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An increase in the number of tech entrepreneurs in the countries in which we work represents a huge opportunity to work with local talent to tackle important barriers from growth and economic opportunity, to financial access and healthcare. However, recognising that around 80% – 90% of start-ups fail in their first year, we need to…
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This year’s technology buzz word is artificial intelligence, which means you’ve already been asked how your organization can incorporate AI and machine learning in your programs. Hopefully, you answered with this. Or you could be more serious and reply that we all already are using aspects of AI to augment and enhance, not replace, activities…
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Our technology for development specialty is changing. Macro forces like reduced government funding and PEPFAR’s push to local organizations are intersecting with increased local capacity and robust commercial solutions, forcing us to consider a post-ICT4D world. This inspired a Technology Salon asking, “What does the future of ICT4D look like?”, where we had a lively…
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The World Food Programme (WFP) recently announced a 45 million-dollar partnership with the data analytics firm Palantir, which sparked an IRIN’s article about it, an Open Letter from the Responsible Data Forum, and WFP’s resulting statement. The partnership raises serious issues that the WFP seems to be taking steps to address. But these issues are…
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Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being used to advance healthcare in high-income countries. AI here refers to the use of computer systems sophisticated enough to perform tasks that until recently could only be performed by humans, for example, extracting conclusions from visual, clinical, natural language, operational and other complex data. Is artificial intelligence applicable in…
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With uneven economic opportunities and recruitment from abroad facilitated by advances in technology and transportation, migration in the Asian region is increasing. The UN’s 2017 International Migration Report estimates 258 million migrants traveled for work last year, with just under a third of them in Asia. The November Technology Salon Bangkok on How Can Digital…
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Remember when you saw your first geospatial visualization in international development? How amazed you were that satellite maps of the earth could show impact data in a new, clearer way than before? Wait till you see where we are now with game-changing innovations like: Mapping changes at the village level with unmanned aerial vehicles. Visualizing…
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We in the international development sector often have this perception that the private sector is way more advanced than we in the collection, analysis, and use of user data. That somehow Facebook, Google, and every Mobile Network Operator has a God-like dashboard that instantly displays every data point and trend imaginable, at the touch of…
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On June 18, the Bangkok Technology Salon gathered to explore how emerging technology is changing the lives of smallholder farmers in Asia. Joining the Salon as lead discussants were: Surajit Sinha of SourceTrace Systems Rachel Zedeck of Peterson Thailand Siwar Saibua of the Agricultural Technology and Innovation Association With 144 million farmers in Asia, there…
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Practitioners, entrepreneurs, tech employees, and foundation representatives gathered at the Asia Foundation in San Francisco for a Tech Salon to explore the question of: How Can Silicon Valley Help Improve Online Learning in Emerging Economies? The Salon featured discussion leads Amy Ahearn of +Acumen, Jason Bigman of Philanthropy University, and Elizabeth Kountze of Tostan, and…
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Digital technology is transforming economies and the world of work in profound ways. Traditional jobs are being transformed while new forms of work are being created. Siven Maslamoney, Manager, Harambee Youth Employment Accelerator, and Sean Blagsvedt, Former CEO of Babajob.com in India, led the group of digital professionals, M&E officials and youth facing programme implementers…
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The General Data Protection Regulation is coming on May 25th and you should be worried. If you operate in the EU or focus on EU-based clients, then the sweeping new data protection law will apply to you, with multi-million dollar fines per violation. It mandates that we will need to be clear and concise about…
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According to World Bank estimates, about 1.1 billion people lack formal identification. Digital identity and access systems can unlock a range of services for individuals, including financial inclusion, healthcare and education. Equally, they hold significant promise for helping refugees and displaced populations access services. On the other side, digital identity can become a way to discriminate…
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Penny Mordaunt, the UK International Development Secretary, is warning that 2018 will be the worst for humanitarian crises since the Second World War. Simmering conflict is destroying communities in Syria, Congo, Yemen, South Sudan, Myanmar… and the list goes on. Then there will be the inevitable natural disasters that will create new crisis-affected communities. We…
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Quickly messaging people via computing technology is not a new activity. Internet Relay Chat (IRC) started in 1988, and we’ve gone through messaging service peaks with AOL, Yahoo, Blackberry, and SMS. Now there is a new wave of messaging apps and it’s Facebook Messenger, Viber, Telegram, Signal and WhatsApp’s turn. As one participant said at…
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While the hype builds to a crescendo, blockchain use is still very much in its infancy, especially within the international development field. When we talk about blockchain, “we’re in the 1996-2000 dot.com stage,” said one participant of the Bangkok Technology Salon on How to Use Blockchain in International Development? In a discussion led by mobile…
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The inaugural South African Technology Salon How Can Big Data Solve South Africa’s Biggest Challenges?, we discussed the potential of Big Data in contributing to the achievement of development objectives in South Africa and the region. Participating in the discussion was a range of public sector M&E officials, private and not-for-profit organisations, donors and programme…
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Recently, 35 professionals sought to understand what’s been called the greatest and most complicated crisis of our generation. They focused on exploring how refugees around the world are using tech to create more agency and better futures in the December SF Bay Area Technology Salon on How Can 22 Million Refugees Use Technology to Create…
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One thread in this year’s excellent MERL Tech conference was the critical questions on data use: How do we balance project needs with policy requirements? How does that affect data collection, structure, and cleaning? Can we still incentivize both at an organizational level? Ultimately: are we able to generate results data that is usable and…
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In October 2017, the President of Ghana launched the National Digital Property Addressing System (NDPAS) also known as the Ghana Post GPS with the aim of providing every location in Ghana with a unique digital address. It is hoped that the Ghana Post GPS will achieve a nationwide use for spatial database information for…