Those following kiwanja’s work will remember last September’s invitation to the Clinton Global Initiative in New York, where we proposed the “FrontlineSMS Ambassadors Programme” as our 2009/2010 Commitment. This Commitment was announced live on-stage during the ‘Poverty and Information’ workshop on the final day, and I also had the huge honour of meeting President Clinton in person, who presented me with our Commitment certificate.
Of course, now the work really starts. Since New York much has happened, including the receipt of a significant grant from the Hewlett Foundation. Portions of this funding will be used in the coming weeks to kick off the first phase of the Ambassadors Programme, which is part of wider efforts to promote the use of FrontlineSMS among the NGO community. This first initiative will be based around Josh Nesbit’s innovative health-based efforts in Malawi, and Josh – who will be project managing the work – will provide updates nearer the time via his blog and Twitter feed.
Future initiatives will take in other key target areas where FrontlineSMS has shown its versatility. These include agriculture, education, conservation and human rights, among others. For regular updates feel free to subscribe to the blog RSS or FrontlineSMS Twitter feeds.
Nicely done! Look forward to more. Now if I can just get my FrontlineSMS to Drupal integration project going…
Well done Ken! Congratulations!
Congrats on this important step Ken!
Congrats Ken!!
I always know you can do a very good job the people around us!!!
cheers!!!
Congratulations !!!
Thats one for the family scrapbook, Ken!
Congrats on progress, I looking forward to hearing from Josh re. Kayole-Soweto, Nairobi http://www.arrowwebhospital.org/
Fantastic work! I’ve been following your progress for a while and its truly inspirational. Frontline SMS has great potential and your commitment is spot on. Keep it up!!
Thanks, everyone, for your kind comments!
With our new funding this year was already looking like being a pivotal one, but with the likes of the Hewlett Foundation and CGi behind us (and the continued support from the MacArthur Foundation and OSI) we have a very good opportunity to make a real difference to the work of grassroots NGOs around the world.
There’s also some great collaborative opportunities with other exciting tools and platforms such as Ushahidi, RapidSMS and the work of InSTEDD and the Open Mobile Consortium.
I hope you’ll keep reading! This is only the start… =)
Wow, movin’ on up Ken!
Hi Ken-Looks like you have made an old man very happy!
Congratulations, Ken.