By Yusufu Abu Sesay
Orange Sierra Leone, in partnership with the Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has hosted the first-ever Digital Public Goods (DPG) Community of Practice and Pipeline Meetup Workshop.

The workshop, which brought together Information Technology students and young lecturers from various universities and colleges, was held on Friday, 8th August 2025, at the new Orange Digital Center building, Hill Station, Freetown.
Speaking at the event, DSTI Representative Ahmed Turay explained that the initiative -taking place across four locations and starting at the Orange Digital Center, aims to increase awareness of Digital Public Goods (DPGs). He highlighted solutions developed by DSTI, such as PreStrack, RapidPro with UNICEF’s Leh Wi Tok, the Learning Passport, and others.
Sessions were led by DSTI staff, including developers, coordinators, and project managers, with notable contributions from lecturers at Limkokwing University.
On the DPG pipeline, Christex Foundation representative, Hawa Kallon gave an in-depth explanation of DPGs, describing them as free, open-source tools designed to address real-world challenges and empower communities through accessible solutions. She emphasized that engaging with DPGs can foster innovative, collaborative efforts for societal benefit.
Another DSTI representative, Sheku Munu, underscored the importance of DPG tools in tackling complex issues. He explained that DPGs offer free tools for data collection in challenging environments, including KoboToolbox, RapidPro, DHIS1 & 2, and OpenG2P.
These tools can be applied in diverse areas such as health data collection, beneficiary management in the field, digitalizing government payments, e-referral systems for gender-based violence survivors, WAEC result checker, and other impactful projects.
The workshop was described as highly productive, with participants leaving “DPG ready” and motivated to form communities that will champion the DPG cause.
One of the key tools identified for sustaining these efforts is the Discourse digital platform, which will serve as a hub for ongoing collaboration and engagement on DPGs.