The Civic Tech Innovation Network (CTIN) is a Mozilla IRL Fund Awardee that connects technologists, activists, and public servants across Africa. We spoke with Project Manager Yasmin Shapurjee about a new program that helps leaders from five major regions bring their most promising public interest tech workers together
- Attention for civic tech organizations and projects has long been focused in more developed African economies. (CTIN defines civic tech as the “bridge between citizen engagement and more accountable and transparent government”)
- The tech sector, and civic tech initiatives in particular, has been growing and expanding at speed across Africa in the past few years
- CTIN has developed a new outreach program of regional ambassadors to help connect innovators continent-wide who are working on projects across the spectrum of civic tech, including those focused on activism, good governance, and development
The Issue
Historically, civic tech projects in regions like South Africa, Kenya, and Nigeria have received the most attention, leaving many organizations, programs, and practitioners in other areas at a disadvantage. In turn, these more established regions, programs, and workers miss out on new ideas, contributions, talents, and information from other areas and sources.
The Approach
CTIN is built on the belief that digital tools can connect government and citizens, increase governmental responsiveness, and help activists be more effective. The organization began its Regional Ambassadors Program (RAP) to reach out to and include civic tech workers in overlooked
