Civic Tech in Africa with Nathi Mcetywa

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.