eKitabu in partnership with International Publishers Association (IPA) and Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) held the 2021 Content Development Challenge (CDC) virtual training on Thursday 20th May 2021 via Zoom to equip publishers and content developers in building accessibility into the design and development of their titles and publishing practices ahead of submission in July 2021. Kenyan publishers and content developers will utilize practical materials and templates included in eKitabu’s open-source Accessible EPUB Toolkit for accessible publishing.

2021 CDC Timeline

• Inhouse virtual training: 21st May - 25th June 2021
• Content Submission deadline: 30th July 2021
• CDC first judging: August 2021
• CDC first interview: August 2021
• CDC final judging: September 2021
• CDC Award ceremony: September 2021 at Nairobi International Book Fair

About Content Development Challenge (CDC)

Content Development Challenge (CDC) incentivizes publishers to adopt born-accessible practices, recognizing and rewarding quality titles created by publishers with cash awards, certificates, and gift hampers. Central to CDC is the use of practical materials and templates included in the eKitabu open-source Accessible EPUB Toolkit. CDC is funded through The Africa Publishing Innovation Fund (APIF) – a grant program co-led by the UAE-based global philanthropic organization Dubai Cares and implemented by the International Publishers Association (IPA)

About the Africa Publishing Innovation Fund (APIF)

The APIF is a four-year, USD 800,000 fund provided by Dubai Cares, a UAE-based global philanthropic organization, and administered by the IPA. The decision was to incentivize learning innovations to help African students pursue their education followed the confinement measures imposed worldwide in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Around 190 countries had to close schools and universities, affecting more than 1.5 billion school-aged children – around 90% of the world’s student population.

About International Publishers Association (IPA)

The IPA is the world’s largest federation of publisher associations with 83 members in 69 countries. Established in 1896, the IPA is an industry body with a human rights mandate. The IPA’s mission is to promote and protect publishing and to raise awareness of publishing as a force for economic, cultural, and social development. Working in cooperation with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and numerous international NGOs, the IPA champions the interests of book and journal publishing at national and supranational levels. Internationally, the IPA actively opposes censorship and promotes copyright, freedom to publish (including through the IPA Prix Voltaire), and literacy.

In case you missed it, here is a recording of the 2021 CDC Training

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