Africa (Common wealth union) _ The Estonian Centre for International Development (ESTDEV) has announced the funding of 11 projects totaling €300,000 in a request for applications for the African region. The call’s goal was to help Namibia, Uganda, Kenya, and Botswana meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on education, entrepreneurship, and innovation. The activities chosen are in accordance with Estonia’s aims for international development cooperation and promote teamwork in ongoing initiatives.
The call for proposals sought activities that would assist the green and digital transitions, as well as the execution of recently initiated education reforms, the use of innovative teaching methods, and the development of digital skills among the people in Africa. Another key development goal will be to catalyze the adoption of human-centered e-solutions and the implementation of good governance. To ensure the success of this endeavor, notable NGOs, humanitarian groups, and educational and development programs have collaborated.
We are glad to learn that interest in Estonia’s private and third sectors in functioning in our African partner countries is growing. The volume and quality of project ideas submitted in response to the open call for project proposals far exceeded our expectations. We wish the financed projects the best of luck, as they all contribute to the development of our partner nations, establish partnerships, and bring valuable experiences home, said Nelli Maria Timm, ESTDEV’s Regional Advisor for Africa.
Mondo’s project assists the West Nile Education Cluster in developing the digital competencies of Ugandan teachers. These competencies will give instructors with greater skills and knowledge for implementing current teaching methods, as well as help the advancement of students’ digital skills, which will raise both pupils’ and teachers’ employability.
The BCS Koolitus project assists in the development of initial project plans for important areas in Namibia, which will devote up to five years to establishing digital competencies in local enterprises. This project will involve a more thorough action plan as well as on-the-ground pilot training in one specific area of digital skills. Master seminars and workshops aimed at small and medium-sized Namibian businesses will also be included in the project.
The Foundation for Technology Education Promotion’s mission aims to promote the implementation of Kenya’s education reforms, the implementation of new teaching methods, and the development of digital skills among the public. A digital literacy program for school administrators, educational technologists, and instructors will be designed.
The goal of the Digital Nation OÜ project is to develop a comprehensive digital roadmap for Namibia, complete with a realistic timeframe and priorities.
Based on Estonian success stories and best practices, the NGO Latitude59’s project will develop a more open and coherent business ecosystem in Kenya. The project’s core activity and outcome will be a satellite event of the startup technology conference Latitude59 in Nairobi, which has brought Estonia international success.
The project’s goal is to raise awareness of heritage-based and creative entrepreneurship in Namibia by utilizing digital technologies and involving young people. The program will teach young people about product development, entrepreneurship, the circular economy, and digital technology.
The Cybernetica AS project assists the Namibian government in implementing the Nam-X data exchange platform, including enhancing cooperation among connected organizations as the platform is implemented and supporting activities are carried out.
Tallinn University of Technology’s initiative “Entrepreneurial Minds” will carry out a best practices seminar and training program in Namibia, where the SDGs in the sectors of green technology and the circular economy will be introduced.
Garage48’s project builds on the success of its “Empowering the Startup Community” workshops and hackathons, with the goal of encouraging collaboration and creativity among Kenya’s startup support organizations.
The NGO Cleantech ForEst project establishes a foundation for the development of Kenya’s green and digital economy, a communication system to foster further interaction, and sustainable communication links with the Estonian ecosystem, based on Estonia’s long-term experience in the development of green technologies and the digital sector.
The Tallinn Science Park Tehnopol Foundation’s project increases awareness about environmental and climate challenges in Namibia and uses entrepreneurship and circular economy ideas by developing a pre-accession program to foster a local start-up ecosystem.
Estonian development cooperation assistance is aimed at achieving foreign policy objectives. The agreement between ESTDEV and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs specifies the organization of the call for proposals and open calls, as well as the target nations and aims.
