Archive for category: Technology

Information and stories about technology news.

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Mobile STEM Labs Bring Hands on Learning to Remote African Villages

mobile STEM labsSTEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) classes train the innovators of tomorrow to cultivate their problem-solving abilities and to be curious about the world around them. In remote villages throughout the continent of Africa, however, students often go through school without access to rigorous STEM training. As a result, many lack the tools to succeed in higher education and in the modern workplace. Mobile STEM labs have now presented a solution to this problem.

STEM on Wheels

Mobile STEM labs travel to schools in custom vehicles that can accommodate up to a full classroom of students. The labs often specialize in topics that under-resourced communities struggle to provide. Some of the most popular topics include electronics, computer skills and even 3-D printing.

The organization STEMpower manufactured its first mobile STEM lab in Ethiopia. The lab’s inaugural visit to a public high school 45 kilometers outside of Addis Ababa. During the visit 14 students participated in a three-hour Arduino microcontroller training session. Meanwhile, 22 others learned coding on laptops provided by STEMpower.

STEMpower reports that the students engaged in the lab programming with enthusiasm and perseverance. In addition, it found that the mobile experience closely mirrors that of stationary STEM centers. As it begins to prepare for expanded coverage and a sustainable future, the organization hopes that the next mobile lab will run on solar power.

More than Microscopes

Many labs also extend their work beyond the classroom. When the Togolese-owned company MOBILELABO travels to under-resourced schools and conducts experiments with the students, for example, it prioritizes community outreach as well. The company hosts science fairs, launches science clubs and sponsors radio/television series dedicated to answering scientific questions.

While the mobile labs themselves eventually move onto other villages, each leaves a lasting influence in its wake. MOBILELABO alone has installed permanent laboratories in 10 schools. Additionally, the organization has sold over 500 science kits demonstrating the basic principles of physics, chemistry and biology. The company also provides rigorous teacher training in each school that it visits.

As of now, MOBILELABO has prompted over half a million disadvantaged students throughout Togo and Benin to pursue the sciences. Founder and director Dodzi Aglago says that his company will continue to work toward its goal of reaching as many communities as possible and establishing permanent laboratories in all African schools.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic has brought a temporary halt to STEM lab travel, many lab teams have shifted their focus to designing and distributing medical equipment to local hospitals. They hope to resume full operation in schools as soon as possible.

STEM and Economic Growth

Mobile STEM labs have paved the way for new opportunities across the continent. The African Union (AU) recognizes the importance of STEM education as a means to promote long-term economic growth. According to Aspiration 1 of Agenda 2063, the organization intends to reform classroom curricula as part of its 50-year development plan. These changes will highlight hands-on learning and the real-world applications that mobile STEM labs emphasize.

Continuing the work of mobile STEM labs across the continent, the AU aims to see students armed with the tools to lift themselves and their family members up out of poverty. In the future, the organization hopes that more African graduates will start taking positions in STEM industries.

As STEM education begins to take off in African school systems, leaders envision generations of students animated with creativity, curiosity, self-reliance and a desire to make their world a better place.

– Katie Painter 
Photo: Wikimedia

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Companies Providing AI Tutoring in Africa

AI Tutoring in Africa
With AI technology exploding as a form of aid and disaster relief in developing countries, innovative ways to de-escalate education poverty are underway in Africa’s most vulnerable regions. One of the most prominent issues affecting impoverished African societies is a lack of education. In 2014, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) published a report stating that “more than 7 in 10 African countries don’t have enough teachers.”Accompanied by a rising population of children who need schooling, Africa as a whole has an 86.1 pupil to qualified teacher ratio. With poverty rife throughout the continent and education prioritized for young children, Africa will require an estimated 17 million teachers by 2030, yet the means to find and educate qualified adults to teach is lacking. So where does AI technology come into play? Two major companies, Daptio and Eneza, are closing the gaps with computer programs and adaptive learning to make AI tutoring in Africa a widespread resource.

Daptio

After realizing that the University of South Africa only had a 15% annual pass rate, Daptio founder Tabitha Bailey saw a need for full-scale reform. With no human teachers available, Bailey looked to “cloud-based adaptive learning,” an AI classroom software that adapts to the needs of an individual student – almost like the Khan Academy of Africa.

Bailey launched Daptio in 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa. Described by its founder as “the first content agnostic adaptive learning platform in Africa,” Daptio is also unique in its partnerships with content creators that provide the learning tools for South African students. Daptio is not just an online learning platform; rather, the software learns the education level and knowledge of the student and gathers content from various creators to best accommodate the student.

The platform is largely structured on video learning, with individual sections for students, teachers and content creators. It also adapts to students who do not have access to stable data connectivity to watch videos.

Eneza and TeachMobile

Based out of Ghana, AI tutoring software Eneza Education has developed a web-based education program that provides on-call teachers for students online. Individual teachers operate TeachMobile but receive aid from AI in similarly assessment-based computer programming. The software is complete with learning materials and lessons for any teachers to access, and the platform similarly assesses a student’s abilities so that it can tailor coursework to their needs.

TeachMobile is also unique in its availability to students. With only one physical teacher available for approximately 86 African students, on-call virtual teachers are available via chat through an Ask-A-Teacher setting. The software is also useful for teachers to connect and share resources with each other via social messaging.

After laying its footing in Ghana, Eneza and TechMobile have expanded to Kenya and the Ivory Coast with plans to keep growing. Over 6 million people have used Eneza since its beginnings, and Eneza’s programs have shown a “23 percent improvement in academic performance after learning with Eneza Education for nine months.”

Effectiveness and Future Plans

Extensive research and study of Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs) and AI tutoring at the University of Michigan have shown that computer-based, adaptive learning is highly effective. With more patience and time than a normal human teacher, the ITSs can be beneficial to both students and teachers and can more accurately gauge a student’s individual needs.

For now, AI tutoring in Africa is still in its infancy. However, with the beneficial track record of web-based learning laying the foundation for children across the continent, AI tutoring in Africa can hopefully assist in bringing advanced education to impoverished communities across the continent.

– Grace Ganz
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

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Planting Trees of Knowledge: A Way to Make Education Accessible

Trees of KnowledgeSub-Saharan Africa continues to face high rates of education exclusion. Across the region, nearly 34 million children do not attend school due to inadequate funding, geographical distance and lack of educational staff. Children living in impoverished areas often have treacherous commutes to school and may experience teacher absenteeism upon arrival. Other children cannot attend school because they must work to support their family or tend to their livestock and land. Trees of Life is working to address the issues limiting access to education.

Education Challenges in Zimbabwe

In countries like Zimbabwe, the problem is pronounced. Most children in Zimbabwe receive primary education but only 49% of high-school-aged Zimbabweans attend secondary school. Furthermore, economic challenges have tightened funding for public and boarding schools, causing a steep increase in the cost of attendance. As a result, communities have taken to creating make-shift alternative schools run by locals to save on expenses. These schools remain unregistered in order to avoid fees and therefore do not undergo government inspections.

These challenges, however, are not unique to Zimbabwe. There is an urgent need to improve access to education in many communities throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. Experts have suggested that the implementation of technology into educational services may be a more cost-effective route than building physical infrastructure. Additionally, much of the population has access to basic smartphones or mobile devices. In fact, Sub-Saharan Africa is the world’s fastest-growing region in terms of smartphone adoption, estimating an addition of 167 million subscribers by 2025.

However, inconsistent and expensive data coverage as well as limited electricity for charging limits internet connectivity for many devices. Zimbabwean AI expert and entrepreneur, William Sachiti, has recently taken up this challenge with an idea for improving access not only to the internet but also to educational tools in rural areas. The project is entitled Trees of Knowledge, which reflects the common practice of gathering under the shade of a tree for class.

Technological Solutions

The Trees of Knowledge technology allows a tree or other landmark to broadcast a Wi-Fi signal. Any device within a 100-meter radius can connect to the network and access a pre-loaded server of educational content. The signal is produced by a micro-computer molded into the tree to protect it from damage. The module is powered by a small rechargeable battery that can run for several years without maintenance. The system also includes a solar-powered charging station that users can plug their devices into.

Any content can be uploaded to the educational server, but Sachiti hopes to eventually transition toward including lessons from local educators, making the content specific to each region. This would allow teachers to work with each country’s department of education to ensure that the curriculum is appropriate.

Trees of Knowledge has the potential to improve educational opportunities for rural and excluded communities. This highly integrated solution could mitigate long commutes to school, which can span from five to 1o kilometers. The system provides access to educational content as well as guidance for those unfamiliar with these new resources. As an open-source technology with no patents or intellectual property regulations, the logistics behind Trees of Knowledge are available to be shared and replicated. Since its publication in 2019, several large NGOs in Africa have picked up the idea.

Future Steps

The concept behind Trees of Knowledge is highly adaptable and can be applied to other uses. Similar technologies have recently been implemented by some national parks and nature preserves, who are using interactive digital programs to teach visitors about the ecology of an area. In rural communities, this technology could provide tutorials on first-aid skills, health and hygiene. On remote trails or routes, it may be used to offer critical safety information and orientation.

By removing the obstacles of cost, data coverage and power consumption, Trees of Knowledge is a highly sustainable idea aligned with the goal of minimizing climate change and habitat destruction. This new technology can provide a variety of educational resources by seamlessly integrating into the environment, yet leaving it unchanged.

– Sylvie Antal
Photo: Wikimedia

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SongAid Streams Away Hunger

SongAidAs people in the U.S. and around the world try to stay safe during the global pandemic, many are spending more time at home. It is not uncommon for people to spend their time at home utilizing a variety of streaming services. That is why the American media distribution company The Orchard, the global nonprofit WhyHunger and 60 musicians have collaborated to create SongAid. SongAid, a collaborative music streaming process, helps alleviate the negative impact COVID-19 has had on global poverty and hunger.

What Is SongAid?

SongAid is a project that works with major music streaming sites to donate profits made from streaming to the WhyHunger Rapid Response Fund. On May 29, 2020, SongAid released its first playlist. The playlist included a variety of artists from Wilco to Galatic. Listeners can find the SongAid playlists, curated by diverse groups of celebrities, on major music streaming platforms like Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music and Youtube Music. SongAid releases new music every Friday. Every time someone streams a SongAid song or playlist, the proceeds go directly to WhyHunger. Additionally, SongAid will host virtual gaming, music and artists events throughout the summer to promote its partnership with WhyHunger.

What is WhyHunger?

WhyHunger is a global nonprofit organization started by artists Harry Chapin and Bill Ayres in 1975. The musician and DJ started the organization to provide global access to safe, nutritious food. Several strategies of operation guide the organization. These strategies include empowering and supporting grassroots movements, advocating for social justice and uplifting community voices. Additionally the organization also focuses on protecting the right to adequate food and promoting agro-ecology. WhyHunger has raised $13 million through initiatives like Artists Against Hunger & Poverty, where artists band together to raise funds to support the various components of WhyHunger, such as the Global Movement Program, the Find Food Database and the WhyHunger Hotline.

Through its Global Movement Program, WhyHunger supports international movements for greater access to food, land and water. They have supported the World March of Women, La Via Campesina International and the World Forum of Fisher Peoples. Between 2012 and 2017, the organization raised $1.2 million to support more than 100,000 small farmers in 68 countries.

COVID-19, Poverty and Food Insecurity

Organizations like WhyHunger worked to reduce food insecurity and poverty around the world before the COVID-19 pandemic. However, individuals and organizations such as those brought together through SongAid have begun to recognize that the work WhyHunger does is even more crucial during this pandemic. The pandemic has disrupted the global food supply chain by forcing countries to close their borders. Additionally, restricting exports and keeping workers at home also affect the food supply chain.

Estimates show that half a billion people will fall into poverty as a result of disruptions to the global economy. Additionally, food prices continue to rise due to panic buying and increased demand. For example, the cost of wheat has increased by 15% and the value of rice by 12% around the globe. Moreover, less than 20% of already low-income countries do not have systematic support to provide aid to citizens that are facing exacerbated hunger and poverty.

Despite the seemingly hopelessness situation, coalitions like SongAid are fighting to help people around the world get access to the food and resources they need in spite of the global pandemic.

– Tiara Wilson 

Photo: Pixabay

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Online Education for Health Care in Africa

Health Care in Africa
In order to alleviate the burden of chronic and infectious illnesses, countries across Africa need more health care professionals. According to the WHO, Africa has access to only 3% of the world’s health workers while suffering from over 24% of the global burden of disease. As the WHO wrote in the Global strategy on human resources for health: Workforce 2030 report, “Health systems can only function with health workers.” Here is some additional information about health care in Africa and the measures that some are taking to increase the number of health care professionals through online education.

To Improve Health Outcomes, Africa Needs More Health Professionals

According to the WHO, health priorities such as reducing maternal and infant mortality; expanding access to surgery; eliminating AIDs, malaria and tuberculosis; improving overall mental health and addressing non-communicable and chronic disease mortality will only be possible if Africa makes a significant improvement to its health care workforce capacity.

Underinvestment in health care worker training has led to shortages. It has also reduced the ability of health systems to manage the burden of disease and stay resilient in the face of natural disasters. To meet current global health challenges, the WHO projects that the world will need 18 million more healthcare workers, with the need particularly acute in low-resource settings.

How to Train More Health Care Professionals

The question stands: how can millions of health care workers receive quality training quickly? To create low cost, easily scalable ways of training public health care workers all over the world, many nonprofit organizations are now creating open educational resources (OERS). In addition to being less expensive than in-person instruction, the flexibility of online educational resources allows for current and future health care workers to customize their education to their own needs.

Peoples-uni

One of these organizations, People’s Open Access Education Initiative, abbreviated as Peoples-uni, emerged to build public health capacity by training health professionals online for a low cost. Peoples-uni courses come in two categories: public health problems such as HIV/AIDs, injury prevention and maternal mortality, as well as foundation sciences of public health topics including biostatistics, health economics, public health nutrition and social determinants of health. A reported 70% of Peoples-uni students are from Africa, helping expand health care capacity across the continent.

Peoples-uni offers master’s degrees and PhDs in collaboration with its partner, Euclid University. Euclid University started via an intergovernmental treaty and has received approval from the United Nations. In addition to masters and Ph.D. degrees, Peoples-uni offers professional development certificates. This helps keep public health professionals up to date with the skills they need to do their jobs.

A more health-literate population is better able to take care of itself, so in addition to training health care professionals, Peoples-uni has also implemented online training to teach the public about key health topics. The World Health Organization ran a Health Academy from 2003-2016, using online education to teach people about topics including tuberculosis, malaria, AIDs, nutrition and injury prevention. The WHO partnered with countries including Gambia, Ghana and Jordan in order to bring Health Academy classes to public schools.

Since the end of 2016, the WHO has continued work on creating and compiling e-Health tools, including IMCI Computerized Adaptation and Training Tool (ICAT). ICAT emerged to help train health care professionals in Integrated Management of Childhood Illness strategies (IMCI) that the WHO developed.

A Lack of Technological Infrastructure

Implementing online education initiatives comes with challenges including limited access to the Internet or computers. Many low resource regions that need health care worker training the most do not have these. Africa as a whole has an average 39% internet penetration, with the percentage far lower in some nations such as the Democratic Republic of Congo. Around 8% of the DRC population has access to the internet. The DRC is is currently experiencing outbreaks of infectious diseases including Ebola.

In order for initiatives such as Peoples-uni and the WHO’s online education tools to gain traction in Africa, a basic infrastructure of reliable internet and technology access is necessary. According to the World Health Organization’s systematic review of online education for undergraduate health professional education, lack of internet access is a significant barrier to the success of online education as a tool to educate health care professionals. Scaling up health care capacity using online education requires pre-existing technical capacity.

– Tamara Kamis
Photo: Flickr

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6 Facts About Technological Improvements in Ghana

technological improvements in GhanaGhana is a nation located just west of Nigeria, with a population of 31 million people. Of those people, six million are food insecure, most living in rural areas. However, Ghana has been working harder than many of its neighbors to use technology to combat food insecurity. Over the last decade, the country has worked to improve its technologies and sustainable food sources. These are six facts about technological improvements in Ghana.

6 Facts About Technological Improvements in Ghana 

  1. Ghana has made plans to boost economic growth. Ghana aims to achieve low- to middle-income status in the upcoming decade. Agriculture is the ticket to a sustainable living environment. The issues hindering productivity in Ghana are related to inadequate infrastructure, as well as a lack of fundamental training in land management and equipment. Ghana has been investing in this future through eduction; around 6% of Ghana’s gross domestic product goes toward education, one of the highest percentages in the world.
  2. Productivity in Ghana is at a higher rate than neighboring nations. Ghana is a member of the United Nations and is a part of world trade. Gold, cocoa and oil are three of the country’s primary exports, and this keeps profits high enough to continue to educate and train younger citizens to farm and harvest. Ghana is one of the first countries in the region to achieve these milestones, with neighboring countries looking up to them. The GDP of neighbor country Togo is lower than that of Ghana. About 30% of the population in Togo live below the poverty line. In comparison, Ghana’s poverty percentage is 23.4%.
  3. Ghana must shift to incentive-driven economic policies to improve leadership. In order to do this, smaller land rural farmers must be able to identify and voice their needs, such as crop production, needing improvement on harvest and post-harvest procedures and finding the value in their commodities. When farmers feel heard, their incentive to increase productivity will grow. A non-governmental organization (NGO) project was conducted to open sustainability training centers in Ghana to expand knowledge. This project resulted in the improved health and livelihood of everyone involved.
  4. In 2017, there was a breakthrough in the development of a solar-powered vehicle for transportation. The breakthrough, called “aCar”, was developed by students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. The prototype was developed to further explore the transportation-related needs of the country. This did astronomical things for the environment and farmers alike. The vehicle caters towards the farmers’ local needs. The aCar has become a convenient way to transport goods and trade with other farmers at markets in town. The car is solar powered and does not require fuel, which, in turn, saves farmers money. Furthermore, the vehicle is affordable and has the ability to use local materials to maintain the car.
  5. Accra is becoming a hub for technology advancement and the future of the nation’s development. The capital city of Ghana is the home of many tech firms and startup ideas. The city of Accra boasts companies such as mPedigree, a pharmaceutical company, and Rancard, which provides telecommunication services with other companies in the region. It has helped thousands of students growing up in Ghana find a path and way of learning.
  6. Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology in Accra is providing complete IT training, funding for software startups and even mentorships for all students. Having more young people trained in IT is helpful for the growth of technology and productivity within the nation. These schools and programs give young Ghanian innovators hope and inspiration, ultimately giving hope for the future of their nation. As a result, students in cities are learning skills that they can use internationally or locally to solve environmental and technological problems. Tech companies like hubAccra, Ispace and MEST are a working to hone the skills of those who want to learn to develop their communities.

Technology improvements in Ghana continue to increase today. Ghana is shaping the future by instilling all the skills and foundations into its youngest citizens to continue growing, developing and improving. The median age for Ghana’s capital city is 21 years old. The Ghanaians are young and flourishing, constantly learning new things and adding programs to their hub for technological development.  In the next decade, Ghana hopes to be a self-sustaining, middle-class economy through advanced technological improvements.

– Kimberly Elsey

Photo: Flickr

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Biotechnology to Reduce Tuberculosis in Madagascar

Tuberculosis in Madagascar
Tuberculosis, commonly known as TB, is the most infectious fatal disease in the world. Despite the fact that it is treatable, TB kills more than 1 million people annually across the globe. The wide majority of diagnoses and deaths occur in poor, developing nations. Here is some information about tuberculosis in Madagascar.

Tuberculosis in Madagascar

Tuberculosis cases plague Madagascar, a country off the southeastern coast of Africa, especially among the citizens of low socioeconomic status. As of 2012, 70.7% of the Malagasy population lived below the poverty line. As a result, in 2017, the tuberculosis incidence rate in Madagascar was 233 cases per 100,000 people. TB is a disease that poverty perpetuates, making Madagascar a likely candidate for an outbreak.

Lack of quality living conditions, nutrition and health care all amplify the risk of tuberculosis infection in Madagascar. Proper toilets and handwashing facilities are scarce for the majority of Malagasy people. According to CIA World Factbook data, as of 2015, sanitation facility access in Madagascar remained unimproved for 88% of the total population. As for health care, not only is TB deadly in itself if it does not receive treatment, but it is the leading cause of death for people who suffer from HIV. As of 2018, there are 39,000 Malagasy people who receive a diagnosis of HIV, however, only 20,865 TB patients also had documentation of their HIV status. Without quality systems in place to document HIV and TB status, solving the epidemic in Madagascar will not succeed.

The Global Fund’s Support

The added historical stigma surrounding TB makes matters worse. While already struggling monetarily, patients are often fearful that, if their diagnosis is public, they will risk losing their jobs. However, various groups are making progress in reducing this stigma while aiding those with TB. The Global Fund, an organization that assists in funding relief for epidemics, is hiring employees to administer medication and encourage TB patients in Madagascar to stay on track with their antibiotics. These employees act as a support system as well and are working to debunk the shame that patients may feel surrounding their diagnosis.

The Global Fund is continuing to make huge strides in combating this disease. In 2018, the organization funded the cure of 33,000 patients in Madagascar. For 2020-2022, there is a projected $18,045,448 that will contribute to tuberculosis health care in Madagascar. These huge sums of money should significantly diminish the problem. As of 2017, based on the recorded percentage of new cases of TB, the treatment success rate was 84%.

Biotechnological Solutions

Although the disease is incredibly preventable and curable, there is a lack of medical tools in Madagascar necessary to diagnose and treat TB. Not only are there minimal supplies, but the head of the mycobacteria unit at the Health Institute of Madagascar, Niaina Rakotosamimanana, said that “we have a collection of [TB] strains at the Pasteur Institute… about 9,000 strains. We have been thinking about expanding and strengthening our ability to analyze those samples.”

Researchers from the Health Institute of Madagascar, Stony Brook University and Oxford University are collaborating to help grant greater access to a portable and affordable tool, the MinION. The MinION helps to diagnose and efficiently test the resistance of TB strains to antibiotics. It is a cheap, affordable option that is accessible to Malagasy people. While developed countries have the technology to create complex, expensive tools to prevent the spread of TB, low-income countries, where the disease is affecting more people, have considerably less information. Because developing nations often cannot support Western medical technology, tools like the MinION are incredibly beneficial.

Tuberculosis in Madagascar is still one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the country, but Madagascar is making significant progress towards the elimination of the disease. The efforts Madagascar is taking in tracking TB are positive steps contributing to the mitigation of the epidemic.

– Sophia McGrath
Photo: Flickr

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Satellite Technology Can Combat Poverty in Africa

Satellite Technology Can Help Combat Poverty
Over the last two decades, there has been an observed decrease in poverty levels in the eastern and southeastern regions of Asia. Unfortunately, 42% of people in sub-Saharan Africa are still living in absolute poverty conditions. To aid developmental efforts on the continent, scientists and engineers are exploring how satellite technology can combat poverty across the entire continent.

Identifying Poverty 

It is well-known in the academic community that research relating to poverty in comparatively poor regions is hard to come by. Surveys and censuses are not frequent enough to provide an accurate understanding of poverty in Africa. This lack of data makes strategizing and taking action to alleviate poverty in some areas particularly difficult. Luckily, some are conducting new research to explore the possibility of using satellite imagery to identify poverty-stricken areas. In fact, Stanford researchers Marshall Burke, David Lobell and Stefano Ermon spent the last 5 years studying the use of available images to assess poverty conditions in Africa over time.

Satellite imagery and machine learning can work together to identify poverty and development hot-spots. Images that satellites take during the night could expose the absence of lights in an area that may lack electricity. Images from the day may also show the status of general infrastructures like housing, waterways, agricultural techniques and roads. These features are components of development and identifying their status should be able to help efforts to provide communities with the resources they lack. Neural networks, which are a component of machine learning, use these satellite images to find patterns in communities. The Stanford researchers tested this technology on 20,000 different African villages and created models for the conditions they observed. While machine learning is a new tool for the fight against poverty, it is a promising source of information and understanding that can enhance our response. 

Famine and Natural Disasters

In its response to conditions in Africa, USAID has long known that satellite technology can help combat poverty. In 1986, NASA began working with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to detect and prevent famine through the famine early warning system (FEWS). Using remote sensing and existing satellite data that NASA collected, USAID has been able to predict famine conditions in sub-Saharan Africa. 

In 2000, NASA and USGS also collaborated to establish more effective response-planning mechanisms through an updated FEWS Network. They have used this network to predict floods, landslides, fires and other natural threats to development. In 2017, the network was able to make a credible appeal for food aid in a war-torn Somalia, which reduced deaths from starvation. Researchers have also concluded that the early warning system lowered mortality rates in Kenya, where the number of “severely hungry” Kenyans was 1.75 million in 2017, versus 2.8 million in 2011. Good disaster response can better inform developmental projects in poorer countries, which makes the network a crucial component of a greater effort to alleviate poverty. 

The Long-term

Many are now looking at how satellite technology can combat poverty. The technology can no doubt open more doors to understanding economic development. Experts suggest that satellite intel on land usage could aid non-governmental organizations in crafting policies for better resource allocation in the region and the possibilities do not stop there. Although there is still work to do to alleviate poverty in Africa, viewing this advancing technology as an enabler for further research and action is incredibly exciting.

– Arshita Sandhiparthi
Photo: Flickr

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3 Innovative Technologies Stopping Malaria

innovative technologies stopping malariaMalaria has plummeted by 40% fifteen years after 2000. A report that NCBI published attributed this to mosquito preventative measures like bed netting and insecticides. These interventions and practices, like wearing light color clothing, help at-risk populations fight malaria. However, mosquitos are learning to fight back. Resistance to insecticides is evolving in mosquitos and malaria continues to afflict millions. In 2018, there were still 228 million cases of malaria and 405,000 deaths. Over 90% of these cases and deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa, but there are many interventions that have the potential to stop malaria. Here are three innovative technologies stopping malaria.

3 Innovative Technologies Stopping Malaria

  1.  The SolarMal Project: The SolarMal project is part of a new arsenal of defenses against mosquitos and their diseases beyond the typical netting and spray. SolarMal is a solar-powered mosquito trapper. The solar panel mainly serves to power a vent in the SolarMal, but it also has been able to store and serve as an electricity provider for the houses it protects. The solar panel sits on the roof of a house and connects to a trapping device on the ground. Inside the trapper is an odorous chemical that mosquitos prefer to people. A ventilation unit then sucks the hungry mosquitos inside where they cannot escape. On the Island of Rusinga, the SolarMal project has decreased the mosquito population by 70% and malaria incidence by 30%. This technology works and is applicable to other mosquito-borne illnesses like the Zika virus and dengue fever.
  2. DJI Phantom: There are two places experts try to stop mosquitos: in their breeding grounds and in their feeding grounds. Netting, insecticides and the SolarMal project work to prevent malaria in mosquito feeding grounds in the towns and residences where people live. DJI Phantom is the name of a low-cost drone that can survey wilderness and find mosquito breeding grounds. Of these three innovative technologies stopping malaria, the Phantom is the most indirect but also one of the most essential. There are many ways to limit mosquito breeding once people have found their habitats but discovering them has now become much more efficient. High-resolution satellites can also be helpful in finding mosquito breeding grounds. However, these methods are very expensive and require perfect weather conditions. This is difficult as most mosquitos breed in wet areas that typically have cloud coverage. Drones offer a cheaper and more consistent method to discover mosquito habitats. In 30 minutes of fly time, this drone can capture 30 hectares to analyze for still bodies of water. Field surveys of breeding grounds could only spot half the water bodies the drone was able to discover. Once people have located the mosquito breeding grounds, they may disperse chemicals or oils to disrupt mosquito larvae.
  3.  Gene-Drive: The nonprofit Target Malaria develops mosquito solutions using CRISPR gene-editing technology. There are three phases of genetic modification that Target Malaria conducts. For the first phase, scientists are developing sterile male mosquitos to release into the wild. Male mosquitos do not bite people and when the sterile males mate with female mosquitos, they do not produce offspring. This method can decrease their population but only for one reproduction cycle. Phase two looks to decrease the population over a longer period of time. This stage is the self-limiting stage and it aims to make a reproduction bias towards male mosquitos. Phase two genetic modifications will undergo natural selection after some time. In the following stage three, Target Malaria will look to make these genetic changes permanent. Creating a male bias mutation that successfully survives between generations, the number of female mosquitos will decrease 10-fold and severely limit the population. Target Malaria is still in the initial phases, but it must take great care as there could be many unknown side effects on an ecosystem.

Stopping malaria is a focus for many African communities and there are many organizations looking into possible solutions to stop the spread and hopefully eradicate this disease. Estimates determine that eradicating malaria by 2040 would save 11 million lives and surge $2 trillion of economic growth. Advancements like these three innovative technologies stopping malaria are making this future vision possible.

– Brett Muni
Photo: Flickr

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6 Ways Technology is Helping Reduce the Burden of COVID-19

Burden of COVIDThe most recent pandemic has wreaked havoc on countries all over the world and has stagnated, or even reversed progress in many developing communities. While officials have been trying to reduce the number of cases worldwide, there have also been many tech developments that help alleviate the burden of COVID-19. Various apps and websites allow us to spread information, contact-trace and even enforce quarantine.

6 Ways Technology Helps Alleviate the Burden of COVID-19

  1. Afghanistan- Without proper guidance, misinformation can spread like wildfire and can be deadly. For this reason, the Ministry of Public Health joined forces with the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology to create software that provides health information to Afghani citizens. Corona.asan.gov.af translates virus updates and information into three different languages, making it easily accessible for all people.
  2. Bulgaria- Local IT developers created a free app that connects citizens to health authorities to help ease the burden of COVID-19. Users verify their identity and can input various symptoms they are experiencing. A doctor will then review their symptoms and decide whether or not to send the patient to the closest medical facility for treatment. In addition to this, the app also can predict the future growth and spread of the virus. The developers are also willing to sell the software to other countries for a symbolic one euro.
  3. Germany- A Berlin-based tech startup created an initiative that would work on Android devices in developing countries throughout South America and North Africa. The project, called #AppsFightCovid would display health information on popup ads that already exist on different apps. The ads take info from the WHO website and advocate for frequent hand washing and wearing a mask in public. Because of these efforts, underdeveloped communities now have access to important COVID-19 information.
  4. Mexico- The Mexico City government created a screening service that determines how likely a user is to contract the coronavirus. The website also features a map that displays the closest hospitals and how much space is available in each of them. People can also filter the map based on whether they need a general care bed or a ventilator bed. In addition, users can input their symptoms and determine whether or not they require hospitalization. This helps alleviate the burden of COVID by reducing the number of unnecessary hospital patients during a global pandemic.
  5. United Nations- It is extremely difficult to get access to personal protective equipment and accurate information, especially for developing countries. Because of this, the U.N. partnered with the WHO and launched the Tech Access Partnership or TAP. This initiative helps reduce the burden of COVID by connecting expert manufacturers with developing manufacturers in poorer countries all over the world to share resources, knowledge and technical expertise. TAP will also aid countries in creating affordable and safe technology.
  6. Argentina- In hopes of reducing the number of coronavirus cases, a company is looking into enforcing quarantining and social distancing through a tracking app, though it is not yet operational. This would be a way to prevent the spread of COVID since the app would send an alert each time a person leaves their home. In addition, the Argentinian Ministry of Health created an application that allows people to evaluate their symptoms and see whether or not they require hospitalization.

 

Though the novel coronavirus has thrown us all for a whirlwind, many countries are doing their part to alleviate the burden of COVID by using technology. Whether it is through self-assessing symptoms, tracking hospitals or enforcing quarantine, government officials everywhere are trying to flatten the curve through the use of technology.

– Karin Filipova
Photo: Unsplash