The Inveneo ICT Manifesto

Submitted by Inveneo Newsfeed on 1 December 2010 - 12:00pm.

At Inveneo, we...

...believe in the power of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to promote positive change.

ICTs can change lives in simple yet profoundly positive ways. This is especially true in underserved communities where geographic, economic and social isolation contribute to pervasive and persistent poverty. While some see ICTs as low priority or even inappropriate in settings where basics like roads and clean water are not yet widely available, at Inveneo we see ICTs as essential infrastructure to assist service delivery and the alleviation of chronic problems. ICTs can improve living conditions, enhance efficiencies and help NGOs realize their goals across all sectors, including efforts to improve roads and access to clean water.

...seek to deliver ICT solutions where existing off-the-shelf products are not appropriate.

Standard ICT tools – typical PCs, servers, etc. – are usually not sustainable in low-resource settings, where lack of stable grid power, harsh environmental conditions, unskilled users and limited connectivity all conspire against them. The fact is, most tools are designed around market demand, not for social impact. Inveneo is committed to customizing, implementing and supporting ICT solutions that are sustainable in these settings despite the relatively limited market they represent.

...know that ICTs are means to an end, not ends in themselves.

ICTs’ impact depends on an enabling environment that includes complex cultural, social, political and economic factors. To achieve the greatest positive impact, ICT solutions should be adapted for specific needs and environments, not the other way around. And all users, in all parts of the world, deserve access to reliable, energy efficient technologies, as opposed to used, obsolete and all-too-often dysfunctional equipment.

...serve organizations that work in underserved communities.

Although our ultimate goal is to improve the lives of individuals living in underserved communities, Inveneo believes that the best way to do so is by working collaboratively with the organizations – NGOs, multilaterals, governmental or private sector institutions – that deliver vital education, relief, financial and other services to these communities. Each of these organizations has distinct objectives and needs; likewise, when it comes to appropriate ICTs, we reject a one-size-fits all approach.

...understand that human skills and institutions are more important than technology itself.

Even the most appropriate and sustainable technology requires an ecosystem of human skills if it is to last. Inveneo works with in-country professionals to build their capacity to develop and manage ICT projects, thereby nurturing the local ICT ecosystem and economy to ensure sustainability of current and future projects. By engaging local partners, not only do we establish local “ownership” in the initial design, implementation and ongoing management of new systems, but we also ensure that this community of practitioners is empowered to undertake future projects themselves. Inveneo sees these experts as the key accelerator for this work; only they can scale ICT projects appropriately and with resident insight and sensitivity.

...don’t do "charity."

Inveneo is a non-profit organization with a clear social mission - to extend and maximize the impact of ICTs on the lives of those who need them most. We see the beneficiaries of our work as partners in a joint effort to improve quality of life. Our business model, based on both earned income and grant funding, is rooted in our belief that market-based strategies and relationships help to maximize social impact, sustainability and scale by aligning the interests and commitments of all stakeholders.

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