M&E

Upgrading development: Can technology alleviate poverty?

Posted by EKStallings on Oct 26, 2011

Tagged With:

Read More >>

Upgrading development: Can technology alleviate poverty? data sheet 994 Views
Author: 
Stuart, Emma Jackson
Publication Date: 
Sep 2011
Publication Type: 
Report/White paper
Abstract: 

This report tackles ICT4D under three key headings: information, communication and participation. While not ignoring negatives, the report primarily explores, through the lens of Cambridge activities in ICT4D, the positive impacts and ongoing challenges of ICT4D: its ability to provide access to valuable information, to create meaningful two-way dialogues, to reach remote and excluded communities, and to empower the excluded to participate in their own development and societies.



There are still significant barriers preventing people in the Global South from accessing ICTs. But with the ongoing, rapid growth in mobile phone use and network connectivity across the world, the parameters are changing. We need to keep adapting to this environment in order to succeed. We must also ensure that the poorest and most disadvantaged are not left behind.



We have also seen challenges and progress that still need to be made in harnessing ICTs to achieve positive and lasting development outcomes. Technology can only ever be one ingredient in this process, but it can be a potent one. A key strength of ICT4D lies in the potential for participation, especially as technologies become more and more interactive.

Paper URL: 
http://www.humanitariancentre....
Featured?: 
No
Featured on homepage?: 
No 









 








  
EMIT: Mobile Monitoring and Evaluation



Posted by kdetolly on Apr 28, 2010








 

        
      
Tagged With:

      

             

     






Read More >>





	
EMIT: Mobile Monitoring and Evaluation data sheet 5408 Views

	
System Description


EMIT is an application that allows facilitators to capture field data on cellphones and submit it via GPRS to a centralised database. Surveys are customised and data is monitored, verified and prepared for analysis in real time. Read more here.


From Pilot to National


The pilot was performed with the Community Media Trust (CMT), who used EMIT as a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) tool to capture information on their HIV prevention and treatment literacy sessions in clinics, their training programme and open day events held in public spaces in communities where they work. CMT had been struggling with long turnaround times:


Basic Information

      
Website URL: 

    

            

                    http://www.emitmobile.co.za        

        





      
Organization involved in the project?: 

    

            

                    Cell-Life        

        





      
Project goals: 

    

            

                    
EMIT is an application that allows facilitators to capture field data on  cellphones and submit it via GPRS to a centralised database. Surveys  are customised and data is monitored, verified and prepared for analysis  in real time.

        

        





      
Brief description of the project: 

    

            

                    
A national roll-out of EMIT as a mobile-based data monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system revealed a clear trend of lower costs, greater accuracy and a faster turnaround time on reporting. With proper training and widespread buy-in, fieldworkers used EMIT with successfully and managers found it an efficient and effective monitoring tool.


 

        

        





      
Target audience: 

    

            

                    
Field workers in mobile health. 

        

        






How EMIT works - flowchart


Detailed Information

      
Mobile Tools Used: 

    

            

                    EMIT        

        





      
Length of Project (in months) : 

    

            

                    28        

        





      
Status: 

    

            

                    Ongoing        

        





      
What worked well? : 

    

            

                    
Training was easier than expected as the fieldworkers were already competent cell-phone users.


The data capturing system allowed for real-time access where CMT management could see submissions in real time and make follow up calls to the clinics to ensure their fieldworkers were in fact on duty.


A few organisations had ill-defined organisational processes, making it hard to implement a solution that had little existing foundation. In specific cases it was important to analyse existing processes and re-engineer processes that were redundant. This was done by having workshops and interviews with relevant parties to try and come up with a better defined process that could not only be auditable by funders but logical to the M&E manager. This was very successful as it allowed Cell-Life to analyse organisations and customize the technology accordingly.

        

        





      
What did not work? What were the challenges?: 

    

            

                    
In terms of the sector, there is a great need for broad-based IT skills as training is still required at most of the partner NGOs. For this reason, training has become a core part of the EMIT product offering.


The lack of network coverage in certain rural areas meant that data capturers had to go to areas with network coverage in order to send their collected forms.


There are challenges involved in the provision of cellphones. Clear policies for cellphone usage are necessary to try and reduce loss. In the near future, the EMIT application will be compatible with all Java enabled cell-phones, meaning that most facilitators will be able to use their personal cellphones, minimizing the cost of providing handsets and the management thereof.

        

        




















 








  
Put up a Billboard and ask the Community: Using Mobile Tech for Program Monitoring and Evaluation 




Posted by admin on Oct 31, 2009



Guest post by Christine Martin, Tufts University.


The potential for mobile technology to impact development has been researched and reported on in areas ranging from job matching services to financial inclusion.  More and more development agencies are adopting mobile communications in their programmes in innovative ways. However, there is a lack of research on how mobile technology is being used to monitor and evaluate programs in the field.

    

            

                            

        








 

        
      
Tagged With:

      

             

     






Read More >>