Girl Summit 2014: The long term view of fulfilling potential and educational opportunities

Today marks the launch of the first Girl Summit in London, to raise awareness for the global campaign against FGM and the forced marriage of girls and young women. The summit is a major milestone in a long journey of promoting these causes by a range of NGO’s including Plan UK and the NSPCC, amongst others. The event has the backing of the UK government’s Department for International Development, who have given considerable support including moves to establish policy and to add strength to the UK’s position in condemning these abhorrent practices.

One of the key points of the summit is to highlight the long-term view of the social benefits to women and girls of bringing an end to these procedures and activities, by providing them with the opportunity to fulfill their true potential in society in their own right rather than be controlled, both physically and socially. The fight against FGM is clearly not just a case of preventing this cruel and appalling practice and the long-term physical and psychological harm it can cause, but coupled with preventing forced early marriage, it is a case of restoring pride and self-esteem, while working towards a point at which girls can look forward to a future with real possibilities of personal development, through making their own fundamental choices about their lives. Pursuing a structured education for instance, should be a right and a viable option rather than having their lives controlled and being led into forced marriage arrangements. When girls and young women in the communities concerned are able to take back control in this way rather than be controlled, the resulting rewards of educational attainment can provide huge benefits to them as well as their whole community, through greater employment opportunities and ultimately greater economic stability.

In the spirit of celebrating the concept of promoting opportunity for women and girls in some of the world’s more challenging cultural environments, and in the spirit of one of main themes of this blog – that is, highlighting where technology, innovation and education are applied to support and improve people’s lives in developing nations – my ‘tribute’ to today’s special event is to look at two recent ‘good news’ stories that focus on the rise of women and girls through technology and education, in South Africa and Kenya.

Digital learning programme for rural Kenyan girls

According to Vincent Matinde’s recent story on the itwebafrica.com website, a project is in place to provide digital learning to 25,000 girls in rural Kenya. ‘Project iMlango’ will provide the necessary computers and high-speed internet needed to connect 195 rural schools so that the girls can be educated within their communities. The scheme is supported by several UK companies (Avanti, sQuid, Whizz Education and Camara Education) and the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

Lynne Featherstone, International Development Minister for DFID is quoted in the article, as she draws a direct connection between the causes of today’s Girl Summit and the planned programme:

“…Education is vital to helping improve the life chances of millions of marginalised girls and protecting them from harmful practices like child and forced marriage…”

The full article can be viewed here:

Rural Kenyan girls to get e-learning boost
http://www.itwebafrica.com/ict-and-governance/256-kenya/233244-rural-kenyan-girls-to-get-e-learning-boost

‘Girls Invent Tomorrow’: Mentoring South African girls in computer skills

A new initiative to provide IT training and computing skills to girls in South Africa has been launched as part of the African EduWeek conference at the Sandron Convention Centre in Johannesburg. As reported in Arthur Goldstruck’s insightful article in the South African Business Daily Live website, the Intel-sponsored ‘Girls Invent Tomorrow’ workshop aims to provide as much emphasis on computer education as to the supply of IT hardware and equipment to schools. Combined with another Intel-backed scheme, the ‘She Will Connect’ project which is committed to bridging the digital divide by expanding the digital literacy skills of young women in emerging countries, the two projects aim to avoid the mistakes made with previous concepts of this nature, where resources were poured in to providing expensive equipment whilst training and educational resources were neglected, resulting in much of the investment in ‘kit’ being wasted and underused.

As quoted in the article, Thabani Khube, corporate affairs director for Intel South Africa explains Intel’s position, rationalising their sense of corporate social responsibility in relation to the aim to prioritise education and training as much as physical investment in technology:

“…Our approach is to change mindsets….In most corporate social investment, technology deployment is about ticking a box and then moving on. At Intel, education is a huge focus in itself…”

The complete article can be viewed here:

SIGN POST: A generation of IT girls on the rise
http://www.bdlive.co.za/opinion/columnists/2014/07/20/sign-post-a-generation-of-it-girls-on-the-rise

Social Media Summit, Dubai: the need to recognise the power of social networks as key channels of communications – and to appreciate the opportunities they create

“…This is the age of information. It is no longer the eight-o-clock news on a government-controlled TV station…”

This was the quote that stood out by the former Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Al Rifai (now a senator and chairman of the foreign affairs committee) in Faisal Masudi’s insightful report for the Gulf News website on the inaugural Social Media Summit held earlier this week in Dubai, where Al Rifai was a speaker.

Various news agencies reported on how a range of key stakeholders at the event came to similar conclusions on a central theme and realisation – that if governments in the region do not engage with social media and take a proactive approach themselves, they will lose the opportunity to communicate their message and position before it is reported, processed (and possibly distorted) by the media and the massive social media user base that exists in the Middle East.

The report continued on this theme, with further reference to Al Rifai’s speech which got to the heart of the matter of the need for government engagement:

‘…”Some 30 per cent of people in the region view social media as their main source of news..” he added…Al Rifai said government officials and media outlets had no choice but to respond to public concerns — as well as “rumours” — circulating on social media. …Gone are the days of reaction and carefully prepared statements. People expect real-time, proactive engagements on social media.”…’

The event was hosted by AreebaAreeba, a social networking site based in the region with reportedly over 3 million active users. Leading digital communications and technology companies took part, including Huawei, Google, IBM, Nissan, CNN, OSN, Blackberry and DMI, who came to share their experiences and insights into social media engagement and strategy. As well as Al Rifai, a number of other key figures from regional governments were in attendance to support the event, including Mona Al Marri, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office who delivered the event’s keynote speech.

In addition to the over-arching conclusion of the need for all major stakeholders to constructively embrace social media, some other more specific themes came out of the event, according to media reports:

Social media ‘consumers’ don’t just consume – they’re part of the whole news process

As reported in the Khaleej Times website, a panel discussion at the summit which was moderated by Dr Bashaiar Al Sanaa, from the Department of Communication, Kuwait University looked at how social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook are increasingly being utilised for the ‘…consumption as well as the creation of news content. Panellists discussed the speed at which technology was changing and how people are being involved in the creation of news…’. Mohammed Burhan, CEO of CNBC Arabia who also attended the discussion, was quoted in the report as adding further weight to the idea of users being part of the news gathering process: “Consumers are using networking websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to upload news and in this process every individual has become a broadcaster.”

Social Media is a two-way street: whilst users are empowered by the ‘free’ access it provides to immediate news, that immediacy gives governments the opportunity to connect with them directly without going through traditional media channels

Nadeem Hanif’s article in The National’s website makes a key point (again quoting Al Rifai) that whilst government bodies need to accept the freedoms of access to information that social media affords and there by engage with citizens proactively, those same organisations can also harness the opportunity this freedom provides, by broadcasting their news updates directly to users without going through ‘traditional’ channels:

‘…“For the younger generations who have grown up with social media it is no longer good enough for governments to react to news, they must be more active in getting their message across…People are far more likely to believe information they receive through social media sharing than traditional means (Mr Al Rifai said )…Social media also provided an opportunity for governments to get their views across directly to citizens without the filter of a news editor…”

According to the Dubai City Guide website’s coverage of the summit, Mona Al Marri, Director General of the Government of Dubai Media Office, is quoted (whilst promoting the event and the Dubai government’s support) as clearly recognising not only the power of social media but also the opportunity it affords, both for business and for Dubai society as a whole by realising its potential to provide greater interconnectivity:

“…The goal of the of the inaugural edition of the Social Media Summit 2014 falls in line with the vision of the Government of Dubai to utilise of modern technology to catalyse the development of societies in the Arab world…” said Mona Al Marri. “…As one of the top world leaders who actively use Twitter to connect with the public, Vice President and Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum was keen to recognise the positive potential of such platforms. His Highness launched the Arab Social Media Award to honour institutions and individuals who employ social media platforms to bring about and sustain positive development within societies…”

Businesses in the region need to recognise the power of social media if they don’t already

Anyone with a more than passing involvement in social media can appreciate its potential to drive business through its immediate, direct approach to individuals on a mass, global scale. As quoted in the Arabian Industry website’s report of the event, the CEO of AreebaAreeba, Ayma Irshaid, drives this point home, suggesting how social media channels are not only a business driver but should also be seen as a major consideration in terms of how organisations are structured in order to harness them to their full potential:

“…Social media has already established a vital place for itself in the business strategies of companies as a key driver of growth and is beginning to shape the operational structure of organisations across every sector. In line with all these developments, it becomes increasingly important for companies in the region to adopt social media technologies as part of their framework and to embrace this new wave of transformation…”

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For more information on the summit and to read the full articles cited here, view the following links:

Social Media Summit hears candid admissions by media bosses and officials http://m.gulfnews.com/news/uae/general/states-and-news-outlets-must-face-social-media-users-1.1351110

Social Media Summit focuses on public’s role in giving news http://m.gulfnews.com/news/uae/general/states-and-news-outlets-must-face-social-media-users-1.1351110

Social media has transformed the way people view news and governments http://www.thenational.ae/uae/technology/social-media-has-transformed-the-way-people-view-news-and-governments

Dubai Hosts Social Media Summit 2014 On Monday http://www.dubaicityguide.com/site/news/news-details.asp?newsid=49742&newstype=Latest%2024%20Hrs%20News

Middle East social networking site holds summit in Dubai http://www.dubaicityguide.com/site/news/news-details.asp?newsid=49742&newstype=Latest%2024%20Hrs%20News

World Cup fever hits Brazil whilst a new smartphone app helps the country in the fight against dengue

Like most football fans around the globe, my normal routine has taken a back seat since the opening ceremony of the world cup last Thursday, and even more so once the real business of the matches got under way. So far, the spectacle in Brazil has not disappointed (apart from England’s result against Italy, which will hopefully be a mere blip in our progress beyond the group stage – I live in hope!) and even that defeat provided more positives than any losing game I can remember in recent history.

There has been the unavoidable concerns of social unrest, born from the perception that the cost of the tournament is unreasonable and even obscene in the face of the many fundamental social problems people face in the country. With the suggestion that the cost of the stadia alone could cover the entire country’s welfare bill several times over – if proper provision was being provided – it is hard not to feel a great deal of sympathy with the protesters and the communities they represent.

In spite of these issues that rightly continue to dominate the press as much as the football itself, as a fan it is hard not to be seduced by the event. The games have largely been very entertaining, with lots of goals, several shock results and just enough controversial decisions to make it a suitably exciting and fitting spectacle, that so far reflects the passion and love for football that pervades in the home of ‘the beautiful game’.

So with the action on the pitch proceeding as all the best tournaments should, and having not revisited my blog since the spring (I’ve been a bit busy), I thought it was high time for another post, and one that touched on the problems that communities face in difficult environments, had a Brazilian flavour, and focussed on my trusted theme of technology – specifically mobile – and how it is being used to provide solutions to some of the challenges faced by ‘everyday’ people and the communities in which they live.

Help in Brazil in the fight against Dengue Fever thanks to a new smartphone app

Search on Google for ‘Brazil’ and ‘Smartphone’, and you get a deluge of results on how much mobile devices will be utilised to watch world cup games, keep users up to date with stats and scores, place an online bet, order-in world cup-themed take away pizza – you name it, there’s an app for it, and they all claim to improve our mobile world cup experience in some shape or form. So I was nicely surprised to happen upon a recent Brazil-based smartphone story which wasn’t football-related in anyway, but was still very much community- based and concerned with providing a solution to a problem that potentially effects many people in the country, particularly in the tropical zones and in the over-crowded and under-resourced urban favelas that are home to thousands of people.

Reported in the NDTV Gadgets website (courtesy of Agence France-Presse), a new smartphone application has been developed to try to tackle the serious problem of dengue fever in the country, in locations where there’s an increased likelihood that outbreaks may occur. According to the article, the app, (developed for use initially in the tropical north-eastern city of Natal by university researcher Ricardo Valentim in collaboration with epidemiologist lon De Andrade, who works for Natal City Council) can be used to indicate not only the location of an outbreak, but also high concentrations of mosquitoes that would suggest a high risk area. The authorities are then able to react to prevent the further spread of the disease, and treat water sources that may be the cause.

“…If someone identifies dengue, they pinpoint it on the (application’s) map and that allows us to see where it is developing and to react immediately to stop it spreading,” Andrade said…

…If it’s mosquitos, we can locate and treat the water source. If a suspected case is confirmed, we can treat the victim,” Andrade said…

Brazil has been hit harder than any other country this century, with seven million cases reported since 2000, including 800 fatalities in the last five years.

In the Sao Paulo state city of Campinas, where Portugal’s team and star Cristiano Ronaldo are based, three women aged 27, 69 and 81 died of dengue this year…”

As the article suggests, there have been many cases of dengue in the country, a mosquito-borne disease for which there is currently no cure, both in the tropical north and also in other areas, and sadly resulting in several fatalities. Therefore being able to utilise the mass-reach of smartphone technology in the fight against the disease will come as a huge bonus if it can deliver viable protection to those communities most affected.

The full article from the gadgets.ndtv.com website can viewed here:
http://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/brazilians-hope-to-help-fight-dengue-with-new-smartphone-app-542263

A not-for-profit digital communications strategy: why ‘reinventing the wheel’ may not always be the best way forward

To look at the current digital communications strategy of a typical UK-based nationwide charity/not-for-profit organisation, and to try and provide an assessment as to how you would ‘take the organisation forward’ in this area, is a huge challenge in itself, not least if the existing digital channels appear to be providing good performance in terms of feedback, traffic and visitor activity. But sometimes, whether through organisational/political change or simply because the organisation’s cause or campaigning activity has shifted its focus, a shift of digital strategy is required or desired.

One of the main conclusions I came to when looking at this in relation to a range of NGO/not-for-profits and their digital portfolios, and in its simplest terms (which may not seem that remarkable or spectacular), is that completely changing, redesigning, revamping and ultimately replacing an organisation’s current digital direction with something else may not necessarily be the best solution. To put it another way, If an existing strategy is not actually underperforming in communications terms but ‘could do better’ in certain areas, it may make more sense to complement existing processes and structures with some additional approaches that could complement existing activity and enhance what they can achieve, rather than throwing them out altogether.

A good example of this might be when an organisation’s website has been redesigned and developed relatively recently, or, as is often the case in larger not-for-profit organisations which may have several different web presences, the organisation’s suite of websites have been redeveloped as part of a wider, relatively recent communications rethink. To commit to further redevelopment to boost visitor numbers for a particular campaign or to promote a shift in emphasis may not be the best approach, particularly in the third sector where every penny saved counts towards revenue for the organisation’s common cause, rather than further spending on its internal operations. Instead, a more focussed approach to social media channels, which are likely to be already well-established (the not-for-profit sector entertains some of the most active and impressive social media practitioners), to not only promote events and new web content but also to ‘cross-pollinate’ between an organisation’s different websites can be very affective. Through tweeted links, Facebook posts and web links from the site’s own news feeds to fresh content on it’s sister sites, greater value can be gained from existing user activity, whist visitor numbers can ultimately be increased through the development of a ‘self-propagating’ audience.

There are of course other ways and means that an organisation can look to digitally, when their aim is to promote their ‘message’ and what they do to help and support their cause. Aside from the solid base of a professional, attractive website(s) with proven visitor numbers and user activity and an active, engaging (and popular) presence on Twitter and Facebook, there are numerous other social channels that third-sector organisations are now utilising to great effect to add something to their digital campaigns, particularly with the increased awareness and popularity of Instagram, the continuing dominance of YouTube, and the myriad range of similarly visually-driven channels.

A surprising number of not-for-profit organisations are yet to look towards developing a mobile application as an alternative and complementary way of boosting interest in their cause and of promoting interest and activity in their existing digital media. As most of us know, armed as we are with a smart phone of one kind or another in our pocket, the simple fact of an app’s ‘mobility’ is a far more physically and practically accessible means of accessing content than a traditional browser based website; – where ever you are (assuming a connection of some sort if available) then fresh dynamic content is literally in the palm of your hand, and this immediacy is a huge bonus when your focus is about raising awareness and campaigning for a particular cause. ‘Native’ mobile applications are even more powerful: having the ability to provide off-line access to content adds a huge extra benefit, particularly for those not-for-profit organisations that are based around a membership/ representation structure. Vital information, contact details, help files, guides and a host of other features can be made available within the app itself, negating the need for a continuous internet connection, which has obvious benefits for mobile users. Apps can also provide the basis for gamification techniques to be utilised, again preloaded on the app itself rather than requiring continuous connectivity, and this can be applied as both an educational and campaigning resource to support other core channels of media that the organisation may be employing, and to further its cause and provide greater support to those it aims to assist.

All in all, there are many routes a digital strategy can take for a not-for-profit, and there isn’t necessarily a magic bullet that will guarantee success in terms of increasing traffic and raising awareness of the venture or cause the strategy aims to support. There is a lot to be said though for looking at existing processes and resources, appreciating what strengths persist in the strategy’s performance, and then adding to this in a simple, effective way that supports the organisation’s particular requirements. ‘Holistic’ is an often over-used maxim in today’s project-driven digital world, but perhaps in its purist sense, it may be applied constructively here. Look at what you hope to achieve overall through digital means and if it works, don’t necessarily fix it, but complement it with some fresh approaches. Perhaps a bit more ‘joined-up’ social media will do the trick; and may be look towards a mobile solution if you think it can really make a difference and add to what you’re already achieving. You can’t go too far wrong with a simple, sensible approach.

Smartphone Apps that can help in a crisis and provide support when disaster strikes

It’s been a while since my last post, not least since I had a proper look at mobile technology and the latest news from the world of mobile apps. The revolution in app development emerging from  African-based technology hubs that has been gathering pace in the last two years shows no signs of slowing down, particularly in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria, with some reports suggesting that certain ventures are now turning a profit, proving that app dev’  in those countries may be getting the recognition it deserves.

What has also caught my attention recently is the upsurge in practical ‘support’ apps, particularly those that aim to provide help and assistance in a crisis situation or natural disaster. In keeping with the tone and subjects of my previous posts, I’ve decided to focus this one on this area of mobile application development, where smartphone devs’ are really pushing to provide genuinely valuable tools to users in vulnerable crisis situations, and putting useful applications in the hands of rescue teams and support workers, that can be applied in the field to enable them to respond more rapidly to those affected by disaster.

Smartphones that help in the search for avalanche victims

Smartphones with built-in transceivers which broadcast a user’s position in the event of an avalanche are nothing new, but up until recently they were prohibitively expensive for anyone but the truly hard-core winter sports gurus and adventurers (with a big budget  for survival equipment to match).

A recent article on the Technology.org website reported on the development work by the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML in Prien, thanks to which there could soon be a much cheaper solution to the current technology utilised in avalanche transceivers. The new system takes full advantage of satellite navigation and GPS tracking, as an additional extra to the currently-used technology. The solution can draw upon the combined signals from US, European and Russian satellite systems in addition to its traditional transmitting capabilities, and this combination provides a much more accurate indicator of an individual’s location, thus saving precious time in locating the victim.

As Holger Schultz, a scientist at Fraunhofer IML explains in the article:-

“…Like commonly available avalanche transceivers, the Galileo-LawinenFon has a transmit and search mode. Unlike previous transceivers however, when looking for victims the system is not restricted to the electromagnetic field formed by a transmitted signal but makes use of satellite signals as well. Since our solution draws on numerous available sensors and satellite systems, the signals transmitted by victims can be located with a great deal of precision. Magnetic field signals are processed in 3D so that we can pinpoint accident victims in a matter of seconds and improve their chances of survival…”

Read the full article at: http://www.technology.org/2014/02/07/smartphones-help-find-avalanche-victims/

Red Cross app that can help when hurricanes strike

The International Red Cross has developed a number of disaster-related self-help applications to support users in a range of crisis situations. In a recent review in the iMedicalApps.com website, they focused on a new app product produced by the Red Cross that provides essential tools and information for potential victims of hurricanes and those who have already suffered from them.

According to the article, the app can provide ‘…real-time alerts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). From the main screen (under Prepare) you are able to access a menu for basic recommendations and a checklist on what to do before, during, and after a hurricane, in addition to planning preparations…’. There is also amongst other clever features a very useful ‘Toolkit’ tab, which ‘…includes common emergency resources needed in an acute emergency setting: flashlight, strobe light, alarm, plan preparation, an option to switch to the Red Cross First Aid App, and another access point to the I’m Safe feature…’

To read the full review of the app, visit the iMedicalApps site at: http://www.imedicalapps.com/2014/01/red-cross-mobile-apps-public-health/

SAMHSA Smartphone App to support responders to disasters

The US-based Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recently launched a smartphone App, across all major platforms, to cater for the needs of health professionals specialising in psychological and behavioural responses to disaster situations.

As reported in the Psychiatric News website, the app includes resources covering psychological first-aid information, suicide prevention, disaster mental health and self-care. The application also provides search facilities to locate behavioural health services nearby, post deployment guides, and automatically downloads updated content on start-up.

As quoted in the article, technical expert John Luo M.D., a clinical professor of psychiatry from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, explains: ‘…It has simple but effective tips to help address problem-solving with survivors, as well as key reminders for supervisors…’

For more information on the app, visit the SAMHSA website at: http://store.samhsa.gov/apps/disaster/

From smart cards to solar shelters: technology to support Syrian refugees

Happy new year to all, this being my first post of 2014. Hopefully those who took a break in December had a good one, and are feeling suitably refreshed to start the new year with renewed enthusiasm. Christmas in my part of the world – south-east England, to be specific – was a bit different this year. Thanks to the series of very severe storms (by British standards, I hasten to add!) and heavy rain that lashed many parts of Britain just before the ‘big day’, by the 25^th of December we were on our third day-long power cut, with no heat or light, a leaking roof, and some other minor storm damage to add to our woes.

Once the children had unwrapped their presents in semi-darkness and it was clear we were not going to have any power until the 26^th, we realised it was time to seek shelter elsewhere, falling on the sympathy of friends and family for a few days until we could return home to clean up and switch the lights back on. A Christmas to forget you might say, but in many ways we were the lucky ones; forty houses not half a mile from where we live had to be evacuated, as rivers burst their banks and flooded homes and businesses; a far more miserable prospect than losing all the refrigerated food to a three-day power cut. The whole experience was difficult, uncomfortable, at times damp and cold, but mercifully short term; – disappointed as the family was, we could get in the car and drive off somewhere warm and welcoming, and return when things were back to normal again.

As one does in these situations once the initial irritation has passed, you try to look for some positives, and perhaps consider the many people around the world in a far worse state than yourself. An obvious point, but it didn’t take a lot of thought to conclude that the temporary interruption to normal life I had just experienced gave me no idea, whatsoever, of what it’s like to be truly displaced. For the millions of refugees around the world, who cannot return to their homes like I could after a couple of inconvenient days on the road, and who instead wake up one morning to find their lives shattered by conflict or natural disaster, with some having lost loved ones in the process, I have the utmost respect.

Bearing these sobering thoughts in mind, and keeping with the key ‘how tech can help…’ theme of this blog, I’ve decided to usher in 2014 by focusing on some clever applications of technology being used to try to help those displaced by the civil war in Syria, who perhaps as recently as the start of 2013 had their own homes and normal lives, and who now have little or no idea of when they will be able to return.

Specialist SIM cards and Electronic Food Vouchers for Refugees

Two schemes utilising smart/SIM card technology are covered in an article in the UN-backed Integrated Regional Information Networks website.

The first looks at a UNHCR-run programme to produce specially designed mobile SIM cards, which are planned for distribution amongst inhabitants of the main refugee centres in Jordan, including Al Zaatari camp, home to over 120,000 people. The custom designed cards allow users to receive mass information messages, as well as make free calls to the UNHCR information line. According to the article, the SIM cards will not expire, even if no credit is added to the account.

The second scheme is being run by the World Food Programme in Turkey, in conjunction with the Turkish Red Crescent Society. This is an electronic food voucher scheme, providing refugees with electronic cards loaded with ‘credit’, with which they can purchase their own goods at local stores. As the article suggests, there appear to be many potential benefits to the scheme, such as reducing the need to manage large-scale food provision and eliminating the black marketization of ‘free food items’. Arguably, the scheme also restores a bit of normality and dignity to those it aims to help, as they have a degree of choice in the items they can buy, rather than relying on the traditional approach of whatever can be sought via mass food distribution.

The full article can be found here: http://www.irinnews.org/report/99127/syrian-aid-in-the-tech-age

‘Flat-Packed’ Solar Shelters

When we consider ‘flat-packed’ as a retail concept, the first brand most of us think of is the Swedish furniture retailer Ikea, who are best known for producing and selling affordable, easy-to-assemble flat-packed furniture, in a multitude of countries across the globe.

Early in 2013, as reported in an article in the Renewable Energy World website in November, the company announced plans to help the cause of refugees by developing solar-powered shelters. Known as ‘Refugee Housing Units (RHUs)’, the shelters have already been deployed to areas in Ethiopia and Syria, providing a more stable and secure shelter with the addition of power than existing tented solutions. Utilising USB ports to provide charging points for devices such as mobile phones, the shelters stick to Ikea’s tried and tested philosophy of easy-assembly, using a steel frame and plastic panels as the basic structure.

As the article explains:

‘…The new shelter also offers more insulation than the tents can, as well as more privacy for those living in them. The ability to use the solar panel to power a light at night or electronic devices can help the refugees live a better life, so children can read at night or adults can cook food more easily…’.

With reference to the practicalities of the long-term cost-effectiveness of the solution, the article continues:

‘…The shelters are still in prototype stages and cost about $7,000, but according to a Spiegel article earlier this month, “once they go into large-scale production, designers are aiming for a price of $1,000.” Thus far, the Ikea Foundation has donated about $4.8 million to the project…’.

The full article can be found at: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2013/11/ikea-shipping-flat-packed-solar-powered-shelters-to-refugees

Information in the field: eHealth innovations to further support healthcare in developing countries

According to Uduak Thomas’s article ‘Mobile technology is changing healthcare in developing nations’, which was re-posted in the Berkeley Science Review in December last year, the World Health Organisation (WHO) defines ‘mHealth’ or ‘mobile health as ‘…a subset of ‘electronic health’ that is concerned with the use of mobile and wireless technologies to support the achievement of health objectives…’. Looking at the many other articles concerned with mHealth projects that have emerged since, there appears to be little doubt that mobile and digital technology has indeed been used to do just that: to support the achievement of health objectives and thereby make a real difference in the provision of healthcare in the developing world.

The majority of the projects these articles cover seem to focus on improving the provision and distribution of vital healthcare information to remote, rural communities via SMS on mobile networks, where innovators have sensibly exploited the massive proliferation of mobile phone use in the communities concerned, particularly in Africa.

There is a question to be asked though, as to whether mHealth solutions such as these – which deserve huge merit in the achievements they have delivered – are to be the pinnacle of what can be accomplished in this field, as principally ‘data gathering and information distribution’ initiatives, or is it possible to extend the concepts of mHealth and eHealth to provide healthcare practitioners with more dynamic and interconnected tools, that do more than just deliver health advice messages and gather statistics. Is current technology being utilised to its full potential to provide more complex services to doctors and health practitioners in the field, such as access to complete health records and dynamic community health data whilst working at a remote rural location, in spite of the challenges presented by a lack of reliable internet connectivity or intermittent power supplies in many of the communities concerned?

The answer is arguably ‘yes’ with the three cases highlighted here, which all go some way towards demonstrating how technology can go a stage further by bringing additional complex functionality, the like of which was previously only available in larger hospitals and health centres, to healthcare workers ‘in the field’, thereby assisting to an even greater degree in their efforts to help people and their communities in the more remote and disparate communities in which they work.

Carego International: Utilizing open-source and the cloud to provide a practical solution

The Yahoo Finance website seemed an unlikely source for a story on a relatively new solution to provide access to health records in remote locations, but that is where I read about Carego International, and how their new product utilises developments in digital storage and open-source technology to provide a real solution to support the provision of remote healthcare.

According to the article, last month Carego International announced the launch of a new software application, built on Progress Pacific’s cloud-based, open-source platform, to ‘…help remote health clinics improve quality of care in developing regions around the world…’

Referring to the findings of Carego’s CEO Steve Landman, much of the existing medical software he had found in health institutions in developing countries  ‘…wasn’t compatible with local needs, largely due to complexity and an inability to tolerate frequent Internet service outages common in developing regions…’
Building on their previous experience in developing applications for the health sector, Carego decided to develop their latest product using the Progress Pacific development environment, with which they were able to deliver a cloud-based health records solution, which is inexpensive to deploy, easy to manage, and can be rolled out and accessed over nearly any device, be it fixed or mobile. These features make the product ideal for medical organisations in the developing world, which often have limited resources for expensive back-end support systems or mass data storage, and whose staff work in remote rural locations.

Kujua – Medic Mobile’s new communications hub for healthcare providers

In June of this year, following successful roll-out in various locations in Africa, Asia and Latin America, Medic Mobile announced the global launch of Kujua, their open-source information and communications hub for clinics in the developing world.  As described in the announcement made on their website: ‘…Kujua, which means “to know” in Swahili, is a web-based application for sending and receiving regular messages and forms, and also for scheduling time-targeted confirmation messages. Right now KujuaLite is optimized for three priority use cases — disease surveillance, stock monitoring, and service monitoring — but can be utilized for a wide range of communication and data collection activities…’ The article goes on to provide a link to a demo of the product, which can be found here: http://medicmobile.org/tools/kujua-lite/

Coupled with Medic Mobile’s existing programmes of distributing basic feature mobile phones to medical practitioners in the field, the company can now provide an end-to-end solution, connecting community members with health volunteers, doctors and the Kujua system as a back-end hub for collaboration and storage of information, to assist with monitoring emerging disease concerns and logging and maintaining communication between all those involved.

Prize winning idea provides practical solution to streamline information management in rural healthcare

Maintaining accurate health records in some sub-Saharan hospitals where paper-based systems still exist, whilst storing them securely and yet still having the means to safely transfer them if a patient moves; – these concerns are challenging enough, without the added difficulties that are sometimes encountered in identifying patients, matching them to their medical records and then needing to share that information as required between healthcare agencies, centres and hospitals. This is the impression one gets when reading an article in the Engineering for Change website (www.engineeringforchange.org), celebrating the winners of the recent ‘IEEE Global Humanitarian Conference’s Young Professionals Project Contest’, who have come up with an ingenious response to these challenges, with the application of an affordable, practical solution utilising RFID (radio frequency identification) cards. In basic terms, Radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology utilises radio-frequency electromagnetic fields to transfer data, for the purposes of identifying and tracking ‘tags’ containing electronically stored information that are attached to objects, such as the cards suggested in this solution.

The Engineering for Change article explains how, in the example of tracking and dealing with a disease outbreak in a rural community, the RFID solution could help:

‘…When polio or cholera or any disease breaks out in a community the local clinic will be the first to notice the uptick in cases. If clinics can share their records with central hospitals, then a local tragedy in one community becomes data points on a nationwide map. Then medical authorities can respond, and other communities can prepare and try to prevent new outbreaks…. Those two problems – sharing information between medical centres and identifying patients and their medical records – may have a solution. An entirely electronic health data system plus radio frequency identification chips implanted into ID cards for every patient might be a low-cost and simple way to address both issues…’

As the article continues to explain, RFID technology was chosen as it is a relatively low-cost approach and doesn’t depend on complex networks for communication. The winning team’s chosen system uses standard network protocols and can run on existing or inexpensively sourced hardware.

Accepting that there has been some opposition to using ID cards for similar purposes in the past – understandable, in the context of some of the locations and environments in which the communities concerned live – the project team acknowledged that some work needed to be done towards  local community ‘outreach’, before pilot schemes could be undertaken, but they remain positive on the long-term benefits the solution could provide.

With reference to a proposed pilot in the Kerala region of India, Hassaan Idrees and John Avrett , both involved in the project, added:

“…We would like to give a physical shape to our project by working with federally-endorsed government and non-government organizations. There still are a few grey areas: increased consumer-directed care, new methods of organizing care delivery, and new approaches to financing, but we hope to resolve these with the help of the appropriate stakeholders.”

Reducing the gender gap in access to ICT: some African initiatives towards change

In March of this year, the ITU and UNESCO-sponsored Broadband Commission for Digital Development met in Mexico City to endorse a new report coordinated by UNESCO, entitled ‘Technology, Broadband and Education: Advancing the Education for All Agenda’.

At the meeting, an ambitious target was set to reduce the gender gap that persists in terms of access and use of the internet, with a new advocacy target: “…to ensure gender equality in broadband access by 2220..”. This is against the backdrop of general recognition that a huge amount of work is required if the Millennium Development Goals of ‘Universal Primary Education’ and ‘Education for All’ are to be achieved. As an article from the UNESCO website on the meeting in March states:-

‘…Less than three years away from the target date for achieving these goals, 61 million children of primary-school age, and a further 71 million of lower secondary-school age, are not in school. In addition, close to 793 million adults – 64% of them women – lack literacy skills, with the lowest rates in sub-Saharan Africa and South and West Asia…’

The article continues with reference to data that was presented at the meeting, highlighting a 25% disparity between men and women in terms of those who used the internet, with the figure being far greater in Sub-Saharan Africa, going up to 45%.

Having these stats to hand is hardly necessary to support the argument that much more needs to be done to close the gender gap – or gender divide (as part of the wider ‘digital divide’), in terms of the number of women in comparison to men who have access to the internet, training in ICT and access to ICT resources in developing countries. Thankfully there seems to be far more global recognition that the existing barriers to opportunity afforded to women in these communities, in terms of career development, social empowerment and global self-expression, will continue to perpetuate without a considerable improvement in the level of accessthey have to ICT education and resources.

Here I have highlighted a few examples of some of the projects and initiatives which have tried to tackle these inequalities, in various communities across Africa, which have been featured in the press in the past year.

Akirachix Training Project: Teaching ICT to high school girls from the slums of Nairobi

“Currently, our country is basking in recognition and appreciation of a robust tech. scene, but we only have a handful of women making an impact in this field”

These are the words of Linda Kamau, Akirachix Training Project Lead, in an article on their work in Nairobi in the BizTech Africa website in May of this year. Akirachix are an all-girl ICT organisation who started offering ICT training to a small group of girls from the slums of Nairobi back in 2010, with the project continuing to develop since then. She goes on to explain how they try to help with other issues as part of the initiative, that may be acting as an obstacle to students continued participation in the scheme:

“Teaching the girls about computers and building their appreciation of science is one thing, but we cannot achieve much when they have to withdraw from class to attend to personal issues. We therefore ensure that we facilitate school attendance with things like bus fare so that they don’t miss class, and give them personal effects for proper hygiene…”

As the article explains, in the coming year since publication the group were intent on further enhancing the curricula they could offer to students to include training in financial literacy and psychological support, with a view to gaining recognition and further input from stakeholders such as the Kenya National Examinations Council in the future.

Senegal: Aiming to educate 100 girls in ICT each year

This is the aim of Bitilokho NDiaye, Technical Consultant in charge of Gender Issues at the Senegal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, from an interview with The Soleil earlier this year.

In the interview, reported online in the Afrique IT News website in April, Bitilokho explained how they want to “…encourage computer access to women by giving them low-cost computers so that they can be trained in communications…” with the aim of “…promoting female entrepreneurship by making sure that that there are SME headed by women.” Summing up the interview, she explained that the scheme had been a success so far, and hoped to present those who had participated and the projects they had undertaken in ICT since attending the training course.

Telecentre Women Campaign: Joint Scheme in Rwanda, Kenya and Zambia to encourage women to embrace technology through ICT training

As reported on the telecentre.org blog last month, since July the Rwanda Telecentre Network (RTN) Southern Africa Telecentre Network (SATNET) and KenTel have been implementing a digital literacy program of training for women in both rural and urban communities. Working in conjunction with Microsoft, the aim if the initiative as explained in the article is to:

‘…empower disadvantaged community women with knowledge of ICTs for personal growth and expanded opportunities for better lives. Hence boost countries’ aspirations of transforming from an agricultural-based economy to a knowledge-based one….’

One of the students who attended the training explained how she was able to benefit from it with the running of the cooperative of 25 women she was involved in, which produced sweaters and scarves:

“we can now use Microsoft Excel to calculate our profits, book keeping, design a flyer to market our product using Ms Word, and prepare a presentation Powerpoint…”

Chipatala Cha Pa Foni (CCPF): Mobile phone-based initiative in Malawi aims to help women responsible for sourcing medical services and facilities for their family and communities

An article earlier this month in the All Africa website, referencing the Malawi News Agency, explains how a recent development is helping women in rural areas of Malawi (with particular reference to the Nkhotakota region) in their search for medical services and health advice, a requirement that affects whole communities but inevitably falls to women to provide a solution for them.

Chipatala Cha Pa Foni (CCPF), which means ‘Health Centre By Phone’ in English, is a scheme that embraces mobile ICT to specifically help those women who have young children, are pregnant or of child-bearing age,  by provided them with vital healthcare information regarding maternal, neonatal and child-health concerns via their mobile phones.

The result of a competition jointly run by the Malawi Ministry of Health and global NGOs Concern Worldwide and Village Reach, the scheme uses contracts between Village Reach and mobile provider Airtel as its technology platform. Through this integration of mobile technology, it has been possible to extend the reach of existing women’s healthcare education programmes to those who need them most.

Village Reach Program Manager Zachanak Jezman explains the CCPF initiative in more detail:

“CCPF has two components, the first one being a toll free case management hotline which allows women of child bearing age, pregnant women and women of under-five children to talk directly to health workers by dialing 54747 on any Airtel number.

“The second component allows the three groups of targeted women to register with CCPF to receive timely and specialized tips and reminders on healthy information,” he said.

During the launch of CCPF in Nkhotakota, the article quotes National Chairman for the Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood, Senior Chief Kwataine as he described the launch:

“…a special day for the three targeted groups of women…CCPF is one way of promoting safe motherhood. It provides a platform to interact with (a health) worker for a long period without actually going to the (health) facility…Women who have reservations about going (to health a facility) will also be served. It’s up to us to use it so that Malawi should continue doing well on maternal health…”

Computer training on four wheels: Different approaches to ‘driving’ ICT education to where it’s needed

This week I’ve taken the blog down a mobile route, but not in the usual sense when it comes to ICT4D: It’s all about the different ways in which vehicles have been utilised to bring ICT training to those who might need it, in hard-to-reach, rural communities, where education in computing and the resources required are not normally readily available.

Many of the more remote communities in developing countries lack even the most basic in ICT infrastructure, let alone dedicated provision for ICT/computer skills training and internet access, and yet without some form of education in ICT, those communities and in particular their younger generation have restricted opportunities in terms of employment beyond their immediate environment, or access to further and higher education, because of their lack in ICT skills and training. In addition, the communities as a whole are less able to benefit from ICT-based innovations in health provision and agriculture, without access to the necessary training in order to utilise the developments available to them.

Mobile computer ‘labs’ and training facilities have existed in various locations in the developing world for some years now, through a local determination to overcome the lack of ICT provision that still persists in many communities, or a lack of any convenient location to provide lessons in ICT-related skills.

The vehicles used in the projects this post focuses on may vary, from converted four-wheel drive SUVs to full size buses, but the intentions are the same – to bring ICT training to those who may need it most, in the more remote and disconnected locations, and in environments where new skills and a greater understanding of modern technology could lead to greater opportunities for employment, and greater prosperity for the communities involved. Here I’ve looked at four of these stories, to give an overview of the different approaches adopted to provide mobile ICT education.

South Africa – ‘The Big Green eMachine’

One of original (if not the very first) attempts to deliver ICT education in a mobile format was the ‘Big Green eMachine’ on South Africa’s ‘Wild Coast’; a specially converted 4×4 truck that was set up as a joint venture between local NGO Friends of Chintsa, Volunteer Africa 32 Degrees and African Heartland Journeys, with additional financial assistance from other charities. The project has been running since 2010 and provides a mobile lab complete with server, laptops and all the necessary kit to provide ICT training, in as close to a ‘classroom’ environment as can be achieved on four wheels. As explained in a short piece from the E-learning Africa website, the initiative’s aims are all about bringing ICT to those who would otherwise have little access to it in their community environment:

‘…This directly addresses the lack of technology in the extreme rural areas by visiting schools and bringing computer based learning to children in these areas! Furthermore, the mobile lab has proved to be the solution to the lack of space, security risks to assets and the unreliable or non-existent electricity supply. It’s a fantastic project and the students absolutely love it!…’

Sri Lanka – Esoft’s mobile computer bus

Initially put together in 2011, this project provided by local ICT education provider ESoft, aimed to bring basic ICT knowledge and understanding to students and children in disadvantaged areas, where ICT resources and training were scarce or non-existent. At the centre of the project was ESoft’s ‘mobile computer bus’, fully equipped with all the necessary IT equipment required to provide a mobile classroom that is, as described in an article in Sri Lanka’s Sunday Times, ‘…on a par with any modern IT laboratory of an ICT training institute…’

As the CEO of a technology education company, you would expect Dr. Dayan Rajapaksa, ESoft’s Managing Director, to be vocal on the importance of providing ICT education to a mass audience. Yet what he’s quoted as suggesting in the Sunday Times article rings true and reads as a very concise recognition of the need to address the ‘digital divide’, between those with and those without access to ICT resources, education and understanding:

“…In the future world, nobody will be able to successfully steer his/her personal or professional life without depending on ICT. It is such a critically important component. Therefore, it is a national duty to impart knowledge and training on ICT to the younger generation who will take over as the country’s future leaders… It is bad enough that these students have no access to ICT due to a dearth of facilities, but it is still worse that they have no proper understanding of how important it is to be computer literate for their future prospects and wellbeing. There must be students among them who have the aptitude for ICT excellence. The objective of the ESOFT CSR project is to impart basic ICT knowledge and training and make these students understand the importance of academically arming themselves to excel in this important sphere. This will also open the door to better career prospects in a diverse field…”

St Lucia –  ICT for schools in the back of a mini-bus

A recent development on the Caribbean island of St Lucia has brought ICT to local schools, ‘centres for boys’ and correctional facilities, using a converted mini-bus packed with ICT resources and learning aids. When the bus pays weekly visits to two local schools, pupils are given the opportunity to use various ICT learning devices to help with their mathematics and language skills. Through an EU-funded programme (the EEICTP or Education Enhancement through Information Communication Technology Programme), the project is supporting the existing curriculum by providing the children with invaluable additional experience that would not normally be available to them, using digital devices and computers alongside their usual classroom teaching.

An article on the EEICTP St Lucia website explains the ethos behind the mobile facility, again recognising the need to address issues surrounding the division between those who do and those who don’t have ready access to ICT training and resources:

‘…The pioneering mobile ICT bus is equipped with Wi-Fi and electronic gadgets and visits the Boguis Primary School in Babonneau and the Les Etangs Primary School in Soufriere once a week…The initiative is part of the EEICTP’s outreach which has ushered in a new era of digital inclusiveness, bridging the gap between access to technology among students of urban and rural schools.…’

The Principal of one of the schools, Murina Julian of Boguis Primary, elaborates further on the importance of ICT education for her pupils:

“…In this technological world, our students need access to computers and since we are a rural school, we still have some students who are deprived of this access. You find as a result the students look forward to the visit of the Mobile ICT bus and are enthusiastic about learning…”

Uganda – One women’s mission to bring ICT to rural communities

The last focus of this post is perhaps the most appropriate to round off with, demonstrating as it does how one person’s drive and enthusiasm, with a little help from technology and a local NGO, can provide the solution to a communities lack of ICT knowledge, awareness or opportunity.

Ina Fried’s informative article from October 2012 in the All Things D website tells the story of Asia Kumukana. Asia was educated in Uganda and attended university there,  yet didn’t use a computer until she was 22, due to a dearth of resources or access to ICT at any stage of her education. Once hooked on technology, she decided she wanted to address the problem, particularly for those in rural areas:

‘…From the moment she got her first taste of computing, Uganda’s Asia Kamukama knew that she wanted more of her people to get their hands on this…Fast-forward a few years, and she helps run Maendeleo Foundation (see below), an organization that does just that — bringing a solar-powered mobile computing lab to rural villages. The effort brings together about 15 Intel Classmate PCs, along with the solar panels needed to power the machines…’

The article goes on to explain how Asia’s project planned to leave some of the computers and equipment behind at the schools and libraries that the mobile lab visited, hopefully providing a more permanent resource for those in the remote locations which up until then had not had access to them; – an additional benefit that this clever mobile solution was able to impart to those it has helped.

Further Information: The Maendeleo Foundation

The Maendeleo Foundation, a United States registered NGO, was set up with the aim of promoting the development of a productive computer services industry in East Africa, in part by helping local communities to have greater access to ICT through the use and promotion of solar energy sources at a local level. This is particularly relevant in Uganda, where some sources suggest that less than 10% of the rural community has access to a continuous electricity supply.

Their mission statement available from their website explains the organisations’ aims: ‘…Maendeleo Foundation’s mission is to complement the existing education system by making computers available to people of all ages, providing customized training, and encouraging and supporting the formation of Information Communication Technology businesses. We operate innovative training programs in a network of primary schools, and cooperate with organizations of similar interests that share our commitment to the promotion of technology for development…’

Mobile technologies supporting vital information services to farmers in Africa: Some ICT4 Agriculture success stories

With the ICT4Ag conference well underway in Kigali, it seemed a timely opportunity to highlight some of the ICT4Ag initiatives that have been put into action across Africa, with a focus on the power of mobile devices to bring real benefits to rural farmers and significantly improve their lives and those of the communities in which they live. I’ve tried to bring together three different initiatives in different African states, to give an overview of how this technology can be put to such effective use in meeting the challenges that farmers are facing, and to present them in a way that can inform the uninitiated as much as those with a keen interest in ICT4D.

Ghana: SMS assists local farmers to improve the results of their efforts in rice farming

Non-governmental organisations and G8 member states have made Ghana one of their top priorities in terms of providing financial support and advice to improve farming methods and to help farmers harness the new technologies that can assist them in getting the most from the resources they have available. Under the G8 banner, the New Alliance of Food Security and Nutrition was launched in 2012 with commitments from African leaders, private sector partners and G8 members to make substantial investments towards improving food security, agricultural practices and nutrition levels for 50 million people by 2022. The ‘Feed the Future’ project is their main US initiative for input and involvement in the New Alliance, which includes a significant level of focus on Ghana.

At a far more local level, an article and accompanying video by reporter Nan Boakye-Yiadom for Ghanaian website and radio station Citifm Online was a fascinating source of information on mobile tech helping farmers in the field, as it gave such an interesting and and accessible account of the focus of the article – rural farmer Abdul Rahman Takoro and his family – and the difficulties and challenges they face with subsistence rice farming, and trying to make it an affordable and even profitable venture.

The article explains how only three years ago, Abdul could not afford to send all his eight children to school, unable to earn a living to provide for his family through rice farming as he lacked both the resources and agricultural education to be able to make the farm a success.  Thanks to the involvement of Esoko, a private communication company in Ghana, Abdul was able to benefit from an SMS message system to gain information on weather changes, improved farming methods and market prices. The article explains the difficulties that farmers face in getting the information and the help they need through traditional means:

‘…Currently the only way most farmers get such information is through extension officers. The government employees meet with farmers to provide information, but they barely reach a quarter of the total number of farmers in Ghana. As well, according to information from Ghana’s Finance Ministry, about 70 per cent of extension officers will retire from active service in the next three years…’

The article goes on the explain how the Esoko initiative works, and reinforces the idea that private companies and contractors have a huge part to play in assisting with these projects – which in the end can help to improve the economy in the company in which they operate, by increasing the contribution that farming can make to the nation’s GDP:

‘…Esoko has representatives who visit about 50 different markets in the various regions each day and compile the going price of foods. They relay that information to the Esoko headquarters, where it is packaged into simple and comprehensive SMS and distributed to the farmers and traders who are also subscribed on the platform. Farmers also receive information on weather patterns, when to plough their land, when to sow, apply fertilizer, check weeds and harvest…Takoro is one of about 120,000 farmers in the Northern Region making use of the information from Esoko. He’s been receiving the SMS messages for two years. “What we gain from Esoko is immeasurable,” he said. “They alert us with prices in markets nationwide, tell me whatever I produce I can send it there to sell and get interest. They also help us with weather forecasts too…” …Takoro says with the information he can now decide whether to send his produce to the market for sale or sell it to middle men and women, considering which of the options will make him get more money…’

Soil testing results by SMS: Crop Nutrition providing innovative service to Kenyan farmers

Crop Nutrition, and agribusiness company, have set up an innovative service to speed up the process of soil testing and analysis for farmers in Kenya.

Crop Nutrition provide special specimen bags to farmers through their network of field advisors, who train the farmers in the correct methods for collecting the samples, which are then delivered to Crop Nutrition’s laboratory via local agro dealers. Costs are kept low due to the high volumes involved and the level of sophistication of the company’s testing equipment, which also contributes to a much faster turnaround than other more traditional methods of soil testing. The results are then sent via SMS message directly to the farmer, again cutting down on the time it takes from initial sample collection to when the farmer is able to act on the results of their analysis.

USAID’s briefing paper explains how Crop Nutrition assume that local representatives will assist farmers with understanding the implications of the results, if needed, and the importance of soil testing in global farming:

‘…Crop Nutrition works on the expectation that if the results and recommendations are unclear to the farmers, they will be interpreted for the farmers by the agro dealer or field advisor. Soil testing is important for any farmer to know what minerals their soil is deficient in and what type of fertilizer or other inputs may be used to increase soil health and fertility, yields, and resistance to pests and disease…’

The paper can be viewed at via the e-agriculture.org website, (which also provides further information on this initiative), and provides further information on the users and business model of the project, the costs of which are provided entirely by Crop Nutrition, again a private company, as part of their operational expenses. One additional point from the paper is worth reposting here, and that is the anticipated impact of the initiative:

‘…Crop Nutrition lab reports include technical recommendations so that farmers apply the correct fertilizers, lime or other inputs to reduce production costs and improve yields. When correctly used by farmers, this information can contribute to larger crop yields. Agro dealers also receive a small commission for facilitating the service…’

Uganda: ‘Community Knowledge Workers’ provide farmers with invaluable information and market data in exchange for completing surveys

The Grameen Foundation was set up in 1997 to assist communities in developing countries to address their own challenges and reach their full potential, through the provision and application of the right tools and resources. Their website explains further the ethos behind the work they do in trying to help people in the world’s poorest countries:

‘…Our collaborative approach to poverty alleviation recognizes the multidimensional and complex nature of global poverty. We work with private sector companies, non-governmental organizations, government agencies and others to ensure we achieve lasting impact in the regions where we work.’

As explained in an article from the ICT in Agriculture website and as part of Grameen’s work developing new agricultural programmes in Uganda, the organisation has set up the Community Knowledge Worker (CKW) programme with financial support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The program involved the training of over 800 village-level representatives (CKW’s) to provide agricultural ‘extension services’ to farmers in exchange for their participation in completing mobile device-based surveys. These extension services include the provision of advice in relation to agricultural methods, livestock, crop diseases, weather forecasts and other relevant information. In return, the information provided by the completed surveys helps Grameen and their partner organisations with their research to build up a clearer picture of the issues the farmers are facing – which in turn helps in providing the solutions and advice they are provided with.

This simple, cyclical process has helped local farming communities in Uganda by improving their agricultural yields, whilst the farmers involved have been able to achieve better prices through greater market knowledge of the products they produce. It has also created employment through the recruitment of CKW’s, who, as the article suggests, can further increase the benefits of this two-way cyclical approach, by providing solar-energy services whilst in the field alongside their survey data-collection activities, and thereby increase their earnings at the same time:

‘…CKWs are trained to 1) provide a link to agricultural research institutions and extension services and administer surveys, and 2) to set up off-grid electrical charging micro-enterprises using solar energy. These enterprises can earn CWKs as much as 40 USD/month, which doubles the 1.25 USD/day previously earned by 60% of CKWs.’

The article states that due to access to CKW’s, farmers in Eastern Uganda have seen a 17 percent increase in the prices they achieve for maize compared to those who do not have access to these resources, a clear indication that when applied simply and effectively, with a combination of technology and common-sense human input, these new innovations can be highly successful in improving people’s lives.