When appropriate, we use open-source solutions to help address organizational issues. Some of the tools we will work with include:

Ushahidi

Ushahidi is a mapping tool that allows people using a phone or computer to submit a report – anonymously in some cases – on particular issue. It is used for a variety of reasons and in widely different contexts. In Kenya it was used to map the violence that spread across the country following the 2007 election and was used again in 2010 to monitor the results of the constitutional referendum. In Egypt it is used to report and map incidents of sexual harassment and violence. In Sudan, it was used to monitor the results of the independence referendum. In India, it has been used as an elections monitoring tool. In Haiti, it was used to help report and plan for the crisis that followed the earthquake and helped to save the lives of people trapped.

FrontLine SMS

Frontline SMS is one of the technologies that enables tools like Ushahidi. Using only a mobile phone, a registered number/ SIM card and a computer, it allows users to send and receive text messages with groups of people through mobile phones. It is use by NGO to reach specific groups of individuals within a target community, to run an awareness raising campaign, to run a competition, to carry out a text-based survey and to simply keep in touch with your fieldworkers and staff. This technology is also used in Egypt to support the HarassMap deployment to address sexual harassment. It is used by Plan International to strengthen both local and national reporting of trafficking and violence in Benin. It was used in Burundi to support peacekeeping during the 2010 elections in Burundi.

Freedom Fone

FreedomFone is another tool that we may use depending on the project. This platform enables automated, interactive, two-way, audio information to be shared through mobile phone networks and is accessible, user-friendly, low-cost, scalable, global and does not require Internet access for users or callers. It targets ordinary mobile phone users and takes advantage of IVR: Interactive Voice Response or audio voice menus. This means that it can be used to reach and collect information from people who are illiterate, who do not speak the same language, and who have longer messages to convey. Other functionality includes SMS, Polls and Leave-a-Message.

MxIt

MxIt is a free tool that allows users with even very basic mobile phones to do much more, including chatting to individuals or groups, find people who share common interests, gain access to more information inexpensively, conduct transactions, and more. It is being used by organizations such as South Africa’s Cell Life to access remote communities towards improving access to information and to improve communications with people affected by HIV/ AIDS.