The nongovernmental organizations Jack Cornforth works with don’t have the capacity to generate and use data in constructive ways — let alone share it. Cornforth, the coordinator for Civicus’ DataShift initiative, has been tailoring capacity building programs based on data problems at civil society organizations in Argentina, Tanzania, Kenya and Nepal for the past two years. Those…
A couple of years ago, New Philanthropy Capital polled the British people on what they thought of charities. It made tough reading for development NGOs here. When people imagined small, community-led groups doing a bit of local work, they felt quite positive about charities. But when people were thinking about wealthy, international organizations instead, their…
It’s quick, he said, and confidential. There’s no finger prick and no travel involved. In fact, the test can be conducted anytime — even right here and now. Henry Makhasu, a 19-year-old community health worker, sat cross-legged on a straw mat outside the home of a married couple in their late 20s in the Neno District…
It sounds like a pretty ‘fowl’ suggestion but the odour of chickens could be the key to preventing malaria or even Zika, scientists believe. Experiments by Swedish and Ethiopian scientists found that mosquitoes steer clear of homes which contain a live chicken suspended in a cage. The researchers believe mosquitoes are wary of chickens because…
The release of the 2015-2016 MasterCard Foundation Youth Think Tank Report is the culmination of ten months of effort from our Youth Think Tank participants. These are dedicated, committed young researchers who take their responsibilities seriously and now join an alumni network of close to 30 members across Africa. It also represents the efforts and commitment of Restless…
Michel Sidibé has a big job ahead of him. By 2020, the executive director of UNAIDS wants 90 percent of people living with HIV to know their status, 90 percent of people who know their status to access antiretroviral treatment, and 90 percent of people on treatment to have suppressed viral loads. While achieving these…
While western governments toy with isolationism, the African Union (AU) is making moves in the opposite direction. In July, the continental organisation launched an electronic passport intended to allow free movement among all 54 markets in the region at its summit in Kigali, Rwanda. The passport will be available to diplomats and heads of state…
In a recent blog, FHI 360 CEO Patrick Fine observed: “It is time to recognize that human development challenges will exist as long as there are humans … Building resilience is a long-term endeavor that requires ongoing commitment. It is not an end state.” He was pushing back on that old adage in our international…
Development impact bonds have generated a great deal of buzz in recent months, but until now, there has been little evidence of if and how well they work. Today, one of the first DIBs is releasing data from its first year that points to signs of success. The Educate Girls bond is a results-based financing…