Author Archive:

The 3 Secrets to Crowdfunding Success

The 3 Secrets to Crowdfunding Success

Published on: Oct 07 2015 by Wayan Vota - 2 Comments
Recently I launched a Kickstarter campaign for JadedAid, a card game to save humanitarians. Based on Cards Against Humanity, and other word association games, it...
Wow! Myanmar is Going Straight to Smartphones

Wow! Myanmar is Going Straight to Smartphones

Published on: Sep 30 2015 by Wayan Vota - 15 Comments
A year ago, I predicted that Myanmar would be a smartphone only country. I saw the confluence of cheap smartphones, savvy people, and innovative mobile network...
Throwing an ICT4D BRCK at Hard Education Problems

Throwing an ICT4D BRCK at Hard Education Problems

Published on: Sep 23 2015 by Wayan Vota - 19 Comments
Congratulations to BRCK on their launch of BRCK Education yesterday. The Kio Kit is certainly a very cool hardware solution that has key innovations for educational...
Please RSVP Now for MERL Tech: The Future of Technology in M&E, Research, and Learning

Please RSVP Now for MERL Tech: The Future of Technology in M&E, Research, and Learning

Published on: Sep 15 2015 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Please RSVP Now for MERL Tech: The Future of Technology in M&E, Research, and Learning
New technologies are creating a data-driven revolution in monitoring development programs and evaluating short and long-term impact, resulting in more responsive,...
If You Really Want to Scale ICT4D to Millions, Abandon Africa

If You Really Want to Scale ICT4D to Millions, Abandon Africa

Published on: Aug 07 2015 by Wayan Vota - 20 Comments
We all talk a good game about how we want to scale ICT4D programs. How we want to reach 100,000 or even +1 million constituents with our cool technology solutions....
Please Stop Asking for Equipment Donations. There is NO Hardware Santa Claus

Please Stop Asking for Equipment Donations. There is NO Hardware Santa Claus

Published on: Jul 24 2015 by Wayan Vota - 6 Comments
Recently, I was asked to help find a donor that would give a program several hundred Android tablets to support a new ICT4D initiative. I was a little surprised...
Where Are the International Education Program Principles?

Where Are the International Education Program Principles?

Published on: Jul 17 2015 by Wayan Vota - 5 Comments
Recently, I was preparing for an education conference session and I was struck by the lack of design principles international education projects. Now I’m...
Is ICT4D Dooming Poor People to Greater Income Inequality?

Is ICT4D Dooming Poor People to Greater Income Inequality?

Published on: Jul 15 2015 by Wayan Vota - 6 Comments
I firmly believe in Kentaro Toyama’s maxim that technology magnifies human intent (read his book Geek Heresy?), and since I am an optimist, I therefore believe...
3 Reasons Why Your Next Online Community Idea Will Fail

3 Reasons Why Your Next Online Community Idea Will Fail

Published on: Jul 13 2015 by Wayan Vota - 10 Comments
As the initiator of three successful websites, EduTechDebate, OLPC News, and ICTworks, I am often asked to help others create online communities. Now they can be...
Could OER Improve Community Health Worker Training?

Could OER Improve Community Health Worker Training?

Published on: Jun 24 2015 by Wayan Vota - Comments Off on Could OER Improve Community Health Worker Training?
Billions of dollars are being invested in finding solutions to Africa’s most pressing health needs. In particular there is a focus on the role of frontline health...