FrontlineSMS will be on the agenda for women activists in the Middle East, who are set to gather later this month for a conference on social media. The aim is to help women innovators from the MENA region take their causes to the next level through social media and emerging online tools. Further details available here

February 2010: kiwanja.net/FrontlineSMS at Tech4Society

Tech4Society is described as a "celebration that explores the cutting edge of global technological social change. It is an event where rural meets urban, low-tech meets high-tech, and where the lines between business and social, education and creation, begin to blur". Ken Banks will be taking part in panel discussions on innovation at the event, due to take place over three days in Hyderabad in India. Further details are available on the AshokaTech site

February 2010: Ken Banks to talk at London School of Economics

Ken Banks has been invited to speak at the London School of Economics' Department of Management this month. His talk - "Mobile technology, grassroots NGOs and the entrepreneur: The picture from Africa" - is open to the public and is scheduled for Thursday 4th February. For more details, and to arrange an invitation, click here

February 2010: Interview with BBC Click on Ushahidi in Haiti

The use of social media and crowdsourcing in the current Haiti crisis has been unprecedented, and Ushahidi - the crowdsourcing/visualisation tool which emerged from Kenya's recent post-election violence - has been at the forefront of co-ordination efforts. As part of their coverage of events, BBC Click invited kiwanja's Ken Banks to their London recording session to talk about crowdsourcing and social media. The short three-minute programme segment is available here

February 2010: "SMS Uprising" presentation at Cambridge University

Following the publication of "SMS Uprising" last month (see earlier news item for December 2009), Sokari Ekine - the books' Editor - will join Ken Banks for a talk on its contents and conclusions at the Centre of Governance and Human Rights at Cambridge University. Details of the event, scheduled for 1st February, are available on the Centre's website here

January 2010: RANET FrontlineSMS guides in English, French, Portuguese

RANET actively work to help meteorological offices around the world utilise the internet and new internet technologies. As part of their work, RANET have been investigating the use of SMS, and have produced a number of guides - in English, French and Portuguese - on the use of FrontlineSMS for their members. Further details and links to the guides are available on their website here

January 2010: FrontlineSMS featured in The Guardian

FrontlineSMS, and kiwanja.net, have been featured in The Guardian in an article discussing mobile technology in Africa. "Whether it's checking market prices of crops, transferring money or simply making a call, mobile phones are transforming Africa. But could this new technology end up bypassing the poorest?". The full article - "Are mobile phones Africa's silver bullet?" - is available on the Katine Chronicles Blog here

January 2010: Farmer Voice initiative looking to mobile

Farmer Voice, a Gates Foundation-funded initiative, recently held a one-day workshop at the Institute of Development Studies at Sussex University in the UK. The initiative brings together best practice in farmer feedback systems for agricultural development, and the workshop investigated ways and means of assisting farmers communicate better with agriculture-based initiatives. Ken Banks was invited to discuss the use of mobile technology, and to present the work of FrontlineSMS users in agriculture. A video of some of those uses - compiled by the Gates Foundation - is available here, and a link to the Farmer Voice initiative here

January 2010: BBC coverage on the use of technology in Haiti

kiwanja's Ken Banks has been interviewed by the BBC as part of a website feature on the response by the technology community to the Haiti earthquake. The article - "Social networks and the web offer a lifeline in Haiti" - can be read here

January 2010: Judging complete for the 2010 Global Mobile Awards

Ken Banks has just completed helping judge entries for the "Social & Economic Development" category of this year's Global Mobile Awards, which takes place in Barcelona next month as part of Mobile World Congress. The Awards honour the "excellence and innovation in mobile communications worldwide. The mobile industry’s leading annual awards include categories for Mobile Entertainment, Marketing & Advertising, Mobile Services, Innovation and Technology, as well as the Green Mobile Awards and Best Mobile Contribution to Social & Economic Development". The Awards ceremony this year will be presented by Stephen Fry

January 2010: Guest article in HCI "Interfaces" magazine

Following a recent internal talk at Vodafone in London on the design and application of mobile technologies for development, the Editors of Interfaces magazine invited kiwanja to contribute an article to their forthcoming edition, based on the theme of "Globalised, localised and repackaged - Challenges for the future". For the article, Ken invited Joel Selanikio from DataDyne to co-author, based on their shared interest and learning in the mobile applications development space. (Joel has recently been named a Top Innovator by Forbes Magazine). You can read more about Interfaces here, with a link to the article available via a blog post here

January 2010: Rockefeller announces new funding for FrontlineSMS

Last month the Rockefeller Foundation announced a one-year $150,000 grant to The kiwanja Foundation to continue its work developing FrontlineSMS. The funding will allow an expansion of the software development team, and increased outreach, development and support of the user and developer communities. The funding was initially announced on the kiwanja.net blog here

January 2010: Ken Banks appointed Inveneo Advisory Council member

kiwanja's Ken Banks has joined Inveneo's Advisory Council along with Gerry Douglas (Baobab Health Trust), Clyde Rodriguez (Microsoft) and Ethan Zuckerman (Global Voices, Berkman Center at Harvard Law School). Inveneo's mission is to get ICT tools such as computers, telephony and Internet access to those who need it most - people and organizations in rural and highly underserved communities of the developing world. You can read more about Inveneo here

December 2009: kiwanja's Humanitarian Centre talk now online

Last month, kiwanja's Ken Banks was invited to speak at the Humanitarian Centre in Cambridge on his work with mobile technology, and his wider interest in entrepreneurship and mobile innovation in the developing world. The Humanitarian Centre supports innovation and enterprise amongst the Cambridge humanitarian community, and during October/November welcomed three Cambridge-based speakers to give their own unique perspectives on what is meant by 'social enterprise'. A PDF summary of Ken's talk is available here, and an audio version of the whole talk here [30 minutes]

December 2009: FrontlineSMS featured on BBC News website

FrontlineSMS has been featured on the BBC News website as part of their coverage of the release of the latest UN/Vodafone Foundation report (see news item below). The news report - "Aid agencies must use new tools" - focuses on technologies such as Ushahidi, Twitter, Facebook and FrontlineSMS, described as a crucial part of disaster management. Click here to read the article

December 2009: FrontlineSMS featured in latest UN report

Following their recent examination of the mHealth landscape, the UN/Vodafone Foundation partnership have now turned their attention to a new topic – "New Technologies in Emergencies and Conflicts". The new study, available for download on the UN Foundation website, examines how authorities and humanitarian/aid organisations balance the opportunities and challenges of exploiting different technologies at key stages during the timeline of a crisis. The report provides a useful overview of the topic, and gives a number of good examples of how social media tools are being deployed on the ground in emergency and crisis situations. The report also highlights a number of mobile-related tools and services – including FrontlineSMS and Souktel - and provides a number of examples of how Ushahidi has been deployed in trouble spots around the world

December 2009: kiwanja.net presenting at UK Government science gathering

Ken Banks will be one of four presenters at a gathering on 9th December discussing "Science, Technology and Innovation for Poverty Reduction". The seminar is jointly organised by the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, the Institute of Physics and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. Ken's talk will be on grassroots mobile innovation, and his work with NGOs and FrontlineSMS. A PDF brochure detailing the event, which is open to the public, is available here [1.4Mb]

December 2009: Guest chapter in forthcoming "SMS Uprising" book

A new book, due for release in January 2010, will contain a guest chapter from kiwanja.net on mobile activism in Africa, and the need to build and deploy mobile tools which work in the kinds of environments most grassroots activists find themselves

"SMS Uprising" provides a unique insight into how activists and social change advocates are addressing Africa's many challenges from within, and how they are using mobile telephone technologies to facilitate these changes. Other contributors to the book include Nigerian activist Sokari Ekine, who runs the prize-winning blog Black Looks, Juliana Rotich from Ushahidi in Kenya and Berna Ngolobe of WOUGNET in Uganda. Further details on the book, and how to order, are available on the Fahamu Books and Pambazuka Press website here

November 2009: Month of student talks continues in San Francisco

The past few weeks have seen a flurry of talks at conferences, workshops and universities, including two lined up to computer science classes interested specifically in building mobile tools for social change. The first of these talks is to students at Mills College, a nationally renowned independent liberal arts college for women with co-ed graduate programs. The second is set to take place at the University of San Francisco to a class focusing primarily on Android applications development. Details of that talk - and the homework set for the class! - are available here

November 2009: Collaboration with Ashoka on "SMS Guide"

An ongoing collaboration with the Ashoka Changemakers network has resulted in the publication of the first of three text message-related guides. The first - "SMS Quick Start Guide" - was released this week and is designed to help non-profit organisations quickly get up and running with their own FrontlineSMS messaging hub. The other guides, one of which will be a case study of Ashoka's own use of the software earlier this year in Africa, is due out next month. The first guide is available here (PDF, 1Mb)

October 2009: Interview with CNN for "anthropology innovation" article

Ken Banks, kiwanja's Founder, was recently interviewed by CNN for an article on "Human behaviour: The key to future tech developments". The article looks at the focus of mobile innovation at the bottom of the pyramid, and how anthropologists are helping gain a valuable insight into the way people use mobile technology. The full article can be read here

October 2009: FrontlineSMS:Credit launched at Africa Gathering

Africa Gathering in London was the chosen venue for an announcement on the launch of a new venture, FrontlineSMS:Credit, by its Executive Director, Benjamin Lyon. According to Ben, "FrontlineSMS:Credit aims to make every formal financial service available to the entrepreneurial poor in 160 characters or less. By meshing the functionality of FrontlineSMS with local mobile payment systems, implementing institutions will be able to provide a full range of customizable services, from savings and credit to insurance and payroll". Since the announcement there has been considerable interest in the project, with a number of international NGOs and microfinance-focused organisations looking to partner up. Full details and latest news are available on the FrontlineSMS:Credit website, and via a launch blog on the kiwanja.net website here

October 2009: kiwanja.net at Humanitarian Centre, Vodafone and Stanford

Over the next three weeks, kiwanja.net will be making appearances at the Humanitarian Centre in Cambridge, a Vodafone workshop in London, and at a seminar at Stanford University. The Humanitarian Centre talk is scheduled for 26th October, and will cover the background to kiwanja's work, and the thinking behind FrontlineSMS. On 30th October, Ken Banks will be chairing a session at the first international workshop on "Expressive Interactions for Sustainability and Empowerment" hosted at Vodafone in London, discussing mobile innovation and empowerment on the margins. Finally, on 5th November, a talk is scheduled at Stanford University's Centre on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law where Ken will talk about mobile innovation and activism. Details of that talk are available here

October 2009: Second appearance at Africa Gathering London

The organisers behind Africa Gathering London have announced that kiwanja.net will be the first speaker of this year's Friday night networking event. Ken Banks, Founder of kiwanja.net, will draw on years of experience working at the intersection of technology, anthropology, conservation and development in Africa and talk about the impact of mobile technology on the continent. Tickets for the event, which is being held on 9th and 10th October, are available on the Africa Gathering Eventbrite page

October 2009: FrontlineSMS featured in Commonwealth Broadcaster

The role of FrontlineSMS in rural radio is the topic of an article in the latest edition of the Commonwealth Broadcaster, a quarterly publication published by the Commonwealth Broadcasting Association (CBA) which seeks to further the concept of public service broadcasting. CBA's interest in FrontlineSMS follows a significant increase in interest among media organisations. The magazine article can be read here (pages 16 and 17)

October 2009: FrontlineSMS at Better World by Design 2009

After an appearance at the same event last year, Ken Banks has been invited back to sit on a panel discussing "Decentralized Technology" at A Better World by Design 2009. A Better World by Design brings together a global community of innovators to Providence, Rhode Island, to reach across disciplines and unite under a common goal. Presenters share engaging stories, workshops teach creative skills, and discussions reframe perspectives. According to the organisers, "A Better World by Design is an immersive experience that deepens our understanding of the power of design, technology, and enterprise to reshape our communities and sustain our environment". For a short introduction to kiwanja's work in decentralising technology, check out this video of a recent talk at Georgia Tech

October 2009: Ken Banks speaking at "The Feast"

kiwanja's Ken Banks has been invited to speak at this year's "The Feast" conference, slated for 1st October at The Times Center in New York. "The Feast" is a cross-disciplinary series of programs addressing social innovation and new ways to make the world a better place. According to the organisers, "An open exchange of ideas across industries and society is necessary to produce lasting, sustainable, meaningful change. "The Feast" brings together the world's leading creative entrepreneurs, revolutionaries, radicals, doers and thinkers to inspire more action, share best practices, and create valuable connections that will change the world"

September 2009: kiwanja.net guest article published on BBC website

This month the BBC have been covering the arrival of the Seacom fibre optic cable off the coast of East Africa, focusing on Kenya initially and today moving on to Rwanda. The coverage - video, news, blogs, photos and opinion - is all brought together in a new “Connected Africa” section of their website. kiwanja's Ken Banks was asked to submit a guest article as part of the series, focusing on mobile technology and innovation. The article can be read here

September 2009: kiwanja keynote at mLife conference in Barcelona

Ken Banks will be making a keynote speech as part of the mDevelopment track of this year's mLife Conference being held in Barcelona on 2nd, 3rd and 4th September. mDevelopment 2009 aims to explore the impact of mobile technology on economic and social development. Full details are available on the conference website

September 2009: FrontlineSMS demos at Cambridge/Microsoft event

kiwanja.net was recently invited to present FrontlineSMS at an Open House Festival organised by Cambridge University and Microsoft Research. According to the organisers, the conference on Human Computer Interaction (HCI) "celebrates the people who use technology, the people who create new technologies, and the relationship between them". The centrepiece of the conference was an Open House Festival involving the many Cambridge laboratories and start-up companies creating new displays, devices, games, communications and ubiquitous computing technologies. The main event runs from 1st to 5th September in Cambridge, UK

September 2009: kiwanja.net/FrontlineSMS at Nokia World 09

Nokia World 09 is described by Nokia as a dynamic experience, co-created by the community, arranged by Nokia and focused on developing new business opportunities. The event offers products, services and solutions that connect communities, help realise potential, entertain and celebrate people’s lives. kiwanja's Ken Banks has been invited to speak - and take part in a Q&A session - covering mobile technology, grassroots innovation, mobile applications development and FrontlineSMS. Full details of the main event are on the Nokia World website

August 2009: FrontlineSMS featured on the BBC News website

"Any attempt to rig or interfere with Afghanistan's election could be caught out by a system that allows anyone to record incidents via text message. The text messages are collected via a free-platform known as FrontlineSMS, developed by UK programmer Ken Banks". On the eve of the 2009 Afghan elections, the BBC News website reported on "Alive in Afghanistan", a project which used FrontlineSMS and Ushahidi to help citizen monitoring of the elections. The full BBC report can be read here. Congratulations to Brian Conley and his team for putting together such a great initiative

August 2009: Debut TV appearance for kiwanja.net on VoxAfrica TV

kiwanja's Ken Banks was recently contacted by the Production Co-Ordinator at VoxAfrica TV, a Pan African, bilingual, independent TV channel which broadcasts throughout the African continent via satellite. Following Michael Joseph’s recent comments that mobile technology has had a greater impact on Africa’s development than international aid, the producers were keen to explore the state of ICT across the continent. The one hour live programme, “Shoot the Messenger” - which was hosted by Henry Bonsu - also featured appearances from Tim Unwin (Royal Holloway), James Mbugua (Radio Africa), Samuel Burke (Hearts to Africa) and Mariéme Jamme (SpotOne Global Solutions Group and Africa Gathering). Click here to watch a video of the programme

August 2009: FrontlineSMS:Medic featured in Economist video

During a recent Economist interview on predicting pandemics, Nathan Wolfe - a global virology expert - talked briefly about his work with FrontlineSMS:Medic, who are helping set up a data collection network as part of his work in Cameroon. You can watch Nathan's full video interview here

August 2009: FrontlineSMS at the 6th Annual Youth Assembly at the UN

FrontlineSMS will be profiled at the 6th Annual Youth Assembly at the United Nations, due to take place at the UN headquarters this month. The background and uses of the software will be profiled during a panel discussion during the "Innovations for Change! MDGs in Action" session. Full details on the Assembly, and a draft program, are available on their website

August 2009: Talk on building mobile applications at the CCC

Early this month sees the Computing Community Consortium (CCC) Workshop on Computer Science for Global Development at Berkeley, California. The aim of the workshop is to build a community of interested researchers to develop a field of legitimate academic inquiry through the establishment of a set of values, methods and metrics of evaluation that can unite research in this area, and create bridges to existing sub-areas of Computer Science research. Ken Banks will be giving a talk at the conference, discussing the design and development of mobile applications for developing regions (a similar talk is available here)

July 2009: kiwanja.net to speak at George Washington University

Ken Banks has been invited to speak at the "Fifth International Workshop on Political Management for Change Projects", an event being held by the Graduate School of Political Management at The George Washington University later this month. More than a hundred leaders from different parts of Latin America and Spain will attend sessions which seek to begin an exchange of information on the application of technologies to address the type of problems participants face in their everyday activities

July 2009: FrontlineSMS and Ushahidi help monitor drug stocks in East Africa

Medicine stock-outs are a potentially lethal problem in a number of African countries, yet governments insist they don’t occur. Recently, activists in Kenya, Uganda, Malawi and Zambia started using FrontlineSMS and the Ushahidi platform to start surveying clinics in their respective countries, checking stock levels of essential medicines. The project is being run by Michael Ballard and Claudio Midolo, both Open Society Fellows from the Department of Design + Technology at Parsons the New School for Design in New York. Further details are available via the kiwanja.net blog

July 2009: Ken Banks interviewed by Project Diaspora

Ken Banks, Founder of kiwanja.net, has given a wide-reaching interview with Project Diaspora. During the interview with Siena Anstis, they talk about the thinking and history behind kiwanja and FrontlineSMS, and issues and challenges working in the social mobile field

July 2009: Ken Banks keynote to postgraduate students at IPID

The 2009 Annual Conference of the International Network for Postgraduate Students in the Area of ICT4D (IPID) is due to be held at Royal Holloway, University of London on 11th and 12th September, and will be hosted by the ICT4D Collective and UNESCO Chair in ICT4D. The conference aims to provide postgraduate students opportunities to present short papers about their research in a supportive environment where they can gain positive feedback from other participants, and to provide an opportunity to discuss key themes of interest to ICT4D postgraduates. Ken Banks, Founder of kiwanja.net, has been invited to make a keynote opening speech at the conference. Further details nearer the time

 
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