During the recent Pop!Tech Social Innovation Fellows boot camp in Camden, Maine, I had the pleasure of sharing a cabin with Erik Hersman of White African, AfriGadget and Ushahidi fame. Despite knowing Erik for a couple of years or so, it was the first time we’d managed to sit down over a prolonged period and … Continue reading Pocket messaging?
Month: November 2008
NEWS: Hewlett Foundation announces major kiwanja.net funding
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation have today announced a major grant in support of kiwanja’s ongoing activities. The grant, worth a total of $400,000 over two years, will see the ongoing support and development of FrontlineSMS, the creation of an MMS (multimedia messaging) version of the platform, FrontlineSMS outreach, the creation of a non-profit … Continue reading NEWS: Hewlett Foundation announces major kiwanja.net funding
NEWS: Index of PC World articles available
A compilation of all kiwanja’s PC World guest articles is now available via a new section on the kiwanja.net website. Visit the PC World Articles page for further details For all other news, remember to visit the News page
Mobile applications development: Observations
Technology and democracy: both great in theory, a little harder in practice. One of the key challenges is that one successful model doesn’t – by default – work somewhere else. For mobile techies, if we can’t easily ‘transplant’ a solution from one place to another, where does our “figure out what works” mantra leave us? … Continue reading Mobile applications development: Observations
Fireside chat
If I was ever asked to give a short, informal introductory fireside talk about FrontlineSMS, it would probably go something like this… FrontlineSMS was originally released at the end of 2005 based on a hunch that there was a need within the grassroots non-profit community for a simple, easy-to-use replicable text messaging tool which didn’t … Continue reading Fireside chat
NEWS: FrontlineSMS updates now available via Twitter
Updates on FrontlineSMS – latest funding news, blog posts, news items, guest articles and case studies – are now available via Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/frontlinesms. If you’re also on Facebook you can also join the FrontlineSMS Supporters Group
Mobiles reach out to Azerbaijan’s youth
Razi Nurullayev is Co-Chairman of the Society of Democratic Reform in Azerbaijan, and Executive Secretary of the Civil Society Coalition of Azerbaijani NGOs. In this guest post, he talks about the state of democracy and mobile technology adoption in Azerbaijan, and how FrontlineSMS is contributing to the work of non-profit organisations in the country Mobile … Continue reading Mobiles reach out to Azerbaijan’s youth
NEWS: kiwanja to speak at National Endowment for Democracy
Ken Banks has been invited to speak in Washington DC at an event organised by The Centre for International Media Assistance at the National Endowment for Democracy. The half-day workshop – “The Role of Cell Phones in Carrying News and Information” – seeks to answer a range of questions including how cell phones are being … Continue reading NEWS: kiwanja to speak at National Endowment for Democracy
NEWS: Latest PC World article online
It’s official. Or so it seems. Already the most active handset manufacturer in the developing world, Nokia this week made an announcement that places it well and truly at the heart of the international development effort. It’s a move that mirrors the company’s “developed world” strategy — a move from out-and-out hardware supplier to one … Continue reading NEWS: Latest PC World article online
Nokia: “Developing markets”?
It’s official. Or so it seems. Already the most active handset manufacturer in the developing world, Nokia today made an announcement which places it well and truly at the heart of the international development effort. It’s a move which mirrors their ‘developed world’ strategy – a move from out-and-out hardware supplier to one of a … Continue reading Nokia: “Developing markets”?
NEWS: kiwanja.net and FrontlineSMS featured on Danish Radio
An interview given by Ken Banks earlier this year at the Supernova conference in San Francisco has just been aired on Danish Radio’s ‘Harddisken’ technology show. During the interview, Ken talks with Henrik Fohns about FrontlineSMS and the wider impact of mobile technology in the developing world. Parts of the actual interview remain in English, … Continue reading NEWS: kiwanja.net and FrontlineSMS featured on Danish Radio
Mobiles for media empowerment
Today, all eyes are on the United States with one of the most anticipated Presidential elections in decades. Amidst the excitement lurks the ever-present concern over potential election day chaos, and fears of a repeat of what happened in Florida eight years ago. Once again, mobile technology is also being touted as one way of … Continue reading Mobiles for media empowerment
NEWS: kiwanja.net lined up to appear at Rhode Island conference
Ken Banks has been invited as one of only twenty speakers to present at a conference at Brown University in Rhode Island this month. The conference, A Better World By Design, “asks the question today’s designers, engineers, and economists should be asking. How can we use technology to improve the world? Hear answers from world-class … Continue reading NEWS: kiwanja.net lined up to appear at Rhode Island conference