Afghanistan: Innovation Nation
Innovation is, according to Bill Gates, the "key to improving the world." Innovative technology is making its mark in the developing world, garnering the attention of both the public and private sectors. Companies like Nokia, Microsoft, and Google have led the trend of "reverse innovation," designing technologies especially for emerging markets. More direct, people-led innovation is occuring in Innovation Hubs all around Africa. These tech hubs, which provide space for collaboration and innovation, should continue to grow in 2012 and beyond. Last year, we all marveled at the ingenious mobile phone system created by the rebels in Libya - further raising confidence in the innovative minds of North Africa. But this week has helped bring awareness to innovation in a seemingly unlikely place - Afghanistan.
The Afghan Ministry of Information Communication Technologies, along with USAID and Internews, held the first Kabul Innovation Lab. People from a range of different backgrounds came together to tackle some of Afghanistan's social challenges. Participants were divided into six teams, each with a specific problem to consider. Experts in the field were there to help guide participants, and teach them about many of the different tools already available. At the end of the three days, the teams presented their solutions in front of a panel of judges. The governance team - with their "EasyHajj" registration platform - were declared the winners. The prize? EasyHajj will be recommended for World Bank funding.
Afghanistan has also learned a few lessons from other innovative success stories. M-Paise, a mobile money system based on Kenya's runaway success M-Pesa, is being used to connect rural farmers to the country's agricultural loan system. Farmers can use M-Paise to repay their loans, eliminating the need to travel to urban centers. M-Paise is also being used to help cut down on corruptiong, paying police salaries in a more tamper-proof way. Text messages are also being used to spread news stories across the country, strengthening existing media channels. Organizations are finding innovative ways to help get Afghanistan connected to the Internet using materials already found in communities.
Having previously worked in Afghanistan on election tracking, NDItech understands the importance of getting information to the people who matter most: Afghan citizens. We also know that a country's limited infrastructure can provide the space for new ideas to really take root. In the end, while it may seem like an unlikely place for technological innovation, Afghanistan is a country full of brilliant ideas.