Being online and using the Internet are becoming increasingly important to social justice and human rights work. But the technology most of us rely on is vulnerable to censorship, surveillance, and corporate manipulation. Tech can be expensive, and when it is “free” we often pay with our privacy and personal information.

The Yetu Infotech Collective envisions a people’s internet that is user owned and controlled, de-commodified, free/affordable, safe and secure – a communications network that enables a world where all the resources required for life are produced democratically in harmony with the biosphere by each according to their ability and shared according to their needs – a world where everyone enjoys equality and dignity and are free to contribute their creativity and live in peace.

Yetu works to build the internet from below by supporting working class community initiatives to establish and maintain secure and affordable networks and provide progressive civil society organisations, and social movements in particular, with affordable and secure communication technology and capacity to maximise the benefits of information technologies while mitigating the risks. They are a user/worker controlled Non-Profit Company united by a common commitment to gender liberation, anti-racism, solidarity, participatory democracy, and environmental and economic justice.

Act Umbambano is supporting Yetu to develop the Mamela.org and Vuka.news online platforms designed to serve the information and expression needs of South Africa’s marginalised majority and centre the voices of progressive CSOs

Click here to visit their website.