
We create tools and design processes that stimulate citizen-centered decision-making and policy-making to address development challenges, transform lives, end poverty and create a sustainable future.
Our tools and processes encourage participation and engagement to influence policies and processes that matter to citizens.
What We Do
NewThinking Development is an African start-up initiative that partners with government, business, technologists, civil society and multilateral institutions to design tools and processes for citizen-focused innovation and data use.
Our work is informed by citizen-centered research, analysis and problem-solving built on tested and flexible approaches that generate actionable recommendations and lessons for decision-making and policy-making.
We build collaborations and partnerships with reformers and policy-makers to strengthen leadership focused on problem-driven, solution-focused, hands-on work with multi-stakeholder teams that support deeper analysis and experimentation.
Themes
Anti- Corruption
Corruption has adverse effects on citizen lives, public service delivery and channel public resources into private pockets. NewThinking is working with partners to harness digital tools and data to reduce corruption by increasing transparency, citizen participation and accountability mechanisms.
Education
Systemic accountability is a key driver of education attainment, and accountability without transparency has little impact. Growing evidence shows that citizen engagement yields critical long-term success, particularly at the school level. Through in-depth analysis and assessment, NewThinking works with stakeholders to understand the data and needs of the education sector.
Financial Inclusion
Women, youth and marginalized groups are negatively affected by institutional infrastructure that provides finance to support small, medium and micro-enterprise development. NewThinking undertakes in-depth research, analysis and assessments with stakeholders to understand the data and policy gaps to understand the institutional infrastructure and regulations for the financial sector that promote financial sector development.

Who We Are
Our Mission
We support the use of digital tools, research and evidence to stimulate citizen-centered policies, governance and processes as a tool to address development challenges, transform human lives, end poverty and create a sustainable future.
Our Approach
NewThinking provides advice and tools that help strengthen institutional capacity to engage citizens on issues that matter to them. Our approach is premised on the philosophy that lasting solutions to challenges must be designed, developed and implemented domestically.
Our Theory of Change
NewThinking’s theory of change is simple but a powerful proposition. Citizen-centered decision-making and policy-making harness collective wisdom, build trust in state institutions, improve basic services, encourage public action and is essential for a strong democracy.

Research and Publications

Zimbabwe: Analysis of the beneficial ownership legislative and regulatory framework in the mining sector
The research aims to foster a deeper and more critical debate on beneficial ownership disclosure in Zimbabwe's mining sector. Bringing a better understanding of how beneficial ownership disclosure in the mining sector can be achieved in Zimbabwe's context.

East and Southern Africa: Open Government Training Manual for civil society and community-based organization
This training guide is a resource for civil society and community-based organizations that want to use the open government approach to advocate for reforms in the extractive sector.The guide is also a valuable tool for anyone interested in making governments more open and inclusive.

Zimbabwe: Social Accountability- No-One is Left Behind in Covid Recovery
The research seeks to generate an understanding of constraints and challenges state and non-state actors are facing in advancing and implementing social accountability reforms. As Zimbabwe begins to recover from the global pandemic, equal distribution and public service quality will be vital.