Volunteer Senior Software Engineer to Help Build Native Android App for Media Independence in Developing Societies with MICT. with MICT gGmbH

This is an opportunity to work with an Ashoka Fellow

Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs that have been taken through a rigorous selection process, testing the quality of their ideas and character, to become part of the Ashoka Fellowship and Network. Ashoka Fellows take on the challenges of building innovative system change ideas to make and spread social impact in a world wrought with challenges. They refuse to let the ‘impossible’ stand in their way to creating a better world.

This is an unpaid, volunteer opportunity

About The Affiliated Organization

MiCT – Media in Cooperation and Transition was founded in 2006 by journalists and media professionals who saw a practical gap: in many conflict-affected and transitioning societies, the basic infrastructure for independent journalism simply didn't exist or was under serious pressure. MiCT was set up to help build and strengthen it. We work with journalists, editors, and media organizations across Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe — places where doing independent journalism comes with real professional, legal, or physical obstacles. What we actually do varies by context: journalism training and editorial coaching, support for exile media, radio network development, digital tools for underserved markets, disinformation monitoring, and help with organizational sustainability.

For more information, please visit www.mict-international.org

Job Description

For the past five years, we have been supporting local radio stations in Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, and South Sudan. Radio remains the most widely used medium in East Africa – far ahead of television and the internet. Hundreds of small stations broadcasting in over 30 languages play a vital cultural and social role in their communities, particularly in rural areas where the majority of the population lives. Only now, with the rapid spread of affordable smartphones, is mobile connectivity becoming widespread even outside of urban centers. African-built apps and platforms that reflect this reality are still largely absent from the market. We believe that people across East Africa will increasingly want to listen to their favorite stations online – and we want to actively shape this transition. To that end, we are building a platform that enables broadcasters to live-stream their programs and offer content as podcasts. Here are the four answers for your volunteer opportunity description:

• What is the specific project? The app will allow users to stream live radio and listen to on-demand replays. The technical stack is Flutter (Android only), a Node.js or FastAPI backend, PostgreSQL database, and HLS/Icecast streaming – designed specifically for low-bandwidth conditions and entry-level smartphones.
• What is its goal? The goal is to build a working MVP that lets East African listeners access their favorite local radio stations online for the first time – reliably, affordably, and in their own language. For radio stations, the app creates a new digital revenue stream while preserving their independence.
• What will be your responsibilities? Our engineer will lead the technical architecture and development of the MVP, including: setting up the Flutter mobile app (station list, player, search, favorites), building the backend API and station metadata system, configuring the Icecast streaming relay for 260+ stations, integrating Cloudflare CDN, and preparing the app for submission to the Google Play Store. T
• Why your work is important: Radio is by far the most widely used medium in East Africa – ahead of TV and the internet – but the shift to mobile is now happening fast. There is currently no dominant, high-quality local radio streaming app in the region: the largest existing app has only 130,000 downloads and poor reviews. Your work will directly help hundreds of independent radio stations – broadcasting in over 30 local languages – survive and thrive in the digital transition, rather than being displaced by global platforms that don't share revenue with local creators. This is infrastructure for media independence.

Volunteer Logistics

Estimated hours required per week: 10

The estimated duration of the project is: 1-3 months

This position is Virtual (Remote)

Language Requirements

English

Desired Skills And Experience

Required (Core Technical Skills) - Android Development (Kotlin or Flutter/Android): Proven experience building and shipping native or Flutter-based Android apps. We are building Android-only for the MVP, targeting the 95%+ Android market share across East Africa. - Backend Development: Solid experience with Node.js or Python (FastAPI/Django), RESTful API design, and PostgreSQL database management. Redis caching experience is a plus. - Audio Streaming Protocols: Practical knowledge of HLS and/or Icecast relay configuration. Experience aggregating and relaying third-party streams is more relevant than building encoding infrastructure from scratch. - Cloud Infrastructure: Hands-on experience with AWS or GCP, ideally including CDN setup (Cloudflare preferred) and auto-scaling configurations. - Mobile Performance Optimization: Experience building apps that perform reliably on entry-level Android devices (1–2 GB RAM) and under 2G/3G network conditions. Offline-first design thinking is highly valued. - Google Play Store Deployment: Experience submitting and maintaining apps on the Google Play Store. - Comfortable using AI-assisted coding tools: we actively encourage the use of Claude as a coding assistant to accelerate development and maintain code quality. Seniority Level: We are looking for a senior engineer (7+ years of experience) who can make solid architectural decisions and collaborate effectively with a small, mission-driven team.