To this improved management training, IICD adds a digital component. An ICT officer was hired to support and train the schools and equipment was procured and distributed to the schools over the last few months. Coming June, staff will be trained in the use of basic ICT for  school administration (for instance the use of Excel) and will discuss what should be in the administration system. This will lead to a school administration system where teachers, headmasters and administrators can more easily store school results and monitor dropout rates. It is also more easy for teachers and administrators to keep the enrollment lists up to date and to act swiftly if they see that someone is not attending class regularly. They can also see how not attending classes regularly has affected students’ grades.

Improved transparency

Another advantage of a digitalised administration system is that it gets easier for School Management Committees in Pokot and Turkana districts to understand how money is spent and how this could be improved. In the future, an online component could also be added so financial and administrative data is also available (in a secure way) if the committee members or school staff are not at school and still would like to access the data. 

Digital exchange for increased understanding between Pokot and Turkana

The Pokot and Turkana are pastoralist people who are in a constant conflict over land and cattle. About a third of the the children in the IICD-supported schools in the region are orphan or miss at least one parent because of this conflict. There is a lot of distrust between the people, but schools indicate that they are interested in using computers to get closer. A proposed idea was for each school to build their own simple website to promote their school, which can also be used for Turkana and Pokot children to share their ideas and poetry. Though schools are quite far apart, at some point during the implementation phase, schools could also visit each other. Teachers and school management committees may be from different tribes, but their all have the same aim: improving education, and using ICT to do it.

• Clinical: Patients records and registrations, prescriptions, admissions and discharges, investigations (x-rays, laboratory, ultrasound scans etc.) and daily measurements.
• Stock and Inventory Management: Pharmacies, stocks and dispensaries, procurements, external orders and receivables.
• Human Resource: Managing staff, payroll, promotions and appraisals, recruitment and leave of absence.
• Income and Expenditure: Invoicing and billing, sponsors and patients invoicing, refunds and deposit payments.
• General Reports: Daily attendance, patient registrations, services and their fees, drugs bulletin, clinics, inpatient and outpatient listing as well as medical sponsors.

Providing the ministry of health with mortality and morbidity statistics

The system will also provide the Ghanaian Ministry of Health with data concerning mortality, morbidity, outpatients and inpatients, midwife returns, surgical returns and bed state statistics. Local partner CHAG will also have the opportunity to monitor and compare the data from these hospitals in real time.

This health information system will be up-scaled with the financial, technical and training support of IICD and Cordaid, working as members of the Connect4Change Consortium.
It will be customised based on an already available system, HAMS, created by Ghanaian organization Infotech.

HAMS is already being applied in more than 100 hospitals all over the country. The system provides a valuable source of medical, financial,administrative, human resources and insurance data. In addition, it is linked to DHIS2, the central public health monitoring system where information on all the hospitals in Ghana is accessible at all times.

Enthusiasm

The system is received with great enthusiasm by its users (administrative and medical staff). “The system has helped us a lot reducing mistakes in diagnoses due to its elaborate structure, its speed and efficiency,” says a doctor in Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital one of the biggest hospitals of the country in Kumasi.

The three hospitals in Northern Ghana serve a total of 208.000 people; 69.000 in Saboba, 83.000 in Wiaga and 56.000 in Bawku.

Infotech is planning to create a support centre for all hospitals where employees will call to address any problems they might face. This centre will also function as a continuous training system for employees of Ghanaian hospitals.

Nununa, the umbrella organisation grouping different women’s associations of shea and sesame producers, is completing new buildings for its shea transformation chain. Brand new, locally manufactured machines are already installed, and have already produced shea butter.

 “We have temporarily stopped production in order to complete the construction”, says Abou Dradin Tagnan, Nununa’s general manager. He adds that the construction process should resume before the upcoming shea collection season starting in June. With 4596 members and 35 staff members, Nununa’s transformation unit produced 2 metric tons of butter a day before the suspension.  “The aim is to reach 900 tons a year”, Tagnan says.

Managing success with information and communication technologies

With this semi industrialised process and considerable quantities of shea butter and sesame oil resulting from it, it has become almost unthinkable to manage the entire process manually. With the financial and operational support of IICD and ICCO, who cooperate in the Connect for Change (C4C), consortium together with four other development organisations based in the Netherlands (Edukans, Cordaid, Akvo and Text to Change), Nununa has embraced new information and communication technologies.

 The aim is to facilitate the information flow both internally and externally and, by doing that, to boost production, transformation and sales in order to ultimately increase rural women’s income. Internally, Tagnan explains, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is expected to play a critical role in helping keep track, in real time, of the levels of stock, of finished products, of pending orders, and ensuring smooth communication. At the same time, ICT are going to play a vital role in positioning Nununa on the international shea and sesame market.

“A potential French client is testing our sesame oil. We expect more requests when we go online”, says Tagnan.

 Getting online

 One crucial step is getting a web portal up and running and, according to Nununa’s IT officer and webmaster, Sawadogo Boukary, the process is in the final stage.

 “Our site will be on ether later this month, says Boukary, proudly. He has already configured the synology server meant to host the site and other network activities.

 “The site has three parts: a webshop, general information [about Nununa] and our achievements”, says Tagnan. According to him, during the first phase local and international clients will only be able to place orders online. After discussions with local banks, a online payment system is expected to follow.

 Saving time and fuel

 From the paved express way between Ouagadougou and Leo, one sees a high red-and-white antenna planted in the middle of building serving as Nununa offices and harbouring stocks and transformation units.

 “Our plan is to exchange information by using a wireless connection”, Tagnan adds. He stresses that once the VSAT (satellite internet connection) is up and running later this month, village-based field agents will save both time and [motorbikes’] fuel, as they will send and receive information using computers connected to the wireless antenna.

This article is based on a field visit at Nununa in Leo, Burkina Faso on 12 April 2012.

The warning system is part of a programme supported by IICD and the Dutch Progreso Foundation to improve service delivery of 3 coffee cooperatives to their members. In 2013, 1700 coffee farmers will be trained in using the text based (SMS) system. Some staff members of the cooperative are already using a database that keeps track of memberships, yields and payments. The IICD-Progreso project will build on this with broad ICT training, helping not just a few staff members, but also board members, factory staff and cooperative members to get full use of the available tools. This will make the cooperative more transparent and serviceable to their members,  and will make sure data is stored quickly, accurately and safely, training the coops in practical skills like data-management and back-up.

In total, 7510 coffee farmers will benefit once the programme is fully running.

Digital weighing

Another aspect of the programme is to put a digital weighing system in place in the farmer cooperative’s factories. Each coffee cooperative has several factories where farmers can bring their coffee berries and where the berries are further processed. When the farmer brings in the berries, they are weighed by a cooperative clerk who used to enter this weight either in a book or in a stand-alone lap top. Only later on this data would be entered into a central database at the cooperatives headquarters. This often led to delays and inaccurate data due to errors in the manual transfer of data from one system to another. Farmers also indicated that they would like to make the process more transparent, making sure that they get paid for what they brought in.

By placing digital weighing scales that are able to print out the exact amount, this is covered. Farmers get a printed receipt straight away and have a better way of checking for errors once they receive their pay. Internet links will be made between the coffee factories and the cooperative headquarters. This saves the time of someone physically having to bring the weighing data over. The internet connection also reduces the margin for errors in the database of the cooperatives. Because data are already digital, no one will have to re-enter them into a system.

Panel debate | Keynote speech Jonathan Gosier: Are we in the mobile innovation echo chamber? | Hapee de Groot (Hivos) | Stijn van der Krogt (IICD)

Mobile technology has been a great revolution so far, even in developing countries. Mobile technology can help solve great challenges (for instance in healthcare) and helps farmers to get better crop yields. But, is it a game changing tool, or not? Can we use mobile technology as a powerful to solve the challenges people in developing countries are facing today? This was the main question at Fill the Gap; moving beyond the Mobile Hype, an event organised by IICD and Fill the Gap.

April 20 2012, 16.04

Panel debate: Break the hype?

The last session of Fill the Gap! is a panel debate between Jon Gosier (Appfrika, Metalayer), Daniëlle Puma (Vodafone Foundation), Jeroen Verplanke (ITC University of Twente) and Katrin Verclas (Mobileactive.org), regarding the topic of the day: moving beyond mobile technology.

People are connected more and more around the world. The private sector has played a big role in this, thanks to their large investments in infrastructure, mobile technology development, etc. Human need to communicate seems sometimes more important than the need to eat. The innovation is so fast, there is no way back, but how many people are actually benefiting form it?

At the core of the discussion is the shared view that it is about thinking of the problem you are solving first and then what solution fits best, don’t follow the hype too much: the use and purpose of the technology comes first then the solution. So start with an analysis why people are using the possibilities before developing a solution, app, etc. Its a game changing technology but we need to be critical and also be smart about how to use it. If there is not a need for a solution, people will not use it. After finding out the need of the locals, let them lead the production of the solution or co-create, because they are the one facing the problem day in, day out. Local involvement is crucial in order to be a success, so be demand driven when developing a solution to an issue. M-Pesa is a great example of this.

Pilotitis

One of the challenges is the high level of pilot projects (‘Pilotitis’), without good coordination and a high level of non-continuation. How are end-users really helped by this? How to improve coordination and spin-off? One solution mentioned is taking a step back, think about the project again, re-evaluate and scale it right.

Another challenge is working with local governments: do they really a mobile revolution since it will create a power devaluation for them? The implicit answer is no.

All in all, there are obviously a lot of opportunities and challenges regarding mobile technology, especially in the developing world. If you want to be successful and make a real difference take a step back and pace yourself before developing a solution and/or setting up a project.

April 20 2012, 15.46

Jonathan Gosier

Jonathan Gosier, co-founder of Appfrica  starts with the main question he wants to ask today : “Are we in the mobile innovation echo chamber?”.

He wonders if in the time of huge popularity of introducing mobile solutions, when we experience success of so many mobile tools, we all do not forget what the real point of those tools is? He considers that nowadays there is real value in discussing whether we are not thinking too much about the mobile tools themselves, instead of deep considerations of the end goals that those tools are supposed to achieve.

Jonathan builds parallel to his own experience with MetaLayer, company which he founded that deals with firms that have data challenges. He mentions that its often that their customers “just want more and more data”, and “come to us with massive data they collected and only then ask us what they could do with this data”. He believes it should be the other way around, when you don’t start to collect data “until you really know for what you are doing it”.

He believes that relatively the same happens right now in the mobile world: “Everyone these days wants a mobile app – but the question of why and what for is in many cases not asked”.

Therefore – there are some fundamental questions that should be asked while building of the new mobile app solution is considered?

- Is it local solution? Is it sustainable locally?
Always consider how to ensure that solution in sustainable locally – e.g. through investing in local entrepreneurs, finding ways to affect local culture, etc. It is always the local ownership that makes the difference.

- How is the context of the environment within which solution is implemented?

Always consider the context offered by the environment within which solution is implemented: the culture, the resources, etc.

- Are we supporting Producers or only Consumers?
Production is just as important as consumption. There is currently significant focus on pushing content for consumption to the developing world. There is however not enough focus on supporting the local production processes. (Example of the initiative to empower local production that Jonathan is involved in is Apps4Africa).

- What is the relation of the Effects to the Affects?
What are we really accomplishing, both before and after tool is launched? How are we really affecting society in the long term thanks to the technology that we launch?

Jonathan sums up with two things to always consider: that “It is important to consider greater context of everything” and that we should always “look for ways how we can build participatory way of behaving of end users, not only on building participatory tools!”.

April 20 2012, 15.09

Hivos: the use of mobile technologies. An experience from the field. Hapee de Groot, webmaster of Hivos tells us that 4 years ago Fill the Gap! number 5 was all about: mobile phones hype or hope?

How far have we come since then. The growth of mobile penetration, the number of devices and the level of connectivity have now created, in such a short period of time, so much possibilities for students, entrepreneurs and activists, improving lives and demanding change.

Hapee talks about Kibera, one of the biggest slums in Nairobi, Kenya, where Hivos has set up mobile technology programmes, one of them is connecting news via the website (www.voiceofkibera.org) giving the people form Kibera a voice and to share news and questions among peers.

15.08

IICD & use of mobile technologies.

Mr. Stijn van der Krogt, Country Programmes Director at IICD, introduces experiences of  IICD of integrating mobile technologies into their field work.

There are two important principles IICD tries to implement in their work. Firstly, IICD “does not work alone” , always trying to cooperate with the network of partners from diverse sectors,  from both North and South. Moreover, “it’s not only about mobile phones” – as introducing mobile devices it shall always be assessed how this can be integrated with use of all other devices such as laptops, tablets etc.

IICD’s work with mobile technologies is focused on the three sectors: Health, Economic Development and Education

In Health, IICD looks for solutions that allows 1.monitoring of satisfaction of whats happening in health care, 2. data collection, and 3. increasing awareness and education.

In Economic Development, IICD focuses on use of mobile technologies for 1. Price information, 2. Collection of the production data, as well as 3. Certification

In Education, IICD tries to ensure mobile technologies enhance 1. Participation of parents, as well as 2. Gaming (how students can interact with mobiles for more educational purposes that looks more like a ‘fun learning’ )

Providing two final statements regarding use of mobile technologies: Mr. van der Krogt says that “it is essential to start with a need and see if and how mobile can be part of the solution” and that “private sector investment is NOT key to deploying relevant mobile services”.

Tip 1.      Take your time

Change takes time, effort and commitment from all partners involved. Deliberate programme-design is therefore an essential step in implementing successful ICT for development (ICT4D) programmes.  An ICT-led social innovation process makes sure that everything comes together: the activities of the partners, the information on the sector-challenges, the possible ICT-solutions and the embedding of ICT-programmes in partner organisations.

The social innovation process starts with workshops of 2-4 days, organised in collaboration with a local host organisation. These ‘Round Table’ workshops create awareness about ICT for development in the chosen country or sector. Sector challenges pose a starting point for ICT strategy development, and partners create ICT project ideas. But, although these workshops are seen as very valuable, evaluation data show that 38,8 percent of the participants thought the Round Table workshops was too short; also 51,8% of all participants indicated that only limited range of ICT technologies were covered.

This feedback supported the IICD-approach for a follow-up workshop. After the round tables, partners further develop their project ideas, that are fine-tuned during ‘solution design’ workshops where partners explore what ICT solutions are offered on the market and what solutions could be useful in their context.

In the last formulation phase, project proposals are finalised in collaboration with sector specialists, ICT specialist and local and international consultants. Change takes time.

‘At the beginning there was so much information. It was only after the Solution Design Workshop that the whole idea of ICT4Education became clearer, also like the project activities, as well as insight in the role of ICT’.

For more info about the social innovation process, see the document: ICT-led social innovation process 2011

Tip 2. Bring all interested parties together

When co-designing an ICT4D programme, make sure to invite all interested parties. ICT for development programmes deal with many actors that should all be taken into account.

The Connect4Change approach is based upon peer-exchange and collaboration amongst partners. This principle materializes in a diverse representation of stakeholders in programme development and the focus on networking and learning while implementing. During Round Table workshops, representatives of national NGOs, local and national government, companies, research institutes, cooperatives and grass root organizations shared their sector-analysis and key areas where ICT can play a role. Building a strong support base for the project, is stimulating:

‘I felt like sharing instead of competing, it gave me a sense of belonging: the peer review process was very special. We were advised and supported and were allowed to make mistakes. We felt free to share the proposals ‘as raw as they were’. Our organizations are now together in one programme so we work less single-handedly. We are meeting different ways of working and learn about that’. (partner in Uganda)

As M&E data show, an inclusive formulation process is appreciated in terms of participation, transparency and flexibility. Proposals have become more comprehensive and coherent: the project design process has therefore been experienced as capacitating. Involving a diverse range of actors helps to build a strong support-base for the ICT4D-programmes and prevent a tunnel-vision. The flipside of the coin, is that working with such a broad number of stakeholders can be time-consuming.

Tip 3.      Choose development over ICT

Some ICT4D programmes tend to focus on the transfer of specific new or innovative technologies to developing countries. An essential part of ICT for Development projects is that they are in line with the development goals of the organisation: 94,7% of our partners indicate that the formulated projects are in line with the goals of their organisation. Technology can function as a facilitator, or accelerator towards achieving these.

To create sustainable projects, it is essential that ICT-initiatives are not isolated from the organisation: both commitment from the organisations as well as feeling collectively responsible for the project, has been very positively appreciated by partners in their feedback.

Tip 4.      Stimulate men's and women’s involvement

In many countries and sectors in Africa and Latin America, women are marginalised and underrepresented in decision-making positions in organisations. This is not something that can easily be changed, but keeping gender equity in mind when designing programmes could help. It is therefore crucial to invite both men and women during the design phase of a project.

We realise that this is easier said than done. At IICD, female participation in activities differ from country to country, and from sector to sector. In the Ethiopian programme for example, only 5% of participants in the Round Table workshops and 18% of participants in the solution design workshops were female. In Uganda on the other hand, 62% of the participants of the Health Round Table were female and 54% of the solution design workshop was female.

Nevertheless, on average  for all sectors, M&E feedback from 2011 shows that 90% of IICD’s partners perceive that the projects that were being developed took in the viewpoints of both men and women. And 83% thinks that the projects will change the role of women for the better.

What’s also good to keep in mind is that gender equity does not always have to be about women representation: there are also examples of female-dominated sectors such as primary and secondary education in Bolivia, where more attention is needed to also include men.

Tip 5.      Design solutions together with those who will use it

In order to understand what solutions will be most effective in the local context, beneficiaries need to be involved in solution-design. A diverse range of ICT technologies can be applied, depending upon, amongst others, available facilities, local knowledge and skills, or current local use. The set of ICT-tools is large and ranges from radio to television, from mobile phones to computers, from on-site use to far-distance use, and so on. In order to understand best those solutions that are most appropriate, involvement of the people who will use them: such as teachers, nurses, managers, farmers and women needs to be ensured. Feedback from the partners has taught us that this aspect needs continuous attention. There are different ways to ensure this, as one of our partners suggested:
‘Think of community resource persons that identify well with the community. These could provide the project team with the situation on the ground as they get time to interact with community members’.

These tips are based on IICD's publication: ICT-led Social Innovation 2011

This project is supported by IICD and Edukans through the Connect4Change consortium. Local partner Apoyo par el Campesino Indígena del Oriente Boliviano (APCOB) is a Bolivian non-governmental organisation that aims to integrate indigenous groups in the Bolivian society as well as to preserve their rights.

In order to enhance accessibility, the aim is to eventually place all the materials on the educational platform www.educando.edu.bo, where students and teachers have access to information about projects and materials generated by organisations active in the field of education. At this point of time, materials are uploaded by 3 organisations: CEPAC, Educatic and APCOB. Later on in the Connect4Change programme in Bolivia, other educational projects by Fe y Alegría, CEE and IRFA will also upload their materials.

• Organising and facilitating the exchange of information and experiences through seminars and internal learning sessions.
• Translating data of our programmes into SMART knowledge products in close cooperation with the Monitoring and Evaluation department and communication officers. 

Applicants must be in the possession of a European working permit.

For more information, go to the vacancies section on our website or write to vacancy(at)iicd.org. Closing date is April 20^th. IICD is also still looking for a Finance Assistant; closing date for that vacancy is April 14. 

“At this moment our partners are not in any immediate danger,” states François Laureys, Regional Manager for West Africa at IICD. “But it’s obvious that a trading embargo that is currently implemented by the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS) is influencing daily life in the areas where we work.”

Power outages

Laureys:“We receive reports of long lasting power outages and food prices are rising. For one of the affiliated organisations of our agriculture partner Sene Kunafoli Bulon the embargo already means that they are unable to sell their mango harvest abroad.”

IICD’s partners are actively speaking about the situation via various social media channels such as Twitter and Facebook. A member of the IICD-supported ‘women and ICT’ group wrote an outcry in which she states her concerns if the situation with a junta in the South and a Tuareg Army and Islamic Group in the North continues. “Malians will be will be torn in two and there will be risks of being kidnapped by armed bandits [...] We must respect our constitution and set up another person of consensus, around which all forces of the nation are gathered. (CNRDRE, political parties, civil society, Malian youth and national and international partners of Mali) to manage the crisis.”

More information via IICD

IICD continues to monitor the situation. Our thoughts go out to our partners and we hope that stability in Mali soon returns. Should anything change for our projects and our partners, we will report on this as soon as possible.

For new updates you can follow IICD's Regional Manager for West Africa on twitter: @flaureys. For other ICT for development related news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook or Google Plus.

The app can be viewed on http://www.facebook.com/iicd.org/app_322731264454864

This app is part of IICD’s larger social media strategy that includes

• Branding: Strengthening IICD’s reputation and the reputation of ICT for development 
• Engaging: Expanding IICD’s network 
• Funding: Attract the attention of funders 
• Knowledge sharing 
• Increasing the outreach of IICD products

- executes and controls finance procedures

- controls and prepares payments of expenses

-  controls invoices

Applicants must have at least two years of experience in finance administration and should speak Dutch and English. For more information about the vacancy, see the vacancy section on our website. The vacancy closes April 13^th 2012.

Are you the passionate finance person that we are looking for? Then do not hesitate to contact us: vacancy(at)iicd.org. See you soon!

"Smallholder farmers are key actors who will contribute to feeding the planet and managing natural resources. Connecting them should be done in an affordable and relevant way. For example, in Santa Cruz (Bolivia), farmers are now able to increase the income they earn for their produce via the internet, radio and mobile phone. By going to a website, listening to a daily radio show or subscribing to a daily text message service, they find out where and when their produce is sold at the highest price.  

"We need to transform the behaviour and attitudes if we want to foster development," Figuères continued. "Giving information is not enough for change. Local relevant content such as videos that present how to grow specific crops, needs to be developed by farmer organisations. But our experience is that a farmer to farmer approach, encouraging sharing and communication between farmers is very much needed to change their practices for the better.”

A powerpoint version of Figuères' presentation can be found on IICD's Scribd page and is also embedded in this article. For more information about IICD's experience with ICT for agriculture and food security also see our 5 years ICT for rural agriculture learning report and our recommendations for the UN conference on sustainable development Rio+20.

ICT for Food Security: Technical and Social Innovation at Work

Verclas and Jonathan Gosier will be joined at Fill the Gap by Jeroen Verplanke, ITC University of Twente and Daniele Puma, Director of Vodafone Foundation the Netherlands. They will discuss what five years of experimenting with mobile devices have brought and what the future prospects are. A few of the questions to be answered: Do mobile devices really open doors? And: why can’t shareholders develop. Improve and launch affordable mobile devices for the benefit of the average user in developing countries?

‘Fill the Gap!’ is organised by IICD and Hivos and will take place in NEMO, Amsterdam on April 20^th. The event is free for everyone. For more information on this year’s programme and registration, go to www.fill-the-gap.nl .

Katrin Verclas