-
A Shared Destination: Why we need open source impact metrics
Developers of impact measurement systems should provide an open repository of metrics and allow other users to customize them to their own context and needs. Such systems would also allow users to easily frame goals and build standard-based reports accordingly. Only with shared best practices and collaboration among the organizations will the social sector be able to produce a higher impact.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment, Technology
-
The Digital Cloud that Hangs Over Every African Farm
The African continent is at the forefront of the mobile revolution, with nearly 700 million mobile phone accounts — more than in the U.S. and Europe combined. Africa has also become the world leader in mobile banking. But mobile phones and even mobile money accounts do not amount to digital financial inclusion.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Technology
-
From Radio Jingles to Cricket Matches – You Have to Pass the Word to Heal the World
It is often assumed that if there is a health care problem and a solution, people who are suffering will clamour for the solution. However, the reality is that people need to be educated about the risks and benefits before their buy-in can be obtained. Therefore, effective communication is a critical part of any public health program.
- Categories
- Health Care
-
NexThought Monday – Moving Beyond Capital: Designing Technical Assistance that Works as Hard as Entrepreneurs
Technical assistance can be extremely valuable to early-stage enterprises, but they are a diverse group with different priorities, with limits on the amount of technical assistance they can absorb. Development partners have a responsibility to listen to the entrepreneurs they support and to think creatively about how to best deliver demand-driven, flexible technical assistance.
- Categories
- Health Care
-
Weekly Roundup: Nano Lending Under the Microsope and A Bond to Fight Diabetes
This week Tigo announced it will launch collateral-free nano loans to customers through its Tigo Pesa mobile financial platform in Tanzania. The unsecured loans will average $10,000 Tanzanian shillings (US $5). Is this the lift "nano lending" needs? Plus, Israel begins a new social impact bond to fight diabetes, what it could mean for financing global health.
- Categories
- Health Care, Technology
- Tags
- mobile finance
-
Cancer Vaccines Move From ‘Far-fetched’ to Reality
The significant differences in cost of treatment versus vaccination make the HPV and hepatitis B vaccines highly cost effective in the developing world. And while there have been improvements in global vaccine coverage in the past decade, disparities still result from competing health priorities, limited resources, poor health systems, inadequate monitoring and supervision, among other things.
- Categories
- Health Care
- Tags
- vaccines
-
Mobile Data Has the Answers, But First, We Need to Ask the Right Questions
I’ve realized that when guiding social enterprises, nonprofits and international NGOs to begin using data, it’s helpful to focus on a key, sometimes obvious point: data has to actually answer a critical business or programmatic question. Mobile data collection for the sake of collecting data isn’t enough.
- Categories
- Energy, Impact Assessment, Social Enterprise, Technology
- Tags
- research
-
Graduating Out of Extreme Poverty in Haiti … Permanently
Six years ago, microlending firm Fonkoze launched Chemin Lavi Mio, or the "pathway to a better life," pilot program. CLM is designed to move women and their families out of extreme poverty – permanently. It provides support over the course of 18 months through a carefully tailored package of asset transfers, improved housing and sanitation, water filters and, importantly, weekly visits that provide mentoring and guidance. Anton Simanowitz returns to Haiti to check on the poverty "graduation" effort as it looks to scale.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
