Class of 2014

Fellows are listed in alphabetical order (by surname).

Arif Abdeljalil

Chairperson of Foreign Affairs, Euro African Youth Parliament, Algeria 

Arif Abdeljalil is a 22 years old Algerian Youth Leader and an advocate for better youth policies. He holds a Bachelor degree in Strategic and Foreign Affairs Security. He started his social engagements in 2006. In 2013 he got appointed as the Secretary General of North Africa International MUN and in April 2014 he was nominated as the Chairperson of Foreign Affairs at Euro African Youth Parliament (Germany). He is also Member of Special Committee on African Youth and Governance in Zambia. He is the founder of Algeria Model United Nations initiative in which he serves as the Secretary General. His continuous engagements demonstrate his high level of commitments toward building a bright future for Tomorrow’s Youth Leaders in his country and worldwide, and by participating in the African School in Internet Governance it is a chance to ensure this development.

Brenda Akite

Rural projects manager, Women of Uganda Network, Uganda 

Brenda is the Rural Projects Manager with Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET), an NGO that focuses on the use of ICTs among women, women organizations and youth to address issues of sustainable development. She has a bachelor’s degree in Development studies, post graduate diploma in public policy and governance and a certificate in administrative law. She is a human rights activist and has experience with the use of ICTs for development. “Currently, there is increasing access and use of internet in most African communities. I therefore hope to clearly understand the concept of internet governance, various stakeholders and their respective roles in enhancing internet governance. To gain deeper understanding on the existing internet governance laws and policies so as to share it through the various platforms to increase awareness about them and encourage maximum participation and engagement by all relevant stakeholders. Taking part in the internet governance school will equip me with more knowledge therefore being able to actively become involved in foras and discussions on internet governance.”

Felimone Amone 

Deputy Director: Research and training department, Science Innovation Information and Communication Technology Research Institute (SIITRI), Mozambique

Mr Amone is currently Studying Informatics Engineering  at Eduardo Mondlane University and working in the Department of training and Research of SIITRI (Science Innovation Information and Communication Technology Research Institute).”The importance of Internet in our life’s is raising every moment, as we move to a more connected world its essential to understand IG. For Mozambique particularly as a developing country, there is a strong need of human resources with IG training, in order to face the emerging and existing challenges.”

Masimba Biriwasha

Projects Officer, Media & ICT, Hivos, Zimbabwe

Masimba is a Digital Media Specialist with 14 years of experience in implementing and managing ICT-related projects in sub Saharan Africa, Europe and Asia. He is passionate about the tech sector and has geared his education and recent work experiences towards making a contribution in this exciting and rapidly growing industry. “I am interested to learn about the implication of internet governance to the trajectory of the Net in Africa.”

Tarryn Booysen

Administrative Assistant, Association for Progressive Communications, South Africa

Tarryn is a South African Bachelor of Arts graduate with majors in Psychology and Sociology. She currently works on APC’s End Violence: Women’s rights and safety online project as the administrative assistant and is a part of the Women’s Rights Programme. Tarryn is also responsible for the weekly section of GenderIT.org, DJ’s Choice. “I am interested in the internet governance school because it will broaden my knowledge as well as give me an insight to various policies which will prove useful in my line of work which currently focuses on online violence against women. Learning about the general processes behind internet governance will help me understand how things have progressed and which strategies have worked in influencing IG over the years. I would like to learn how to contribute confidently to discourse around internet governance.”

Emmy Chepkirui Chirchir

Doctoral Candidate, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität- Graduate school of Politics (GrASP), Kenya

Emmy Chirchir is a doctoral candidate at the Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität- Graduate school of Politics (GrASP), Germany. Her areas of research and interests are on open government, open data, public participation, e-government, democracy, development, technology, media and communications. She has developed rich experiences from working in different organisations such as the World Bank, KPMG, UNCCD, the World Wide Web Foundation and others. “I would like to participate in the AfriSIG because the internet continues to have a direct impact on our lives. In order to sustain the positive effects of the internet, we need to address internet governance issues, and I would like to contribute meaningfully to such discussions.”

Serge Daho

Volunteer ICT Researcher, PROTEGE QV, Cameroon

Serge Daho is currently volunteering as an ICT researcher for PROTEGE-QV, a civil society organization located in Yaounde, Cameroon. He holds a Professional Diploma in International Relations from the International Relations Institute of Cameroon (IRIC), 2005 cohort. He also hold a Master Degree in Political Science from the University of Yaounde (Cameroon). “The programme will further broaden my IG understanding mainly from an African perspective. Besides, I will gain new skills and experience on how the Internet, the backbone of our globalized world is managed. Overall I will gain knowledge to effectively taking part in both local and regional IGF.”

Michael Graaf

Right to Know Campaign, South Africa

Mr Graaf is a lifelong activist in anti-apartheid, antimilitarist, green, and information liberation fields. His education background is some science, some humanities, some media studies, and some IT. “My motivation in attending AfriSIG is to get my own knowledge up to date in order to engage with the issues, and to be able to share what I will learn. I already have a reportback scheduled the day after AfriSIG for Mauritian civil society, and another on my return to Cape Town.”

Halefom Hailu

Cyber law and policy researcher and deputy director of legal and policy issues directorate, Information Network Security Agency (INSA), Ethiopia

Halefom Hailu is a cyber law and policy researcher and deputy director of legal and policy issues directorate at Information Network Security Agency (INSA) Ethiopia. He has LLB in law (Mekelle University, Ethiopia) and LLM in Information Technology and Telecommunications Law (University of Southampton, UK). “It will help me to play leading role in establishing IG policy discussion forums in my country and to contribute to the IG debates in Africa.”

Michael Ilishebo

Law Enforcement Officer, Zambia National Police, Zambia 

Michael Ilishebo is a Law Enforcement Officer based in Kitwe with 14 years experience working for Zambia Police Service. For the last 6 years he has been working under the Information and Communication Technology Department. He did his Information Technology studies at the Copperbelt University and was also a 2013 Cyber Security and IT Policy Scholar at the United States Telecommunication Training Institute (USTTI) in Washington, DC, USA. He also studied with World Intellectual Property Organisation Academy (WIPO) and the International Intellectual Property Crime Investigators College (IIPCIC) under INTERPOL. Currently, he is in his final year at Cavendish University pursuing a B.Sc Computer Science. “Having participated both during the 2nd Africa IGF (AfIGF) in Nairobi, Kenya and Southern African IGF in Lilongwe, Malawi, I have decided to participate in the 2nd African School of Internet Governance in order to broaden my Cyber Security knowledge. I want a free and secure African cyber space.”

Sellina Kapondera

Associate Lecturer in the Department of Library and Information Science, Mzuzu Universty, Malawi

Sellina Khumbo Kapondera is an Associate Lecturer in the Department of Library and Information Science at Mzuzu Universty, Malawi, since 2010. She is currently studying towards Masters Degree in Library and information Science at University of the Western Cape, Cape Town. She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Library and information Science from Mzuzu University, Malawi. “Malawi has just launched Internet Governance Forum in which people from various sectors including the academia are expected to be participating and making contributions and my training in Internet Governance is therefore important as it will enable me understand the area better and ably participate in my country’s Internet Governance Forum and beyond. I have just recently participated in the 2014 Communications Policy Research Young Scholars Program and I want to commit myself in participating in ICT policy processes and reform in my country and Africa at large. Therefore, my training on Internet Governance will help me achieve this. My participation on African School on Internet Governance will help me understand how to incorporate human rights issues in Internet usage and other ICT polices in my organization, country and Africa at large.”

Octavia Kumalo

Vice-Chair, ISOC Gauteng; Customer Relations Officer, ZA Central Registry; Director, Foundation for Internet Development; ICT Consultant, dotadvisors, South Africa

Ms Kumalo holds an honours degree in informatics. She is currently the customer relations officer for the ZA Central Registry in South Africa and vice-chair of the Internet Society South Africa Gauteng chapter. “I want to attend the AfriSIG to solidify my understanding of the Internet Governance landscape issues, especially in the African context. This is crucial for me for the work we do as the Internet Society Gauteng chapter.”

Ayanda Lebele

Library Manager, Botho University, Botswana

Ayanda holds a masters in library and information science and another in development studies. She is currently a library and information science Phd candidate, studying with the University of South Africa. She has vast experience in public, academic and special research libraries. “In today’s Internet led information environment it is important as a librarian I have to know both structural and socio-economic issues related to access and usage of internet in Africa and the world. In my thesis I am also interested in access and usage of ICT’s (internet inclusive) in rural communities.”

Muzi C.K. Makhaye

Entrepreneur and Strategist, ABT Africa, South Africa

Muzi Makhaye was born in Pietermaritzburg, KZN and grew up in Umlazi, a township in the South of Durban. Muzi Makhaye completed high school education at Menzi High School and proceeded to do a New Managers Programme at Wits Business School where he also did MAP in 2006. Muzi was awarded a USSALEP scholarship to study Business Leadership at Wharton Business School, Pennsylvania University. He worked at the SABC, Mnet and also taught at Waverley Girls High in Balfour, Johannesburg. “I am a social activist who is keen to understand the technical workings and the corporate ethics associated with the internet. Today’s world stands at the pinnacle of the internet. Moving forward, I wish to contribute to a debate that seeks to craft and articulate African developmental interests in the internet governance. I feel Africa missed its opportunity in the first wave of the internet of people. It is not late for Africa to reclaim our rightful role in the internet governance as we embrace the next wave of the “internet of things”. I expect AfriSIG to provide me with a solid foundation for such activism.”

Henry Makori

Editor, Pambazuka News, Kenya

Mr. Makori is a Kenyan journalist working as editor with Pambazuka News, the authoritative Pan-African electronic weekly newsletter providing cutting edge commentary and in-depth analysis on struggles for freedom and justice. He studied anthropology at the University of Nairobi and journalism at Kenya Institute of Mass Communication. Mr. Makori has worked as a journalist/editor at the Seed magazine (a Kenyan Catholic monthly), the Catholic Information Service for Africa (CISA, an online news service) and at the Media Institute, a Nairobi-based civil society organization championing media freedom, freedom of expression and excellence in journalism in East Africa. “Although I have worked for many years as an online journalist and use Internet all the time, I have only heard about Internet governance. I would like to gain in-depth understanding of this area. In addition, Fahamu, which publishes Pambazuka News, is an organisation dedicated to building movements engaged in struggles for social justice in Africa and the Global South. I would like to better understand the use of Internet for activism.”

Maggie Hazvinei Mapondera

Just Associates Southern Africa, Communications & Programmes, South Africa

Maggie is part of JASS’ Southern Africa team. A great reader and blossoming writer, she is excited about creative ways to document and address human experience. As an intern at the Refugee Law Project in Uganda, Maggie facilitated an urban narratives project with women refugees in Kampala, seeing the efficacy of powerful personal stories in advocacy work. She volunteered with Zimbabwean refugees and asylum-seekers in South Africa as an intern for PASSOP (People Against Suffering, Suppression, Oppression and Poverty), spent a summer doing Theater for Social Change in Swaziland, and volunteered as a translator and assistant editor on a Voice of Witness title, Hope Deferred: Narratives of Zimbabwean Lives (McSweeneys, 2010). Maggie joined JASS in 2009 shortly after graduating from Yale with a BA in Comparative Literature, focusing on African literatures. In her free time, Maggie volunteers for the Women News Network, browses second-hand bookstores, and sinks happily into the pages of a compelling novel. “I’m a passionate feminist activist and communicator. One of my main interests is how communications technologies can support and strengthen women-driven movements for change. In a context where women are increasingly at the forefront of violations both on the ground and in virtual spaces, it’s critical to get a handle on what structures are in place to protect us and our movements and organisations in order to strategise better and amplify our messages as well as the work that we do.”

Zororo Mavindidze

Researcher, Freedom of Expression Institute, South Africa

Mr Mavindidze is a researcher at the Freedom of Expression Institute in Johannesburg, South Africa. He holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from the University of the Western Cape. Alumnus of the African Centres of Excellence programme within the Institute for Social Development and a recipient of the German Academic Exchange Service award. “I want to attend the AfriSIG based on the conviction that the internet is fundamental for sustainable development in Africa beyond 2015. The AfriSIG will deepen my understanding and enhance my ability to influence policy and practice related to the entrenchment of internet rights as a safeguard for civil-political and socio-economic development in Africa.”

Dora B. Mawutor

Programme Officer in charge of Research and Communications, Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Ghana

Ms Mawutor is the Programme Officer in charge of Research and Communications at the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) which is based in Accra, Ghana. She is also in charge of leading MFWA’s Internet Freedom and Digital Rights Advocacy in Ghana and the rest of West Africa. Before joining the MFWA, Ms. Mawutor had worked with some corporate and non-governmental organisations. She has a Masters of Philosophy Degree in Communication Studies and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Information Studies and French, all from the University of Ghana. “As the officer in charge of the internet freedom and digital rights advocacy programme of the MFWA, it is expedient to continuously learn and broaden my knowledge in internet governance and rights related issues. The MFWA’s internet freedom and digital rights advocacy programme started in Ghana last year, but already, we are planing to extend the advocacy to other West African countries. Capacity building has thus become critical for effective internet freedom and governance advocacy. My participation in the Internet Governance School will thus be an opportunity to get a broader perspective of internet governance and related-issues and an opportunity to network, learn and share experiences with other organisations which will capacitate me in leading the programme in Ghana and the rest of West Africa.”

Moipone Mphse

Coordinator, Community Education Computer Society, South Africa 

Ms. Mphse is the Coordinator of the Community Education Computer Society (CECS), an ICT Education and Training NGO which was started in 1985 in South Africa. She manages the day-to-day running of the organisation and have been employed by CECS for 6 years. She is currently studying towards a Certificate Programme in Training Practices for Educators and Trainers with the University of South Africa (UNISA). Ms. Mphse has attended various workshops and conferences dealing with ICT issues. “Since CECS is involved in the field of ICTs for Development, is it important that we stay abreast of ICT developments especially issues relating to the Internet. In so doing, we can strengthen the work of the organisation and play a role in the Internet Governance debate. Also, it will enable us to engage with and creating an awareness amongst the communities we serve about Internet Governance.”

Dorothy Mudavanhu

Human Rights Researcher, Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, Zimbabwe

I am a Human Rights Researcher affiliated with the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, a non- profit making organisation which aims to establish a society that respects all human rights, free from organized violence, torture and cruel inhumane degrading treatment. I am also a holder of a Bachelor of Science Honors Degree in Psychology awarded by the University of Zimbabwe (2007-2010). “As a human rights defender, knowledge of the history and overview on Internet Governance will provide me with tools to lobby and advocate for policy development with regard to privacy rights laws and digital surveillance in Zimbabwe.”

Selina Mudavanhu

Web content developer, Africa Gender Institute, South Africa 

Selina is currently working as a researcher and web content developer at the African Gender Institute, University of Cape Town. She holds a Masters degree in Communication and Media Studies. She worked briefly in print and broadcast media houses before moving to the non-profit sector. “As someone who lives in South Africa and mostly works online, I think the country’s democracy can be consolidated when there is free and open access to the internet. In this regard, I see the school as a space that facilitates the building of my capacity to better understand where the power currently lies in terms of internet governance. I hope that by the end of the training, through participants’ sharing of advocacy initiatives happening at present, I will be able to map out ways that I can meaningfully contribute to a free and open internet in South Africa and on the continent at large.”

Oarabile Mudongo

Mozilla Representative, Mozilla Foundation, Botswana

Oarabile volunteers with Mozilla Foundation as a Mozilla Representative through the Reps program. He is an ISOC member, ICANN fellow and Co-Founder of Mozilla Botswana working group. Through his active participation in open movements he has good experience in community building, open source technology and local content. He is currently pursuing his final year of Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science with a major in Network Engineering and specialty certifications in CompTIA Security+ and CCNA. “Participating in the 2nd African School on Internet Governance in Mauritius will help me gain extensive knowledge in Africa’s internet policy development, community building and multi-stakeholder approaches to Internet Governance, processes, challenges and opportunities for Africa and SADC region specifically”.

Tichafa R Mujuru

ICT Department, POTRAZ, Zimbabwe 

Tichafa Rixon Mujuru is a seasoned Information & Communication Technology executive with more than 20 years professional experience in the ICT industry and hands-on experience in IS Strategic Management, Software Development, Project Management, Compilation of RFP documents, Evaluation and Selection of Systems, and Preparation of Responses to RFP documents. Tichafa has held senior IT management positions with Afrosoft Corporation, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, the National Oil Company of Zimbabwe and Barclays Bank. He currently heads the ICT Department at POTRAZ. His current portfolio includes the Regulation of Internet services and Cyber Security issues, hence the need for him to attend AfriSIG 2014. Tichafa holds a BSc Honours – Information Systems (UNISA), Master of Business Administration degree (MBA – ZOU), Graduate Diploma in Management Studies (ICM) UK and a Higher National Diploma – Information Systems (IMIS) UK, among other qualifications.

Adam Mukendi

Digital Media Manager, SANGONeT, South Africa

Adam Mukendi Ntala is a law graduate, development practitioner and social entrepreneur. Adam advises businesses, civil society organisations and individuals on how to use Information Communication technologies (ICTs) and digital tools to increase outreach and add value. “The intention with my application is to improve my understanding of the Internet, decision-making and policies that surround it. My work involves the promotion of a culture of openness, online networking, social justice and accountability through the use of online media. I need to know who has leverage over the Internet to safeguard the freedom of those who use it.”

Caroline Mwaura

Advocate, High Court of Kenya, Kenya

Ms Mwaura is an advocate of the High Court of Kenya with a background in commercial law and conveyancing law practice. She holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi and a Master of Laws degree from the University of Cape Town. She is a lecturer at the Kenyatta University School of Law where she teaches intellectual property law, commercial law, information and communication technology law and competition law. “I would like to participate in the school in order to expand my knowledge on internet governance and share that knowledge.”

Leila Nachawati

Communications Officer, Association for Progressive Communications, Spain

Leila is a Madrid-based writer, communication consultant and human rights activist. She teaches Communications at Carlos III University, where she is currently pursuing her PhD. Since November 2014, Leila has been working as a Communications Officer for APC.org. She is also part of the SyriaUntold team, a digital archive on the Syrian civil movement and its creative and artistic content. Leila writes about human rights promotion,  the threats against freedom of expression and the social dimension of technology for several media such as Global Voices Online, Global Voices Advocacy, Al-Jazeera, El Mundo, and Eldiario.es.

Aminou Ndala

Intellectual Property Manager, INLEX Africa, Cameroon

Mr Ndala holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management as well as a Masters degree in Intellectual Property Rights from Africa University in Zimbabwe. This program was jointly offered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the African Regional Property Organization (ARIPO). He has also done many professional courses which include; Internet Society (ISOC) Next Generation Leaders (NGL) e-learning training program and Internet Governance Capacity Building Program (IGCBP) with DiploFoundation. In addition to this, Mr. Ndala is a member of the Internet Society (ISOC) Cameroon chapter and a former board member. Finally, he is a passionate editor and a member of the Wiki Africa team. “My area of specialization is in the domain of Intellectual Property Rights. Intellectual property plays a key role to encourage creativity, innovation, fostering economic growth in both developed and developing countries. To policy-makers and regulators, the challenge today is to preserve the incentive to create new works and use new technologies to distribute them to users in the face of the huge competitive threat from illicit use of technology by infringers. Participating at the AfSIG will provide me with an update on the current debate on IG and will give me an opportunity to join the debate on issues related to internet governance and regulation, media content regulation, electronic commerce, IP rights protection in the digital environment and regulation of internet content through to universal service provisions, network regulation and telecommunications regulation within developing markets.”

Nhlanhla Ngwenya

Director, Media Institute of Southern Africa, Zimbabwe

Mr Ngwenya is the National Director of MISA-Zimbabwe. His job entails daily supervision of the of the implementation of the organisation’s strategic interventions in promoting freedom of expression and access to information in Zimbabwe through independent and diverse communication platforms. He holds a Masters Degrees in International Development Management and Media and Communication. Mr. Ngwenya also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Media and Communication studies. “I am interested in participating in the internet governance school so as to acquire the requisite knowledge on the ICTs developments and the attendant regulatory principles for the sector. This would go a long way in enabling me execute my role as the Director of a leading freedom of expression organisation in Zimbabwe, whose current interventions include advocating around the adoption of a democratic ICTs policies and regulatory framework. This comes in the wake of government attempts to come up with a Bill to stifle freedom of expression on the Internet.”

Moses Owiny

Program Manager & Information Sharing & Networking, Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET), Uganda

Moses has over six years of experience implementing and managing ICT4D projects and programs in Uganda. He is passionate about ICTs, ICT4D, gender, agriculture and rural development. He holds a Bachelors Degree of Arts (Social Sciences)from Makerere University Kampala and Post Graduate Certificate courses. “I am interested in understudying the opportunities internet presents for women and girls in Uganda and how internet freedom and cyber security issues hinder or promote access and utilization of ICT based services for women and girls. I am also interested in ensuring more participation of women and girls in the cyber security debate and internet governance discourses.”

Seaparo Phala 

Chief Information Officer, Department of Arts and Culture, South Africa

Mr Pahla has a National Diploma and a Bachelor of Commerce (Law). He is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Department of Arts and Culture, South Africa, where he is responsible for all information and communication technologies including providing leadership for ICT services for the National Archives and Records Service of South Africa as well as the National Film, Video and Sound Archives. “Participation in the school will equip me with the knowledge and exposure to champion the cause for access to internet in South Africa. This will be my contribution towards bridging the digital divide in our country.”

Nthabiseng Pule

Executive Secretary – Universal Service Fund, Lesotho Communications Authority, Lesotho

Ms Pule holds a Master in Information Systems from the University of Southern Queensland.  Prior to that she went to the National University of Lesotho where she obtained a BSc. Computer Science and Statistics. “I have been actively involved in issues of internet governance for the past 12 years. I coordinated the establishment of an internet exchange point in Lesotho. I am also actively advocating for the establishment of governance structures for Lesotho’s ccTLD. I have been doing most of the advocacy work with limited experience and exposure in the issues involved in internet governance and hope to learn from peers and experts, and share experiences as well.”

Wellington Radu

Head of Programmes, Media Monitoring Africa, South Africa

Wellington Radu is Head of Programmes at Media Monitoring Africa. He is interested in information and communication technologies, human rights and sustainable development. Wellington holds a Masters Degree in Development Sociology from Wits University and a certificate in Human Rights Theory and Practice from the University of Cape Town. “While the future cannot be predicted with any degree of certainty, global trends indicate that the future will be digital, local and personal. As such, I would like to contribute to how we respond to the challenges brought by these changes.”

Mohamed Aslam Raffee

IT Consultant, University of Johannesburg, South Africa 

Mr Raffee is the Former Chief information officer of the Department of Science and Technology, South Africa. He is executive member of Government Information Technology Officers Council and chairperson of the open source and open standards working committee. Mr. Raffee is also Advisor to the South African Council for the Blind on Copyright and Director at Freedom to Innovate South Africa. “I am interested in issues of access and ensuring  an open internet.”

Gabriel Ramokotjo

President, Internet Society Gauteng Chapter, South Africa

Gabriel Ramokotjo is an internet activist, who currently serves as a President of Internet Society Gauteng Chapter and Director of Soweto Wireless User Group (NPO). He is currently in his 2nd year studying Bsc in Business informatics through Unisa and also a Raymond Ackerman Academy Alumni. Since 2011 employed by ZACR providing technical support for .ZA TLD domain names. “To participate in the 2nd African School on Internet Governance would be an extraordinary opportunity for me, as it will provide a platform to further develop my knowledge and deepen my understanding on the issues that shape the future of the Internet.”

Marian Shinn

Member of Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, South Africa

Ms Shinn passed the 8 GCE ‘O’ level subjects with distinctions in maths, biology and geography from Eveline High School, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. She then joined the Chronicle, Bulawayo as a  reporter before moving to the Rand Daily Mail in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1971. She worked for a number of South African newspapers before becoming the founding editor of PC in SA, the first magazine in South Africa to target business users of personal computers. Ms. Shinn won the Computer Journalist of the Year award for this in 1984. After a few years in IT public relations in Johannesburg Ms. Shinn moved to Cape Town, South Africa, where she became involved in politics. In 2009 she was elected as a Democratic Alliance Member of the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa. She serves as the party’s spokesperson on Telecommunications and Postal Services. “I became interested in the issue of Internet Governance when I attended the IGF meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania in 2010 as part of a tiny parliamentary delegation. I realised that this was an exciting, emerging field particularly as the open, multi-stakeholder, citizen-empowered platform that was the internet in in danger of being captured and manipulated by governments and major corporations. I feel that it is essential to maintain the internet as a vehicle for all citizens to participate in international communities of choice and to have a fair chance of being heard.”

Kawsu Sillah

Global Youth Ambassador, A World at School, the Gambia

Kawsu Sillah is Assistant Business Liaison Officer for the Information Technology Association of The Gambia. He is a graduate of the University of the Gambia School of Business and Public Administration with a Diploma in Micro and Small Enterprise Promotion, a Certified Microsoft System Administrator and a holder of Higher National Diploma in Information Technology from Quantum Associates Institute of Technology. “I feel my voice mattered as a concerned party and I need to be on the negotiation table to effectively participate in IG related discussions. This will serve as an opportunity to contribute to awareness raising and capacity building of communities to enlighten them on their roles and empower them to demand their rights which will facilitate their contributions to the development of Internet ecosystem for open multi-stakeholder bottom up Internet Governance process. To be successful in that, I need to equip myself with necessary tools to aid the growth and management of this public tool (the internet) for the benefit of all and I belief AfriSIG has the capacity to provide such an environment for me.”

Inoussa Traoré

Project manager and assistant teacher, University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

Inoussa holds Professional Master in Development Studies at the International Institute of Water and Environmental engineering (2iE), a Diploma of Advanced Studies in Applied Economics of the new graduate program Interuniversity in Economics of University Ouaga II and a Master in Economics and management of social and solidarity economy enterprises from the University of Ouagadougou. Inoussa is a project manager and assistant teacher at the University of Ouagadougou. He is also a member of Burkina NTIC network and coordinator of the group of reflection “ICT and Governance”. He is the focal point of West African Internet Governance Forum in Burkina Faso since 2011, and coordinates activities on internet governance in Burkina Faso. “Since 2011, I have been responsible for the organization of activities for the forum on internet governance in Burkina Faso within the general framework of the West African Forum on Internet Governance. Although not a specialist in ICT issues, I am passionate about the topic of internet governance. This course is an opportunity for me to enhance my understanding and skills on all these issues, all of which allow me to be more effective in the conduct of activities on the theme in Burkina Faso. This training is especially important to me as this year we decided to create a formal association of which I am the secretary general. The association will be responsible for leading the national initiative on internet governance. Moreover, this school on Internet governance will be an opportunity for me to interact with other participants from other countries to share good experiences and also networking for future discussions.”

Brian Tshuma 

Member of Parliament, Parliament of Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe

Mr Tshuma came top with distinctions at Cambridge International Examinations and went on to complete a Bachelor’s Degree (honours) in law as well as a second Bachelor’s degree in sociology at the University of Zimbabwe. In 2007 Mr. Tshuma worked as a lawyer in his hometown on a full-time basis before crossing into the National Assembly the following year as an opposition parliamentarian, where he is serving his second term. “I believe with the nature of opportunities or risks that confront humanity in the age of information society, ICT infrastructures increasingly occupy centre stage in human life. People’s livelihoods, the progress of corporations, the survival of society, its politics, environment or economies, will depend directly on the governance of ICT. Internet governance is a necessary tool for any individual and group who intend to actively shape the future of mankind.”

Anri van der Spuy

Media literacy consultant; MSc candidate, London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom

Anri is busy with an MSc in Media and Communications Governance at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE; UK) and also holds MPhil (Journalism), BPhil (Journalism) and LLB degrees from the University of Stellenbosch (South Africa). She was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa in 2012, and has further experience as a researcher, writer and editor; in corporate communications and media relations. “By interning at LSE’s Media Policy Project and participating in the NextGen@ICANN programme in June 2014, I have been introduced to some of the pertinent challenges facing internet governance today, albeit mostly from a developed country perspective. I am interested in learning more about African countries’ roles and involvement in multi-stakeholder arrangements for internet governance.”