Mariéme Jamme’s media briefing on Apps4Africa Climate Challenge in Harare

Yesterday, we attended a press briefing for the Apps4Africa Climate Challenge that’s taking place today in Harare at The Media Centre. Doing the briefing was Mariéme Jamme, who is part of the organizing team of the Challenge and will also be facilitating today’s brainstorming session.

She basically explained more about the challenge, what they are working to achieve and eventually gave the journos there an opportunity to ask questions. We note below the main points that came out of the Jamme’s briefing:

• The main purpose and idea behind the challenge is to showcase the ability of African developers to develop apps addressing issues affecting Africa as well as the world at large
• The brainstorming session provides an opportunity for developers to meet other developers, entrepreneurs and climate change (and environmental) specialists to share information and brainstorming on possible solutions and apps that can help people understand climate change better.
• The brainstorming session is about people coming together in a one place to discuss climate change issues and sharing information encouraging developers to embrace the spirit of sharing.
• Climate change is the issue being tacked for this 2011 challenge (yes, this is a 2011 challenge. Started last year in West and East Africa) and in future the focus will go to other issues like Food security,  health, Agriculture and so on
• For developers looking to participate, while there was some emphasis on mobile apps (for obvious reasons) Jamme explained that it doesn’t have to be a mobile apps or even an internet/web based app. It can even be a radio based app that uses community radio for example to raise awareness about climate change issues. It can also be a desktop app.

That’s about it. We hope to meet you there today. You can read more about the actual challenge here.