Evelyn Namara

Organization:	!nnovate Uganda, iamtheCODE
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Born:	30/07/1984
Region:	Africa
Country:	Uganda
Email:	evelyngeek@gmail.com
Website:	http://www.uginnovate.com/
Blog:	https://medium.com/enamara-blog/
Facebook:	Evelyn Namara
LinkedIn:	Evelyn Namara
Twitter:	@enamara

Evelyn Namara currently works as the Policy Outreach Fellow with Internet Society. In her role she works closely with the global policy team on issues related to access, trust and human rights. She's also founder and CTO of !nnovate Uganda, a technology start-up implementing technology innovations for sustainable development. Their flagship product, an electronic voucher system that works on mobile phones is currently being implemented by Mercycorps in different programs including USAID and WFP.

Namara is passionate about Technology for Development (ICT4D), Youth and Entrepreneurship as well as empowering women in technology.

Namara is a global ambassador for iamtheCODE an African-led global movement aiming at enabling 1 million women and girl coders by 2030, she also seats on the executive board for Africa Civil Society for the Information Society (ACSIS) - a pan-African network set-up to promote Inclusive Information Society in Africa.

Career History

• Internet Society, Policy Outreach Fellow (2017 - Present)

As Policy Outreach Fellow, Evelyn works with the Global Internet Policy department and is deeply involved in ISOC's online policy advocacy work (campaigns), special initiatives such as ISOC's 25th anniversary, as well as specific policy work related to access and human rights.

• !nnovate Uganda, Co-founder (2015 - Present)

!nnovate's flagship system, the mobile voucher system enables smallholder farmers to redeem seed crops, post harvest equipment as well as solar radios and efficient cookstoves. The system allows mobile payments via mobile money as well as enables farmers to collect data via USSD menus on simple mobile phones encouraging financial digital inclusion

• Wings Learning Centres, Implementation Manager (Jan 2015 - June 2015)

Wings LC, Provides technology-assisted, student-led & sustainable learning environments for low-income students in India. Evelyn Successfully implemented blended learning in four pilot learning centres in Bangalore and Kolkata. She also customized a blended learning style for Wings Learning Centres in partnership with Zaya the education content partners.

• Beyonic Limited, Regional Manager, East Africa (Jan 2014 - Dec 2014)

Beyonic offers technology tools that help businesses move beyond cash by implementing mobile payments platforms. Evelyn managed to negotiate with and bring Airtel Uganda on board as one of the mobile network operator partners. She was also influential in On-boarded major clients such as Bead for life, Save the children, ACDI/VOCA, One Acre fund.

• Solar Sister, Inc., Country Director (May 2012 - Oct 2013)

Solar Sister empowers women with economic opportunity using solar technology. In just 24 months, Evelyn led the company’s expansion from 10 entrepreneurs to 400 rural women solar entrepreneurs. Her team deployed more than 20,000 solar lanterns, amounting to savings of over 200,000 tons of carbon dioxide

• Solar Sister Uganda Program Coordinator (Feb 2011 - April 2012)

Evelyn implemented Solar Sister’s first operations in Uganda including registering the organisation for business. She recruited all staff members and spearheaded expansion to different regions in Uganda.

ICANN and Internet Governance Participation

• Internet Society Ambassador to the IGF - Joao Pessoa Brazil 2015
• Internet Society Ambassador to the IGF - Guadalajara, Mexico 2016
• ICANN fellow to the ICANN58 Community Forum meeting - Copenhagen, Denmark 2017
• ICANN fellow to the ICANN59 Policy Forum meeting - Johannesburg, South Africa 2017

Education

• Diploma in Information Technology (Science), Uganda Institute of Information and Communications Technology - Uganda
• Bsc. Computer Science, Makerere University - Uganda

Awards

• Anita Borg Institute (ABIE) Change Agent Award, 2012

Internet Society

Internet Governance Forum