AfriLabs @ 10: The thinking behind our new visual identity
AfriLabs: The First Decade The 21st century has seen rapid technological innovation that uniquely addresses African needs. The innovations cut across multiple sectors. These include banking, healthcare, travel, education, manufacturing and many more. Before 2011, tech hubs across Africa could work on their own. They however lacked an organized platform on which to network, collaborate, and share knowledge. This is the vacuum that AfriLabs’ founders sought to fill. From five tech hubs in 2011, AfriLabs today is a network organization of 300 innovation centres across 51 African countries. This network has supported African innovation hubs in multiple ways. AfriLabs has made it easier for members to communicate, and thereby share knowledge and best practices. They are also able to co-pilot initiatives and collaborate on projects with relative ease. This increases efficiency and goes a long way in the fulfilment of AfriLabs’ mission: ‘To support innovation hubs and their communities, to raise high potential entrepreneurs that will stimulate economic growth and social development in Africa.’ This being the 10th year of AfriLabs, the team met to ponder on how to make the next ten years even more remarkable for the community of tech hubs. These discussions and brainstorming sessions brought to the fore the need to rebrand and thus began the journey of defining how the new look and feel of AfriLabs will be. The Second Decade A crucial aspect of the deliberations revolved around defining the pillars (themes) that would form the basis for the rebrand. We had to grapple with pillars that resonate with the community of innovation enablers all over Africa yet stay true to AfriLabs’ mission and vision for the next 10 years. These pillars had to offer room for the growing needs of the brand yet offer a smooth transition to a brighter and seamless look and feel for AfriLabs. We described AfriLabs with some of the following adjectives: trustworthy, transparent, excellence, ubuntu, hub-centric, Pan-African, innovation among many others. Of the long list that came out of the sessions, a smaller team sat down to condense them into three main pillars. Pillar 1: Community A word that we consistently used during the rebrand brainstorming sessions was, “Community”. We wanted every innovation hub in Africa that is looking for an organization like ours to feel represented. We wanted all Africans in the innovation and entrepreneurship space and those in the diaspora, to feel like part of the community. At the heart of this pillar are Ubuntu “I am because we are” and Pan-Africanism “a movement that believes in the unification of people of African descent because of their common interest”. These two values guide us to make decisions that always benefit our community. Therefore, our identity revamping efforts must clearly capture this pillar and its subsets. Pillar 2: Innovation We could not hold back from expressing the joy of seeing innovators leveraging the support system of AfriLabs’ member hubs to execute ideas and later emerge as leading entrepreneurs. A great example is, 3W, a Dakar-based innovator with Jokkolabs, one of our members in Senegal. 3W invented Wizili, a gaming platform for Facebook and has created hundreds of jobs in Senegal. Stories like 3W’s are the reason we support tech hubs in various ways including funding, collaborative efforts and driving impact through ensuring that all the work they do is measurable and drives change at scale. With the above in mind, AfriLabs appreciates the changing needs of African tech hubs and intends to adjust accordingly in the coming decade. Pillar 3: Knowledge Sharing Evidently, when trying to find specific knowledge about the African innovation space and/or best practices to support innovation, there is not a lot of information available. Spotting this need, therefore, we saw it fit to increase our knowledge output by providing a reliable platform for both quantitative and qualitative research about the African innovation space and trends on how to enable innovation on the continent. A sort of illumination that Africa is not a dark continent, on the contrary, it is a continent full of innovative ideas by Africans that address the needs that are distinctively African. We organise the Hubs Learning Week (under the AfriLabs Capacity Building Programme being carried out thanks to AFD’s support through the Digital Africa seed fund) and other workshops/masterclasses to provide a platform for experienced innovation enablers in the community to share from their wealth of knowledge. Further, we represent the largest Pan African network of technology and innovation hubs and we have access to on-the-ground experiences that help us build high-quality research. That is why in 2020 we partnered with the Internet giant Mozilla to conduct research aimed at better understanding the African tech innovation ecosystem and identifying new product ideas. The fruits of this research will aid Mozilla’s efforts to reinvest within the African tech ecosystem and support local innovators with scalable ideas that have the potential to impact across the continent. We have also had an interesting series of research activities and dialogues that have revealed interesting insights with partners such as Djembe Insights and KTN Global Alliance. Looking into the next 10 years, therefore, we agreed that knowledge sharing will form a significant part of AfriLabs’ service offering. When we support innovation hubs, when we share quality knowledge and when we put our community first, it means we care. Care causes us to work in a community, it enables us to share knowledge inside the community and to innovate around the problems in our community. The Brand Identity Direction The next step for the team was choosing a logo to represent AfriLabs’ new look and feel. This was not a walk in the park as all the first draft logos presented made sound arguments but ultimately, one carried the day based on the teams’ votes, for the following reasons: Aesthetic We were inspired by the Zulu and Maasai neck ornaments as they demonstrate our Pan Africanism, which is one of our values, and our continent-wide reach. This would create the basis for
A New Era of Growth: AfriLabs expands its network to 320 innovation hubs in 51 African countries
We are excited to announce that we have crossed 300 member hubs as a community and are now in 51 African countries. As a network organisation that is strengthening innovation across Africa, we understand the importance of having everyone that shares the same vision on board, and that’s why this milestone means a lot to us. The journey of AfriLabs is one charged with the strength of a connected community. As we celebrate 10 years of existence, this gives us a moment to reflect on our impact through the decade and also to celebrate our commitment and growth so far – from 5 founding hub members to a fast-growing community of 320 innovation hubs in 51 countries! “As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, it’s really amazing to look back at the various milestones achieved over the years and what a way to crown the celebration by gaining access to 51 African countries. This is what a Pan-African community should look like – broad, diverse and inclusive. The future has never been more exciting” said Anna Ekeledo, Executive Director of AfriLabs at the announcement of the new members during the 2021 AfriLabs Annual General Meeting. We have 28 entries of new hubs spread across the 5 regions of Africa to enable the extension of the network into 8 new cities and 2 new countries. The new countries include the Central African Republic and Sao Tome & Principe. 2 hubs were admitted from North Africa, 5 from East Africa, 12 from West Africa, 5 from Southern Africa, and 4 from Central Africa, making it a total of 28 hubs to be admitted. Joining us from North Africa is 302labs Coworking Space in Cairo, Egypt, and H.SEVEN in Casablanca, Morocco. Baraza Media Lab – Nairobi, Kenya, Barkulan Coworking and Innovation Hub – Hargeysa, Somaliland, Winam Capital – Kisumu, Kenya, STEM Impact Centre – Nairobi, Kenya, and iVenture Africa – Kampala, Uganda from East Africa. “I am extremely excited to expand my network. The opportunities to meet with African entrepreneurs are limited in Somaliland and I hope to come stronger with inspirations and ways to build an ecosystem here” said Ahmed Omer, founder of Barkulan Hub. Centre for Social Innovations (CSI) – Kumasi, Ghana, Agrico Hub – Techiman, Ghana, Social Entrepreneurship Hub – Takoradi, Ghana, Africa ICT Right – Accra, Ghana, Dansyn Innovation Social Organization (Dansyn ISO) – Bolgatanga/ Upper East Region, Ghana, Engausa Global Technologies Hub – Kano, Nigeria, Hamplus Technologies Int’l [Hamplus Hub] – Abraka, Nigeria, KeoLID Innovation Hub – Ouagadougou, Bobo-dioulasso, and Koudougou, Burkina Faso, Wootlab Innovations Limited – Abuja, Nigeria, Guzakuza – Accra, Ghana and Rhotel House of Innovation – Monrovia, Liberia and The Bulb, Lagos, Nigeria have joined the network from West Africa. We have Africa Beyond 4IR – Pretoria, South Africa, WECREATE Zambia – Lusaka, Zambia, NyamukAfrica – Lusaka, Zambia, WomHub – Johannesburg, South Africa and MSU Innovation Hub – Gweru, Zimbabwe from Southern Africa become a part of our network. From Central Africa, we have O’Botama – Yaoundé, Cameroun, Centrafrique Tech – Bangui, Central African Republic, Hardware Innovation Valley Community – Buea, Cameroon and SOW Hub Ecosistema d Startup – São Tomé, São Tomé e Príncipe. Yunika Robert Bellarmine N., Co-Founder & President of Hardware Innovation Valley Community (HIVC) said: “Being actors in technology requires an extension of one’s action to a community of a bigger network hence creating a greater possibility for impact as tech hubs and innovators. Being part of this formidable AfriLabs network is equated to stepping on one’s feet on a platform of reputable transformation. As Co-Founder and Lead of Hardware Innovation Valley Community Hub, I will say on behalf of my team that this is a very exciting start to endless opportunities and collaborations.”
Une Nouvelle Ère de Croissance : AfriLabs étend son réseau à 320 hubs d’innovation dans 51 pays Africains
Nous sommes fiers d’annoncer que nous avons dépassé le cap des 300 hubs membres en tant que communauté et que nous sommes désormais présents dans 51 pays Africains. En tant qu’organisation du réseau qui renforce l’innovation à travers l’Afrique, nous comprenons l’importance d’avoir à bord toutes les personnes qui partagent la même vision, et voilà la raison pour laquelle ce jalon compte beaucoup pour nous. Le parcours de AfriLabs est caractérisé par la force d’une communauté connectée. Alors que nous célébrons nos 10 ans d’existence, c’est l’occasion de réfléchir à notre impact au cours de la décennie et de célébrer notre engagement et notre croissance jusqu’à présent – de 5 membres fondateurs à une communauté en pleine expansion de 320 hubs d’innovation dans 51 pays ! “Alors que nous célébrons notre 10ème anniversaire, il est vraiment étonnant de se remémorer les différentes étapes franchies au fil des ans et quelle manière de couronner la célébration en gagnant l’accès à 51 pays Africains. Une communauté panafricaine devrait donc ressembler à ceci : large, diverse et inclusive. L’avenir n’a jamais été aussi excitant”, a déclaré Anna Ekeledo, Directrice Exécutive de AfriLabs, lors de l’annonce des nouveaux membres au cours de l’Assemblée Générale Annuelle de AfriLabs 2021. Nous avons 28 entrées de nouveaux hubs répartis dans les 5 régions d’Afrique permettant l’extension du réseau dans 8 nouvelles villes et 2 nouveaux pays. Les nouveaux pays comprennent la République Centrafricaine et Sao Tomé & Principe. Parmi les hubs admis, 2 proviennent d’Afrique du Nord, 5 d’Afrique de l’Est, 12 d’Afrique de l’Ouest, 5 d’Afrique Australe et 4 d’Afrique Centrale, ce qui porte à 28 le nombre total de hubs admis. En provenance d’Afrique du Nord, nous avons été rejoints par 302labs Coworking Space au Caire, en Égypte, et H.SEVEN à Casablanca, au Maroc. Baraza Media Lab – Nairobi, Kenya, Barkulan Coworking and Innovation Hub – Hargeysa, Somaliland, Winam Capital – Kisumu, Kenya, STEM Impact Centre – Nairobi, Kenya, et iVenture Africa – Kampala, Ouganda qui proviennent d’Afrique de l’Est. “Je suis extrêmement enthousiaste à l’idée d’élargir mon réseau. Les possibilités de rencontrer des entrepreneurs Africains sont limitées au Somaliland et j’espère revenir plus fort avec des inspirations et des moyens de construire un écosystème ici” a déclaré Ahmed Omer, Fondateur de Barkulan Hub. Centre for Social Innovations (CSI) – Kumasi, Ghana, Agrico Hub – Techiman, Ghana, Social Entrepreneurship Hub – Takoradi, Ghana, Africa ICT Right – Accra, Ghana, Dansyn Innovation Social Organization (Dansyn ISO) – Bolgatanga/ Upper East Region, Ghana, Engausa Global Technologies Hub – Kano, Nigeria, Hamplus Technologies Int’l [Hamplus Hub] – Abraka, Nigeria, KeoLID Innovation Hub – Ouagadougou, Bobo-dioulasso, et Koudougou, Burkina Faso, Wootlab Innovations Limited – Abuja, Nigeria, Guzakuza – Accra, Ghana et Rhotel House of Innovation – Monrovia, Liberia et The Bulb, Lagos, Nigeria ont rejoint le réseau à partir de l’Afrique de l’Ouest. En Afrique Australe, Africa Beyond 4IR – Pretoria, Afrique du Sud, WECREATE Zambie – Lusaka, Zambie, NyamukAfrica – Lusaka, Zambie, WomHub – Johannesburg, Afrique du Sud et MSU Innovation Hub – Gweru, Zimbabwe ont rejoint notre réseau. En Afrique Centrale, nous avons O’Botama – Yaoundé, Cameroun, Centrafrique Tech – Bangui, République Centrafricaine, Hardware Innovation Valley Community – Buea, Cameroun et SOW Hub Ecosistema d Startup – São Tomé, São Tomé e Príncipe. Yunika Robert Bellarmine N., Co-Fondateur et Président de Hardware Innovation Valley Community (HIVC) a déclaré : “Être des acteurs de la technologie nécessite une extension de son action à une communauté d’un plus grand réseau ce qui crée une opportunité d’impact plus grande en tant que hubs de technologie et des innovateurs. Le fait d’appartenir à ce formidable réseau AfriLabs équivaut à poser ses pieds sur une plate-forme de transformation réputée. Dans la mesure où je suis cofondateur et responsable du Hardware Innovation Valley Community Hub, je peux dire au nom de mon équipe que c’est un début très excitant pour des opportunités et des collaborations sans fin.”
AfriLabs announces more strategic partners for the AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2021 event: EU-Africa Digilogic, Mozilla, and the University of Basel
Ecosystem Enablers with a common goal of a connected Africa join forces at the 2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering to drive innovation as the future of Africa’s growth. We are delighted to have these outstanding organizations come on board to support the largest pan-African conference in Africa. DIGILOGIC, a Horizon 2020 project, funded by the European Commission, is the first European and African Digital Innovation Hub (DIH) focusing on smart logistics. DIGILOGIC enables the growth of a common innovators’ ecosystem, where talents from both Europe and Africa will benefit from access to technology, knowledge, and ultimately market opportunities and investments. The African partners are: Prototipi (a Nigerian SME), MEST Africa (an NGO based in Ghana), and Bongo-Hive (a DIH based in Zambia); the European partners are Digital Logistics Hub (Germany), VTT (a research centre from Finland), Endeva (an NGO based in Germany) and Friuli Innovazione (a DIH based in Italy). Prototipi and MEST will lead DIGILOGIC workshop “The Pan-EU Africa sustainable network of Digital Innovation Hubs (DIHs) fostering smart logistics solutions” at the Afrilabs Annual Gathering 2021. At Mozilla, there is a global community of technologists, thinkers, and builders working together to keep the Internet alive and accessible, for individuals worldwide to be informed contributors and creators of the Web. They believe this act of human collaboration across an open platform is essential to individual growth and our collective future. In 2020, AfriLabs and Mozilla partnered to convene a series of roundtable discussions with African startups, entrepreneurs, developers, and innovators to better understand the tech ecosystem and identify new product ideas – to spur the next generation of open innovation. A report based on these discussions will be published before the end of the year. During the upcoming Gathering, Mozilla will lead workshops on the Common Voice project and Lean Data Practices. The University of Basel has been educating talents from Switzerland and abroad since 1460. Since then, it has been continuously contributing to the creation and transfer of knowledge, adapting to new frameworks, and driving reflection and change in society, business, and culture. Today, the University of Basel is among the Top 100 leading research universities. In its global outreach, Africa and Basel have been developing joint activities for a long time. The Basler Afrika Bibliographien (BAB), the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), swisspeace, the Center for African Studies in Basel (ZASB), and the University’s National and International Cooperation (NIC) have been engaging partners for many. Today, for raising high potential science entrepreneurs, the University of Basel prides itself on working with AfriLabs, the leading tech hub and innovation space supporter on the African Continent. About the AfriLabs Annual Gathering The AfriLabs Annual Gathering is AfriLabs’ flagship event which provides a unique opportunity for tech hubs within the AfriLabs network and other stakeholders of the African technology and innovation ecosystem (such as corporates, development agencies, academia, and investors) to convene, network, learn and share knowledge. The 2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering marks AfriLabs’ 10th year of existence and the event aims to celebrate and reflect on this milestone, and what the future holds for innovation in Africa. Register here.
2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering: Leveraging Academia as a tool for building the next generation of entrepreneurs on the continent
AfriLabs is excited to partner with Honoris United Universities for the 2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering as we seek to involve the academia in raising the next generation of entrepreneurs to expand the growth of innovation on the continent. Honoris is invested in reshaping the delivery of education to improve the standard of living of Africans with a focus on entrepreneurship, partnerships, skills development, 21st-century learning environments, and women entrepreneurship. Part of their commitment is to transform the African continent by empowering the next generation of agile leaders with entrepreneurial mindsets. The partnership with AfriLabs, the largest pan-African network of technology and innovation hubs with over 300 members across 50 African countries, is to conduct joint activities that serve the missions of both organizations with a view to collaborating on new and existing programmes across the continent. This includes the AfriLabs Annual Gathering, a unique opportunity for stakeholders in the African tech ecosystem to convene, network, share knowledge around a common theme and build partnerships. Honoris hubs are welcomed into the pan-African AfriLabs network, giving access to joint learning, events, collaboration, and cultural/knowledge exchange. This includes most recently the Collective Lab in Tunisia, as well as future additions of Nile’s Start-up 2.0 in Nigeria and Regent’s Red-Hub in South Africa. This year, Nile University, a member institution of the Honoris network has been selected as one of the venues for the ecosystem tour and activities on day 3 of the 2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering. The day will be characterized by a tour of Nile University facilities plus a session to formally announce the partnership which will also feature an engaging panel discussion themed Innovative Entrepreneurship and Employability, involving faculty, alumna, entrepreneurs, and key employability partners such as the Tony Elumelu Foundation and PwC. About the AfriLabs Annual Gathering. The AfriLabs Annual Gathering is AfriLabs’ flagship event which provides a unique opportunity for tech hubs within the AfriLabs network and other stakeholders of the African technology and innovation ecosystem (such as corporates, development agencies, academia, and investors) to convene, network, learn and share knowledge. The 2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering marks AfriLabs 10th year of existence and the event aims to celebrate and reflect on this milestone, and what the future holds for innovation in Africa. Be a part of the AfriLabs Annual Gathering, to be held 27-29th October 2021 in Abuja, Nigeria as well as virtually. Register here to access the event. If interested in partnership and sponsorship, please send an email to felista@afrilabs.com. About Honoris United Universities Honoris United Universities is the first and largest pan-African private higher education network committed to educating the next generation of African leaders and professionals able to impact regionally in a globalized world. Collaborative intelligence, cultural agility, and mobile mindsets and skills are at the heart of Honoris’ vision of higher education. Honoris United Universities joins the expertise of its member institutions to develop world-class African Human talent that is competitive in today’s fast-paced, demanding, and increasingly digitized labor and start-up markets. Honoris United Universities gathers a community of 61,000 students on 70 campuses, learning centers, and online, in 10 countries and 32 cities. The network counts 14 institutions: multidisciplinary universities, specialized schools, technical and vocational institutes, contact, distance, and online institutions. Students have an opportunity to experience exclusive partnerships and exchange programs in more than 85 universities across Europe and the United States. Over 300 degrees are offered in Medicine, Health Sciences, Engineering, IT, Business, Law, Architecture, Creative Arts and Design, Media, Political Science, and Education. Honoris United Universities. Education for Impact. www.honoris.net
Experience the Innovation community in Abuja at the 2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering
Ubuntu is one of AfriLabs core values and the journey so far has been one that was brought alive by our community. We are excited to announce that at this year’s AfriLabs Annual Gathering in Abuja, Nigeria, there will be an ecosystem tour on the 3rd day of the conference. This will feature 4 innovation and tech hubs which include Enspire Hub, The CANS, Ventures Platform and Seedbuilders. These hubs will host side-events to highlight their roles in improving innovation in Nigeria and Africa at large as well as a general showcase of their facility. The ecosystem tour will provide a unique opportunity for participants of the event to explore the Abuja tech and innovation community by visiting specific innovation centres within the city. It will present an opportunity for guests to learn more about the startups, projects and ideas being executed in these spaces. About the AfriLabs Annual Gathering. The AfriLabs Annual Gathering is AfriLabs’ flagship event which provides a unique opportunity for tech hubs within the AfriLabs network and other stakeholders of the African technology and innovation ecosystem (such as corporates, development agencies, academia, and investors) to convene, network, learn and share knowledge. The 2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering marks AfriLabs 10th year of existence and the event aims to celebrate and reflect on this milestone, and what the future holds for innovation in Africa. Be a part of the AfriLabs Annual Gathering, to be held 27-29th October 2021 in Abuja, Nigeria as well as virtually. Register here to access the event. If interested in partnership and sponsorship, please send an email to felista@afrilabs.com.
AfriLabs proudly announces Ethiopian Airlines as its Official Airline Partner for the AfriLabs Annual Gathering
We are excited to announce Ethiopian Airlines as the official airline partner for the 2021 AfriLabs Annual Gathering. Operating at the forefront of technology, the airline has become one of Ethiopia’s major industries and a veritable institution in Africa. They command a large market share of the pan African aviation industry including the daily and double daily east-west flights across the continent. Ethiopian Airlines currently serves 100 international and 21 domestic destinations operating the newest and youngest fleet in Africa. We are pleased to inform you that we have received special discounts for the Gathering’s guests flying business and economy class on Ethiopian Airline to Abuja for the AfriLabs Annual Gathering 2021. To access these discounts, please click this link. The AfriLabs community and team wish everyone a safe trip and we hope to see you soon in Abuja from the 27th-29th October 2021. Not registered yet? Do so here.
#FreeRebecca
Ces derniers jours n’ont pas été plaisants pour l’Écosystème Africain d’Innovation, et plus particulièrement pour le réseau AfriLabs puisque Rebecca, notre Présidente du Conseil d’Administration et l’une des plus éminentes entrepreneuses dans le domaine de la technologie en Afrique, a été détenue depuis le Mardi 10 Août, 2021 dans son pays d’origine, le Cameroun. Rebecca a été illégalement et illicitement arrêtée par Jean Claude Robert FOE, Procureur Général de la Cour d’Appel du Littoral et est détenue à la Gendarmerie Légion de Douala, Cameroun depuis 3 (trois) nuits, sans aucune accusation légale, écrite et formelle, mandat ou citation à son nom. Cette action constitue un mépris flagrant des droits fondamentaux qui lui sont accordés par la Charte Africaine des Droits de l’Homme et des Peuples dont la République du Cameroun est signataire et qui stipule que la liberté, l’égalité, la justice et la dignité sont des objectifs essentiels des aspirations légitimes du Peuple Africain. Une chronologie de l’injustice Selon les avocats de Rebecca, le 10 Août 2021, le Commandant de la Légion de Gendarmerie du Littoral à Douala, Cameroun a invité Rebecca Enonchong à son bureau pour une visite de courtoisie. A son arrivée au bureau du Commandant de la Légion, Rebecca Enonchong a été interrogée et détenue, ce qui s’est poursuivi le lendemain, sans motif valable. Par la suite, Rebecca a été informée qu’elle était poursuivie pour outrage à magistrat, en la personne de Monsieur Jean Claude Robert FOE, Procureur Général de la Cour d’Appel du Littoral. Elle a également été notifiée qu’elle devait être placée en garde à vue sur les instructions du même Monsieur Foe. Le 11 Août 2021, nous avons été informés de la détention illégale et de l’arrestation de Rebecca Enonchong par Jean Claude Robert FOE, Procureur Général, à la Gendarmerie Légion de Douala, Cameroun. Le 12 Août 2021, elle a été de nouveau conduite au Parquet du TPI Bonanjo et a attendu les instructions qui seraient données par le Procureur Général mais, celui-ci a refusé de recevoir les avocats de Rebecca Enonchong. Les avocats ont demandé des éclaircissements sur le cas de leur cliente puisque le “dossier est vide”. Le 13 Août 2021, Rebecca Enonchong est toujours privée de sa liberté au bon vouloir du Procureur Général qui est à la fois juge et partie dans cette affaire. Que pouvons-nous faire? En tant que communauté, nous n’allons pas rester les bras croisés et regarder l’une d’entre nous se faire voler ses droits humains fondamentaux. Voici ce que vous pouvez faire pour nous aider: Rejoignez-nous dans cet appel contre l’injustice en signant cette pétition et en la partageant avec votre réseau. Utilisez le hashtag #FreeRebecca pour en parler sur les médias sociaux. Voici un tweet pré-écrit que vous pouvez utiliser. Nous sommes en train de compiler une liste de coordonnées d’ambassades et d’organisations influentes susceptibles de faire pression sur le Gouvernement Camerounais pour la libération de Rebecca Enonchong. Nous avons compilé ce que nous avons jusqu’à présent dans une feuille excel et votre contribution sera appréciée. Accédez à la base de données ici. Prenez une photo de vous tenant une pancarte ou un papier avec l’inscription #FreeRebecca. Partagez la photo sur les reseaux sociaux et utilisez le même hashtag. Vous pouvez également utiliser cette image comme votre photo d’affichage sur les reseaux sociaux pour créer plus de sensibilisation. Appelez toutes les personnes que vous connaissez au Cameroun et demandez-leur d’appeler les autorités. Si vous êtes au Cameroun, appelez les autorités et plaidez pour sa libération. Organiser un rendez-vous à l’ambassade du Cameroun dans votre pays et faire équipe avec d’autres investisseurs et entrepreneurs pour plaider la cause de Rebecca auprès de l’ambassadeur et aller avec une déclaration écrite si possible. Voici une déclaration pré-écrite que vous pouvez utiliser. La communauté mondiale suit l’évolution de la situation #FreeRebecca: Global Voices Sub-Saharan Africa condemns the arbitrary arrest and detention of Cameroon’s tech leader Rebecca Enonchong https://t.co/Eb9WQUKIO0 via @feathersproject — Sydney Allen (@sydneyallen67) August 13, 2021 Good Morning All! We are at Bonanjo. Rebecca has been brought & her file registered. Now the wait is on for the magistrate of the Court of 1st Instance who has yet to show up. #FreeRebecca pic.twitter.com/AuMwm8W28m — Kah Walla (@KahWalla) August 12, 2021 Please sign the Petition · Petition for the Cameroonian Government to #FreeRebecca · https://t.co/NKpys3YOs2 https://t.co/rsgfuBGSZe — Kola Aina (@kola_aina) August 12, 2021 JUST IN: Reports that Cameroonian born technology entrepreneur, Rebecca Enonchong @africatechie is being detained at the Gendarmerie Legion in Douala, #Cameroon. #FreeRebecca pic.twitter.com/MIpWNUWggx — Techloy (@techloy) August 11, 2021 This is #RebeccaEnonchong @africatechie from Cameroon; she is one of Africa’s Most Influential Tech-Entrepreneurs. Powerful first for her intellect and business acumen. She has been arrested and locked up in Cameroun without any reason. #FreeRebecca @UNIC_Yaounde @USEmbCameroon pic.twitter.com/uHTEH3ORXf — MacJordan ⚡️👨🏾💻 (@MacJordaN) August 11, 2021 Tech CEO Rebecca Enonchong detained in Cameroon, sparking outrage as many call for her release "We have received no documentation of what she is accused of, nor formal written complaint against her. She is a victim of an abuse of power," her lawyer says https://t.co/6njUe6UJNE — CNN Africa (@CNNAfrica) August 13, 2021 The Cameroonian tech entrepreneur was reportedly arrested and held at the Gendarmerie Legion (a police station) in Douala, apparently by government order and without any arrest warrant.https://t.co/9u4pyAMEsH — TechCabal 👨🏾🚀 (@TechCabal) August 12, 2021 Day 3 of Rebecca Enonchong illegal detention by Cameroonian Government officials. We demand that they #FreeRebecca. pic.twitter.com/W7tb1dyAGR — AfriLabs (@AfriLabs) August 13, 2021 They wish to extend the custody of @africatechie under the pretext of wanting to interview 2 other witnesses which still constitutes an offence according to article 119 paragraph 3 « In any case, the hearing of a witness cannot alone justify an extension of custody » #FreeRebecca pic.twitter.com/eOjJzq1dzE — ActivSpaces (@ActivSpaces) August 12, 2021 The Commander of the Littoral Gendarmerie Legion invited @africatechie to his office for a courtesy visit, in order to get to know her better. On her arrival at his office she was interrogated without being informed of the
AfriLabs accueille 24 hubs d’innovation dans son réseau
Nous améliorons les chances d’une économie de l’innovation florissante en Afrique en créant une communauté inclusive! Conformément aux valeurs fondamentales de AfriLabs, nous pensons que ce n’est qu’en assurant l’inclusion et la diversité que nous construirons un écosystème qui constituera la base sur laquelle l’Afrique se développera pour devenir la puissance mondiale que nous voulons qu’elle soit. C’est pourquoi nous servons de point de convergence pour tous les leaders de l’innovation ainsi que pour les hubs à travers le continent et même dans la diaspora. Aujourd’hui, nous accueillons 24 nouveaux hubs dans notre communauté et notre réseau s’est étendu à 7 nouvelles villes, avec un total de 292 hubs dans 49 pays africains. Une communauté diverse et inclusive telle que la nôtre, espère améliorer les résultats de diverses solutions perturbatrices telles que la création d’une atmosphère propice à la promotion des innovations locales. Nous y parvenons en soutenant la recherche avec une pertinence locale, en créant et en promouvant des environnements commerciaux positifs pour les entrepreneurs/hubs locaux et en activant des institutions qui s’occupent spécifiquement du développement et de la mise à l’échelle des innovations qui ont ensuite un effet d’entraînement sur diverses économies africaines sur le continent. “Alors que nous nous rapprochons de notre objectif de construire une économie de l’innovation florissante en Afrique, nous sommes très heureux d’avoir pu entrer dans 7 villes et étendre la communauté à 292 hubs, et nous sommes très enthousiastes quant aux opportunités infinies que ce nouvel ajout apportera”. Kenechukwu Chukwu, Responsable des Services aux Membres, AfriLabs. Bienvenue à nos nouveaux membres d’Afrique de l’Ouest : Black Innovations Africa – Jos, Nigéria, Mentors Innovation Hub – Yola, Nigéria, Grazac – Abeokuta, Nigéria, Opolo Global Innovation – Lagos, Nigéria, Edufun Technik STEM Hub – Onitsha, Nigéria, Ado Business Incubation Centre (ABIC Hub) – Onitsha, Nigéria, iValley Ghana – Damongo, Ghana, Ghana Innovation Hub – Accra, Ghana, Tamale International Hub – Tamale, Ghana, Start-Up SME Centres – Kumasi, Ghana, North East Innovation Hub – Walewale, Ghana, Eastern Tech Hub – Koforidua, Ghana, Expert’labs Mali – Bamako, Mali, Fondation Jeunesse Numérique – Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire, Mahna – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso et Data Science, Nigéria. Nous sommes heureux d’accueillir Konetahub – Juba, Sud-Soudan et Collective Lab, Tunis, Tunisie, en provenance d’Afrique du Nord, et nous souhaitons la bienvenue à Le Boukarou – Douala, Cameroun, en provenance d’Afrique Centrale. Un autre nouveau membre, Denaya Dennis, Fondateur et Directeur Exécutif, Koneta Hub a déclaré : “Je suis très heureux que Koneta Hub ait été accueilli pour faire partie du grand réseau d’innovation africain : – AfriLabs. Nous croyons, en tant que Koneta, que lorsque les jeunes ont une chance, il y a de grandes opportunités et des solutions aux problèmes socio-économiques qui entravent notre croissance. Nous sommes impatients de contribuer à l’écosystème de l’innovation et d’apporter plus d’opportunités au Sud-Soudan.” En provenance d’Afrique australe, nous accueillons REDHub, Durban, Afrique du Sud. Karibu à Techbuzz Hub – Kampala, Ouganda, Future Females Invest – Beau Plan, Maurice, Kiota Hub (Université d’Iringa) – Iringa, Tanzanie et AMCET Innovation Hub (Al-Maktoum College of Engineering and Technology – AMCET) – Dar es Salaam, Tanzanie d’Afrique de l’Est. Habibu Mrisho, the Hub Manager at AMCET INNOVATION HUB, speaks of his excitement at being a part of the network. “Being part of the AfriLabs network adds some advantages to me and the hub due to the fact that the network gives me the privilege to attend some events that would help me to meet other people across the world as well as expand our access to opportunities.”
AfriLabs welcomes 24 innovation hubs into its network
We are increasing the odds of a thriving innovation economy in Africa by building an inclusive community! As part of our core values at AfriLabs, we believe that it is only in ensuring inclusion and diversity that we build an ecosystem that will be the foundation on which Africa develops to be the global powerhouse we want her to be. This is why we serve as a nexus point for all innovation leaders as well as hubs across the continent and even in the diaspora. Today, we welcome 24 new hubs into our community and our network has now expanded to 7 new cities with a total of 292 hubs in 49 African countries. A diverse and inclusive community such as ours hopes to improve the outcome of various disruptive solutions such as creating an atmosphere where the promotion of indigenous innovations is welcome. We are doing this by providing support for research with local relevance, creating and promoting positive business environments for local entrepreneurs/hubs and the activation of institutions that specifically deal with the development and scaling of innovations that further goes on to have a ripple effect on various African economies on the continent. “As we get closer to our goal of building a thriving innovation economy in Africa, It gives us great pleasure that we have been able to gain entrance into 7 cities and grow the community to 292 hubs and we are super excited for the endless opportunities this new addition would bring”. Kenechukwu Chukwu, Member Services Manager, AfriLabs. Welcome to our newest members joining us from West Africa: Black Innovations Africa – Jos, Nigeria, Mentors Innovation Hub – Yola, Nigeria, Grazac – Abeokuta, Nigeria, Opolo Global Innovation – Lagos, Nigeria, Edufun Technik STEM Hub – Onitsha, Nigeria, Ado Business Incubation Centre (ABIC Hub) – Onitsha, Nigeria, iValley Ghana – Damongo, Ghana, Ghana Innovation Hub – Accra, Ghana, Tamale International Hub – Tamale, Ghana, Start-Up SME Centres – Kumasi, Ghana, North East Innovation Hub – Walewale, Ghana, Eastern Tech Hub – Koforidua, Ghana, Expert’labs Mali – Bamako, Mali, Fondation Jeunesse Numérique – Grand-Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire, Mahna – Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso and Data Science, Nigeria. We are pleased to have Konetahub – Juba, South Sudan and Collective Lab, Tunis, Tunisia join us from Northern Africa and a hearty welcome to Le Boukarou – Douala, Cameroon from Central Africa. Denaya Dennis, Founder & Executive Director, Koneta Hub had this to say, “I am very excited that Koneta Hub has been welcomed to be part of the great African innovation network: – AfriLabs. It is in our belief as Koneta that when the youth are given an opportunity, there will be tremendous opportunities and solutions to the socio-economic issues challenging our growth. We look forward to contributing to the innovation ecosystem and bringing more opportunities for South Sudan.” From Southern Africa, we welcome REDHub, Durban, South Africa. Karibu to Techbuzz Hub – Kampala, Uganda, Future Females Invest – Beau Plan, Mauritius, Kiota Hub (University of Iringa) – Iringa, Tanzania and AMCET Innovation Hub (Al-Maktoum College of Engineering and Technology – AMCET) – Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from Eastern Africa. Habibu Mrisho, the Hub Manager at AMCET INNOVATION HUB, speaks of his excitement at being a part of the network. “Being part of the AfriLabs network adds some advantages to me and the hub due to the fact that the network gives me the privilege to attend some events that would help me to meet other people across the world as well as expand our access to opportunities.”