O'Brien Makore is an urban planner-cum-civic innovator with a passion for researching innovative, purpose-fit solutions to emerging urban-development challenges. O'Brien has over three years' experience in project planning and management in the field of urban development. Currently, he is the programmes coordinator at Development Reality Institute. He manages a project called Smarter Harare through Participatory E-inclusion (SHAPE), which established the first-ever local urban observatory in Zimbabwe. The project is aimed at promoting economic justice and budget transparency in ensuring quality service delivery by local authorities through effective real-time participation by residents. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, O'Brien plans to scale up the SHAPE project to all major cities in Zimbabwe and the SADC Region.