This Toolkit provides relevant background and related resources specifically targeted to support policy-making in Africa. The toolkit promotes an approach that aligns FOSS policy and strategy with broader objectives for social and economic development. The toolkit is split in two parts.

Implementation and policy-making to optimise public access to ICT

The first study of its kind in Africa, this report provides information and advice to people who want to make sound software choices for public computer labs in Africa. The two-year study looked at the software environments in 121 public-access computer labs in Namibia, South Africa and Uganda. The findings examine the factors that affect software choices, the realities of the current situation in Africa, and the long-term implications of software choices for Africa, considering both ground- and policy-level issues.

 An article in collaboration with the Tactical Technology Collective

African software developers face many obstacles as they struggle to grow professionally in their chosen field. But these "coders", as a group, form a community marked less by their frustration and isolation than by their perseverance and resolve. This theme dominated AfricaSource, a workshop held in Namibia in March, 2004. The meeting of 40 developers from 25 countries in the small town of Okahandja was the first chance many of the coders have had to collaborate and compare notes. Bridges.org, in cooperation with Tactical Technologies, has written an article airing the views shared by the workshop participants and looking at ways in which the field of software development could grow in Africa. The article is based on interviews and contains quotes from many of the delegates.

A guide to free resources available to NGOs and businesses to use computers and the Internet

There is a wealth of free resources available for individuals, NGOs, and businesses to use computers and the Internet. The problem is finding out about them. This document provides a brief introduction to some of the most important resources, including where to get free or low cost computers, where to get free email accounts, how to develop and host your website for free, and where to get free software.