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Financial Sustainability in ICT4D Initiatives

Financial Sustainability in ICT4D Initiatives. Linda Raftree Plan International USA March 12, 2012 ICTD 2012, Atlanta, GA. Identification of a real need. identified by the community owned by the community co-created with end users - not designed and parachuted in from the outside

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Financial Sustainability in ICT4D Initiatives

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  1. Financial Sustainabilityin ICT4D Initiatives Linda Raftree Plan International USA March 12, 2012 ICTD 2012, Atlanta, GA

  2. Identification of a real need • identified by the community • owned by the community • co-created with end users - not designed and parachuted in from the outside • if benefits not tangible, need buy-in and awareness, “proof” over long term • if you have to pay people to participate, you’ve got issues

  3. Where the market doesn’t work • the market by nature is excluding • giving away free stuff hurts development efforts, isn’t sustainable • people do have some resources • responsibility is where? livelihood vs education or healthcare • need to find the balance

  4. Other aspects of sustainability: • social sustainability -- community ownership and interest, buy-in? • political – election cycles… • legal – local legal frameworks? • managerial – do you have the right people managing if it grows/scales? • cost – localization • transparency, accountability, governance

  5. In design, consider: • client (end user) • context • capacity • culture • connectivity • cost

  6. Remember: • ICT solutions that save people money and time can be sustainable from within • don’t suggest ICTs if the problem can be resolved in a cheaper, simpler way without them • start small with scale and sustainability in mind from the very start

  7. Tension in public/private/non-profit • telecom and IT companies -bottom line • NGOs - protective of most marginalized • NGO resistance to privatized education and health • government bureaucracy and self- interest • vastly different approaches, paces, deliverables, timelines, methodologies

  8. Aid and government ICT4D projects • “sustainability”  “the government will assume responsibility” • does government even know? • is there enough budget to cover it all? • need for greater aid coordination • consider all aspects of sustainability

  9. Some models • Pesinet – micro-insurance plan • Young Africa Live – zero-rated service, reduces telecom churn, but exclusivity… • Mama – freemium with some paid content • Universal Access Fund – Uganda, Peru, Nepal experiences • Njorku– job search for Africa, seed funded

  10. In summary • based on a real local need? • challenge: working where market doesn’t work • remember other aspects of sustainability • client, context, capacity, culture, connectivity, cost • private sector vs development sector end goals • public and aid funded projects • consider replication, scale, sustainability from the very start

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