SOS App Chapter 1 : Rapid SMS saving 3rd World and yes you guessed it right! It's Africa....
WoW!, oohhhhh, what a noble project? Ohhhh, what an achievement. Thank the heavens for the almighty solutions. :-) Below is my novice assessment, corrections welcome on me thots Malawi, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Senegal have been the areas of implementation. And, yes not to forget this, I quote from the website : What is using RapidSMS really like? Deployed in Kenya, Child Count is a specialized platform that brings diagnoses, referrals and treatment out of the clinics and into the communities. But hang on, what excatly is RapidSMS? RapidSMS is a free and open-source framework for dynamic data collection, logistics coordination and communication, leveraging basic short message service (SMS) mobile phone technology. It is written in Python and uses Django. And how does it work? Well, you connect your mobile via a serial cable/usb cable and it does magic. It talks to .............. How did Child Count Kenya know about Rapid sms? Well, since all the countries that have Child Problems etc, we could not find any other application to work............ Start of actual discussion coming soon. :-) --- Saidia-Ohh-Saidia Apps Made in KE aka Mkate Nusu---
Ohhh Dear.... I had no idea that while I wanted to disect the SOS App, I've now come to realise that some one else has already beaten me to it. To me, Rapid SMS is just lower down the food chain so I had to look further and understand the history of the app. I believe the flow goes as follows : UNDP > UNICEF > Mellinium Villages > Earth Institute, Columbia University blah blah. - However what is of interest to me the connection between RapidSMS and Unicef Innovation. They seem to share a common bond on open source which means nothing except if the VCs or seeders having something in common between Django, RapidSMS and those in position at Unicef Innovation. Something seems out of place, I could be wrong. - This is the first time I heard of Unicef Innovation. I think everyone including the devs in Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, Senegal must be wondering the same. Did UNICEF Innovation, under the Mellinium Villages project, make calls for innovative software to be used by them or what was the selection criteria? - Earth Institue, Columbia University. Well a bunch of students at the UNI using the RapidSMS software beat Ushaidi to third place. However, this was more interesting and I'd say our dissection has already been done! " The Earth Institute at Columbia University leads the research and development of cutting-edge science-based solutions, based on the UN Millennium Project findings, for the Millennium Villages. The Earth Institute's integrated scientific expertise supports all of the interventions in the Villages and cuts across a broad range of disciplines including public health, nutrition, engineering, education, hydrology, ecology, and agronomy. Earth Institute scientists work closely with communities to understand particular challenges, adapt appropriate solutions, and ensure rigorous monitoring and evaluation " Ok, I think enough said from me on this thread, there is a mountain of info to read and catchup on. Once again, me thots and corrections are welcome. Rgds.
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