTF) with Daniel Adugna and Siwe Ntombela. They explore the fund's objectives, the importance of civic tech in promoting citizen engagement, and the alignment with Agenda 2063. The conversation highlights the achievements of the first cohort of grantees, the selection process for new projects, and the training provided to enhance their capacity. The episode concludes with a look at the diverse range of innovative projects being developed by grantees across the continent.

Takeaways
-The African Union Civic Tech Fund aims to drive citizen-led transformative action.
-Civic tech connects citizens with their governments and promotes transparency.
-Agenda 2063 serves as Africa's blueprint for development and integration.
-The first cohort of grantees achieved significant networking and collaboration.
-348 applications were received for the current round of funding.
-Training focuses on advocacy, leadership, and collaboration skills.
-Diverse projects include innovations in agriculture, education, and gender-based violence.
-Civic tech is growing beyond traditional governance issues.
-The fund emphasizes youth participation in civic tech initiatives. African Union Civic Tech Fund · Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want

In this episode of the Civic Tech in Africa podcast, we talk to Edith Augustine from the Restored Heart Foundation, discussing the Teacher Bank project aimed at addressing the teacher shortage in Nigeria. The conversation explores the challenges faced in the education sector, the importance of community engagement, and the role of technology in connecting teachers with schools. Edith shares insights on the foundation's mission, the impact of their initiatives, and their vision for the future of education in Nigeria.

Key Takeaways
-The Restored Heart Foundation focuses on youth-led initiatives.
-Over 20 million children in Nigeria are out of school.
-The government allocates only 7% of its budget to education.
-Quality education is essential for poverty alleviation.
-The Teacher Bank project connects teachers with underserved schools.
-Community engagement is vital for educational success.
-Technology can bridge gaps in the education sector.
-Advocacy is needed for teacher retention in rural areas.
-Success metrics include improved learning outcomes and enrollment.
-Scaling the project can address the national teacher shortage. African Union Civic Tech Fund 2.0 · The Restored Heart Foundation

In this episode of the Civic Tech in Africa podcast, host Nathi Mcetywa talks to Ahmed Zoghlami, CEO of Idarity, about their innovative project Akram. We explore the role of civic tech in enhancing citizen engagement with public institutions, the importance of stakeholder involvement in platform design, and the challenges of data accessibility in Tunisia. Ahmed shares insights on how Akram aims to bridge gaps between data producers and journalists, making information more accessible and actionable. The discussion also touches on the future vision for Akram as a knowledge hub for Africa and the support provided by the African Union Civic Tech Fund to scale their initiatives across the continent.

Key Takeaways:

-Idarity addresses the friction between citizens and public institutions.
-The Akram project connects data producers with journalists.
-Stakeholder engagement is crucial in designing effective platforms.
-Data accessibility is a significant challenge in Tunisia.
-Public institutions often struggle with data management and transparency.
-The Akram platform aims to humanize data through storytelling.
-Partnerships with public institutions enhance data availability.
-The vision for Akram includes scaling to other African countries.
-The Civic Tech Fund supports scaling initiatives across borders.
-Language diversity in Africa presents both challenges and opportunities. Idaraty

In this episode of the Civic Tech in Africa podcast, Nathi Mcetywa interviews Thivhilaeli Madamalala from Pulego Technologies about their innovative Co-City Citizens Engagement Application. The discussion covers Pulego Technologies' origins, the Co-City app's functionality, its impact on citizen engagement, and the importance of partnerships with municipalities. Thivhilaeli shares insights on the challenges of selling to government entities, the significance of data ownership, and the future expansion plans for the application. The conversation highlights the role of technology in enhancing governance and citizen participation in Africa.

Key Takeaways
-The African Union Civic Tech Fund supports innovative civic tech solutions.
-Pulego Technologies focuses on creating impactful technologies for smart cities.
-The Co-City app allows citizens to report issues directly to the city.
-User feedback is integral to the app's functionality and improvement.
-The app has evolved since its initial launch in 2013.
-Partnerships with municipalities are crucial for the app's success.
-Monitoring and evaluation processes are built into the app for accountability.
-Data ownership is important for protecting sensitive information.
-Success is measured by the adoption and effectiveness of the solution.
-Selling to municipalities involves longer sales cycles compared to private sectors. Pulego Technologies

In this episode of the Civic Tech in Africa podcast, we explore the work of the No Taka Hub, a Tanzanian initiative focused on using geospatial technology to address climate change and migration issues. Careen Joel Mwakitalu discusses the challenges of data collection in Africa, the importance of sustainable data management, and the goals of the Geospatial Data Project aimed at informing policy and empowering communities. The conversation highlights the need for collaboration, capacity building, and innovative solutions to tackle the pressing issues of climate mobility and governance in the region.

Takeaways
- The African Union Civic Tech Fund supports innovative civic tech solutions.
- No Taka Hub focuses on climate change and migration issues.
- Data collection faces challenges of standardization and accessibility.
- Geospatial technology is crucial for mapping climate impacts.
- Local communities should be empowered to collect and use data.
- The Geospatial Data Project aims to inform policy and advocacy.
- Success means communities having their own climate adaptation plans.
- Innovators face funding and capacity challenges in Africa.
- Storytelling with data can drive awareness and action.
- Collaboration is key for scaling solutions and impact. No Taka Hub

Maai Makwa is an open data platform that aims to empower citizens in Kenya to understand and advocate for water rights. The platform provides tools and data to help individuals make informed decisions on sustainable freshwater resource management. The target audience is women-led households, who are most affected by water scarcity. The platform bridges the gap between government data and citizen-generated data, allowing users to access information on water sources, calculate the cost of water, and participate in water sector reforms. The project has conducted over 3,000 water quality tests and engaged with various stakeholders.

Keywords
water scarcity, water pollution, open data, citizen engagement, water rights, sustainable resource management, women-led households, government data, citizen-generated data, water conservation, climate change, grassroots level, African Union Civic Tech Fund

Takeaways
- Maai Makwa is an open data platform that empowers citizens in Kenya to understand and advocate for water rights.
- The platform provides tools and data to help individuals make informed decisions on sustainable freshwater resource management.
- The target audience is women-led households most affected by water scarcity.
- Maai Makwa bridges the gap between government data and citizen-generated data, allowing users to access information on water sources, calculate the cost of water, and participate in water sector reforms.
- The project has conducted over 3,000 water quality tests and engaged with various stakeholders. Maai Makwa Website · Demography Project · African Union Civic Tech Fund

The Civic Tech Innovation Forum is an annual gathering that brings together the Civic Tech community in Africa. The forum provides a space for collaboration, learning, and networking among practitioners in the field. The key takeaways from previous gatherings include the importance of call to action, addressing sustainability challenges, and building connections across the continent. This year's theme, 'Under the Hood,' aims to explore the underlying aspects of technology, community, and self within the Civic Tech space. The conference will feature speakers, workshops, exhibitions, and entertainment. The event is open to a diverse range of participants, including civic tech professionals, tech enthusiasts, community leaders, policymakers, and students. The conference is free to attend, but there is an option for paid registration to support the sustainability of the event. The conference will be held from October 28th to October 31st at Timo Lohong in Bramfontein.

Keywords
Civic Tech Innovation Forum, annual gathering, collaboration, learning, networking, call to action, sustainability, connections, Africa, #UnderTheHood, technology, community, self, speakers, workshops, exhibitions, entertainment, diverse participants, free attendance

Takeaways
- The Civic Tech Innovation Forum is an annual gathering that brings together the Civic Tech community in Africa.
- The forum provides a space for collaboration, learning, and networking among practitioners in the field.
- Key takeaways from previous gatherings include the importance of call to action, addressing sustainability challenges, and building connections across the continent.
- This year's theme, 'Under the Hood,' explores the underlying aspects of technology, community, and self within the Civic Tech space.
- The conference is open to a diverse range of participants, including civic tech professionals, tech enthusiasts, community leaders, policymakers, and students.
- The conference is free to attend, but there is an option for paid registration to support the sustainability of the event.
- The conference will be held from October 28th to October 31st at Timo Lohong in Bramfontein. Register for the Civic Tech Innovation Forum

This episode of the Civic Tech in Africa podcast continues the discussion on understanding data privacy on the African continent. The conversation focuses on the importance of data protection and the independence of data protection authorities. Dr. Lukman Abdul-Rauf, an associate professor in the Department of Public Law at the University of Illorin in Nigeria, joins the discussion. They explore the growth of the tech space in Africa, the implications of this growth, and the challenges faced in establishing independent data protection authorities. The conversation also highlights the key topics covered in the book 'Data Privacy Law in Africa, Emerging Perspectives'.

Keywords
data privacy, data protection, African continent, tech space, independence, data protection authorities

Takeaways
- Data protection is an important issue for the African continent and should be seen as a fundamental human right.
- The tech space in Africa is growing rapidly, with high internet penetration rates and a shift towards online services.
- Establishing independent data protection authorities is crucial for enforcing data privacy laws and holding both private entities and governments accountable.
- The African Union plays a significant role in ensuring compliance with data privacy norms, but more needs to be done to strengthen its enforcement mechanisms.
- Challenges in establishing independent data protection authorities include funding, political interference, and a lack of understanding of the implications of data privacy laws.
- The book 'Data Privacy Law in Africa, Emerging Perspectives' covers a range of contemporary issues in data privacy, including the intersection of data privacy and artificial intelligence, the protection of vulnerable groups, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data privacy law in Africa: Emerging perspectives

In this episode, Chenai Chair discusses data privacy from a feminist lens. She highlights the relevance of data privacy in the African context and the intersection between data and gender. Chenai emphasizes the importance of understanding data protection from a gendered perspective and the need to address the biases and inequalities in data collection and processing. She also critiques the multilateral approach to data protection laws and advocates for context-specific laws that centre communities and people. Chenai provides insights for developers to build technology that is inclusive and community-driven, and she introduces the My Data Rights Africa platform as a resource for understanding data rights from a feminist perspective.

Keywords
data privacy, feminist lens, African, gender, data protection laws, multilateral approach, community-driven technology, My Data Rights Africa

Takeaways
Data privacy is a relevant conversation in the African context, as data is essential for addressing challenges and developing solutions.
Understanding data protection from a gendered perspective is crucial to address biases and inequalities in data collection and processing.
Context-specific data protection laws that center communities and people are necessary, rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all approach.
Developers should build technology in collaboration with communities, ensuring inclusivity and considering the impact on marginalized groups.
The My Data Rights Africa platform provides resources and insights on data rights from a feminist perspective. My Data Rights Africa · Shaping the Future of Multilateralism - Does data protection safeguard against gender-based risks in Southern Africa? · Mozilla Foundation

In this episode, Nathi Mcetywa interviews Matt Stempeck, the founder of the Civic Tech Field Guide. They discuss the importance of the global civic tech community and the lessons that can be learned from other civic tech initiatives around the world. They explore the different categories of projects on the Civic Tech Field Guide platform, such as participatory platforms, GovTech, advocacy tech, and media engagement. They also touch on the significance of failure and the graveyard section of the platform, which celebrates and learns from unsuccessful projects. The goal of the Civic Tech Field Guide is to be a valuable resource for the civic tech community, connecting people, projects, and resources.

Keywords
civic tech, global community, lessons, Civic Tech Field Guide, categories, participatory platforms, GovTech, advocacy tech, media engagement, failure, graveyard, resource

Takeaways
- The global civic tech community is important for sharing knowledge and learning from each other's initiatives.
- The Civic Tech Field Guide categorizes projects into areas such as participatory platforms, GovTech, advocacy tech, and media engagement.
- The platform celebrates failure and encourages post-mortems to learn from unsuccessful projects.
- The goal of the Civic Tech Field Guide is to be a valuable resource for the civic tech community, connecting people, projects, and resources.

00:00
Introduction and Focus on Global Civic Tech Community
03:00
Exploring the Categories of the Civic Tech Field Guide
10:02
Different Categories of Civic Tech Projects
21:08
Celebrating Failure and Learning from Unsuccessful Projects
31:26
Building a Valuable Resource for the Civic Tech Community Civic Tech Field Guide

In this episode, Nathi Mcetywa interviews Mbali Ndandani from Lelapa AI about language models that work in the African context. They discuss the lack of representation of African languages in digital spaces and the importance of solving the language problem for digital inclusion. Mbali explains how Lelapa AI builds language models for low-resource languages and addresses code-switching and compute power limitations. They also talk about the responsible AI framework developed by Lelapa AI to ensure diversity and avoid biases in language models. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the VulaVula app and the invitation for businesses to use the VulaVula API to make their platforms multilingual. Lelapa AI