Stories ·
A real need was being met: ZuAfrique 1.0
Residents of our first residency on what three weeks in Kilifi meant to them.
Our first residency brought 60+ people to Kilifi, Kenya, for three weeks in April and May 2025. We asked residents to tell us, in their own words, what changed.
“I’ve been to other pop-up cities, but this one felt different. A real need was being met — with technology.” — @zizonchain
“This was about human connection, a transformative experience.” — @GeorgiaMakunga
“I came expecting to meet a few people — I left with a community.” — 2025 resident, Impact Report
Built together in a few days
One of the standout moments of the 2025 residency was not on the schedule. Three teams at the residency, Soccersm, Project Mocha and Payd, came together and, in a short window, designed and built a complete product to run a community game night for the residency.
It delivered a fun night. It also showed what the human layer makes possible: when people trust each other, collaboration happens quickly and naturally, and the result is built around the people who will use it.
Source: ZuAfrique 2025 General Report, p.5.