Digital Vision Program

Technology for the social entrepreneur

The Digital Vision (DV) Program at Stanford University provides social entrepreneurs with a creative environment and platform to design and implement innovative and scalable technology-based solutions for untapped markets around the world. DV entrepreneurs spend nine months in residence at Stanford to developing information technology (IT) based solutions in the areas of health, education, and financial services for emerging markets.

DV projects focus on the rapidly evolving mix of software applications that leverage advanced wireless and land-based data networks. These networks – paired to a new generation of mobile phones and low cost computer-based devices - have connected more than one billion people who previously lacked access to the innovations and cost-saving solutions made possible by digital communications, information services, and e-commerce.

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Program Highlights

Atif Mumtaz’s Tele-healthcare project, Jaroka, was short-listed for DHL’s YES Awards.

He is among the five finalists in the social sector in Pakistan and the only with a medicine related project. You can learn more about the award by visiting Atif’s blog

Ken Banks’ organisation, kiwanja.net, in collaboration with Stanford University, has been awarded a $200,000 grant from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to build on its work with FrontlineSMS. The MacArthur Foundation is a private, independent grantmaking institution dedicated to helping groups and individuals foster lasting improvement in the human condition. More »

Ken Banks has just returned from a ‘Mobile Activism in Africa’ workshop organised by Fahamu and Tactical Tech, held in Nairobi, Kenya. The purpose of the meeting was to enable activists to exchange experiences and plan strategies to support their work. There are also plans to establish an African regional network of social justice advocates who use mobile technologies, and to facilitate an ongoing support network for these organisations

Following a successful presentation at the W3C Workshop in Bangalore last December, Ken Banks was interviewed about his work with kiwanja.net in Africa for Nokia’s “Emerging Horizons” magazine. “Emerging Horizons” is a quarterly newsletter targeted at anyone interested in new growth markets and reaching the next billion subscriber milestone. It also provides industry insights from different players, including operators, regulators and research companies. A PDF of the interview can be read here.

FrontlineSMS has been shortlisted in the “Messaging Application/ Service: Public Sector/Not-for-profit” section of the 2007 Mobile Messaging Awards. The winners will be announced at a Gala Awards Dinner in Monte Carlo on the 5th June 2007, immediately after the first day of the Global Messaging Congress.

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Alumni News

Prof. V. K Samaranayake (’05) passes away in Sweden

With sadness we announce the passing of Prof. V.K. Samaranayake. Dr. Sam, as he liked to call himself, was an illustrious figure in the world of ICT for developement in Sri Lanka. In the brief time he was at Stanford Dr. Sam was an inspiration to his fellow fellows. He was a vissionary, a teacher, and a mentor to an entire nation. Forceful and graceful. He will be missed.

Sri Lanka Daily News Item

The Digital Vision Program would like to send our condolences and all of our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends.

Prof V.K. Samaranayake Book Launch

A special get together is planned to launch the felicitation volume of Prof. V. K. Samaranayake and to revive the IT Chapter of the Alumni association of the University of Colombo. The function will be held on the 4th of June 2007 from 4.30 - 7.00pm at the Prof. V.K. Samaranayake Auditorium of the UCSC*.

The commemorative volume is based on academic articles and memoirs by over 40 professional colleagues of Prof V. K. Samaranayake whom he considers Partners in Progress. These are further enhanced by the inclusion of the proceedings of the felicitation ceremony. The contents of this volume illustrate the breadth of the contribution made by Prof. Samaranayake towards the development of Education, Science and Information Technology and towards social action both nationally and internationally.

Margarita Quihuis ‘05 on 100 Most Influential Latinos in Silicon Valley List

Mexican American Community Services Agency has released its 100 Most Influential Latinos in Silicon Valley list with the top 10 people in 10 different categories. Margarita has been listed in the Business category. You can vote for your top 10 here.

Rupert Douglas-Bate’s (’03) Global MapAid awarded a three-year grant by Americorps*Vista

The US federal agency, Americorps*Vista, has awarded Global MapAid (GMA) a kick-start grant over three years, to fundraise, build and test a ‘Geographic Emergency Response Vehicle’ (Geo ERV) for use in mainly New Orleans and the southern coastline. The project will be accomplished in Partnership with the University of New Orleans. A manager is needed for the project, preferably a recent retiree, with long term sales and marketing experience. There are three other technical positions also available. Read more »

Mitra Fathollahpour ‘05,’06 presents pilot study

Farsi Teach Net (FTN) project has started to communicate more closely with academic institutions in North America . On March 23rd 2007 Hedieh Najafi and Mitra Fathollahpour shared the upcoming pilot study of FTN at the Graduate Student Research Conference at Ontario Institute for Studies in Education ( Canada ) where it was received with overwhelming enthusiasm and recognized as a ground breaking step to promote social justice. Attendees in the session, mostly PhD Candidates, provided valuable feedback on the design of the pilot study. FTN also made its way to the Canadian Society for Studies of Education 2007 where it will be presented in a poster session.