Millennium Villages Blog

Matt Berg, Brett Gleitsman and Andrew Kanter (l-r)

When is a text message more than just “hello?” When a community health worker can text symptoms of an illness and receive an instant diagnosis without leaving a patient’s home. When a farmer can report a broken water pump and instantly activate delivery of replacement parts. And when a herder can learn the day’s commodity prices without traveling to the market.

Practical and effective services like these are becoming available to the Millennium Villages today through innovations in information and communications technology, or ICT. As a flexible technology full of potential, this is only the beginning of exploring possibilities for how mobile technology and connectivity can help end poverty and improve lives.

As part of the Quarterly Seminars series at Millennium Promise, Matt Berg, Director of ICT for the Millennium Villages project, presented on ICT initiatives in the MVs on June 16, 2010, (“ICT4D in MVP”). Joined by Dr. Andrew Kanter, Director of Health Information Systems for the MV project, the seminar was moderated by Brett Gleitsman, Operations Manager for West Africa at Millennium Promise.

Broadcast via webinar, the seminar attracted dozens of virtual attendees from around the world. You can download the audio for the presentation or view Matt Berg’s presentation.

Key points include the following:

Africa is Ready to Code
Berg indicated that, as of this year, all MVs are wired for Internet and mobile phone service, thanks in large part to partners Zain and Ericsson. These systems are connected to the larger fiber networks now in place through much of Africa. “The infrastructure is in place,” Berg said, and “Africa is ready to code.”

On-site Development
Existing systems and local creativity are key components of ICT initiatives in the MVs. To help develop the capacity for local innovation and ownership, the project is setting up “technology empowerment centers” to train a cadre of programmers in providing user services and code new open-source applications. Through support from Microsoft, a pilot center in Bamako (Mali) recently completed a training course for 40 students, and there is great demand for more such labs.

Example of ICT Initiative: ChildCount+
Berg and his team have recently received widespread notice their innovation “ChildCount+”, which is benefiting communities by catching treatable conditions before they worsen and extending the reach of health sector services beyond the walls of the clinic. Through the pilot launched in Sauri (Kenya) last year, community health workers (CHWs) are using mobile phones to register all expectant mothers, births and young children, along with health screening information. The system is able to instantly diagnose issues like malnourishment and malaria, and offer treatment options through text/SMS message. It also tracks all registrants, automatically sending alerts to CHWs when routine immunizations or check-ups are due. The system can even be used to transfer wages to CHWs and monitor their productivity.

Listen to the entire presentation here, or view the presentation here.

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