ABOUT APPS4AFRICA

The Apps4Africa: Climate Challenge builds on the success of the 2010 Apps4Africa: Civic Challenge in which civil society challenged program developers to find innovative technological solutions to everyday problems on issues ranging from transparency and governance to health and education. The 2011 competition begins in Western and Central Africa in October, with Eastern and Southern Africa to follow shortly thereafter. Winners will receive prizes, including cash awards, gadgets and travel. Private partners, including TED and Indigo Trust, may contribute technical assistance, prizes, and follow-on support for the new partnerships created by this platform.

The Apps4Africa Challenge began in late 2009 when several individuals, organizations, and private companies joined together to propose a competition that would reward local innovators for their ideas and projects.

The Apps4Africa: Civic Challenge was held in 2010 when the Apps4Africa competition brought together local technology entrepreneurs to build tools that serve the needs of local non-governmental organizations and their communities in four East African countries. Private sector partners ran the competition and organized brainstorming sessions in which civil society groups challenged program developers to find innovative technological solutions to everyday problems on issues ranging from transparency and governance to health and education. A panel of judges chose winning projects based on their potential to have a measurable impact as well as their ingenuity.

SUPPORTING CHANGE FROM THE BOTTOM UP

In coordination with software developer Appfrica International, Apps4Africa will bring civil society, academia and private sector organizations together with African technology innovators to develop applications that address local climate change adaptation challenges. In doing so, we seek to raise African public awareness of climate change adaptation in Africa on these issues; support the development of civil society and private-sector networks; and highlight African solutions to local climate change challenges.

The 2011 competitions are linked to three African regional climate change workshops. The workshops are part of the broader Adaptation Partnership, which brings together practitioners and policy-makers to address key adaptation challenges in their region. Climate change issues identified at these workshops will be used to inspire ideas for mobile applications for the competitions.