DIEPSLOOT GOES CYBER THIS MANDELA MONTH WITH 67 DAYS OF DIGITAL ACTIVISM (2015-07-23)
July 23,
2015 9032 9032 
In the spirit of making every day Mandela Day, The Wot-If? Trust and its partners are embarking on 67 Days of Digital Activism, launching in Diepsloot on 22, 23 and 24 July 2015.
“This is in keeping with our philosophy that 67 minutes is really not enough to celebrate Madiba’s life and honour his legacy,” says Gail Styger of The Wot-If? Trust, which incubates and accelerates small businesses and mentors emerging entrepreneurs in under-served areas such as Diepsloot, a township north of Johannesburg.
“Many communities are given ‘things’ by corporates, but they don’t have the skills or ‘software’, let alone the content or backup, to make it worthwhile. It needs to be activated to be valuable – and that's what we will be doing over 67 days,” says Styger.
Commenting further, Terrance Booysen, who heads up the renowned corporate governance consulting services organisation -- CGF Research Institute -- says, “whilst the support from corporates is critical to the success of community upliftment projects, it is equally important that corporates stand alongside their efforts to ensure that projects of this nature are sustainable. Impoverished communities want assurance that these corporates will support their projects until they are self-sustaining, and that they will transfer the necessary knowledge and skill which is desperately needed. By organisations simply donating a sum of money, without the necessary standby support often leads to failed projects and community mistrust.”
Accordingly, The Wot-If? Trust’s 67 Days of Digital Activism initiative seeks to facilitate and fund a digital ecosystem in Diepsloot. Incorporating existing technology ventures, it will also culminate in the development of a media, information and communication technologies precinct, as well as the production of a full-length movie, a music video festival and lots more – all within 67 event-filled days.
Click below to read more...
