This upcoming free conference wants to teach you how to use tech for social good

They say civic tech involves using technology to foster and strengthen the relationship between citizens and their government.

I don’t think anyone can argue that Zimbabweans have a good relationship with their government. So, maybe we need this civic tech thing.

The only problem is that most of us have no idea how to use tech to do that. We only know how to hurl insults at George Charamba on Twitter (X) using our burner accounts.

It goes beyond fostering a relationship with our government. We don’t really know how to use tech for social good. Who is even thinking about social good when we are fighting for scraps that fall from the fat cats’ table?

That’s a sorry state we find ourselves in. We have seen people in other countries use tech (and the social media we only use to exchange crude jokes) to have some real impact. I’m not talking regime change, so call off the dogs.

However, I think we have used social media to grumble so loudly to our own benefit. What comes to mind is our murmuring leading to the Insurance and Pensions Commission regulating that when a funeral policy subscriber pays US$6000 or its equivalent, that policy will be deemed fully paid-up.

We can and should do more. So, we need help in these matters. It starts with conversations and idea exchanges. So, if this sounds good to you, there is just the event for you coming up soon.

Hub UnConference

The Hub UnConference, Zimbabwe’s premier gathering on digital media, civic tech, and the creative economy, returns for its 10th edition from September 24-25, 2024, at Moto Republik in Harare.

This year’s event, running under the theme “Level Up,” promises an invigorating array of speakers, thought-provoking discussions, and cutting-edge showcases, all aimed at empowering young people to embrace technology for social good.

The event has become a landmark for tech enthusiasts, media practitioners, and creative minds.

 The 2024 edition will host a stellar lineup of local and international speakers, including Kenyan comic Justine Wanda, Senegalese musician Xuman, Dr Millie Phiri from South Africa’s Conversation Africa, and Ugandan media leader Antonio Kisemboi. Zimbabwe’s own Professor Nehemiah Chivandikwa will also take the stage.

This year, the UnConference will spotlight pressing issues like climate justice, the intersection of AI and media, and the rise of civic tech in shaping public discourse. The programming includes panel discussions, masterclasses, and lightning talks that will explore how technology can counter misinformation and foster inclusive dialogues.

Takudzwa Musakasa, the event coordinator, highlighted the relevance of this year’s theme: “In a world dealing with environmental crises, misinformation, and social conflict, it’s crucial that we ‘level up’ by using digital media and civic technology to amplify marginalized voices and seek solutions to global challenges.”

A significant highlight is the Open Africa Data Summit, which will bring together experts from five African nations to discuss the pivotal role of data in governance and civic engagement.

The summit is backed by Charm Africa, a consortium dedicated to defending human rights and media freedoms across the continent.

Free and open to all, the Hub UnConference offers an unparalleled platform to engage with innovative ideas and critical global trends shaping the future of Africa.

You can register here.

I need to attend

They had me at ‘free.’ However, I think I need to attend because when I hear ‘counter misinformation,’ ‘climate justice’ or ‘amplify marginalised voices’ it all sounds so unZimbabwean to me. It sounds like a Western concern that we are just coopting.

That’s not to say we don’t have misinformation problems. Or a marginalised majority. Who among us does not understand how changes in rain patterns have affected our electricity generation at Kariba?

I know all this but once you say those terms to me, I look at you like you’re bringing up transgenderism to my grandfather in the rural areas. It’s just not something that was in his radar before you brought it up.

So, I think I need to attend so I can educate myself. I know I’m not alone in that boat. I know I lost a lot of people when I said ‘fostering a relationship with the government’. Maybe we feel so defeated because we don’t know any better.

So, if you can, I think it would be a good idea to attend the unConference. It’s free, they said it is.

P.S. – I know I was a little too hard on us. We have used tech for our own benefit at times.

Also read:

• Lies and deceit on social media, fabricated quotes by international media and more during the 2023 elections
• Your social media grumblings led to this, $6000 in funeral policy premiums = fully paid up
• Social media exaggerates and so should be regulated, says ZEC. No election rigging in most cases.