I had the enormous privilege of leading Imfundo: Partnership for IT in Education based in what was then the UK’s Department for International Development between 2001 and 2004. This initiative created by the UK’s Prime Minister, Tony Blair, was one of the first multi-sector projects in the then new field of ICT4D specifically designed to use digital tech in support of some of the most marginalised people and communities in Africa. Our partnership network of some 40 organisations worked in eight countries and the images below show members of the Imfundo team between 2001 and 2004, and our partners (taken from my 2004 farewell presentation)
I remain immensely pleased that the African entities with which we worked closely during those years appreciated the work of all the members of our team, as reflected in these comments noted in our output to purpose review in 2004.
- “Imfundo’s emphasis on working with the poorest of the poor communities, and collaborating with black SMMEs is exemplary. It is making a difference already, and could have much greater impact as the networks grow.”
- “Best networkers in the donor community. We like the networking and partnership approach – and they are less geopolitical.”
- “Imfundo has proved more accessible … and highly knowledgeable regarding the technology and education issues. It has been a learning experience to work with them”.
- “Strategic partnership approach and transparent, participative, networking processes are excellent, as is direct involvement of Imfundo with relevant expertise. Most other donors don’t work like this.”
I’ve never written in detail about Imfundo, not least because my contract had said I could only do so with the Department’s permission, and despite seeking that permission during the remainder of DFID’s life and then following its merger with the FCO in 2020, I never received a confirmatory reply! However, I have included some reflections about my time at Imfundo in my latest book Digital Inclusion in an Unequal World: An Emancipatory Manifesto (Routledge, 2026), and along with the other vignettes in the book I have also recorded this as an audio file accessible below and on our podcast: