Research Study and Concept Development -
Mobile Technologies (Project Details)
Necessary ground work for our new capacity
building program focusing on mobile technologies.
Service and Program Area: Regional Support Hub
Status: Active
(January 2007 until August 2007)
Contact Person: Toni Eliasz
Supporters: The Open
Society Foundation for South Africa (OSF-SA)
Ungana-Afrika has started implementing the
first phase of
its capacity building program focusing on mobile technologies, that
will aim at supporting different stakeholders to utilise mobile
technologies in their development programs. During the first part of
2007, a short research study and a high-level program concept will be
implemented. The project is supported by Open Society Foundation for
South Africa and the documentation prepared will provide a foundation
for further development of the long term program concept. Currently we
are approaching relevant stakeholders and initiatives for future
collaboration purposes.
Detailed Project Info
Context
The growth rate of mobile technologies and
services in Africa has
been one of the highest in the world, even amongst the poorest people.
Mobile technologies are providing to African development organisations
with a way to collect information more accurately than before and are
providing a medium for cost efficient activism campaigns and programs
(among other uses). However, due the current technology capacity
crisis, development organisations have either no understanding of the
possibilities, or they are not sure how to proceed. Without a knowledge
of how mobile technologies support their program strategies, what are
the implementation requirements, how to coordinate implementation, who
are the trustworthy service providers etc.., the benefits of mobile
technologies may become lost opportunities.
Program Concept
The capacity building program will help the
sector to overcome
different challenges by ensuring that development organisations are
able to understand, plan, utilise and sustain mobile technologies more
efficiently. In addition, the planned program aims to ensure that
low-cost technology support is available when there is not enough
capacity within the development organisations by advising service
provides about the specific needs and support models related to the
development sector.
Diagram of the program stakeholders and
their relations:
Current Activities: A research study and
program planning process
The incubation of a sustainable program is a
long term commitment
and it requires resources to establish efficient operations. To avoid
failures at a later stage, where investments for a several-year program
has been made, it is important to proceed in careful phases.
The Open Society Foundation for South Africa
is supporting the
implementation of the first phase of the program incubation by helping
Ungana-Afrika to:
- Gain a better understanding of the
opportunities mobile
technologies provide by conducting a brief study of the most relevant
existing and emerging mobile technologies available for (South) African
development organisations (special focus will be given to one of the
OSF-SA program areas: Media, Human Rights, Criminal Justice, or Good
Governance).
- Gain a better understanding of the
requirements of the next
steps for the set-up of a successful capacity building program focusing
on mobile technologies.
As a result, a short study report will be
developed summarising the
most promising and relevant mobile technologies and defining initial
ideas of how they could be utilised by development organisations
(initially within the sector supported by OSF-SA). In addition, a
proposal focusing on the next phase of the program set-up, including
piloting of services that build the capacity of OSF-SA supported
organisations, will be prepared.
Call for Collaboration
As a part of the program concept planning we
will be evaluating
different collaboration models with stakeholders interested in the
development sector including technology and service providers, or other
mobile technology development initiatives. The aim is to find partners
with tested technologies or sustainable strategic programs and rather
replicate successful initiatives than develop something from scratch.
We are also looking at possibilities to
align our program with
current government programs and seeking support from relevant
departments and regulators.
If you are interested, please send us a
short definition of
your organisation/project and your ideas for possible collaboration to
us (see contact info).
Also, check out this space a few months from
now for additional information and program updates.
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