The Mongulu Collective
was born from a desire to promote the creation of free tools adapted to the needs of the Cameroonian community in France. It aims to rely on people who feel close to this community and want to volunteer their knowledge and digital expertise.
Objective
The collective takes its name from the hut of the Baka people, who are the most numerous representatives of the group commonly called "pygmies". They are known for having preserved the forest as a preferred living space to some extent. The mongulu are the huts they build when they move to change their hunting area during the year. The hut thus contains a set of tools serving the Baka community.
Vision
To ultimately become an essential player in the digital sector within the Cameroonian community in France, with a strong anchoring in our values.
Values
Humility and recognition in the service of the common good - The "Bakas" are now a marginalized people in Cameroon (no national identity card, land/hunting area issues) even though they hold an essential place in Cameroon's history. On the one hand, because they are very likely the first inhabitants of Cameroon and on the other hand, due to the central role they have played.
Empowerment and emancipation of women through technology - In "Baka" society, the construction of mongulu huts is done solely by women. This gives them a certain power in social organization, as the construction technique is unique to them; it is not a simple task separation.
Free Software We subscribe to the values that support free software and believe that it is one of the keys to the digital emancipation of Cameroon. Indeed, we believe that to innovate and adopt digital solutions suited to the Cameroonian context, we need to "appropriate" them (in the etymological sense of the term, meaning to make them our own), which involves the ability to study, understand, and modify them without limits. And only free software, it seems to us, meets these three conditions. This is why all the tools developed within the framework of this collective will be free.
Approach
To achieve its vision, the collective relies on co-opted members.
It welcomes all Cameroonians or affiliates with various digital skills.
Members are then invited to our 2 monthly events:
Work & Eat together: Monthly meetings in Paris on the last Friday of the month, allowing us to work in person thanks to teleworking.
Débrief: Virtual meetings on the first Thursday of the month (or postponed if the eve of a public holiday) for project reviews and technology watch.
It is also during the briefing that they can present new projects that will be integrated if they meet the following criteria:
- Infrastructure costs must be minimal with financial contribution from the sponsor required if necessary
- The code will be delivered under GPL license preferably using free solutions.
- The project must specify the skill requirements
- The project name in Cameroonian dialect, max. 2 terms (e.g., mtchoun-mouh).
- Moderate complexity, aiming for a POC in a few months.
- Contribute to your community by using your skills.
- Learn new technologies through projects rather than courses.
- Discover various digital working methods during monthly meetings
- Expand your network, both personal and professional.