#FreeWeb4SDGs TweetChat – Thursday, 18th June 2020 – 10.00GMT
Welcoming
Good morning all.
I would like to welcome you to today’s #TweetChat with the theme – WHY AND HOW WE DEVELOP FREE WEBSITES?
Thank you for finding time to be with us. I strongly believe we shall have a great moment together this morning by strengthening our relationship and forming a mutually-benefiting network.
Ground Rules for the Tweetchat
Let’s establish some ground rules concerning this tweetchat:
I will start by giving you the background to our initiative following the same thread from the start of the conversation.
Please feel free to comment and ask questions as you wish as we converse and remember to add the hashtag #FreeWeb4SDGs. Use the reply tab for your comments and questions. I will try as much as possible to respond to them.
Using offensive or abusive languages are not always the best way to respond to issues, so let’s try and avoid it please.
If you have a need to send us a DM, it will only be attended to after the tweetchat.
The Beginning & The Responses
Talking about how we started. Sometimes in November 2018, appreciating the efforts of various causes committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) to make our world a better place for us all to stay, we decided to run a promo asking for SDG causes to apply for free websites.
The promo was initiated by our parent company, Resipiscentia Webmedia and we ran it with one of our side hustles – @SurprisingLagos.
The response was overwhelming and we were able to make an offer to these SDG causes – Padman Africa @AfricaPadman, Tiger Active Sports @TigerSportsNG and Centre for Research Education & Development in Physical Rehabilitation @credprNigeria.
So the very first #FreeWeb4SDGs website, padbank.ng was launched on 8th February 2019. This was followed by tigeractivesports.com on 2nd March 2019 and credprfoundation.org on 1st April 2019.
By the time we ran the second promo, we knew that the initiative had come to stay and we decided to form a separate entity we called – FreeWeb4SDGs.
Welcome to the World of FreeWeb4SDGs
So today, we welcome you to the world of FreeWeb4SDGs.
Since our inception, we have built a total 19 websites spanning 1 from Angola, 2 from Burundi, 2 from Kenya and 14 from Nigeria. We still have one we are working on from Uganda.
You can check www.freeweb4sdgs.com/websites-delivered for all the websites we have delivered so far.
Let me at this moment salute our web designers who spend their time and resources to build these simple but functioning websites. You have been gracious and we salute your commitment to this cause.
On 1st July, we shall be opening our application portals to allow interested SDG causes apply for FREE websites and will be acquainting you with some of our Terms and Conditions.
Questions and Answers Session
Please free to make your comment and ask your questions.
Now, I will try and answer some of the questions that have been asked concerning our operations:
Is #FreeWeb4SDGs available to SDG causes outside Nigeria?
The #FreeWeb4SDGs application is open ONLY to SDG initiatives and causes, NGOs, not-for-profit and social enterprises operating in an African country.
How do you fund the development of the websites?
#FreeWeb4SDGs initiative operates on zero budget but depends on design volunteers to run with the vision of the cause. Incidentally, we have never gotten any donation since we started but I can authoritatively say that we had paid for the domain name and hosting account for a year for three winners in the past.
If you desire to support us, here is the link – https://sdginfohub.freeweb4sdgs.com/support-us/
Will a winner pay any money to develop their website?
We develop websites pro bono but we require every #FreeWeb4SDGs Offer Winners to be responsible for the registration of the domain names and hosting space for their website. If they need assistance we may recommend how to go about it. Sometimes where a winner require a premium theme or plugin, they will be responsible for the cost.
How do you ask for applications from interested SDG causes?
Our applications are in batches and applicants are encouraged to carefully complete and submit the prescribed Application Form on our website to the best of their knowledge. Giving misleading or incorrect information regarding an organization can be counter-productive.
What pre-application advice would you like to give to applicants?
There is no need applying if you know you are not ready to commence with the development of your website if you win. We have a number of causes like that who won but never had their websites developed because they were not ready.
During the application process, the burden of proof of what qualifies an organisation to be selected lies with such organisation. Applicants are encouraged to demonstrate why they need the website and how they are adding value to the SDGs.
How do you process the applications?
We have an Assessment Committee that sits to consider all applications. They would normally screen the submitted data, previous website owned by an applicant and their social media handles, to assess if the applicant is worthy to be offered a free website.
The Assessment Committee submits her report to the #FreeWeb4SDGs Board who will notify the winners by the email address provided in their submitted application and also mentioned it on @FreeWeb4SDGs Twitter handle.
Can those who did not make it in an application batch re-apply?
Yes, they are free to re-apply but they should try and tidy up the necessary areas that would make their application tenable.
Is there restriction to the number of winners to be announced in a batch?
No.
What happens after winners are announced?
All winners will be sent a Content Release Form to allow them educate us on the type of website they want and submit all the appurtenant texts, images and videos.
How are winners scheduled for the development of their website?
As we received data from a winner, they are scheduled by our Design Team. So the last submission becomes the last to be designed.
Does the offer terminate if not taken?
Yes. Winners have up till 30 days to submit the data for their website after which the award of the offer will be invalidated. We have had to do that in the past.
What efforts do you make to satisfy a winner?
Every need of an organisation is assessed by the Design Team to design a framework for the website. Further clarifications may be sought, questions may be asked, advice may be given and further data may be requested all in a bid to deliver a simple professional website for the enhancement of SDGs commitments.
During the website development stage, winners are usually updated on the progress made on their website. They will be informed when the development will start, and at about 75% completion, the back-end of the website will be opened for the applicant to have a feel of how the website may finally look like and to point out changes to be made.
Every observation made on a website under-development are taken seriously and every necessary step is taken to make sure we satisfy every winner.
After completing a website, we would require the winner to certify that it meets their expectation and ask for a possible launch date of the website.
Who decides when a website will be launched?
The launch date for a website is the prerogative of the winner. Launch dates are usually announced on our website and social media handle and it has always been an exciting and exhilarating time when a new #FreeWeb4SDGs website is unplugged.
How is it known that a website is developed by #FreeWeb4SDGs?
Every #FreeWeb4SDGs website we developed will branded with “Site Designed by #FreeWeb4SDGs” or “Designed by #FreeWeb4SDGs” with a link to our website www.FreeWeb4SDGs.com. This is usually around the footer area in an unobtrusive way.
Do you give any kind of after-delivery support to websites you develop?
We normal give 3-month Post-Delivery Support for every website developed and are actively involved in the updating and maintenance of the website for the period.
Salutations
As I round up, let me salute the following who have stood solidly behind us. Accept our RESPECT please.
1.Dr. @OluwayomiAoko of @agelessphysio
2. @MaxxyB of @TigerSportsNG
3. @Hassabie
4. Alan Blanes @manifesto2000
5. @Afrolinda80 of Telessaude Educativo
Thank you for taking out time to be with us on this Tweetchat, we hope to see again whenever we want to discuss other exciting topics.
#COVID19 is real. Please wash your hands regularly, wear nose mask in the public, maintain physical distance and avoid unnecessary travels. Stay safe.
Briefs of the Interaction During The Tweetchat
1. Question by @EarthEmail
How do you envision scaling your initiative?
Answer
We are working on bringing in volunteers to help in our operations. The call is on our volunteer page: https://sdginfohub.freeweb4sdgs.com/volunteers/
2. Question by @ubunteam
What is the next step after creating the websites for these orgs. The relations between #FreeWeb4SDGs and beneficiaries in long terms?
Answer
We normal give 3-month Post-Delivery Support for every website developed and are actively involved in the updating and maintenance of the website for the period.
3. Question by @ONihimbazwe
Thanks for such a great initiative. What are the requirements for one to be given a free website? Once the website is provided, who is responsible for feeding the web? Do you pay the website hosting fees for lifetime?
Answer
Terms and Conditions will be released latest Saturday. After developing the website, we give 3-months after-delivery support & also take the owners thru some tutorials on how to update the website. Domain names & hosting plans are usually renewable annually but can be extended.
4. Appreciation by @MourineAsiimwe
Thank you @FreeWeb4SDGs for your pretty amazing work. Looking forward to sharing with the Founder.
