Code for Africa (CfA) 2023 Civic Tech Fellowships for Creatives (USD1,550/month stipend)

Come help us build digital democracies that are more accountable and more responsive to citizens.

Following our pilot in 2022, Code for Africa (CfA) is offering a second set of 4-6 month CivicTech Fellowships for mid-career digital strategists, digital creators, technologists, data scientists, and UX strategists/designers to support open government advocates and partners in 55 African Union member states.

Successful applicants will help a broad range of watchdog civil society organizations build civic technology projects that amplify citizen voices or help keep governments accountable, as part of the Charter Project that supports the African Union’s Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance (ACDEG).

Candidates can range from digital engagement strategists or viral content designers to UX experts, software engineers and data scientists who will work with partner organizations selected through the Civic Tech Fund Africa to design, test, and launch digital tools that empower citizens. Applicants should have a strong commitment to using human-centered solutions and to working in the open, using open data and open-source approaches that subscribe to global best practices.

Fellows will work in multidisciplinary teams, with ongoing support from CfA’s in-house TechLab and DataLab, as well as its design/content teams, along with strategic support from Charter Project partner institutions, ranging from policy advice and democratic governance think tanks, to research support.

Eligibility Criteria

The CivicTech Fellowships are intended to give mid-career technologists or digital strategists a sabbatical to “pay it forward”, using their deep skills/insights to transform the way that civil society organisations use technology to empower citizens.

We are therefore seeking candidates with:

• A passion for creative problem-solving and using light-touch appropriate technologies that will work reliably with minimal intervention in challenging environments.
• A demonstrable track-record for building and launching successful digital services/products, or shaping high impact digital campaigns.
• An understanding of human-centred design processes and rapid prototyping, and the importance of user experience (UX) approaches to designing digital products.
• Experience at working in distributed multidisciplinary teams, in fast-paced multinational environments, in support of non-technical partners/clients.
• A commitment to learning and sharing insights, both within the Charter Project ecosystem and the wider global civic technology movement.
• A commitment to open knowledge principles, including adhering to open source and open data principles (and documentation), with an understanding of global best-practices for ethical data/technology use.

Benefits of Code for Africa Fellowships for Creatives

The fellowship package will consist of:

• Stipend: Full-time fellows will receive a $1,550/month stipend. Stipends for part-time fellows will be negotiated, depending on time commitment and complexity of the project.
• Mentorship: All fellows will  receive ongoing one-on-one mentorship from CfA’s core TechLab and DataLab teams of veteran civic technologists, data scientists and digital strategists.
• Networking: Fellows will tap into the Charter Project’s network of six coalition partner organisations, and the African Union’s network of digital engagement partners.
• Showcasing: Fellows’ projects and insights/learnings will be prominently showcased at digital democracy events both in Africa, and globally.
• Launchpad: Fellows will have the inside track for full-time positions at Charter Project partner organisations, including CfA’s own growing TechLab and DataLab.

How to Apply

Go to Code for Africa (CfA) on docs.google.com to apply