Innovation for sustainability (Telecentres and mobile phones 4D)

Date - 11 Dec, 2011 (a chilly bright wintry day)
Venue - University of Cambridge
I was excited and honored to be invited to the Cambridge Hub. And that provided the platform to present our working hypothesis:
Innovation for Sustainable Development = Product + Social Impact + Community Acceptance

We (together with Sarvodaya-Fusion team) have spent a substantial time period to define this hypothesis. Reflecting from Fusion experience, the journey had started with the burning desire to become independent of philanthropic donor funding. As noted with many charities in the world, continuous over dependence on donor funding distracts the activist from core social mission, hence challenge the sustainability of the development engagement.

Fusion Education: ICT education service offered via rural telecentres has been the Social innovation of this effort.  'When 100s of rural students started to sign up for Fusion Education via  over 50 rural telecentres, thank god we have reached the community acceptance': that is how Fusion team reflect on it.

Yet, how do you know you are making the right kind of Social impact? The Social impact assessment framework helped to answer the question. Presentation has captured the evidence of this journey, and the subsequent efforts to replicate the lessons in mobile for development sector.

Innovation & sustainability

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