Ushahidi is an open source software that solves communication and visualization challenges during crises situations through mapping and crowdsourcing. We are seeking support for further development of mobile functionality.
Why Mobile
Mobile phones are the one ubiquitous technology found all over the globe -if the goal of Ushahidi is to let ordinary people submit reports during a crisis and know of incidents happening around them, then we must ensure that any phone can be used for this purpose.
What
The following features will be incorporated into Ushahidi’s mobile development:
• ability to send and receive SMS alerts;
• ability to set up a local or international alert number at short notice;
• ability work on different smartphones;
• ability to send MMS messages (images and video);
• ability to send GPS coordinates.
Who
There is an 8-person team already beginning the work on Ushahidi’s mobile phone functionality. Java experts working on J2ME applications for GPRS phones, iPhone and Android developers, a 3-person team focused on FrontlineSMS integration and other SMS connection points, and a design team that manages the usability and functionality on each platform as it gets developed.
When
Development for the J2ME, iPhone and Android applications began in October 2008. The full development team is now shifting into gear for a much broader push into all things mobile that touch the Ushahidi Engine. Our goal is to have almost all of the work done by early 2009 for beta release.
Impact
Mobile functionality will extend the reach and applicability of Ushahidi, especially in the developing world due to the widespread nature of the mobile phones and the simplicity of of using text messages. It will facilitate the ability to draw and disseminate information and alerts among a wider population that may not necessarily have access to the internet.
(Find out more at Ushahidi.com and the Ushahidi Wiki at http://wiki.ushahididev.com.)
The original version of Ushahidi, which means "testimony" in Swahili, was born from the post-election violence that exploded across Kenya earlier in 2008. The program was used to map incidents of violence and peace efforts throughout the country based on reports submitted via the web and mobile phone, and has been recognized as an innovative mashup and demonstration of citizen reporting. In May 2008, we shared our code with a group in South Africa that used it to map incidents of xenophobic violence.
Since then we have grown from an ad hoc group of volunteers to a focused organization. The core team is comprised of four individuals with a wide span of experience ranging from human rights work to software development. We have also built a strong team of volunteer developers in Africa, Europe and the U.S.
We are founding members of the CrisisMappers group – a group that brings together different organizations working in mapping in disaster situations, and the Open Mobile Consortium, which has a primary goal of creating better interoperability and sharing between mobile phone application developers.
The Ushahidi management team consists of individuals with a strong focus in technology, Africa and media. However, for further growth and use of the Ushahidi platform in emergencies around the world, we could use some help in the area of policy and government relations. Our project team works directly with NGOs for feedback on usage of the platform, but we have little interaction with any government bodies.
Since most of the team came from working in the private sector we are still learning how to raise the funds necessary for Ushahidi's growth. We have been fortunate with our initial funding, but future growth required a better understanding on our part of how to galvinate action and gather capital.
We could always use additional technical expertise for helping us develop the mobile interface.
The first phase of Ushahidi is being funded by grants and prizes. This USAID prize would be used directly in the developing of the mobile side of the platform. Once the Ushahidi rebuild is completed, our goal is to provide value added services, such as deeper customization, integration with other tools, hosting and installation, to subsidize the costs of running the organization and to support further development
Obstacles include creating an API that allows all of the mobile phone applications and interfaces to operate functionally with the Ushahidi Engine. There is also the matter of keeping the functionality simple and usable while trying to develop on multiple platforms at one time.
Jan 2008 - Initial deployment in the Kenya crisis
May 2008 - Won NetSquared mashup challenge
June 2008 - Began gathering developers for the open source rebuild of Ushahidi
July 2008 - Ushahidi v2 development starts
August 2008 - Integration with FrontlineSMS and iPhone application designed
October 2008 - Launch Ushahidi Engine v0.1 (“eldoret”)
| Additional Project Idea Representative: | Erik Hersman | |
|---|---|---|
| Additional Project Idea Representative: | Ory Okolloh |
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
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Comments
Fantastic idea for something
Fantastic idea for something incredibly useful. Just had one of those made me wish I thought if it myself moments...
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I think Ushahidi is a good
I think Ushahidi is a good idea with a lot of potential, and I’d like to see it develop that potential.
Mobile technologies develop
Mobile technologies develop very quickly I with you agree, it is the big business. And the most important thing to people is pleasant to use different novelties.
At my wife which it is necessary to charge phone of 1 time in a floor of year.
Ushahidi transforming socieies in develping countries
The Ushahidi initiative has impressed me as it has multi uses beyond what the project is all about. There are unimaginable ideas of how this can be utilised especially with the intergration of mapping an sms. This is something that needs replicating and adopting.. Please continue the spirit and will be sharing more ideas on your discussion forums..
good job
Columbia University Mobile Technology Team
You guys have really done a great here. This use of technology holds not only invaluable promise and also hope to anybody who may be in harm's way. Kudos.
If you get the chance, please give us feedback on our child malnutrition surveillance and famine response sytem.
Wonderful team
David and Erik are a delight to work with. If you have any of the expertise Ushahidi is seeking, help these guys out. It will be time well spent.
Many thanks for this really
Many thanks for this really useful post.
ushahidi
Having lived in Kenya for 23 years, this website was a life line during the elections when I was concerned for friends and what was happening to them and the country. I'm grateful for the "witness" this site provided.
Crowd sourcing
This is SO well done. You are going to be "talking" writing, etc... for a long time after this one catches on. See you on the circuit.
Mobility? Are you kidding me?
Ofcourse its going to be brilliant. Mobility is the key this days. You have mobility, you can get almost anything from anywhere.The overall cost or deployment is also very low, and a large footprint almost instantly available.
Hugely important project
Ushahidi is absolutely a project to support. They've taken a leadership role in using SMS technology to help solve a global issue: that of communication in a time of crisis. This has the power to affect massive change and ultimately, to save lives. Bravo to the team for their work on this front.
Ushahidi has done what no
Ushahidi has done what no other project in africa has managed to do, bring together skilled developers from all over africa and the world completely focused on building an open source tool/platform that addresses an important aspect of any community-conflict and crisis. It gets my thumbs up 100%.
Cutting edge, open platform
Ushahidi has developed an advanced, open platform for quickly gathering and sharing user-contributed crisis information. This project has broad implications to alter the way information is gathered and engaged by both citizens, responders, media, and government. The team is top-notch and international and they are engaging both cutting-edge technology and social interactions to ensure the project will be successful.
GeoCommons: http://geocommons.com
Mapufacture: http://mapufacture.com
Blog: http://highearthorbit.com
Ushahidi
This project is extremely valuable to communities in which transparency is limited--not just the Developing World, but disconnected communities such as West Chicago or rural Mississippi. Especially in a crisis, there needs to be a platform to aggregate "incidents" in order for resources and energy to be coordinated, whether food distribution, peacekeepers or medicine.
Ushahidi.com, version 1 gave
Ushahidi.com, version 1 gave a voice to the common Kenyan during the traumatic post-election violence. I read it regularly to get the "on the street" views that were not tainted by political or editorial bias. I am looking forward to what new versions will do for common people around the world who find themselves in crisis situations, whether natural disasters or man-made.
Awesome!
I had the pleasure of meeting founders Erik and Juliana at the mobile active conference in Johannesburg earlier this year. 2 extraordinary people, bright minds, visionaries, awesome project...and he...what a cool video! Ushahidi makes a difference in the lives of many! well done guys!
I want to reiterate the
I want to reiterate the annoyance of the term “rightsizing” (used when referencing lay-offs). I was at a company whose leaders used this term a dozen times in a state-of-the-business meeting, talking about recent, painful layoffs made at the company: “Now that we’ve rightsized we’re in a better position to…” Very annoying.
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