AfroLeadership is the partner in Cameroon of the oPTIMA Project that is being implemented in various countries in 2020 and 2021. Internews has designed OPTIMA (Optimizing and Promoting Targeted and Impactful Messaging for Advocacy in Africa), an 18-month program with the goal of reducing the number of Internet shutdowns in Africa by creating coordinated, cross-sectoral and replicable responses from organizations engaged in Internet freedom advocacy at the local, regional and international levels. OPTIMA’s objectives are to: 1) Empower local, regional, and international actors to respond effectively to Internet shutdowns in Africa; and 2) Build a replicable and sustainable workflow framework to share knowledge on combatting shutdowns.

In oPTIMA, AfroLeadership implements an advocacy project that will stand on an Internet Measurement Report to assess the quality of Internet connectivity in Cameroon, and the level of frustration as experienced by net-citizens. AfroLeadership has been awarded an amount of 40 000 USD.

AfroLeadership is part of Internews’ OPTIMA Advisory Committee that helps to evaluate/distribute a pilot round of grants, to ensure that the available funds go towards projects that are both high quality, and that they meet the needs of those who will be using them. The Advisory Committee is made up of a small group of organizations who have extensive experience and networks in the region and have expertise in at least one of the thematic grant areas.