Melissa Zisengwe, Program Associate

Cape Town, South Africa

Melissa supports People Powered’s capacity-building programs and resources focused on technology. Her work focuses on programs and activities that help governments and organizations around the world choose and implement technology that supports and improves their participatory program.

Before joining People Powered, Melissa worked as program officer for the Civic Tech Innovation Network (CTIN), which brings the African civic tech community together. She has also worked as a program assistant and collaborations coordinator for Code for All, and as a research fellow at the Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA). Before entering the civic tech space, Melissa briefly worked as a journalist and served on the Index on Censorship Youth Advisory Board, a project aimed at engaging with young people ages 16-25 from around the world and gathering their views on freedom of expression.

Melissa earned bachelor’s degrees in journalism/media studies and English/linguistics from Rhodes University (South Africa) and is currently completing a master’s degree in ICT policy and regulation at the University of the Witwatersrand. Her research focuses on civic tech and governance.

Outside of her work, Melissa enjoys swimming, learning new languages and reading African literature.