A delegation from Cambodia’s oldest and largest university came to Sweden for a study visit to see learn more about the role of ICT and how it contributes to the overall goals of Swedish universities.

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Workpackage leaders and reviewers from the European Commission came to Kista, where SPIDER and DSV hosted the mid-term review of the EQUALS-EU project. SPIDER has lead the research workpackage that has investigated the current state of gender equality and existing networks in the innovation sphere in 22 countries within and outside the European Union.  

EQUALS-EU brings a fresh perspective on the extent to which the products being delivered to society as well as the processes involved in getting to these innovations are gender balanced.

SPIDER’s role is to collect data to understand the extent of engagement with gender in innovation processes and products.

In the HADDA project, SPIDER supports the development a cohesive digital health information system in Somalia. Here we report some of the findings from the assessments made by our partners to evaluate existing equipment and skill levels to know what is needed for the next step of the project to support a unified HMIS.

This article presents the results from the project implemented by Phandeeyar to using open data to support the election process. Activities took place in 2020, and the military coup in February 2021 has drastically changed life in Myanmar.

SPIDER follows the situation closely and hope all our partners are safe.

The Open Development Cambodia project has mapped several social services over the course of the partnership with SPIDER.

This time the focus is ot support budget transparency at district level using open data to support the Community Accountability Facilitators already in place in Cambodian districts.

A brand new digital home and one more regional chapter launched. The network for post-graduate students in the area of ICT4D has kept busy despite the challenges because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Updates from the chapters in Asia, Southern Africa and East Africa

CCBRT introduced a HMIS to help manage their clinic, reach out to patients and handle referrals. 

Result follow-up made a baseline assessment on system use and its effect on quality of care, what the challenges were and lessons to be learnt from CCBRT’s experiences.

Mobile colposcopes can bring screening for cervical cancer closer to women in rural areas, make second opinions and referrals quicker and easier.

What did staff and patients think of this new approach to screening?

The Maisha Meds software gives adolescents access to subsidised contraceptives through digital payments at selected pharmacies.

Result follow-up sought to understand what made adolescents return to some pharmacies and not others.

mPower used mobiles for SRHR information to adolescent Rohingya girls in the refugee camps. This was challenging 

Results follow-up studied their situation and awareness of SRHR topics before, during and at the end of the project.

Ndola Nutrition organisation’s project used ICTs to train participants in chicken rearing and to improve the soy bean farming as means to better sustain themselves and their families.  

The result follow up studied the challenges faced by children and female headed households and how the capacity building would impact their lives.

Babyl Rwanda and Viamo provides health information and services through mobile phones. 

The research supporting implementation researched how the service is used and what the users think of the solution.

This project implemented by Mbarara University of Science and Technology works with an e-learning solution for teachers and pupils in Nakivale refugee settlement.

Researchers made a baseline study to investigate the learning enviroments in the settlement’s six schools as well as the overall situation for pupils.

World Vision Bolivia has trained teachers in three schools in Potosí to use ICT for language and mathematic education in primary schools.

Researchers following the implementation has studied what both teachers and pupils think of using ICTs in the classrooms, and found some suggestions for improvements.

Open Development Mekong collects data to track and follow up 5 of the SDG goals in the Mekong region. 

The research supporting this implementation has identified various risks and mitigation strategies associated with working with open data within each country as well as a collaborating region.

The media plays several integral roles in achieving transparency and accountability in the private and public sectors. Media reports allow citizens to gain more access to information and to follow on-going discussions in the public corridors.

Maternal health is about ensuring the wellbeing of mothers during pregnancy, delivery and two months following delivery. SPIDER is supporting a project called “Mobile Health for Improved Maternal and Child Health Services Utilisation” that is implemented by AMREF Ethiopia.

SPIDER has been supporting a project called Open Development Myanmar (ODMM) which is implemented by Phandeeyar – a technology community hub designed to support social innovation, civic technology and ICT for development in Myanmar.

The mCare project, implemented by mPower Social Enterprises Ltd aims to reduce maternal mortality and child mortality which results from untimely and insufficient antenatal and postnatal care (ANC and PNC) of pregnant mothers in rural areas of Bangladesh.

The baseline study team have investigated literacy and numeracy skills among pupils in first and second grade to be able to measure improvement throughout the project.