Strengthening civic engagement in Congo through community-powered news
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$6,700
A community-powered news platform changing how trusted local information flows across African cities. Built in response to urgent gaps in media access and accuracy, the platform enables citizens to share verified, real-time updates from the ground.
- Region 🇨🇩 Congo (DRC)
- Sector Infrastructure
- Stage Pilot
Localee was founded by Fidelia Okandze, a Congolese entrepreneur who, during the 2024 conflict, struggled to access timely, accurate updates about her home country. Like many in the diaspora, she found herself piecing together news through WhatsApp threads and Facebook posts, informal channels that were often late or unclear.
Driven by this gap, Fidelia built Localee, a digital platform where everyday people share what's happening around them and verify each other's reports. What began as a simple tool for information sharing quickly became a trusted alternative to traditional media. Users have reported on floods, demolitions, and political unrest, often before these stories reach major broadcasters.
Fidelia's vision is rooted in community agency. Localee is not just a news app; it is an ecosystem for civic voice, visibility, and local opportunity.
Why this matters
In cities like Kinshasa and Goma, access to accurate local news remains limited. National media often overlooks these areas, and international reporting is sporadic or delayed. The result is a dangerous information gap: people don't know where it's safe to travel, which areas are affected by disruption, or how local dynamics are shifting.
This gap is more than a media problem; it affects safety, livelihoods, and civic engagement. Without trusted, timely updates, communities face avoidable risks, missed opportunities, and growing disconnection from public life.
Localee responds to this gap by equipping people with the tools to report, validate, and amplify what's happening in their cities. It shifts the power of information into local hands, building trust, connection, and resilience from the ground up.
What the project will change
With Kwanda's support for its go-to-market strategy, Localee will expand its reach in Kinshasa and Goma and also enter Dakar and Nairobi, cities where misinformation, exclusion, and information deserts persist.
Locals will be able to:
Share verified updates about their surroundings in real-time.
Participate in post-validation to crowdsource truth.
Get notified when news breaks nearby, whether it's a protest, a storm, or a local market announcement.
Earn income when their verified posts contribute to public awareness.
This expansion will bring real benefits: safer navigation of city life, stronger community accountability, and a new form of dignified economic participation through citizen journalism.
Technical stuff
The Details
- New users onboarded 26
- Institutional partnerships formed 3
Updates
From the field
Major media exposure and partnership lead mark milestone month in DRC
Posted 1 Jul 2025
Excited to share some major milestones from the past month, including national media exposure and a promising lead toward a potential government partnership in the DRC.
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Achievements…
Growing Visibility: In just one month, we gained over 100 new followers across our social media platforms, reflecting increasing public interest in our work.
On-the-Ground Campaign in Kinshasa: We traveled to Kinshasa and successfully promoted Franck on three major media platforms: two television channels and one radio station, reaching a combined audience of over 3 million people.
Facebook Ads Launched: We launched our first Facebook ad campaign, which will run for one month. Within the first 24 hours, we received 21 inbound messages and calls from individuals across the DRC expressing interest in the app.
Cross-Border Information Flow: With a new team member based in Nairobi, we’re now receiving live updates from Kenya, particularly around current protests, enhancing our regional coverage.
Team Growth: Our local team has expanded to five core members across the DRC and Kenya. Each ambassador is now taking on broader responsibilities, promoting Franck in Goma, Kinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Nairobi.
Rebrand Complete: We completed a full company rebrand, including a new name, to better align with our long-term vision and values.
Dedicated Inbound Line: We’ve established a dedicated contact line for incoming inquiries, now managed by a trusted team member to ensure timely responses to questions about sharing information on the platform.
What’s in the Pipeline …
University Outreach: We’re organizing app promotion rallies at three major universities in Kinshasa to engage directly with young people and onboard new users at scale.
Ongoing Media Exposure: We’re in active discussions to secure a permanent television segment to keep building awareness and credibility for Franck.
Government Partnership Potential: Thanks to our recent media exposure, we’ve been offered an introduction to a Congolese government official to discuss a potential data-sharing contract. If successful, this could allow public institutions to access anonymous platform data to improve public services. This is a major opportunity. Stay tuned.