The Sonjara Blog is where we post ideas, great articles, experiences, and other ramblings that we think are relevant to our clients and partners.
Sonjara is pleased to announce that USAID has published the Considerations for Responsible Data Usage at USAID. Sonjara provided the background research and original draft of this document for USAID, via the mSTAR activity at FHI360.
As we start to enter the second decade of the 21st century, we realize that we have new abilities to capture and use data in ways previously unimaginable. From remote sensors, drones, internet of things, eHealth, eGovernment, mobile money, biometrics, blockchain, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and big data, we now can collect and have access to data that has never existed before.
Sonjara, using research funded by USAID through the mSTAR activity, produced the Benefit Risk Assessment Framework Workshop (PPT) to help international development practitioners to assess the potentialbenefits and risks of this data to help ask and answer difficult ethical questions, and prepare for legal compliance regulations such as GDPR.
We get asked a lot at Sonjara "which platform should I use?"
The answer is the one that is optimized for your specific problem and audience, and where the data can be reused after the platform is retired.
Coming up with realistic expectations for sustainability for any ICT4D project is critical, especially knowing that our industry, (like most others) have headwinds against transferal to local partners. I offer four definitions of sustainability that can be used baseline expectations for sustainable ICT4D projects.
We at Sonjara have decided to not stop our work on this day, but rather to double down on our work to improve the lives of women – our employees, our clients, and our beneficiaries around the world. We salute all those who promote gender equality around the world.
mSTAR is looking for up to three projects where we can test and apply our draft good practice guidelines for ethical collection, use, management, sharing and release of data in field-based digital development programs. We want to hear from you!