Cultural Preservation Through Tech Inclusion

The program strives to preserve low-resourced African languages, including Ghɔmálá and other Cameroonian languages as they are added, by bringing them into the digital age. This involves creating tools that make the language relevant and useful for current and future generations.

Program Engage Africa is an initiative dedicated to advancing Natural Language Processing (NLP) and AI capabilities for these languages. It fosters dynamic, participatory development of technology solutions, focusing on collaboration with the communities, linguists, tech experts, and local stakeholders.

Tech Adaptation and Language Focus

The program is not just about technology; it’s about preserving and promoting languages and cultures that might otherwise be underrepresented in the digital world.

It prioritizes active community involvement in data collection, integrating diverse local insights to advance relevant, impactful technologies across the communities. It is implemented by conducting sub-programs for each languages. The program is divided into focussed projects for the different strategies, including Project Mirror Africa, Project Embrace Africa and Project Include Africa.

Engaging Africa is vital for several compelling reasons. It acknowledges and elevates the continent’s rich cultural and linguistic heritage, encourages inclusion in technological and educational advancements, and ensures that African voices are heard and represented in the global arena.

Firstly, tech inclusion ensures that African perspectives and needs are integrated into global technological advancements. By engaging African communities in tech development, we create more inclusive, diverse, and effective solutions.

Secondly, language preservation is crucial; Africa’s linguistic diversity is a treasure trove of knowledge and history. Preserving these languages not only safeguards cultural identities but also contributes to the global linguistic and cultural mosaic, enhancing our collective human experience.

Engaging Africa can help support innovation and leadership by promoting African languages as vital tools for creative expression and intellectual exchange.

It also fosters cultural exchange and mutual learning, allowing different linguistic groups to both contribute to and learn from a shared pool of knowledge, thereby enriching the global dialogue with the unique linguistic and cultural insights of Africa.

Lastly, promoting cultural consumption of tech solution, content and arts in African languages enriches global culture, showcasing the continent’s vast and diverse heritage.

Engaging Africa effectively involves three key strategies: Including Africa, Embracing Africa, and Mirroring Africa.

Sub-program “Include Africa” focuses on global entities localizing their content into African languages, ensuring accessibility and relevance. This approach bridges language barriers, fostering inclusivity.

Sub-program “Embrace Africa” centers on creating and translating content within African languages for African audiences. This strategy celebrates linguistic diversity, catering to local preferences and cultural nuances.

Sub-program “Mirror Africa” involves showcasing African languages and cultures to the world. This reflects the continent’s rich heritage globally, promoting cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. Each strategy plays a crucial role in integrating Africa into the global digital landscape.

Key stakeholders include:

• Local Communities and Language Experts: Native speakers and linguists who can provide invaluable insights into linguistic nuances and cultural contexts.
• Academia: Universities and research institutions can contribute through research, development, and training in NLP and ML technologies.
• Tech Companies: Both local startups and global tech giants can play a role in developing and deploying technologies that cater to African languages and needs.
• Governments and NGOs: Policy makers and non-governmental organizations can support initiatives through funding, policy frameworks, and public awareness campaigns.
• International Collaborators: Partnerships with international researchers, institutions, and organizations can foster knowledge exchange and provide access to resources and expertise.

Program Engage Africa initiates dynamic, participatory development of language solutions, focusing on collaboration with African communities, tech experts, and local stakeholders. It prioritizes active community involvement in data collection, integrating diverse local insights to advance relevant, impactful technologies across the continent, targeting NGOs, local governments, and tech developers. It is implemented by conducting various programs, the first of which is Program Engage Ghɔmálá.

Are you interested in helping with this type of program for a low-resourced African language?

Join the conversation!

In our journey towards advancing Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning technologies for low-resourced African languages, we are committed to fostering robust partnerships and allyship. Recognizing the power of collaboration, we seek to unite with technology companies, academic institutions, language experts, and community organizations. Together, we aim to harness diverse expertise, resources, and perspectives to innovate and preserve the linguistic heritage of Africa. Through these strategic alliances, we will develop groundbreaking tools and platforms that celebrate and elevate the rich tapestry of African languages, ensuring their vibrancy in the digital age and beyond.

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