Nokia Conversations is in the middle of profiling a number of organisations and businesses who have a focus on helping the developing world.   Three organizations have already been highlighted and more are on the way.   You can follow along with the updates on the Nokia Conversations blog here.

Who's helping the developing world?

According to the Nokia Conversations blog, Kiva.org, FrontlineSMS, and Ushahidi are among those making a difference for people in developing countries.

Kiva.org

It's stated mission - "to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty".   Central to Kiva.org delivering on its promise is its website. There users can set up an account and become a lender (or a borrower). Those requiring funding are entrepreneurs simply trying to better their lot. The money they borrow genuinely helps them move towards economic independence and improve their lives, the lives of their family and those in the community.   Read more...

 FrontlineSMS

The lack of infrastructure in remote places can make what we in the developed world take for granted incredibly complex and in some areas almost impossible. Think about disseminating information to large groups of people. In the UK we might use a mailshot, or more likely, an email newsletter. In sub-Saharan Africa though, neither of those is an option. Which is why Ken Banks from kiwanja.net came up with a solution that focussed on the technology that was available locally, rather than that which we typically enjoy.   Read more...

Ushahidi

What about gathering and mapping reports using different technologies, such as mobile, email and the Internet? Ushahidi was created to do just that, acting as a platform for pulling together information from myriad sources across multiple channels, and then spitting it back out in a range of formats, including standard text (which can be added to and updated), geotagged and mapped data (highlighting hotspots) and even tracking events across a timeline. It's genuinely interesting and evolutionary stuff, but its application is what'll really make you sit up and think.   Read more...

USAID Development 2.0 Challenge

Do you have a mobile innovation idea for good? Participate in the 2008 USAID Development 2.0 Challenge. Mobile technology, including everything from inventive applications for smart phones to simple text messaging, is increasingly ubiquitous in the developing world. USAID challenges you to explore its potential through an innovation for maximum development impact in areas such as health, banking, education, agricultural trade, or other pressing development issues.

To view, comment on or star a Project visit the USAID Project Gallery.

The deadline to submit your idea is December 5, 2008, so visit the Project Gallery now!