Gnucoop, IT for non profit Promoting innovative solutions in - - PDF document

Gnucoop, IT for non profit Promoting innovative solutions in humanitarian projects

Gnucoop is an IT company with a long experience in software development and systems

• administration. Technology is progressing very fast and the interest of the international aid community in

using innovative solutions to support international cooperation activities and emergency response to disasters is constantly growing (ICT4D, Information and Communication Technology for Development). On this regard, Gnucoop is dedicating a substantial part of his work on ICT4D activities, providing customised IT solutions and technical assistance to NGOs, UN Agencies and Humanitarian Aid Organisations helping them in achieving their objectives. Gnucoop team provides support from the designing phase up to the implementation and follow up stages of the project, in close collaboration with humanitarian actors. Gnucoop is actively involved in both the national (Italian, through the Italian ONG2.0 network) and international debate (as member of the Digital Humanitarian Network) about the use of sustainable technological solutions in development and cooperation projects. Gnucoop has been working in several developing countries such as Malawi, Madagascar, Haiti and Central African Republic and it has the capability to provide customized solutions in the three most spoken languages in developing countries: English, Spanish and French.

GNUCOOP SOLUTIONS

The types of solutions provided by Gnucoop are:  Web platforms: Gnucoop develops databases and web applications to help organisations to easily manage their information and data. Whether customizing an existing open source solution or creating a brand new platform, Gnucoop designs user-friendly web applications, which are customized accordingly to user’s needs and

• requirements. Although web solutions are still mostly preferred by Gnucoop, off-line systems are also

developed to make them suitable to low connectivity contexts.  Data collection through mobile phones: Any project requires data to be monitored. Up to now, most of NGOs and Aid agencies have been using paper forms to collect project information and gathering it manually to generate statistics and producing

• reports. In the last decade, the use of mobile phone has increased by 20% in Africa. Taking advantage from

this significant number, Gnucoop promotes the use of mobile technology in replacement of standard pen and paper systems for data collection. Gnucoop prefers the use of opensource mobile solutions and adapts them to the specific context or organisation’s need. Among others, Gnucoop is piloting the use of cutting edge solutions such as Ushahidi, Frontline SMS, CommCare, ODK, etc... for data collection and visualization.  GIS systems: Mapping information has become one of the most requested tasks by humanitarian organizations. It is essential to know where infrastructures and resources are located or activities are run. A GIS system is able to gather and store this information in an organized and structured way. Gnucoop develops ad hoc, smart and user-friendly GIS interfaces integrating them with existing technologies and basemaps such as

• OpenStreetMap. Gnucoop preferably adopts OpenGeo suite (GeoServer- OpenLayers and GeoExt) for the

development of webGIS applications.  Project monitoring applications: Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is an essential component of projects implemented by NGOs or Aid Agencies in developing countries. Although each organisation has its own way to verify if projects targets are achieved, a systematic and structured tool that helps project managers in monitoring project progress is needed. Gnucoop is currently developing such a tool, a web platform based on the Logical Framework approach, that helps NGOs to analyse project indicators assigning planning and real values. This helps project manager to keep control over the project activities, results and objectives.  OpenData platforms for 3W-4W reports: Coordination among different organisations working in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) activities or responding to disaster emergencies is a major challenge. That’s why web applications that allow managing information and understanding Who is doing What and Where (3W) are extremely important. Gnucoop develops 3W platforms (also based on ActivityInfo technology) and it is also currently looking at enhancing those platforms by including the 4W vision (Who is doing What, Where and When).  E-learning and trainings Since 2011, Gnucoop has been developing and customizing e-learning web platforms to organise both in house and online courses. Gnucoop adopts opensource e-learning platforms and customize them to clients’

• needs. It also develops SCORM objects such as Videos, Slide shows, etc...

Furthermore, Gnucoop has been organising in house and online IT trainings since 2010.

 Research (survey and medical) Gnucoop actively participates to the national (Italian) as well as international discussion about promoting technological and sustainable solutions to support cooperation projects in developing countries. On this regard, Gnucoop is currently running a survey to analyse the current status of technology use among NGOs. Gnucoop is also engaged in collaborations with research and academic institutes in order to develop innovative tools that contribute to solve some of the major health challenges of the developing world.

GNUCOOP APPLICATIONS: INTERVENTION SECTORS

Gnucoop applies its technology to many different sectors of humanitarian aid. Here are some examples of the most important works we have carried out.  Food Security and Nutrition: ACF - Action contre la Faim Gnucoop staff developed for ACF a platform to monitor food market prices in Central African Republic. The system is based on ODK mobile application for data collection. Data is collected at market places and sent to a specifically developed web application where customized graphs and statistics are created. (http://www.odk.missions-acf.org/rca/)  Microfinance: CUMO- Concern Universal Microfinance Organisation Gnucoop developed for CUMO in Malawi a web and mobile application to collect and visualize information about micro- loans and groups applying for loans. CUMO field staff has been provided with tablets to collect information directly from the groups on the field. The data is then automatically sent to the web platform that is accessed by multiple users, with different rights (i.e.: viewing only, I° stage approval, II° stage approval, etc... ).

 Disaster Risk Reduction: COOPI-Cooperazione Internazionale Gnucoop developed a 3W platform for COOPI and its partners within a DIPECHO project in the South Eastern Africa Region (Malawi, Madagascar, Mozambique and Comores). The platforms helps partners to identify important details (including geographical location) about critical activities such as establishment of water points or early warning systems. (http://www.gi4drrdb.coopi.org/) In Haiti, Gnucoop supporterd COOPI on the development of a GIS platform, based on OpenGeo suite (GeoServer- OpenLayers and GeoExt) to help the municipality of Tabarre in locating resources, identifying critical issues and designing urban plans. (http://www.sirv.tabarre.ht/)  Healthcare: COOPI - Cooperazione Internazionale Gnucoop has developed web and mobile applications in Malawi and Madagascar for COOPERAZIONE INTERNAZIONALE, with the objective of supporting local medical staff in conducting their routine activities, such as visiting children at village clinics or recording medicine stock data. Child visit data has been collected by using the ODK Android application for smartphone, where a specific form simulating the IMCI (Integrated Management of Childhood Illness) WHO algorithm (with

branch and skip logic) has been developed and loaded on the phone. Collected information is sent to a web platform where statistics and graphs are extracted. In Madagascar, Gnucoop developed for COOPI an SMS- Ushahidi web platform to monitor drugs stock in remote health centres. (http://ushahidi.gnucoop.com/)  Emergency response and management Gnucoop is a member of the Digital Humanitarian Network (DHN), an international task force that provides supports to international organisations and agencies in time of local or global emergencies. Once DHN receives an activation requests, its members are informed and asked to provide support. The type of support provided by the DHN concerns mostly the use of technological solutions to collect, manage and make information available to those who need it. Since the Haiti earthquake in 2010, when the DHN was first involved, the DHN has been activated in many occasions such as during the Lybia Crisis in 2010, Typhone Yolanda in the Philippines in 2013 and recently in the Syria Crisis and the Ebola response. Gnucoop supported the DHN particularly during the following major international crisis:

• 1. Syrian Crisis: monitoring services for Syrian Refugees in Jordan

Gnucoop assisted the DHN on the development

• f a web application for UNHCR. This is used to

monitor services and organisations working in Jordan in support of Syrian Refugees. The platform is based on ActivityInfo technology. (http://data.unhcr.org/jordan/services- advisor/)

• 2. Ebola response: monitoring of secondary data

Gnucoop is supporting the DHN in collecting secondary source information. While many

• rganisations have been already involved in

managing health related data, indirect impacts of Ebola have not yet been monitored. Gnucoop, is providing its support to this international emergency.

CONTATTI: Gnucoop - Società Cooperativa Via Michele Faraday 20 20143 Milano - Italy email: info@gnucoop.com website: www.gnucoop.com