Eunice Gnay Namirembe

The poten;al of using mobile phones for Peace Building Text to Change: Simple in Concept, Powerful in Result Eunice Gnay Namirembe
Director, TTC
[email protected]
Mobile: +256776833955
http://www.texttochange.com
TEXT TO CHANGE •  Founded in 2007 in Amsterdam
•  Social Mobile Service & Content provider
•  TTC develops mobile tools for: Health, Education, Economic
development: SMS; Voice - IVR; Smartphone Apps
•  Works together with local partners and agents
•  20-55% participation rate in campaigns
•  Pioneer in mHealth in Africa
•  Simple Solutions
Three case studies: -  YOUTH MOBILE PLATFORM - ON THE
POST-2015 DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
(AFRICA MONITOR)
-  SEED SAMBURU KENYA – Election Civic
Education in Northern Kenya
-  ACODE - Uganda
-  TEACHERS STRIKE (UNATU)- UGANDA
Africa Monitor
MAIN OBJECTIVE:
Establishment of a mobile platform to
enable youth participation in shaping
the post-2015 agenda in Africa
LOCATION & DURATION:
- 6 countries in February
(Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, South
Africa, Botswana, Ghana)
-  3 countries in March
(Ethiopia, Malawi, Zambia, Burkina
Faso)
FOCUS POPULATION:
Youth between age of 18 – 35
RADIOS, POSTERS, BILLBOARDS,
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES Method Round 1: What’s your hope/vision for a better future for you & Africa? The concept generated in this phase will be synthesised and
categorized into 10 (or less) key concepts.
Round 2: Youth will be asked to rank these (emerged) concepts.
Round 3: (possible)
The top 3 ranked concepts might be followed up for further information of different aspects of the priorities (i.e.. if education is a
first priority, which could be further detailed – quality, access, relevance,
completion, etc) SAMPLE MESSAGES
We’re seeking
youth (18-35yrs)
for Voice Africa's
Future, a global
survey for a better
world. Reply is
free.
Please tell us your
age. Send AGE
<space> <your
age> to 4127
Share your voice. It all starts with YOU. Reply free of charge: What’s your hope/vision for a beBer future for you & Africa? Reply HOPE <space> <answer> to 4127 ACTION
RESPONSE - PILOT GENDER
43% FEMALE
57% MALE
KENYA RESPONSE - PILOT Environment Sustainability 1% Poverty ReducWon 8% Infrastructure Development 4% Food & Agriculture 2% Equality 4% Peace & Security 19% Health 8% Employment & Economic OpportuniWes 20% EducaWon 7% DemocraWc Governance 27% 0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
KENYA SEED SAMBURU- CIVIC EDUCATION
1.  Mobile phone use and illiteracy – Toll Free IVR Pla^orm by Safaricom 2. 87,5% of the people living in Samburu, Kenya is illiterate. 1.  To educate the Samburu about their civil rights in the new consWtuWon and on the upcoming elecWons 2.  Over 70,000 calls within 3 weeks 3.  Content in Samburu and Turkana 4.  CombinaWon with other media like radio -­‐ Ci;zens Budget Informa;on Network -­‐ The Follow Your Money Campaign -­‐ 
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To make Government accountable to ciWzens Exchange budget informaWon, Monitor and report abuses of public funds AcWvely promote discipline in public expenditure. Voluntary Membership – Open to all Ugandans that have cell phones -­‐  The goal of the Centre is" to increase accountability and transparency in the allocaWon and uWlizaWon of both local revenue and donor funds by raising ciWzens’ awareness.” UNATU NEC has resolved
to continue its
industrial action until
government meets our
salary demands and
refrains from
intimidation and
harassment. G.Secretary
(Teachers strike in
Uganda)
Users receive advocacy messages in per;nent governance issues According to African
Biodiversity Network,
7,100 ha of Mabira
forest proposed for
giveaway hold 3,905,000
tonnes of carbon, which
will be released if cut
down (Mabira Giveaway –
sent out to
Environmentalists)
Sensi;za;on of the Public about Mabira Forest According to NEMA, Mabira Forest Reserve captures about 17.1 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, saving Uganda US $ 1.4 billion in annual air cleaning costs
-­‐ Over 6000 par;cipants in the database -­‐ 2 year programme funded ACODE -­‐ One message a week -­‐ Awareness and Advocacy about current per;nent Ci;zen issues UNATU – Teachers Strike Uganda Have you faced in;mida;on during the industrial ac;on? Send UNATU (space) & report to 8282 (free of charge), or call 0414346917, 0392849585 or 0392849584. So far over 3000 Hits from a database of 12,000 teachers UNATU i have suffered a
transfer organized by
my Headmaster Bulamu
Primary School together
with officials in Mpigi
district for having
been a key player in
the strike please help
me this is a new
Thank you for your
feedback. For more
information, call
0414346917, 0392849585
or 0392849584.
1.  Vusion is a new open-­‐source interacWve SMS pla^orm currently being developed by Text to Change. 2.  Designing SMS campaigns is complicated, requires programming, developers, technical knowledge, etcetera. 3. Current systems are inflexible, difficult to work with from the users perspecWve 4. If you want to have mulWple SMS services in mulWple countries you have to duplicate infrastructure many Wmes 5. Sharing short codes and pla^orms for mulWple campaigns amongst partners is impossible or at least very complex with current systems Lessons learnt: Prepara;on phase •  (re-) consider your resources
•  Get your context right
•  Needs and communications assessment
•  Research the ‘Local factors’
•  Perform pre-testing – Things can go wrong
Local factors:
•  Cultural norms, individual communication patterns
•  Use of mobiles: (technology) illiteracy?
•  Availability of mobile signal?
•  Working with mobile networks
Lessons learnt: Effec;ve Communica;on •  Involve right mix of communication channels
•  Combine broadcasting through traditional media (radio,
newspaper, poster) and narrowcasting new media (Mobile)
•  Interactive campaigning – involve people using incentives
•  Language(s) & dialect(s)
•  Message timing
•  Phone sharing – Medical data safety
•  Incentives work
•  Message outlook
•  Script is not always supported
•  Length (160 characters)
Main recommenda;ons •  Understand local context for sustainable behaviour change:
•  Work with reliable, capable, local partners
•  Thorough problem identification
•  Comprehensive program design takes time
•  Plan multiple moments for M&E, be flexible and adjust
where required
•  Keep it simple!
Text to Change: Simple in concept, powerful in result Thank you! Ques;ons? www.texttochange.com
@texttochange
texttochange