Reasons to be excited about Civic Tech Innovation Forum!

Get excited… the annual Civic Tech Innovation Forum (CTIF22) is back! REGISTER NOW

Register to attend the Virtual conference and exhibition (on Airmeet): 17–19 October 2022

Register to attend the In-person event: 25–27 October 2022 at Tshimologong Digital Precinct, Johannesburg, South Africa

Entrance is Free But Registration is REQUIRED!

Get excited!!! The annual Civic Tech Innovation Forum (CTIF) is back! This year’s theme is “Unplugged (but still connecting)”, where we will explore various themes in the African civic tech space, bringing key leaders, actors and innovators across the continent together to have real and robust conversations about the effects of digitalisation on our shared experiences. In this Covid-19 recovery phase, we are also asking questions about the evolving role of civic tech and how technology can be leveraged to enhance citizen engagement, access to governance processes and improved service delivery.

Jamlab Africa and the Civic Tech Innovation Network (CTIN), both projects from the University of the Witwatersrand, will be hosting our joint hybrid annual conferences held between 3–27 October 2022 under the theme #Unplugged22 (but still connecting). #Unplugged will have virtual sessions and activities from 3 to 20 October 2022 and the in-person event will be between 24 to 27 October 2022 at Tshimologong Precinct in Johannesburg, South Africa.

We have speakers from every corner of Africa including Chad, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria and Egypt.

This is only a snapshot of what you can expect at this year’s CTIF as well as contributions from the African Diaspora across the globe. We have a programme that promises an authentic celebration of African civic tech, interrogating the ecosystem, sharing lessons, and discussing new opportunities and areas of growth focusing on how we can build an empowered African civic tech community.

CTIF & JAMFEST '22 #UNPLUGGED

Here are some of the events, experiences and opportunities that CTIF22 will bring forth:

An immersive experience — multiple session formats that are engaging, diverse & fun!

Sessions at this year’s CTIF will range from workshops and roundtables to targeted masterclasses and in-depth ‘Deep Dives’. Some topics to be covered include:

• Digital Futures
• Policy Dimensions
• Citizen engagements (both platforms and processes)
• Digital Threats
• Digital Inclusion and
• Funding and Sustainability regarding Civic Tech

In-depth learning from renowned & respected civic tech experts, innovators, academics & activists working across Africa

As usual, CTIF will bring people together to share knowledge, and experiences and celebrate best practices of civic tech initiatives, partnerships and innovations in Africa. Expect to walk away from sessions feeling inspired, hopeful and eager to continue learning and applying knowledge in your respective fields and professions. Look forward to sessions with speakers including:

• Richard Gevers — Founder and Director of Open Cities Lab (a non-profit, open and non-partisan organisation combining action research, co-design, civic engagement and data science and technology)
• Afua Bruce, former Research Fellow, Software Engineer and author of “The Tech That Comes Next: How Changemakers, Philanthropists, and Technologists Can Build an Equitable World”
• Eldrid Jordaan — Founder and CEO of South African civic-to-government engagement platform, Govchat and proponent for greater govt-civic partnerships using digital technologies
• Mardiya Siba Yahaya — from Pollicy, Digital sociologist, storyteller and learning designer working to advocate for greater inclusion and visibility in the digital tech space; and
• Emanuel Agbeko Gamor — Social entrepreneur and Founder of Urithi Labs, and
• Angela Odour Lungati — Technologist, community-builder and open-source software advocate

Skills and capacity development through in-depth training

There will many many opportunities for attendees to up-skill through sessions such as Masterclasses and Bootcamp Training. Some of these sessions include learning technical skills whilst others focus on methodologies and human-centred design. Each of these skills development training will be tailored to user needs and will also be collaborative, encouraging mutual learning in the process.

Lots of opportunities for professional networking

CTIF embraces the idea of all of us reconnecting after two years of being isolated from each other due to COVID-19. This time around, we look forward to welcoming you to CTIF22 for both the virtual and in-person programme. In both contexts, there will be ample time to network with colleagues (old and new). Airmeet offers a virtual space for attendees to network, chat and discuss ideas.

Learning and engaging with African Civic Tech Innovators at our Virtual Exhibition (Both virtually on Airmeet and in-person and at The World Cafe).

In the spirit of celebrating innovations and practice in the African civic tech space, CTIF22 will be hosting a virtual exhibition of African civic tech initiatives across Africa. Expect to see interesting, valuable and innovative projects, organisations and initiatives. Below is a snapshot of some of the exhibitors. In the upcoming weeks leading up to CTIF22, keep an eye out for a series of short Exhibitor Profiles of some of these interesting and diverse civic tech initiatives across Africa. These profiles will be posted to our website and provide in-depth insight, reflections and motivations for each project or initiative.

Virtual and live entertainment

Lastly, CTIF will also be an event to celebrate the vibrancy of life. We have an impressive performer lined up for both virtual and in-person events. Look forward to intimate and stripped-down (unplugged) sets by the talented Mellow Mmino.

So with the above in mind, we really hope you join us at CTIF22. Now more than ever, we are craving to connect. To share ideas in the pursuit of making tangible developments at grassroots community levels, but also across sectors, levels and spheres of government and between like-minded civic tech practitioners, researchers and everyday citizens.

Deep Dives with Civic Tech Actors from the Continent

We have partnered with the European Partnership for Development, GIZ, and the African Union Civic Tech Fund for a series of deep dives that highlight how the innovators funded by AUCTF enable and facilitate transformative action in their countries and across the African continent. These initiatives are focused on justice, gender and governance issues such as citizens’ participation, service delivery, accountability, transparency, inclusion and access. The innovators are from 6 African Union Member States including Mali, Nigeria, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Kenya, and Morocco.

Click here to access all promotional material and programmes for #CTIF22. You’re invited to share this invitation with all your networks.

A Snapshot of CTIF22 Exhibitors

At CTIF22, we will be joined by a range of organisations that will showcase their civic tech innovations. Each exhibition will allow for #Unplugged attendees to visit virtual booths, creating engaging and inviting spaces to learn about various innovations and initiatives. The virtual exhibition will showcase a range of civic tech innovation/ initiatives from diverse organisations working in places and spaces — both locally and continentally. Exhibitors have been broadly grouped into themes that their initiatives aim to address. These include:

1. Democracy, Transparency, Accountability, and Governance

• OpenUp (South Africa)
• DearSA (South Africa)
• TenderTech (Namibia and Kenya)
• TransparencIT (Nigeria)

2. Journalism

• Radio Hub (Uganda)
• FactCheck Elections (Nigeria)

3. Empowerment and Advocacy

• YoMobi (South Africa)
• This Ability (South Africa)
• Afya Pamoja (Tanzania)
• Comrade Nigeria (Nigeria)
• Hans Seidel Stiftung (Tunisia)

4. Public participation, partnership-building and urban governance

• Blackbox (South Africa)
• Open Cities Lab (South Africa)

5. Data collection, sharing, platforms

• Africa Data Hub (South Africa/Kenya/Nigeria)
• Sabasi (Kenya)

In the upcoming weeks, look out for blog articles that will profile some of the #CTIF22 Exhibitors and their initiatives.

Register for CTIF22 and Jamfest22 sessions today. Here is how you can do it:

Registration for Virtual #Unplugged:

Tickets are free. Click here and book your ticket and plug into the virtual #Unplugged sessions on the Airmeet platform, which is freely available through your browser or the Airmeet App (download from your mobile app store).

Registration for the in-person #Unplugged:

Tickets are free. Click here and book your ticket for the in-person #Unplugged conference which will be located at the Tshimologong Digital Innovation precinct in Johannesburg, South Africa. CTIF will be for 4-days from Tuesday, 25 October — Thursday, 27 October 2022, and Jamfest will be for 2-days from Monday, 24 October — Tuesday, 25 October 2022.

For further enquiries and media interviews contact:

• Nkosinathi Mcetywa: Communications Lead at nkosinathi.mcetywa@wits.ac.za
• Sihle Gcilitshana: Programme Coordinator at siba.gcilitshana@wits.ac.za

We look forward to welcoming you!

#Unplugged22 #Jamfest22 #CTIF22 #CivicTechAfrica #Innovation #MediaInnovation #AfricanJournalism #CivicInnovation