Digital Changemakers initiative identifies and supports local social entrepreneurs with innovative solutions which aim to transform the society using digital tools/technology. Since its launch in 2012 as Tigo Reach for Change and later change in 2014 to Digital Changemakers we have been able to attract and select incredible solutions which have positively impact children and society in general.
We invest in individuals who are result oriented, passionate and have entrepreneurial qualities and provide them with necessary tools to implement innovative solutions to problems facing society. Digital Changemakers are given funding and technical support through our Incubator model, and are matched with advisors and experts from Tigo to help them develop and scale up their projects. Below are our Changemakers who have been able to impact more than 15,000 children differently through their projects.
Carolyne Ekyarisiima – Apps & Girls
Aiming to bridge the gender gap in ICT in Tanzania, Carolyne runs Apps and Girls which inspires and empowers girls aged 10-18 to pursue computing and to develop digital innovations. By establishing coding clubs in schools and through holiday events such as workshops, exhibitions, hackathons, boot camps and competitions, this NGO is shaping Tanzania’s future female leaders. For more information visit: http://www.appsandgirls.com/.
Brenda Shuma – Gabriella Centre
Having graduated from Tumaini University with a degree in Physical Therapy, Brenda-Deborah Shuma, Founder of Gabriella Children Rehab Centre, has invested her time and education in caring for children with neurological and cognitive impairments. Brenda has worked for the YWCA Children Rehabilitation Centre, where she participated in designing and initiating an intensive therapeutic week programme for children with disabilities. It is this passion and experience that inspired her to open the Gabriella Children Rehab Centre in Moshi, Tanzania. For more information visit:http://www.gabriellarehab.org.
Faraja Nyalandu – Shule Direct
Faraja is a lawyer with a passion in advocating and pursuing people’s social rights. She is passionate about children’s rights, quality education, women’s empowerment and human rights. She is the co-founder of Shule Direct, a social enterprise working to address the lack of sufficient secondary school textbooks by collecting the best content from qualified teachers and making it freely accessible online. The organization is giving an opportunity to students in Tanzania to learn and realize their potential. For more information: www.shuledirect.co.tz/
Joan Avit – Graphogame Tanzania
Learning to read is the key component to literacy, quality education and poverty eradication. However about two thirds of Tanzanian children are not able to read by grade two! Joan Avit, through her project Graphogame Tanzania, has introduced a digital teaching methodology which uses mobile phone gaming to teach young children to read in rural Kilimanjaro. For more information: http://info.graphogame.com/.
Thadei Msumanje – Majengo Kids Youth & Technology School
Thadei Msumanje believes that technology is a powerful development tool that can be used to further global education, livelihoods and health. Through his NGO, Majengo Kids Youth & Tech School, he address this problem by bringing ICT to children in the rural communities. He integrates ICT learning with other learning structures such as a kindergarten to make sure that the benefits of ICT for learning processes are available to children in rural Tanzania.
Innocent J Sulle – My Little Travelling Library
Lack of access to reading materials and absence of a strong reading culture have contributed to viscous cycle of low literacy among children in Tanzania. Children have been unable to access interesting literature and hence developed a poor reading habit which is the main reason for the very poor performance in Tanzanian primary schools. Innocent James’ “My Little Travelling Library” concept is creating a network of mobile handcart libraries, bringing books to children in rural areas. Through this work, Innocent aims to inspire a reading culture among a generation of children, increasing literacy levels and independent learning.
Leka Tingaitana – eAfya
Leka Tingitana is a tech specialist with a passion for creating digital solutions to problems in the health sector. Through his company LX Technological Solutions for Africa, Leka is developing a mobile communications platform eAFYA, to support the emerging network of Community Health Workers (CHWs) who are on the front-line in providing healthcare support to expectant and new mothers. This innovation will play a key role in reducing the number of infant deaths in Tanzania.
Neema Shosho – Afya Slices
Afya Slices uses digital tools to provide nutritional information targeting mothers, caretakers and health providers. With the aim of reducing the infant mortality rate and malnutrition among children up to five years old, Afya Slices platform aims provide information on how to use locally available & affordable food to improve child nutrition. Neema has developed different categories to enable parents and caretakers to retrieve information, based on the age of their child. Through mobile phones, users can enter specific codes that will provide them with appropriate nutritional information for the category they’ve selected.
Edward Simon Bihaga – Umoja wa Wawezeshaji
Edward is an activist who is determined to eradicate child labour in Kigoma, Tanzania and beyond. Using his organization Umoja wa wawezeshaji, Edward is digitizing educational material about child labor to be disseminated via SMS to create awareness about on issue of child labor. His organization also plans to rescue enslaved children and empower their parents through socio-economic activities to reduce the risk of their children being pushed into forced labour again and to help vulnerable children access education.
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