AI FOR GOOD FELLOWSHIP: Do you want to help solve Africa’s challenges using ethical AI?
Are you a technologist with experience using AI to solve real-world problems?
The Digitalise Youth consortium, through Code for Africa (CfA), is offering six fellowships for technologists in Africa to work with Human Rights Defender (HRD) organisations and help them strengthen their impact through the responsible use of AI.
The HRD organisations will be based in the Sahel, as well as neighbouring countries in West and East Africa, so familiarity with the region and its political, social, and digital realities is essential.
Through this fellowship, technologists will support HRDs to strengthen existing AI-enabled initiatives and resources, or to design new tools and workflows where needed. Fellows should therefore have proven experience building practical AI tools, especially using generative AI tools, including large language models (LLMs), as well as a strong commitment to human rights and responsible AI practice. Activities will include co-designing AI tools with HRDs, supporting safe and context-sensitive deployment, and generating actionable insights to inform policy, advocacy, and public-interest interventions.
Fellows may develop AI-enabled tools/interventions independently or in collaboration with other experts. These solutions may include multilingual research assistants, tools for analysing and summarising large volumes of text, systems for detecting or tracking harmful narratives, and workflow automation that strengthens civic engagement and public-interest response. Expected deliverables include research briefs, prototype AI tools, and practical plans for scaling AI-enabled interventions that strengthen HRDs’ work and help safeguard public discourse.
Selected fellows will receive support from CfA’s TechLab, DataLab, and AI Sandbox, as well as mentorship from global AI experts, civil society organisations, and policymakers. The wider partnership includes climate resilience networks, public health organisations, and digital rights advocates, providing additional opportunities for prototyping, testing, and scaling solutions.
We seek problem-solvers with:
Eligible candidates are invited to fill this form by 11th May 2026 to join a transformative cohort of innovators addressing the Sahel’s most pressing challenges through ethical AI.
About the project
The Digitalise Youth Project, part of the Digital Democracy Initiative, aims to address the shrinking civic space and rampant disinformation in the Sahel and neighbouring regions by empowering local youth activists and civil society organisations. The project focuses on enhancing digital skills, promoting civic tech solutions, and raising awareness about online political engagement. By bridging the gap between human rights defenders and the tech community, the project equips young activists and media organisations with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital ecosystem, protect themselves from surveillance, and fight against disinformation. In addition to its capacity-building work, Digitalise Youth’s advocacy efforts seek to promote digital rights at local, regional, and international levels, urging the ratification of the African Union Convention on Cybersecurity and Personal Data Protection.
About the partners
Code for Africa (CfA)
CfA will give fellows access to support from its openAFRICA data ‘liberation’ team, the commons.AFRICA open source team, the source.AFRICA evidence research team, and a string of wider communities that CfA manages, including the africanDRONE community of civic drone/mapping pioneers, the sensor.AFRICA community that uses remote sensors to monitor air/water/radiation and other environmental information, the PesaCheck fact-checking team that debunks misinformation, the iLAB forensic investigation team that tracks and exposes hate speech or other toxic content, the CivicSignal media monitoring and content analysis team, and the WanaData network of women data scientists/storytellers who liberate and amplify feminist data.AfricTivistes
AfricTivistes will function as the digital activism catalyst, launching innovation hubs and civic tech events to foster grassroots solutions. It will fund youth developers building tools to counter disinformation and monitor governance accountability. AfricTivistes will leverage its pan-African network to ensure culturally resonant, locally driven advocacy.
European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)
EPD will act as the policy architect, driving digital rights reforms through AU/ECOWAS engagement and global platforms like the UN. It will connect Sahel youth leaders with AU-ECOSOCC to advance the African Charter on Democracy. EPD will integrate civic tech into regional governance frameworks through coalition-building and advocacy.
Canal France International (CFI)
CFI will stand as the media integrity guardian, training Sahel journalists to combat misinformation and online threats. It will equip young creators with ethical storytelling tools and amplify human rights reporting via Francophone media partnerships. CFI will prioritise digital safety for activists in conflict zones like Sudan and Mali.
World Scout Bureau Africa (WOSM)
WOSM will operate as the youth skills accelerator, using Scouting networks to teach digital literacy and AI basics in underserved communities. It will fund grassroots tech projects in Benin and Cameroon, fostering youth leadership in climate and governance. WOSM will deploy mobile training units to bridge urban-rural tech gaps.
Kofi Annan Foundation (KAF)
KAF will emerge as the human rights steward, advancing ethical AI governance aligned with AU standards. It will mentor activists in Ethiopia and Somalia to advocate for digital rights safeguards. KAF will link Sahel partners to global platforms like the UN, ensuring local voices shape international tech policies.