Project Description: Fireside Research

African voices from outside the political and financial elite have traditionally been underrepresented in policy discussions relating to the continent. Providing access to local information in a timely, accurate and cost efficient manner has numerous benefits from the more effective allocation of resources, to the empowerment of local voices and capacity building. Fireside Research plugs this gap by utilizing technology to mobilize Africa’s human capital and enrich the global conversation on African policy.

By providing a dynamic and reliable online forum where African voices can reach an international audience of policy makers and specialists, Fireside minimizes the obstacles of sourcing time-sensitive and specialist information from across the continent. It identifies and certifies local experts - grassroots analysts, journalists and scholars with ground-level knowledge – and facilitates their interaction with a global policy audience seeking information and contextual analysis from across the continent. The process is aided by the considerable growth rate in access to technology in Africa, enabling a decentralized mode of information gathering whereby analysts in remote locations can supply timely, accurate and cost-efficient information, which in turn feeds into and raises the level of policy debate concerning Africa.