Capacity building
When discussions around access to the internet are raised, our thoughts turn to whether we have sufficiently solved the issues of poverty, health, education and energy to decide that internet access is a needed right in Africa. But COVID-19 has changed our view of the need for connectivity.
It is undeniable that our world today is a digital one. It is this world that young Africans are navigating today. Perhaps our play, our natural gravitation towards games, social media and movies, is our way of expressing our desire for mastery, and ultimately our claim on the internet.
For the young person I was, under 25 years, attending the African School on Internet Governance and getting involved in the internet ecosystem in my country was a dream that I will continue to follow.
The 2021 African School on Internet Governance (AfriSIG) has brought together actors from digital ecosystems worldwide. It has been a golden opportunity for me and my community as I have learnt about several topics on internet governance.
How did I make it to the AfriSIG 2021 fellow if I am not deserving (African child suffering from impostor syndrome)?
We want the collective power of communities within and beyond the APC network to be harnessed through existing and new relationships built around transformative actions and our shared visions. Check out our achievements in this area in 2020.
"With APC, we have experienced a network whose technology and community initiatives seek equitable knowledge communities, with a special emphasis on the global South," said Servelots, which first joined the APC community as a partner organisation in its community networks initiative.
The Asia Pacific Regional Internet Governance Forum (APrIGF) serves as a platform for discussion, exchange and collaboration at a regional level. This year will be a hybrid event in Kathmandu and the overarching theme is “Towards an Inclusive, Sustainable and Trusted Internet".
How are APC members improving their communities’ lives? In this column we’re highlighting stories of impact and change by our members, supported by APC subgranting. APC's Feminist Tech Exchange explores digital safety through a feminist framework that is collective, responsive and flexible.
Digital security is obviously a serious concern, especially since people are spending more time than ever online. So you wouldn’t expect digital security training to be fun and games – but it can be, as Pollicy and Paradigm Initiative prove with their new joint initiative, Digital SafeTea.

Association for Progressive Communications (APC) 2022
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