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Articles International Development

Kids pumping water: Is that “development”?

Despite having seen some really dumb “development” ideas in the past waste a large amount of time and money, I recently came across something so… wrong, that it actually made me angry enough to write about it! According to Wikipedia, the PlayPump Water System (shown above) is… “… like a playground merry-go-round attached to a water pump. The […]

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International Development Technology for People Initiative

The Guardian: Six lessons for digital public services from across the world

Pakistan: “Diversity should not be an afterthought” The Bahawalpur Service Delivery project in Pakistan is interesting. Usually government accountability projects come from civil society: this has actually been led by a local government officer. The project, which is currently being trialled, aims to improve service delivery in under-resourced conflict areas. Essentially it is using mobile phones to […]

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International Development Technology for People Initiative

DAWN: Pakistani innovation project wins top prize at global contest

A government driven innovation in Pakistan has won the top prize at Making All Voices Count’s Global Innovation Competition. The Bahawalpur Service Delivery Unit (BSDU) emerged as the winner of competition, led by Imran Baloch, the District Coordination Officer (DCO) of Punjab’s Bahawalpur district, and Asim Fayaz. The project aims to improve service delivery in under-resourced, conflict areas […]

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International Development Technology for People Initiative

Government Service Delivery Innovation Winner at GIC

A government driven innovation in Pakistan, digital currency in South Africa and SMS reporting system for maternal health in Indonesia took the top three prizes at Making All Voices Count’s Global Innovation Competition.  This competition, launched at the Open Government Partnership,  scouted the world for fresh ideas to boost citizen engagement and government accountability. Government driven innovation Bahawalpur Service Delivery Unit (BSDU) emerged as the winner […]

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International Development Technology for People Initiative

DAWN: Smartphone app, CCTVs backup for police

The police have identified 700 crime hot pockets in the provincial capital with the help of an ongoing crime mapping project and are considering putting spots under surveillance cameras. This was discussed at a meeting of divisional SPs at the Qilla Gujjar Singh Investigation Police Headquarters on Monday. The participants were given orientation about the […]

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International Development World Bank

The Economist: Zapping mosquitoes, and corruption

LIVE in a crowded South Asian city and a host of problems—smog, contagious disease, corruption—may plague you. Each winter, the air grows foul. The monsoon season brings mosquitoes, bloodsuckers capable of carrying nasties such as dengue and malaria. As cities expand and people are packed closer, they are more likely to pass on infections. Overwhelmed […]