Author Archive:

Our Open Source Software Obsession is Unhealthy in Digital Development

Our Open Source Software Obsession is Unhealthy in Digital Development

Published on: Feb 06 2020 by Guest Writer - 43 Comments
Since I am going to make some potentially controversial observations about the digital health industry and, to some extent, the development sector in general, I...
The Challenges of Teaching Literacy Skills to Somali Refugees in Dadaab

The Challenges of Teaching Literacy Skills to Somali Refugees in Dadaab

Published on: Jan 22 2020 by Guest Writer - 5 Comments
In 2017, Dadaab Refugee Camp was the sixth biggest city in Kenya, with a population of 250,000. With peace returning to Somalia, organisations like the Norwegian...
Looking Back at 20 Years of ICT4D, and the Approaching Future

Looking Back at 20 Years of ICT4D, and the Approaching Future

Published on: Jan 01 2020 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on Looking Back at 20 Years of ICT4D, and the Approaching Future
I started publishing Balancing Act’s News Update in 2000. Every Sunday I would pick over a range of websites in English and French to edit a series of news items...
Lessons Learned as the First Global Humanitarian Partner for TikTok

Lessons Learned as the First Global Humanitarian Partner for TikTok

Published on: Dec 26 2019 by Guest Writer - 7 Comments
The IFRC / TikTok story started only 10 months ago when our Red Cross video guy and trend-spotter Damien Naylor suggested we take a look at the shiny new platform...
How the Honduran Disability Community Uses Digital Solutions

How the Honduran Disability Community Uses Digital Solutions

Published on: Dec 25 2019 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on How the Honduran Disability Community Uses Digital Solutions
Studies on how many disabled people live in Honduras are scarce. Results of a survey by the National Statistics Institute (INE), carried out in September 2002,...
Exploring Food Insecurity via Geospatial Data Reveals Critical Local Differences

Exploring Food Insecurity via Geospatial Data Reveals Critical Local Differences

Published on: Dec 23 2019 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on Exploring Food Insecurity via Geospatial Data Reveals Critical Local Differences
When making strategic and tactical decisions, donors, development implementers, and governments want to rely on the best available data. Until now, this data often...
3 Tips for Bridging Technology and International Development

3 Tips for Bridging Technology and International Development

Published on: Dec 19 2019 by Guest Writer - 1 Comment
At the recent MERL Tech 2019 conference in Washington, DC, the panel “Technology Adoption and Innovation in the Industry: How to Bridge the International Development...
How an HIV Program in Angola Went Online to Succeed

How an HIV Program in Angola Went Online to Succeed

Published on: Dec 18 2019 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on How an HIV Program in Angola Went Online to Succeed
Leveraging online and mobile platforms to deliver HIV services was a “white elephant” in Angola. It was totally unrealistic given the local context, such as...
10 Lessons for Designing Effective Health Financing Products

10 Lessons for Designing Effective Health Financing Products

Published on: Dec 12 2019 by Guest Writer - Comments Off on 10 Lessons for Designing Effective Health Financing Products
Health shocks are the most prominent idiosyncratic shocks and stresses that low-income households face, particularly when they affect primary income earners as...
How DFID Uses Data to Make Development Program Decisions

How DFID Uses Data to Make Development Program Decisions

Published on: Dec 02 2019 by Guest Writer - 1 Comment
As DFID aims to harness the Data Revolution, ensuring that data – both quantitative and qualitative information – drive decision-making, public accountability,...