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Leading pan-African organisation, Paradigm Initiative (PIN) has announced the three winners of its 2023 Digital Rights and Inclusion Learning Lab (DRILL) Fellowship.
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The outstanding candidates, Mr. Wahome Wilson from Kenya, Ms. Ameni Saidani from Tunisia, and Ms. Sibongile Mokapane from Lesotho, emerged tops from a pool of 1,265 applicants drawn from across the continent.
The program, which takes place between August and December 2023, will allow the fellows to be embedded in the digital rights and inclusion ecosystem. Through the fellowship, PIN seeks to host innovative learning around digital rights and inclusion in Africa and serve as a space for enhanced capacity and networking.
Wilson is a Research and Consulting Lead at Lawyers Hub Kenya, Saidani is a Project Assistant at the Ibsar Association, and Mokapane is an Advocacy Specialist at Politics4Her.
Wilson is an advocate specialising in the areas of technology and intellectual property. He has a background in a variety of cross-cutting issues that touch on telecommunications law, media law, data protection and privacy. At the Lawyers Hub-Kenya, he works closely with startups and other clients and advises them on issues touching on intellectual property, data protection, telecommunications law and other contractual issues.
Saidani is a dedicated advocate with a primary focus on digital rights, particularly for individuals with disabilities. With a comprehensive background spanning over four years in civil society engagement, Ameni has demonstrated an unyielding commitment to digital inclusivity and equity. Holding dual Master’s degrees in “Disability and Rehabilitation” and “Sign Language Interpretation,” she blends academic prowess with hands-on experience.
Mokapane is a passionate human rights lawyer specialising in women’s and children’s rights, digital rights, and gender issues. With an LLB and an LLM degree, she is an advocate admitted to practice and is currently working as an advocacy specialist at Politics4Her, focusing on the Women’s Leadership and Political Participation portfolio.
Their credentials reflect PIN’s commitment to fostering digital rights and inclusion. “We are excited to welcome Ameni, Sibongile, and Wahome to the DRILL Fellowship. Their dedication to digital rights and their respective areas of expertise make them valuable additions to our community. We look forward to the positive impact they will create,” said Ms Bridgette Ndlovu, the Partnerships and Engagements Officer at Paradigm Initiative.
