“…localization helps bridge gaps that exist in the technical world, by making tools and information accessible in one's own language.”

By Rebecca Ryakitimbo

Tanzania moves into elections this coming October and as is the case in most african countries, the fear of Internet throttling, shutdowns and blockage of websites and/or apps is real.

Localization Lab has been supporting the Arusha Women School of Internet Governance (AruWSIG) since its very first edition in 2018 and each edition content was localized to Swahili language. During the second edition of AruWSIG, the internews Safe Sisters guide to digital security was translated to Swahili language.This was facilitated by Zaituni Njovu and Erin McConnell through a one day localization sprint. The sprint did not only lead participants to understand more about localization, but it also provided them insights on digital security.

With an upcoming election, there is so much uncertainty especially as it pertains to information controls. It was thus necessary to localize circumvention tools in the likely event that an Internet shutdown happens. This will be crucial in ensuring there is uninterrupted flow of information among the citizenry before, during, and after the election.

African elections have been synonymous with Internet shutdowns, with governments terming them as “necessary in the interest of national security”. Should there be a shutdown, journalists (majority of whom were this year’s fellows) should be able to circumvent netblocks. The same case applies for the lawyers, techies and activists that formed part of the AruWSIG’s 3rd edition.

To ensure continued engagement the fellows have access to repositories with these tools, in order to share them with others that may find them useful. However in ensuring that these tools are taken up beyond the AruWSIG, the fellows have organized themselves into a working group that will make plans on how they make use of skills and knowledge gained from the school to complement their work and sensitize their different communities on the same.

Psiphon, an open source circumvention tool, was the focus of the AruWSIG localization sprint in 2020 as well as a localization sprint held in Dar es Salam one month prior.

This year's fellows were carefully selected to ensure passionate and determined minds are recruited, this was in effort to ensure that knowledge gained extends beyond the AruWSIG. Majority are journalists and find the importance of having free flow of information during crucial times like the election period.

Holding a localization sprint was the right kind of event to do rather than localization through volunteers because not only did it engage the participants of the sprint to gain new knowledge but the ability to be in a space where in that moment they can personalize and comprehend the essence of what they are doing. Being able to commune and work collaboratively to localize creates a sense of “connection” and learning at the same time.

This year’s localization sprint built on the foundation laid at last year’s sprint where participants translated basic digital security guides. Building up from having digital security knowledge and content in Swahili language, this year’s sprint applied localization efforts to tools and a detailed circumvention guide that can enable access despite blockages. Both sprints helped prepare a group of fellows who will go out there with not only knowledge on how to protect themselves, but also on how they can maintain free flow of information in the face of challenging election times.

An alumni mailing list and WhatsApp group were formed where interactions continue post the AruWSIG. With Louis (a former AruWSIG19 fellow) leading the AruWSIG localization sprint, we hope to host events where he can keep mentoring others to contribute to the work already being done. Ensuring these efforts are a continued process that engages different groups of communities.

The Psiphon Settings in Swahili. — The Psiphon *Settings* in Swahili.

When asked to describe what she took away from the sprint, Jenine, one of the fellows, said, “localization helps bridge gaps that exist in the technical world, by making tools and information accessible in one's own language”. Not only do we hope that these tools will play their role in ensuring everyone has access to exercise their constitutional rights during elections, but we believe that localization is the right link to connect the dots between access to information and enjoyment of Internet freedoms.