ICTworks by Inveneo

Sending MMS your way: On August 26, the good folks over at FrontlineSMS, upped the ante with the addition of MMS capabilities to the latest release of their software. Imagine the doors this will open up for health-care delivery, disaster management, eLearning...

Facebook is the mobile internet

The Facebook Factor: According to a recent report, the mobile penetration rate in Africa stands at 47% and there seems to be a significant growth in the number people accessing the web...to use Facebook! Do you see a correlation between Facebook use and mobile web adoption rates?

eDevelopment Defined: Are you working with "ICTs for development" or working for "development with ICTs"? Read IICD's take on the matter.

Quality Assured. Genuine Product: The war against the proliferation of fake medicines could take a new turn with the introduction of a new service that allows people confirm the authenticity of a drug via SMS. Learn more about .

Techno-Optimism: The ICT4D Jester speaks once again.

1,000 Telecentres in Rwanda by 2015? Paul Barera, Executive Director of Rwanda Telecentre Network (RTN), hopes to reduce the digital divided by deploying 1,000 telecentres by 2015. An upcoming handbook provides a case for why and how this ambitious goal will be accomplished.

e-Voting boosts economies: African ICT firms are reaping economic benefits from the transition to e-voting.

m4D. Apps4D. ICT4D. Confused, yet? This Venn diagram provides some clarification.

Finally...the ICT4D Spotlight of the Week: The Talking Book
The Talking Book is a programmable audio computer that shares locally-relevant knowledge and improves literacy. While many of you are already familiar with this project, they've had a pretty busy summer.

P.S. We would like use this spot to plug people, projects or organizations that are using creative yet appropriate ICTs in the field of international development, please leave us a comment if you would like to be highlighted.

To get these links faster, follow me on Twitter: @RitseOnline

An interesting conversation sparked by a blog post on the Ushahdi blog is the main reason for this post.

The post by Erik Hersman raises issues about open source software and tools created in Africa and ICT for Development (ICT4D). In the post Erik contends that although it is great that these tools are being used for development oriented Non Profit work, the technology (tools and software) themselves should be separated and not classified as ICT4D tools.

What is ICT4D (ICT for Development)? It’s usually defined as the application of technology in third world countries, not as technology. In other words, a technology platform or tool is not ICT4D, though it is used by ICT4D practitioners to do their work.

As you may (or may not know), Erik Hersman is one of the main people behind Ushahidi, a powerful tool which has been used to aid crisis management in several instances including Haiti (and initially in Kenya during election violence there).

However as an open source project, Ushahidi is first and foremost a tool for monitoring and mapping information, from several channels (the web, twitter, SMS) and creating a visual representation of  data. It is for this reason Ushahidi has been well suited for crisis management, especially since its initial development  was centered around a crisis.

However just as with Wordpress, Drupal, and Mozilla projects, it is a Free Open Source Software whose use is limited only by the talent and passion pof the developers and community which adopt and adapt the software. Erik therefore states that just as Drupal and Wordpress cannot be classified as ICT4D tools because the Non Profit and Development community use them extensively so should Ushahidi not be pigeon holed as an ICT4D only tool.

Truth be told my heart leapt with joy after reading the blog post? Why you may ask. I believe my comment in response to the post summaries it perfectly.

Whew this post just made my day and clarified an issue for me. For some time now I have been wondering time and again if using Ushahidi (and other such open source projects) for a commercial project would be a betrayal of the vision on which the tool was built? It has made me a bit apprehensive about trying out an installation and playing around to see its potential.

When I say play around since I am more into use cases than the code (to each his own) it would be along the lines of what problems can Ushahidi be used to solve. Is it suited for bus routing, reporting crime, locating fire hydrants. Unless I tinker I will not know.

This post gives me a clear mind to tinker without feeling like a sellout if the idea is one which can be commercialized. Separating the tools from their use is important.
Nana Kwabena Owusu

Now there are excellent tools out of Africa which have been used really well by NGOs and get a lot of media attention in that context but are not necessarily ICT4D tools. It seems my apprehensive sentiments about taking software which was deemed (wrongly as Erik points out) for non-profit or social enterprise work and maybe using it in For Profit ventures is shared by others.

Here is a comment from Jon Gosier in response to my comments about this apprehension and how to address it.

Agreed @Nana I’ve had this conversation with a number of investors and organizations interested in SwiftRiver as well. It’s ridiculous to say what we’re building is strictly ICT4D when clearly there are so many other potential applications for the technology. That’s exactly how we’re approaching development and some of the things we have in the works.

With Ushahidi, Wordpress, Drupal, I see it as being very much the same senario. Ideally the people and organizations who use these open source products, support the non-profits making them…and there’s nothing to stop you for building whatever you want, given the right set of tools and vision.
Jon Gosier

(Read the full blog post and the great comments at the Ushahidi Blog )

The blame (for lack of a better word) is not entirely from the Western media or ICT4D community. Erik admits its time to really showcase the potential of Ushahidi away from ICT4D but it is up to the community and people like you and me too. Its time to create sometime beyond any possible initial uses the team might have imagined and make it a truly great FOSS project.

As I stated in my comment I would love to tinker with this and other such projects to see the potential for other uses and now I can knowing it was meant for just that. I hope to highlight other African FOSS projects which can be tinkered with soon.

Nana Kwabena Owusu originally published It’s Different. African Open Source Technology and ICT4D on 233tech.com

Are you one of the lucky Silicon Cape technologists, or hope to be one? Then join ICTworks in Cape Town, South Africa this Thursday for a ICT4D Happy Hour.

We'll be gathering at And Union to talk about new trends at the intersection of technology and development in Africa. If you arrive early, you can meet our special guest, Steve Song, originator of the famous African Undersea Fiber Map and collaborator on the Mesh Potato.

• ICT4D Happy Hour
  Thursday, May 13
  5pm till late @ AndUnion
  110 Bree Street, Stephens Church (map)
  Cape Town, South Africa

.

Recently, a new website has appeared on the ICT4D scene that I found worthy: Online Africa - Tracking ICT Progress.

With good content and in-depth ICT analysis, its a worthy read and I encourage you to subscribe by RSS or follow it on Twitter. Yet, who is the mind behind Online Africa? Read this ICTworks Interview to learn more:

ICTworks: Who are you and what inspired you to create Online Africa?

Online Africa: My name is Tim Katlic and I'll be the first to admit that my online presence has been somewhat sudden and mysterious. In a nutshell, Online Africa started as a personal project but quickly took on much greater significance. My site is a passion of mine - I am not an expert in the field of ICT4D - but I believe one does not need an advanced degree to advance ICT in Africa, or anywhere else for that matter.

ICTworks: What is your background?

Online Africa: Currently, I work full-time as an advertising data analyst for an Internet company in Los Angeles, California. In addition to enjoying a lifelong affinity for the Internet, I have always had a passion for the liberal arts. Although I have a degree in physics, my alma mater (Bowdoin College) provided an excellent liberal arts background and emphasized working for the common good. With this in mind, Online Africa seemed like a perfect endeavor. The website allows me to harness both my creative and my technical abilities.

ICTworks: Why Online Africa?

Online Africa: I have always had a passion for the Internet and all of the doors it can open. Over the years I would read articles about how Africa was ready for the digital age, broadband, etc. and wonder why every article I read seemed to repeat a similar story, year after year. Not only did I want to learn more about Africa's history with ICT, but I sought to understand the challenges facing the ICT sector.

Before putting the effort into starting this site, I asked various friends and colleagues what they knew about Africa and the Internet. I was surprised to find no one with knowledge or even much of an opinion on the subject. I'm also amazed at how few Americans even know what the acronym ICT represents.

During my initial research process for a site, I noted that there was indeed a place for another online resource for ICT in Africa. Many sites appeared to be either scholarly or very practical and tech-focused. I imagined a hybrid of these styles. Armed with this empirical knowledge and basic knowledge of Africa’s Internet growth potential, I decided to browse available domain names. Surprisingly, both OnlineAfrica.net and OnlineAfrica.org were available, so I purchased both and the rest is history.

ICTworks: Does writing from outside Africa pose certain challenges?

Online Africa: My location in the United States undoubtedly prevents me relaying first-hand accounts of what is happening on the ground in Africa. I cannot attend events on the African continent like other site owners. However, such limitations help focus the content on the website.

After all, the primary function of my site is to spread the news of African ICT progress and address less “tech-y” topics than other outlets. I am aware of my limitations, and, at the end of the day, I hope my perspective is not detrimental to my message. I understand that my belief systems and cultural background vary from those practiced in Africa. However, Africa is a continent of many flavors and surely my insight has its place.

ICTworks: Could you share some interesting website traffic trends?

Online Africa: Actually, I am most surprised with the low volume of mobile traffic. Currently, only a few percent of visitors arrive at the site using a mobile device. I expected this number to be twice as large, but then again, I also expected African traffic to be higher. Some other notable stats:

• I have been pleasantly surprised with how Twitter updates have grown a steady audience.
• Most visitors come from the USA, United Kingdom, South Africa, Kenya, and Canada.
• 25% of visits are from Africa.
• As expected, French language is the most popular after English.

ICTworks: Do you see advertising as a real revenue generator or just somewhat cost recovery?

Online Africa: Revenue was never a top priority (nor will it ever be), but out of curiosity I did implement AdSense. I personally dislike online ads (although I work with them all day!) but would like to understand more about how an African audience responds to current online advertising. In the future I will most likely remove the ads (for one, they lack visual appeal and clutter the site), but in the meantime they partially cover start-up costs.

ICTworks: What are your goals for OA in terms of audience and scope?

Online Africa: The site is a work in progress that gains direction with every passing day. Initially, I felt that my audience would be mostly African, hence the site translator, low-bandwidth version of the site, and page-caching abilities. So far, however, most visitors seem to be affiliated with organizations working in Africa. I would eventually like to see more Westerners understand that Africa is a diverse continent that is worth a few minutes of attention. If people have time to read gossip websites, then they have time to learn about African ICT.

Also, I would like to produce more original content. In fact, a top priority of mine is to shed more light on nations with smaller online presences. Currently, the Internet is dominated by news stories from South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ghana, and Nigeria. I would like to see smaller nations receive some press, respect, and further opportunity for ICT growth. Along these lines, it would be exciting to receive investment-related traffic to my site.

Thank you for providing the opportunity for me to better explain Online
Africa. I welcome further questions and can be reached at contact@onlineafrica.net.

Whether the goal is to realize microfinance’s full potential or to avoid potential pitfalls, for most microfinance institutions (MFIs), improving the way they use information and communication technologies (ICTs) is crucial.

Microfinance staff learning Loan Performer

Today, even the best-managed MFIs working in environments with relatively good infrastructure often struggle to implement management information systems that are scalable and sustainable. The challenge is even greater in the resource-limited communities where many MFIs find their natural constituents. As Allen Hammond et al have noted in The Next 4 Billion:

"there is still a serious shortage of infrastructure on the ground to provide financial services to the [bottom of the pyramid]."

Fortunately, while building strong institutions can take decades, implementing sustainable ICTs doesn’t have to. Affordable and sustainable power, hardware, software and connectivity systems already exist, they are just not widely available, mostly due to lack of local knowledge and limited support capacity.

Enterprising Solutions Global Consulting recently asked Inveneo to help identify and solve the ICT challenges facing MFIs in two post-conflict countries - Sierra Leone and DR Congo - where they work to build the sector’s capacity. We began with assessments of the current use of ICTs among select client MFIs in each country.

Inveneo’s studies were followed by pilot projects designed to test whether more sustainable hardware, software, networking and power solutions can augment MFI performance and capacity. Our goals were to lower overall operating costs, improve and accelerate information flow and increase overall efficiency and growth.

Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

WiFi installation in DRC

Working with our ICIP partners in DRC (NEKOTEK) and Rwanda (Rock Global Consulting and Great Lakes Energy), Inveneo designed and deployed ICT and power solutions to 9 HQ and branch locations; 4 in Kinshasa (Bomoko) and 5 in Bukavu (Mecrebu).

We installed new, power-efficient desktops, a server, low power printer and CF lighting at each branch, powered by generator and grid-fed battery backup systems and power stabilization systems. In addition, we deployed a private, broadband wireless network in Bukavu to allow access to a central server running Loan Performer and inter-branch VoIP calling.

Sierra Leone

Whereas pilot MFIs in DRC were focused in urban settings, in Sierra Leone - HOPE and Association for Rural Development (ARD) - have HQ offices in the capital city, Freetown, and branch offices in Makeni, some 4 hours "up country."

In Makeni, Inveneo installed low-power servers and workstations running Windows XP (protected with Deep Freeze) and Loan Performer. In addition, HOPE’s branch was entirely off-grid so Inveneo worked with Energy for Opportunity, our local power partner, to deploy a full solar array and power backup system.

Training

To help create local capacity to support these pilot projects, Inveneo combined both classroom and hands-on training to coincide with pilot deployments. In total, we trained 10 new Certified ICT Partners to provide support as needed for future deployments, with Inveneo providing backstop technical support as needed.

In both countries, Inveneo also included IT administrators from the MFIs themselves in relevant parts of the training, thereby creating capable "Tier 1" support and establishing a strong link between system users and capable outside support for more challenging problems.

Download full report (PDF)

Project Results

Initial indications are that reliable power, computing and connectivity systems can significantly benefit MFI performance. In DRC, for the first time, loan officers have reliable access to Loan Performer, their Windows-based accounts package system. We’ve also heard that Bomoko’s branch offices in Kinshasa can now access their Loan Performer system through power outages lasting as long as 2-3 days without having to try to start their aging generator.

For the full details, read our detailed project report:
Accelerating Microfinance Impact with ICT (PDF)

Working collaboratively with organizations like ESGC, Inveneo hopes to develop a better understanding of the real impact of specific ICT interventions for MFIs. We believe that combining efforts at institution/capacity building with appropriate and tested ICT solutions is the best way to achieve the promise – and avoid the peril – of the rapid expansion of microfinance services in the developing world.