Hi reader,
hope you have been enjoying exploring our blog posts thus far!
Today, we will take a dive, or rather an introductory dip, into the role of technology in the work of non-profits.
Is it just me or have you also ever wondered:
Why is the development of Information and communications technology (ICT) so heavily influencing the future of non-profit industries?
What can non-profit organisations gain from the so-called data revolution?
And how will this be reflected in the power dynamics of the already polarized world?
Over the past few decades, the use of innovation within the Communication for Development (C4D) sector increased dramatically. A new world needs new ideas, right? More often than not, these innovations are closely linked with the use of information, communication, and technology (ICTs). But how can the technology that enables the continuous transmission of data and information help the non-profit industry maximize the impact of its missions?
As a Communications professional working for non-profits myself, these kinds of questions shape the way I work, the way I think and the way I learn. How can professionals such as me not only navigate but prosper in this new world?
Don’t be fooled, the digital era is here
For starters, there are already many great initiatives exploring the role of ICT in C4D that can help you understand that role a bit better.
In Kampala, organizations have been exploring the uses of data from social media newsfeeds and radio shows through Artificial Intelligence (AI). This serves to comprehend how people feel, what they need, how policies are put into practice or how humanitarian crises affect populations and early warning systems.
Big Data (referring to a collection of data that is huge in volume, yet growing exponentially with time) has also helped in enabling the growth of citizen journalism and social activism through crowdsourcing. Two good examples are Ushahidi and OpenStreetMap, which provide reporting and mapping in real-time.
Not to mention 5G technology, which might help developing nations promote digital inclusion and have the potential to alter and improve human lives worldwide.
Is technology widening the divide?
But while the development of new technologies in the 21st century has caused a mostly positive change in the way communication occurs – both in terms of human connection and the way non-profit industries work – not all news is good news. With 2021 being the first year ever when the global Human Development Index (HDI) value declined, the gap between the people who can afford access to devices with fixed home connections and those who can’t, widened. It contributed to the exclusion of a large proportion of the world’s people from the benefits of digitalization and with that, sustainable development.
So how exactly will these new developments in the ICT change the course of humanitarian work?
Make sure to stay tuned to learn more!
