By Lara Henneman, TechChange Special Projects and Communications

What are the implications of the USAID Digital Policy for implementing partners? Can the newly refreshed Digital Principles offer guidance? How can implementing partners engage with these frameworks in meaningful ways?

Long-time TechChange partner Chemonics hosted a hybrid event focused on these questions, Doing Development Digitally: The Next Decade of USAID’s Digital Policy, featuring USAID’s Chief Digital Development Officer, Chris Burns, USAID’s Senior Director of Policy for the Digital Impact Alliance, Kay McGowan, and Chemonics’ digital practice lead, Manisha Aryal, as moderator.

New Digital Policy provides vision for the future

Building on the 2020 Digital Strategy– the Agency’s first– the new Digital Policy is intended to set the course for the next ten years of investment towards what USAID calls “a future where digital technology promotes inclusive growth, fosters resilient and democratic societies, advances human rights, and empowers all, including the most vulnerable.” The policy outlines goals for this period, guiding principles, and a learning agenda to build the evidence base.

(Don’t have time to read the entire Policy document? PRO TIP: Check out this one page cheatsheet for a primer on the three goals of the new policy: Build, Transform, and Protect.)

From ‘digital development’ to ‘doing development in a digital world’

At the event, Chief Digital Development Officer Burns emphasized: “We are in a new era, a digital age…[but] What has stayed the same? The need to invest in the foundational components of a country’s digital ecosystem, the foundational rails on which digital technologies thrive.”

He pointed to the growth of agency expertise in support of this objective, including Digital Development Advisors who are posted to various Missions and inform the programming on-site, in partnership with host governments, along with the Country Digital Ecosystem Assessments that have been done.

Kay McGowan emphasized how the Digital Principles have changed to reflect updated priorities of doing development in a digital world: do no harm, strive for radical inclusion, and focus on the complex risks and opportunities stemming from the use of personal digital data. She expanded: “When the principles were first released, they were responding to a different moment. ‘Design with the user’ is really obvious now, but it wasn’t always. Ten years in, the world is now much more digital, with a much richer understanding of the opportunities but also the risks that technologies represent.”

But can we look the other way when ‘digital darlings’ commit abuses?

While the speakers shared their viewpoints, the audience honed in on an underlying point of controversy: the very countries often celebrated for digital development advances, such as India and Kenya, are often the same ones who inflict digital abuses on their populations through selective shut-downs and other repressive measures.

McGowan responded that “frameworks and strategies are not going to stop a sovereign state government from shutting down the internet. With migration and stresses, there is a greater risk of leaving so many people excluded, digital haves and have-nots, especially when you look at youth bulges in certain countries, people have to be more connected. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be fighting for more protections, but on balance we have to proceed with including more people.”

Despite political changes, still we persist

In the wake of an American election that means a transfer of power from one party to another, the question was raised about what this political change means for digital development at USAID. Chris Burns noted that “this is an area that’s continued to have bipartisan support. The work that we’ve been doing will continue into the [new] administration. When we look ten years down the road– the timeline for this policy–we acknowledge that this is a shared responsibility that every part of the sector has to embrace.

When asked about how this conversation would look different in five years, moderator Manisha Aryal shared that she hoped that the knowledge sharing and community building that is happening now at events like the TechChange-hosted Global Digital Development Forum, means that there will be more widespread integration of best practices and collaboration among the sectors.

TechChange CEO Nick Martin, also in attendance, agreed, adding, “Digital development is how we reach people, no matter who’s in power. Collaboration and connection is how we continue to share our experiences, build our effectiveness, and reach out intentionally to those who need it most.”

By Lara Henneman, TechChange Special Projects and Storytelling

From her work in clinical care and public health in both Benin and the United States, to consulting for the United Nations Fund for Population and Oxfam, Dr. Marlene “Joannie” Bewa’s extraordinary career has been driven by her deep-seated commitment to advancing access to healthcare through innovation. Her personal experiences facing major health complications in her childhood and losing her best friend at 12 years old from the complications of unsafe abortion represent one of her motivations. Leveraging her fifteen years of experience in sexual, reproductive, and maternal health, and digital health, Dr. Bewa founded Benin’s first teleconsultation platform, DOTOH. This mobile application provides real-time consultations in primary care, sexual, and reproductive health for underserved communities including youth, women, and adolescents–groups who often face stigma and geographic barriers in accessing care. D-tree and TechChange are proud to recognize Dr. Bewa as a 2024 Marc Mitchell Award recipient, an honor that will sponsor her attendance at the upcoming Global Digital Health Forum and connect her with one year of valuable professional mentorship from the Global Digital Health Network.

Marc Mitchell Award recognizes digital health innovators

Dr. Bewa is one of two winners of the Marc Mitchell Leadership and Innovation Award, given in memoriam of the Harvard pediatrician and digital health pioneer who founded D-tree in 2004. Dr. Mitchell’s groundbreaking work from Papua New Guinea to Mexico was guided by his passionate belief that all people everywhere should have access to high-quality healthcare, and the award in his honor is now given annually to professionals early in their digital health careers who exemplify that principle. Dr. Bewa’s work founding and leading DOTOH showcases the dedicated resolve and creativity this award is intended to celebrate.

App expands access to vital services for women and youth

In Benin, nearly 20% of adolescents aged 15-19 have given birth, and only 12% of women of any age use a modern contraceptive method. DOTOH, which means “health professionals” in Fon, the most spoken local language in Benin, aims at increasing the uptake of reproductive and preventative health services for women and young adults to aid decision making and family planning. Using the mobile platform available in English and French, users can make appointments, connect online for audio or video consultation for contraception counseling, maternal and child healthcare, family planning, general healthcare, and use the embedded GPS to track surrounding pharmacies.

DOTOH users can also access a complete library of articles on topics related to sexual and reproductive health, as well as primary care– all in a safe, confidential virtual environment. Information, access, consultation, and products are all a critical part of the healthcare services provided by Dr. Bewa’s DOTOH app, and digital technology ensures their reach goes further than ever. The Grand Challenges Canada Stars in Global Health Innovation Award funded this initiative through the Young Beninese Leaders Association (YBLA), an impactful nonprofit organization founded by Dr Bewa in 2010 in Benin, with expertise in health, innovation, and leadership.

An advocate for inclusive, user-centered design

As digital development practitioners, we at TechChange know that how you build things matters. In a recent conversation, Dr. Bewa shared that “women adolescents often face unique barriers to accessing care, particularly in areas where stigma or cultural norms limit their autonomy. Digital health solutions can offer privacy, accessibility, and empowerment, but only when the solutions account for the cultural barriers that limit autonomy.” Through her experiences with DOTOH, Dr. Bewah knows well that it’s vital to design solutions that are deeply rooted in the needs and contexts of users, and built her own app with vigorous testing and co-design with women and youth to ensure the platform was relevant, user-friendly, and responsive.

And she’s looking forward to building this expertise on inclusive digital health initiatives further through participating in the year-long mentorship with the Global Digital Health Network, a 3900+ person-strong networking forum, and at GDHF 2024, where specialized tracks on GESI (Gender Equity and Social Inclusion) and Localization underpin the dynamic agenda. We’re so pleased to welcome Dr. Bewa to the conference as a 2024 Marc Mitchell Award winner.

By Ariel Frankel, TechChange Senior Director of Learning and Training

Digital Health: Planning National Systems is the world’s most comprehensive digital health course for national planners in low and middle income countries (LMICs). Developed with resources from the World Health Organization and the WHO-ITU, and support from USAID, Digital Square and more, this online course has already equipped more than 700 professionals (more than half of which are ministry officials) with the real-world skills, frameworks, and networks they need to coordinate digital health initiatives at scale, and work more effectively with all stakeholders including donors, multilaterals, and local government officials.

Until recently, information on and access to this course was somewhat hard to come by unless someone sent it to you directly. I’m excited to share that we now have a brand-new public website that aims to make this recognized Content Global Good course more accessible for participants, funders, and other implementing organizations.

Dive into DH:PNS on New Website

Digital Health: Planning National Systems (DH:PNS) is a multi-faceted learning experience, with several distinct paths to engage with the material, including the primary cohort-based modality. Even as a co-author of the course and a leader of the team delivering it, sometimes I’m overwhelmed by the wealth of resources, which keeps on growing and evolving with the field! Luckily, the new site lays out everything clearly, organized by three key functions.

Ways to Participate in the Course

First and foremost, DH:PNS is designed to be offered as a cohort-based training by partner organizations with certified trainers. This blended learning approach is offered several times a year and includes real-time interactions with subject matter experts and peer-learning opportunities. Participants who meet all completion criteria for the course are able to earn a WHO-endorsed certificate and join the alumni Community of Practice (COP). The combination of self-paced learning, interactive group activities, and a final project tied to participants’ country context fully equips national planners to apply the skills they’ve learned throughout the course in their work–particularly with respect to the digital health enterprise planning approach.

But that’s not the only way to use the materials. For those who don’t have access to an institution-sponsored cohort–including if one isn’t scheduled at a convenient time in the near future–they have the option of enrolling in the self-paced version of DH-PNS at any time. The asynchronous experience includes all course materials in all four languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French), but not the ability to earn a WHO-endorsed certificate or participate in the COP.

The site also includes access to the Architects of Digital Health board game, which can be used as part of the course or as a stand-alone scenario-based exercise, as well as information on the new training of trainer (TOT) course that is available to alumni interested in becoming certified trainers of DH:PNS.

How Organizations Can Implement DH:PNS

Due to its status as a certified Content Global Good, DH:PNS materials are freely available to implementing organizations to use and adapt as needed to support their missions. Because we have so many amazing partners who help bring it to life, and talented alumni who put the core concepts into practice everyday in their roles as national planners and digital health practitioners, I like to think of DH:PNS as more of a digital health movement towards an “enterprise approach” than a traditional e-learning course.

The new website outlines the three main ways that partners such as National Ministries of Health, NGOs or funders can bring DH:PNS to their organizations and join that movement. This ranges from hiring a certified training team to facilitate a cohort-based delivery, enrolling in the ToT to become certified trainers and train in any modality and adaptation that meets the target audiences’ needs, to accessing the freely available materials and running it independently! That is the beauty of the Global Good and the resources we have built around this course to make it as accessible, scalable and adaptable as possible while providing guidance and support to ensure the course maintains its integrity and quality as it is implemented in any of these modalities.

Information for Funders

DH:PNS exists because of the generous support of our funders, including USAID, PATH DSQ, the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNICEF, PAHO, and the WHO, among others. Since digital health is a rapidly evolving field, we continually update the course to ensure that it remains relevant and accessible to all who could benefit from it. Right now, DH:PNS is available in four major languages (English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese), but we’d love to translate materials into additional languages in the future, and even add new elective modules to deep dive into specific and relevant sub-topics in digital health.

The “support” portion of the new DH:PNS site showcases essential information about the course including the powerful impact on alumni and the theory of change underpinning the pedagogy, as well as ways funders can support future iterations, new material, or language adaptations.

We’ve also added a new case study on the course to our website.

Professional Development Keeps Practitioners Up to Speed…and Up to the Challenges of the Field

In any discussion of resources for digital health practitioners, I’d be remiss not to mention one of TechChange’s signature conferences: the Global Digital Health Forum. This is a great opportunity for ongoing professional development in the space of digital health for course participants, partners and funders of DH:PNS. This year, for the first time, the conference will take place in-person in Nairobi, Kenya, and worldwide online for virtual and hybrid participants. The agenda will feature luminaries from the field, and hard hitting sessions on emerging technologies, AI, localization, and health information exchange.

I’ll be there, and I can’t wait to benefit from the expertise and programming at this year’s conference– especially as some of the world’s greatest digital health challenges, opportunities and solutions are happening in Africa. I’m also hoping to connect in person with some of our DH:PNS course graduates and trainers, many of whom are based in Kenya and other African nations, and meet new organizations and funders to support our DH:PNS movement. Hope to see you there!

By Bethany Shackelford, TechChange Senior Account Manager for Education

At TechChange, you hear us talking a lot about how we create courses across the spectrum of learning modalities–synchronous, blended, and self-paced (or asynchronous). But what is one thing we don’t talk about enough? We build content in such a way that when needs change, courses can be modified from one modality into another.

This is important for the sustainability and flexibility of any training program. Our recent and upcoming work with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), via a contract with long-time TechChange partner Development Gateway, is a perfect example.

Since 2020, TechChange has worked with IFAD, an international financial institution and specialized United Nations agency focused on agriculture investment, to build out a comprehensive information and communications technology for development (ICT4D) training program. This ICT4D program has two main audiences: internal agency staff all over the world and smallholder farmers, who face a gap in digital tools and resources. This year, TechChange’s efforts are focused on future-proofing the existing IFAD courses so that they are fully self-paced, up to date, and contextualized for key regions.

African woman in field with ipad and phone

Adapting Blended Courses to be Fully Self-Paced

Knowledge management and sharing play a crucial role in IFAD’s ICT4D strategy, which means they have invested significantly in internal resources. The ICT4Ag Digital Classroom is an example of IFAD’s commitment to advancing digital technology adoption through capacity building. The Digital Classroom Series targets mid-senior level staff within IFAD’s Project Teams and partners. Previously delivered in a blended format with TechChange facilitators, this year IFAD asked us to transition the Digital Classroom courses to an asynchronous format, allowing staff and partners to access the content during open enrollment periods.

Can do! We’re delighted to adapt these courses: the Basics of the Principles of Digital Development in Agriculture, the Basics of Digital Agriculture Ecosystems and Interoperability in Agriculture, and the Basics of Digital Rural Finance. We’re migrating the videos, activities, and coursework that make up the blended learning experience we’ve delivered for the past two years into an efficient and clear learning path for the self-directed learner.

That said, one key thing to be aware of in adult learning theory is the value of connecting with others. When we do blended learning, learners can network, chat, and problem solve with one another during the live sessions. In migrating the IFAD courses from blended to self-paced, we are ensuring peer learning by including real-life case studies that bring concepts to life and building an asynchronous discussion forum for learners to connect.

Content previously delivered in live sessions will now be shown in short 3-5 minute videos at the beginning of the modules. Our SMEs that previously helped facilitate the courses, including Peter Njuguna, Martine Koopman, and Nandini Harihareswara, are consulting on the migration to ensure that learning objectives are fully realized in the new versions. Luckily, the content has already been localized to three of the key regions in which IFAD operates: Central Asia, East and Southern Africa, Northern Africa and the Middle East, or West and Central Africa.

The updated Digital Classroom courses will be available for open enrollment from October-November of 2024 and January- February of 2025. IFAD is managing recruitment but please feel free to contact ict4ag-digitalclassroom@techchange.org if you are interested in participating.

Updating Content for New Standards- the Digital Development Principles

DIAL’s Digital Development Principles are absolutely essential material for any ICT4D curriculum. Intended for policymakers, practitioners and technologists alike, the nine principles serve as a compass for sustainable and inclusive development in today’s complex digital landscape. DIAL updated them in May of 2024 to reflect new technological realities (including AI and widely available internet), along with the elevation of themes that have risen to the top in the past ten years of the principles’ use: do no harm, radical inclusion, and the complex risks and opportunities of individual digital data. As a Digital Development practitioner myself, I’ve referred to these principles time and time again in my two years at TechChange.

The Principles are featured in a course dedicated to them: the Basics of the Principles of Digital Development in Agriculture. Since they have been updated, it’s essential that IFAD staff and partner learners understand the implications of the changes for their work with rural people to improve their food security and nutrition through sustainable agriculture.

In a rapidly advancing field like this one, content updates like this are often required. At TechChange, we’re experts at making course updates for our partners to get the most out of content that they’ve already invested in. You don’t have to start from scratch! With the IFAD digital principles example, we’re amending and adding to what they already have to make sure everything is up to date and relevant for their target audiences.

And of course, adding new content

In addition to the above changes, IFAD continues to grow their reach. One last exciting update for 2024 is the addition of a brand-new self-paced course in the Digital Advisory Support services program (DAS) which is designed for Extension Workers and other agricultural field support providers who work with farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This course will equip this vital audience with the skills to assess and implement digital tools to address farmers’ challenges and improve agricultural practices. It will be run in two month cycles this fall and winter, with IFAD managing recruitment. You can check out registration for the course here.

This relationship with IFAD has grown and flourished over time, resulting in a comprehensive library of ICT4D courses for specific audiences and needs. Our courses offer partners like IFAD cost-effective options for content delivery, and– as you can see from these examples–can be amended and refined over time to keep pace with changing needs.

If you’d like to learn more about our work with IFAD, read our case study. Or, if you’d like to talk about your learning and training needs, we’d be happy to chat.

By Lara Henneman, TechChange Content Specialist

What do a former Soviet republic, a popular tourist destination in Asia, and a Francophone West African country have in common? This year they all held a local event for the Global Digital Development Forum, the world’s premier convening of digital development practitioners, experts, and funders. GDDF is a hybrid event in the “hub and spoke” model, where one central in-person event in Washington D.C. was open to a global retinue of virtual participants as well as in-person participants at connected events in Moldova, Thailand, and Senegal. At these GDDF “watch parties,” practitioners gathered to network and participate in conference sessions on AI’s role in development, advances in digital government, protecting the digital rights of children online, and more.

Just like each country, each session was unique to its context and participants.

Digital Principles in Thailand

The Thailand event centered an essential framework for #ICT4D professionals: the newly updated Principles for Digital Development, which guide the responsible use of technology in international development. First the GDDF session, “Future-Proofing Digital Development: Insights and Integration Strategies for the Updated Principles for Digital Development” (featuring TechChange’s own Hailey Nicholas) was broadcast to an audience of forty. Aim Ventures Managing Partner and Thailand Event coordinator Amarit Charoenphan then facilitated an engaging discussion in reaction to the session entitled, “Future Proofing Digital Development: Perspectives from Thailand.”

Amarit shared that he was most struck by a comment from Raj Singh, CEO of the APNIC Foundation, who mused that while nearly everyone in the room at the GDDF watch party was using the internet to deliver digital development content, a gathering like this had never taken place beyond the fragmented initiatives of each individual organization. He added that this was “a gathering of the best minds to explore how we can take what we learn from this conference and put it into action based on the different resources that are available to our different organizations.”

Just like the Digital Principles say- it all starts with understanding the existing ecosystem.

Inclusive Digital Futures in Moldova

On the first day of GDDF, Palladium organized an event in Chisinau entitled “Digital Momentum in Moldova: Mobilizing Collective Action for an Inclusive Digital Future.” As befitting the overall focus on AI throughout the GDDF agenda, this local event streamed an online session on AI and human rights to participants, and then conducted their own conversation on the topic, teasing out the implications for Moldova’s burgeoning democracy. Organizers led participants in a “four corners” networking session where participants voted with their feet in response to thought provoking assertions on emerging technologies and their impact on society.

In the hub and spoke model, content between smaller events and the “main event” goes both ways. A session from the Moldova event entitled “Human-Centered Digital Transformation in Moldova: Balancing Opportunities with Risk” was broadcast to the GDDF platform, leading one chat participant to share that it was “full of great information and expertise!”

Stuardo Herrera from Palladium, the Moldova event organizer, shared that the event “provided an excellent platform for government representatives, tech startups, donors, civil society organizations working on human rights issues and other actors from the tech ecosystem.” He added that attendees had valuable conversations and idea-sharing sessions about “how Moldova’s ongoing digital transformation should be inclusive of everyone, particularly vulnerable groups in which trust, and accountability play crucial roles.”

Digital Challenges and Opportunities in Senegal

The Senegal event had the dual goals of allowing participants to join in the GDDF convening and increasing the visibility of the local groups who organized it, including Yux, a UX research and design firm, and Kaikai, a digital development consulting firm. The group– approximately 25 people from across tech and development organizations–had the opportunity to watch a live streamed session from GDDF and witness live presentations from local leaders. Additionally, a session from Senegal entitled “French-speaking Africa in the Digital Era: Challenges, Opportunities, and Strategies for Success” was broadcast on the global GDDF platform.

Elia Kokui Fiadjoe, Communication Manager at Yux, and Senegal Local Event host, had this to say: “The best part of the watch party was to see how development looks different from one region to the other, from one project to the other but one thing inclusive to all of them is the importance of including people in the process.”

The signature of a TechChange event is the use of inclusive technology and design to connect people across locations and backgrounds. Together these three local events added a mosaic of local experiences and grassroots conversations to the global GDDF experience, and impact.

For more ideas on making your hybrid event inclusive, check out our Hybrid Events Playbook.

By Rose Nyzoka, Co-Chair of the Global Digital Health Network and Country Representative at Palladium

The Global Digital Health Forum is where the world of digital health practitioners, experts, and funders comes together– it’s also one of my favorite times of the year, as co-chair for the Global Digital Health Network. I love reconnecting with friends and colleagues, and meeting new potential collaborators from across the globe. At 2023’s in-person event in Washington D.C., I had the opportunity to give opening remarks with my fellow GDHN co-chair, Carol Kamasaka. I urged participants to take take advantage off the new innovation of live watch parties we were bringing to in GDHF2023 to hear more voices and experiences from country teams in Kenya, Tanzania, St Lucia, Nigeria, Chile, and Indonesia.

The learnings from last year’s event are still fresh in my mind, particularly the exhortations by USAID Assistant Deputy Administrator, Sangita Patel, in her keynote address, where she rallied us as digital health actors to go beyond experimentation and embrace ecosystem-wide interventions that are lasting and sustainable. This was echoed by government leaders from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Haiti, Ghana, and Indonesia, who called for an increased focus on digital health goverance and the coordination of donor investments.

Eco-system wide interventions and proper governance don’t just happen– they will be the direct result of sustained conversation and collaboration between digital health experts from low- to middle-income countries along with high-income countries. GDHF is an essential part of that conversation, and I urge you to join us this year to add your voice.

Our network, working with TechChange as the operational support partner for the GDHF event, has just announced the location for the 2024 in-person site, and I’m thrilled to share that it’s my home city of Nairobi, Kenya! Digital Health programming in Kenya has come a long way, including development of standards for digital solutions, transitioning from paper to digital patient records, and enactment of Digital Health Act 2023, legislation that provides a framework for provision of digital health services, establishment of a comprehensive integrated digital health information system, data governance and protection of personal health information and service delivery through digital health interventions. The Ministry of Health is excited to co-host this event with GDHN, a testament of Kenya’s commitment to its digital health vision. Hosting the main event in Kenya provides the opportunity to center African expertise and programming, and I can’t wait to welcome our global digital health community to Nairobi.

When I say the in-person GDHF 2024 , I want to clarify that’s because GDHF is quite intentionally a hybrid event, with virtual programming on the TechChange platform throughout the entire conference, as well as local watch parties in different countries in key time zones where local leaders and experts can gather together to participate, network, and share their own experiences. So, whether or not you’re able to come to Kenya this year– though I hope you do!– that’s not your only option for participating.

Calls for workshop presentations will go live in a couple of months, we will keep you posted and welcome you to share your ideas.

See you in Nairobi, or online.

By: Félix Liberona Durán, Subdirector Ejecutivo, CENS

What does it mean to collaborate?

I‘ve worked on “how to collaborate” for more than ten years and have seen no better place to use these tools than in Digital Health. We live in a complex world, where entrenched problems need a truly multiview approach. That means people from different backgrounds, disciplines, and cultures working together, putting all their knowledge and efforts towards building comprehensive solutions to real-world issues.

Working on collaborative methodologies implies bringing different actors together. But what does that mean in practice? Does it mean to just gather people from different organizations in a room and see what happens? What resources and cultural arrangements are needed for them to collaborate with one another? This is an interesting question that I’ll share my reflections on based on my experiences leading a local watch party as the Chilean Ambassador for the 2023 Global Digital Health Forum.

How does a Watch Party spur collaboration?

This Chilean “watch party,” one of six throughout the world that took place during GDHF 2023, brought together participants from NGOs, health providers, software companies, and academia. We participated in conference sessions, had vigorous dialogues, and enjoyed networking with one another.

Photo of Chilean watch party- computers and screens, people talking

What do we need to set the stage for fruitful dialogue?

One of the first, most important steps to collaboration is to set a common language, looking to find what we share, and also to discover what our conceptions of the world are–including what every concept means in different contexts. Our actions are driven by our experiences, worldviews, and feelings. In parallel, we need to build trust. This is easy to say, but hard to do, since it requires a lot of effort, from sharing feelings, goals, and expectations, to making our goals and objectives transparent to other parties outside our organizations.

Once we have achieved minimum levels of common lexicon, and trust, the following steps toward progress will be easier, but not free of problems.

Here is where activities such as GDHF-WP turn into a key element for the Digital transformation process in health. An event where international partners, linked to national initiatives with strong commitment with their local ecosystems can speak frankly, confront different points of view, and discuss which steps should we follow to move forward into digital health seems to go in the right way.

Our discussion: digital health tools and AI

In the Chilean Watch Party, we were able to talk about how public and private health providers, academia, and local software industry providers can develop and use digital health tools for improved health outcomes. We also discussed how to use AI to predict hospital readmission, the potential for the secondary use of data and AI to improve the management of health facilities, and the need to observe and use new technologies with the necessary safeguards.

For the National Center for Health Information Systems’ team, it was a pleasure to have been invited to actively participate in the Global Digital Health Forum, an event aligned with our mission: to encourage meetings and discussions between various actors to improve the quality of people’s health through the digital transformation of the sector. Among others, our discussion allowed us to fine-tune our common language, build trust, and share ideas about the future and dreams on the way technologies will help people.

We all are aware of the need to collaborate. However, I believe only a long-term relationship, based on dialogue and confidence, can strengthen our work, and make our ecosystem more mature, and reliable. Thanks, GDHF for helping with that.

By: Lilian Efobi, GDDF Ambassador, Nigeria

As a young leader passionate about quality education and good governance, which are centred on the SDGs 4 and 16 of the United Nations, organising the first ever Global Digital Development Forum (GDDF) 2023 Nigeria Watch Party was a great opportunity for me to create more awareness on the sustainable development goals and how emerging technologies can play a key role in fostering sustainable development.

On April 27, 2023, the Global Digital Development Forum was held in over 7 countries globally through in-persons watch parties, with the main event happening at Washington DC, USA. The event brought together some of the biggest names in the tech and development industry, including Google, Deloitte, DAI, RTI and more, as well as development experts and government officials. Through GDDF 2023, TechChange has played the lead on global hybrid events by showcasing the following benefits:

1. Increased reach: GDDF 2023 was able to reach over a four thousand person audience across several countries. The participants had access to the numerous educative sessions, lightning talks, and more that happened at the forum. Participants from my watch party were not left out from enjoying the benefits of a hybrid event.

2. Increased engagement: This year’s GDDF saw an increased engagement amongst attendees of my watch party in Nigeria.

3. Sustainability: TechChange hybrid event is not just an improvement on the setback by the Covid-19 pandemic, but also a sustainable way in reducing carbon footprint and safeguarding the environment and climate, by giving participants all over the world the platform to attend the forum virtually, without harming the earth through travel and other resources. Hybrid events can help reduce the carbon footprint of an event by reducing the need for travel and other resources.

One of the major discussions at the watch party was the panel session on: “Emerging Technologies for Sustainable Development: Attaining SDGs 2030.” During this session, the panel discussed on how emerging technologies can help address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to poverty and inequality. Social innovations can target the following emerging technologies in addressing some of the challenges of the SDGs:

1. Renewable energy technologies, such as solar, wind, and hydroelectric power can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change, which is a key goal of SDG 13.

2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning can be used to improve healthcare outcomes, enhance agricultural productivity, and optimize transportation networks, all of which are critical to achieving SDG 3, SDG 2, and SDG 11, respectively.

3. Blockchain technology can be used to create transparent and secure supply chains, which can help reduce corruption and promote sustainable consumption and production practices, which are key goals of SDG 12.

4. Internet of Things (IoT) devices can be used to monitor and manage natural resources, such as water and energy, which can help ensure their sustainable use and management, a key goal of SDG 6.

5. Virtual and augmented reality technologies can be used to promote education and awareness about the SDGs, which can help mobilize global action towards achieving them.

These technologies can play a critical role in achieving the SDGs by enabling us to work smarter, more efficiently, and more sustainably. However, it is important to ensure that these technologies are deployed in a responsible and ethical manner to avoid unintended consequences and negative impacts. They also highlighted the need for Africa to build a databank, which will help in research.

Another major highlight of the Watch party was the Hackathon. This was made possible due to the flexibility given by TechChange in spurring creativity and unique watch parties globally. The watch party was an avenue to showcase amazing technology solutions addressing social problems and encourage these solutions through mini-seed funding. Most of the ideas were aimed at providing eco-friendly solutions, encouraging climate action, promoting agriculture, and creating environmental sustainability.

Some of these ideas are:

AYIKA

A climate WhatsApp chatbot called Ayika which gives people access to their environment and gives people advice on how they can provide eco-solution daily and send environmental reports they have. With this platform, people will be able to use AI and VR together to predict weather in the location where they are, participate in environmental e-commerce platform where they can buy eco-friendly products. It also helps them in encouraging behaviour in recycling, reducing carbon footprint, and keeping environment safe. Ayika is focusing on youths providing entertainment including music, comedy, and games that centre around the environment. They are looking at raising 5000 US dollars that could create an AI to help do this because there is limit to what they can do with WhatsApp.

DRY CARD

Dry Card innovation focuses on the agriculture sector especially post-harvest losses, food waste, food storage and safety. They want to see how to prevent food wastage whereby food can be stored for a longer period, and it can even be stored for exports. The Dry Card is an indicator that shows when food is dried and can immediately be stored in airtight containers which will make it last longer. They want to launch it across the 36 states in Nigeria. USAID, UC Davis labs are giving them technical support and are subsidizing the card for them. This is why the card can go for as low as 2 US dollars.

DMAX BIODIGESTER

With a biodigester, the remains of food, waste from poultry, and vegetables are digested under anaerobic conditions to convert them to gas to be used for cooking. It is non-flammable and cost-effective. The waste gotten from the biodigester can be used for crop improvement as it is an organic fertilizer.

LUMILAB

Lumilab helps customers thrive on change through a clear and confident vision for navigating the future and have met the challenges of innovation many times. Lumilab’s corporate vision is to become the major player and be recognized for technological innovation and solutions and build capacity for skills and collaboration.

CONALLE

Conalle is the biggest search engine on the African content. It is a Digital Marketplace that provides Nigerian and other African creatives a digital platform to license high-quality African centred contents, such as photographs, videos, mock-ups, illustrations, presents, 3D Images and audios, to other creatives, business owners, marketing, advertising agencies, and individuals across Africa and beyond, and these contents can be used for the various design, advertising, and marketing purpose in the real, virtual, augmented, and mixed reality world. Conalle is providing African creative a platform to connect globally. Also, Conalle aims to empower, support, and contribute to the growth and development of the creative industry in Africa, and beyond by prioritizing the needs and interests of the African creatives. It is also a visual discovery engine that offers African creatives the latitude to showcase their art and at the same time, it is also making provision for the publicity of afro centric content.

WASTY WEALTH

Wasty Wealth is making the planet clean, safe and circular through a just-in-time, asset-light, and professional waste collection system. Our solution also bridges the gap between waste producers and waste management players through our digital marketplace.

WINDSTREAM

Windstream is a solution that positively impacts the environment and local communities. By providing access to clean, affordable energy, they help to reduce energy costs, improve air quality, and promote a more sustainable future. They also hope to help create about 4000 local jobs and promote sustainable economic growth.

In all, GDDF 2023 Nigeria Watch Party was a huge success as reflected in some of the feedbacks from participants:

“GDDF 2023 is to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and SDGs. We want to make sure that emerging technologies will play a role in the goals set for 2030. There were 7 major contents – sustainability, originality, business model, technology used, creativity involved, design and implementation, and social impact”.

“Youth being part of the digital system is very important because we will be here for a very long time, and we will also pass it on to our children. We need the support of government. It can’t be done by NGO alone. We need the understanding of the government”.

“We need more female innovators to come out with their ideas. All the 7 today were males. We must make conscious effort to push our ladies. SDG 5 talks about gender equality. We want marginalized communities to participate, we want women, young ones, and older persons to participate.”

“Global Digital Development Forum 2023 is happening in 7 other countries across Africa. It is a hybrid event. Young Nigerians are leveraging emerging technologies to create solutions to address climate change. I have seen passion and dedication towards what people do. They have also known that it is a different thing to have the digital solution and another to have the digital skills. They have been told where they can learn more about these resources to bridge the digital skill gap”.

“I am so glad to be part of this programme. I was able to learn and network and meet others. I have gotten insights and clearer view about how to use AI to mitigate climate action. AI is now taking the position of humans. I am also thinking of bringing my project soon for sustainable change. I like the fact that you can now use chat box to mitigate climate change. It is participatory, it is interactive, and it is usable both in the rural and global”. As an Ambassador for GDDF 2023, it was not just a platform to discuss on climate change, development, and emerging technologies; it was a Call-to-Action period for me and all credit to TechChange and her amazing partners for the support, innovation, and platform in creating awareness on Global Digital Development and supporting innovations in that line.

By: Julio Vargas Monzon, Technical Advisor, Palladium

As part of the Global Digital Development Form in 2023, Palladium partnered with TechChange to localize conversations around digital development through side events held in Ethiopia and Guatemala. The session held in Ethiopia was conducted both in person and via live streaming, ensuring broader participation and engagement. Both events started with a live-streaming of the Digital Public Goods breakout session, followed by guided conversation to surface localized insights on leveraging digital public goods (DPGs) to maximize their impact in closing the digital gap.

Guatemala: Exploring the Utility of DPGs in the Local Context

Guatemala watch party participants at Palladium office — GDDF Guatemala watch party participants

The event in Guatemala brought together a diverse range of participants, creating an exciting atmosphere. Attendees included representatives from USAID-funded projects, private companies, project implementers, as well as from the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, the National University of the country. The session explored the potential utility of DPGs in the local context. Attendees shared their experiences of both successful and failed implementation cases, Success stories showcased instances where DPGs had made a significant positive impact, emphasizing the transformative potential of these tools. Two notable cases were brought to the forefront to illustrate successful outcomes. The first case pertains to a public sector team that encountered a pressing need for an information system, resulting in the successful implementation of the DHIS2 data capture and administration tool. This achievement can be attributed to the presence of strong leadership and the establishment of effective governance structures well before the implementation took place. In a similar vein, a second case emerged from a private company facing significant financial restrictions. Despite the challenges, the organization made a strategic decision to integrate open-source tools into their regular operations, a move that proved to be successful. This achievement was primarily driven by a substantial investment in digital literacy and the presence of effective leadership throughout the implementation process.

Valuable Lessons from Implementations

The discussion also highlighted valuable insights gleaned from failed implementations, underscoring the critical importance of careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and adaptation to local realities. One example centered around the implementation of a set of DPGs aimed at fostering interoperability between institutions. The failure of this initiative was attributed to a lack of digital skills among technical personnel, resulting in challenges to the long-term sustainability of the tools. The key takeaway from the discussion was the recognition that the successful implementation of digital solutions, including digital public goods, requires careful consideration of specific preconditions and strategies tailored to the given context. The stories discussed underscored the significance of prerequisites such as digital literacy and skills for both users and implementers, the establishment of effective governance structures prior to implementation, the presence of clear leadership throughout the entire process, and a strong emphasis on sustainability.

Ethiopia: Accelerating Digital Transformation through DPGs

Ethiopia Watch Party hosted a panel that was streamed back to GDDF participants globally

The event in Ethiopia fostered dialogue and promoted knowledge exchange among attendees discussing how to use DPGs as a way to continue the digital transformation of the country. The event was a combination of live sessions, pre-recorded talks, panel discussions, and interactive Q&A sessions, all of which were designed to allow participants to delve deeper into areas of interest and engage in more detailed discussions. The use of live chat features and sessions dedicated to specific topics facilitated real-time interaction and engagement among participants.

Policy and Technology Intersection for DPGs in Ethiopia

The key takeaways from the sessions emphasized the critical role of DPGs in accelerating Ethiopia’s digital transformation, the need for capacity building and incentives to encourage the private sector to utilize DPGs and addressing the policy environment to promote adoption of DPGs, such as on open-source software adoption, open data, and open standards. The event highlighted the intersection of technology and policy and the need for both to work in harmony to ensure the responsible and effective use of DPGs. Specially, the need for the appropriate policies to be in place to engage with the private sector to lead the deployment, implementation, and creation of DPGs to have a broader impact in the country, one of the key elements of the discussion was based on how the policies and initiatives such as Sandboxes and innovative incentives for the private sector which have advanced greatly but how the need for foundational enablers still remains. During the discussion, the essential conditions situation was highlighted, especially the need to increase the digital skills of the overall population to engage and implement DPGs widely as a tool in the country’s journey towards fully realizing the potentials of DPGs to help achieve the goals of Digital Ethiopia 2025. The event was educational for the attendees, who also valued the diversity of views during the discussion. Several recommendations for future watch parties were also forwarded by participants, including more case studies of DPGs in action and longer discussion sessions.

Commitment to Local Perspectives and Global Progress

Both the Guatemala and Ethiopia sessions underscored the importance of policy to be updated to incentivize the private sector to deploy and implement DPGs among the countries and the population, hand in hand with creating the necessary digital skills for the population to adopt them.

Female participant at GDDF Guatemala watch party

In both the Watch Parties held in Ethiopia and Guatemala, attendees appreciated the opportunity to discuss relevant topics and learn from the experiences of others. The inclusion of practical case studies was a recurring request from attendees in both events. More real-world examples, both from within and outside the countries, could provide further practical insights and inspiration, helping stakeholders visualize how to effectively implement DPGs in their own contexts. Additionally, attendees in both events provided feedback on the duration of the Q&A sessions, suggesting that they were too brief for in-depth discussions on specific topics. Extending these sessions could facilitate more comprehensive conversations, allowing participants to delve deeper into each subject.

Looking forward, Palladium is committed to continuing to bring local perspectives to a global platform, especially around complex themes like digital transformation that ultimately must be rooted in local context, culture and needs. The sessions in Guatemala and Ethiopia demonstrated how as a community, we can take global perspectives to a local level where the rubber actually meets the road to progress both social and economic outcomes.

By: Gabrielle Hayashi Santos, GDDF Brazil Ambassador

As the first-ever hybrid version of the Global Digital Development Forum (GDDF) unfolded, I had the privilege of leading a watch party in Brazil on the 27th of April as a GDDF Ambassador. The atmosphere during this exhilarating Brazil Watch Party was truly electric, filled with excitement and anticipation as we gathered to watch the various sessions of the forum. Our collective enthusiasm and eagerness to share perspectives and ideas transformed the watch party into a dynamic hub of discussions, uniting a diverse group of passionate individuals dedicated to digital development.

From Breakfast Table Chatter to Mind-Blowing Insights 🍳

Creating an engaging and meaningful experience was our secret recipe for success. We carefully crafted the timeline of the watch party, starting with a warm and formal welcome that set the stage for an immersive journey. Picture this: we kicked things off by gathering around the breakfast table, enjoying good food and even better company. We broke the ice with a networking session that sparked connections on a personal level. It was like speed dating, but instead of finding love, we found kindred spirits in the digital development realm. This laid the groundwork for a collaborative environment that permeated throughout the watch party.

Brace Yourself for Mind-Blowing Sessions 💡

The sessions we engaged in during this event were thought-provoking and inspiring, leaving a lasting impact on our community. One notable session that resonated deeply with us was Can We Trust AI? Painting the Picture of Possible Futures, featuring Phaedra Boinodiris, Global Leader for Trustworthy AI at IBM Consulting. Her insightful exploration of the ethical considerations and potential impacts of AI sparked engaging conversations among our watch party attendees.

Another session that captivated our audience was Hiding in Plain Sight: Text Analytics Re v eals Alignment to Positive Youth Development, led by Katherine Centore, Senior Specialist, Youth and Ashley Hill, Education Specialist, both from Chemonics International. Their exploration of how text analytics can uncover valuable insights for youth development initiatives ignited passionate discussions on the role of technology in empowering young people.

Delving into the session on The Power of Place and Open Payments: How Solutions for Financial Inclusion are Being Built within the Communities They Serve, we discovered innovative approaches to financial inclusion, emphasizing the importance of localized solutions that consider the unique needs of communities. The ensuing discussions shed light on the challenges and opportunities faced by individuals in Brazil, showcasing the potential of digital development to drive positive change in the financial sector.

Furthermore, we were honored to have guest speakers Bruna Vitória Ferreira Fernandes and Manoela Reis share their experiences and expertise on female representation in digital development. They highlighted the challenges faced by women in this field and provided valuable insights into creating a more inclusive and empowering environment. The subsequent Q&A session allowed us to dive deeper into the topic and generate ideas for meaningful change.

Small Groups, Big Connections! 🌍

Throughout the watch party, small group discussions played a pivotal role in fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange. Attendees were divided into smaller, intimate groups, offering them a platform to share their unique perspectives, ask questions, and collectively explore the session topics. These discussions were not only dynamic and insightful but also demonstrated the power of bringing diverse voices together.

In addition to the rich discussions and connections made, the success of our watch party is evident in the statistics. A total of 43 individuals actively participated, engaging in three online sessions and two in-person sessions. These numbers reflect the enthusiasm and commitment of our community to be a part of the GDDF experience.

Unleashing Synergy through Power Partnerships 🤝

However, our success extended beyond mere participation numbers. We were able to forge meaningful partnerships that further strengthened our local digital development ecosystem. Notably, we partnered with the Global Shapers Hub Ribeirão Preto, bringing an added layer of expertise and engagement to our watch party. The Global Shapers community, a worldwide network of young change-makers, provided a fresh perspective and valuable insights into the digital development landscape.

Additionally, SUPERA Parque, a local innovation and technology park, graciously offered us a space to host the in-person sessions of our watch party. Their support created an environment that fostered collaboration and ideation, further amplifying the impact of our discussions. We are immensely grateful for their contribution to the success of the event.

Another significant partner that deserves special recognition is Skylar. They played a crucial role in making the watch party more inclusive and accessible to all participants. With their live translation services, language barriers were overcome, ensuring that everyone could fully engage in the watch party. Skylar’s dedication to inclusivity truly made a difference and created a more welcoming environment for all attendees.

Our “aha” moments: Going Local, Networking, and Social Media 🤔

Bringing the local context into our conversations was a key realization during the watch party. While digital development is undoubtedly a global topic, it is crucial to acknowledge the nuances and challenges specific to local communities. By incorporating local voices and perspectives, we gained a deeper understanding of the issues at hand and the opportunities for growth. This localized approach ensured that our discussions were not only relevant but also impactful, addressing the unique needs and aspirations of the Brazilian digital development landscape.

Moreover, we discovered that networking played a significant role in enhancing the watch party experience. Despite the convenience of digital communication, there is something truly special about meeting in person. The watch party provided a unique opportunity for attendees to connect with individuals they may not have encountered otherwise. These connections fostered a sense of collaboration and sparked new ideas, ultimately strengthening our collective efforts in the digital development space.

The impact of the watch party extended beyond the event itself. Through social media networking, we were able to amplify the reach of the watch party and connect with individuals interested in participating in future events. The fact that my GDDF video garnered over 1000 views and prompted inquiries on how to get involved in the next Watch Parties is a testament to the power of social media in expanding our community and creating opportunities for engagement.

The Finale: A Watch Party That Ignited Change 🌟

In summary, the GDDF 2023 Brazil Watch Party was an inclusive and empowering experience that successfully brought together a diverse range of voices to engage in meaningful discussions on digital development topics, serving as a catalyst for fostering connections, sharing knowledge, and driving positive change in the Brazilian digital development landscape. Our journey continues as we look forward to future watch parties and the continued growth of our passionate community dedicated to making a difference in the world of digital development.