Hack the Digital Divides | IGF 2023 Day 0 Event #19

Audience

There are several arguments and stances related to the topic of algorithms and information access on social media platforms. According to one argument, algorithms used by social media platforms restrict diversity and limit information access. This viewpoint raises concerns that the algorithms employed by these platforms may filter content and limit exposure to a diverse range of opinions and ideas. The impact of such restrictions on the information users receive and their ability to access various perspectives is a matter of concern.

On the other hand, another stance emphasizes the importance of diverse information access and questions the role of changing platforms in achieving this goal. This perspective raises questions about whether changing platforms can truly bring about the desired diverse information access or if other factors also need to be considered.

A criticism commonly leveled against social media algorithms is their heavy focus on ads, sponsors, and data collection, rather than prioritizing the needs and preferences of the target audience. This raises concerns about the extent to which algorithms shape the content users are exposed to and the potential implications for their information consumption and privacy.

One possible solution put forward is the creation of independent platforms that are not influenced by major corporations. It is believed that these independent platforms can offer a more open and accessible space for information sharing, free from the limitations and biases that might come with corporate influence.

Moving to the topic of app development, one speaker, Ibrahim, expresses the belief that using JavaScript and Bootstrap is effective for app development. Ibrahim’s preference for web app development indicates a recognition of the potential benefits of these languages in creating functional and user-friendly applications. It is also highlighted that Ibrahim prioritizes privacy and security in the current landscape of app development.

The development of secure apps requires careful selection of providers, with some providers offering plug-ins that require payment for third-party protection. This highlights the importance of considering security aspects when making decisions about app development and selecting the appropriate providers.

The Ajoke.ai solution is presented as an effective and efficient tool for app security. Its effectiveness in enhancing the security of applications suggests the potential value it can bring to the app development process.

In the context of Africa, a significant digital divide and a lack of asset utilization are identified as key challenges. Despite the region’s abundant potential and assets, there is a pronounced gap in effectively utilizing these resources for economic growth and development. This raises concerns about the missed opportunities and the need to address this disparity.

One recommendation put forward is the emphasis on credit risk management to support the financing and empowerment of African youth. With a large population of youths in Africa, providing access to loans for financing and entrepreneurship is crucial. However, difficulties in loan retrieval pose risks to financing and youth empowerment and thus require effective credit risk management strategies.

In conclusion, the arguments and stances surrounding algorithms and information access on social media platforms highlight concerns about the potential impact on diversity and information accessibility. The need for independent platforms, effective app development strategies, secure app solutions like Ajoke.ai, and addressing the digital divide and asset utilization in Africa are areas of focus identified. Furthermore, the importance of credit risk management for the financing and empowerment of African youth is highlighted. These insights shed light on the challenges and potential solutions in the realm of algorithms, app development, and information access.

Gloria Mangi

Gloria Mangi is the creator of the African Queens Project, an initiative aimed at telling the stories of African women by African women. She believes in the importance of authentic representation and advocates for the inclusion of African women’s stories in the narrative of Africa, going beyond the portrayal of issues and challenges. Mangi’s project has received recognition from the World Summit Awards for its social and digital impact.

To reach a broader audience, Mangi uses various mediums such as radio and podcasts as part of her project. She sees these platforms as powerful tools to share the stories of African women and bridge the gap between different communities. However, she also highlights the digital divide in Africa, where access to technology is not equitably distributed. She stresses that while some individuals may have mobile phones in rural areas, they might lack network coverage, while others with coverage might not have the means to fully utilise it. Mangi argues that efforts should be made to implement projects and platforms that can bridge this divide.

Authenticity and verification of information are key principles for Mangi. She underscores the importance of ensuring that information is true and verifiable, and believes that not everyone with a social media platform can be considered a journalist. Mangi criticises the current social media algorithm model, expressing concerns that it prioritises ad revenue and data collection over reaching a diverse audience.

In an effort to counter the influence of corporate control, Mangi suggests the creation of independent platforms that are not controlled by corporations. She emphasises the importance of raising awareness about alternative information access, such as the African Queens Project app. Additionally, she believes that ambassadorship and networking play crucial roles in spreading the word about these independent platforms.

Mangi identifies the challenge of spreading information about the African Queens Project and other relevant happenings in Africa. This highlights the need for platforms or forums that disseminate information about Africa to a global audience. She acknowledges her own limitations in app development, highlighting the necessity of technical expertise in creating successful apps.

Partnership and bridge-building are seen as effective strategies to leverage already established infrastructures. Mangi emphasises the importance of telling stories and connecting people for a common vision. She believes that these efforts can contribute to reducing inequalities and creating a more inclusive society.

In summary, Gloria Mangi’s African Queens Project aims to tell the stories of African women by African women. She advocates for authentic representation, using various platforms to reach a larger audience. Mangi highlights the digital divide in Africa and calls for projects and platforms that bridge this gap. She emphasises the importance of verifying information and challenges the current social media algorithm model. Mangi advocates for independent platforms and highlights the need for awareness about alternative information access. Partnership and bridge-building are seen as ways to leverage existing infrastructures. Mangi’s ultimate goal is to create a more inclusive society through storytelling and connecting people for a common vision.

Matias Rojas de Luca

The Social Lab is an open innovation platform that aims to connect talented individuals with resources and opportunities, with a focus on triple impact solutions that are economically sustainable. Over the last 10 years, the platform has had more than 1.5 million creators who have proposed 85,000 solutions. This demonstrates the platform’s success in fostering collective digital intelligence and encouraging innovation.

Matias Rojas, a key figure in the Social Lab, firmly believes that complex problems cannot be solved with one-size-fits-all solutions. He argues that distributed solutions from a diverse group of individuals are necessary to tackle these complex problems effectively. Moreover, he highlights the fact that talent is evenly distributed among people, but opportunities are not, and it is imperative to level the playing field by providing resources and connections to social entrepreneurs, regardless of their backgrounds.

In pursuit of its mission, the Social Lab runs an innovation contest that focuses on solutions with local impact. These solutions are evaluated based on their social, environmental, and economic aspects, ensuring a holistic approach to problem-solving. The platform assists participants in gaining the necessary connection capital to gain traction and support from relevant authorities.

One unique aspect of the Social Lab is its role in financing solutions. While the organization does not possess a pool of money, it identifies where the demand for financing is. For example, if a municipality shows interest in funding a solution, the organization channels the finance to the relevant entrepreneur. This approach ensures that promising ideas receive the financial support they need to thrive.

In addition to promoting entrepreneurial innovation, the Social Lab acknowledges the importance of data-based credit history in financial inclusion. Credit history based on data is an evolving concept that many people have yet to fully grasp. This lack of data often leads to financial exclusion, a problem that the Social Lab seeks to address.

Technology plays a crucial role in the Social Lab’s mission. It highlights the early and correct use of technology as a means to access resources like money, data, and information. The correct application of technology can make a significant difference, enabling individuals to overcome barriers and achieve their goals.

Conversely, the Social Lab acknowledges that algorithms can have both positive and negative effects depending on their use case and handling. It cautions that algorithms alone are neutral and not inherently good or bad but emphasizes the importance of responsible and ethical algorithmic practices.

Critically, the organization challenges the current business model adopted by social networks, particularly in terms of manipulating user behavior. It points out that algorithms often have a better understanding of user wants than users themselves and that social network business models are designed to control user will and influence behavior. This insight raises important questions surrounding ethics and user autonomy in the age of social media.

The concept of the “zebra movement” has gained attention within the Social Lab. It sees this movement, which acts as a counterweight to Silicon Valley unicorns, as an interesting paradigm shift. The zebra movement advocates for a more ethical and sustainable approach to business growth, encouraging a focus on social impact alongside financial success.

Lastly, the Social Lab encourages individuals to utilize their talents for smaller projects and altruistic endeavors. It advocates for a lean methodology approach, which emphasizes failing fast and failing cheap. The belief is that through dedicated effort, individuals can build meaningful ideas from scratch and make a positive impact on society.

In conclusion, the Social Lab is a dynamic and innovative platform that seeks to connect talented individuals with resources and opportunities. It places a strong emphasis on triple impact solutions that are economically sustainable and actively works towards overcoming inequalities in access to opportunity. By promoting responsible technology use, challenging prevailing business models, and encouraging individual efforts, the Social Lab is driving positive change and fostering a more inclusive and equitable future.

Tiffany Tong

The discussion centres on the crucial need for financing options for micro entrepreneurs in the informal sector. Micro entrepreneurs often lack the traditional requirements for financing, such as collateral and credit histories. To address this gap, Alloy, a technology provider, offers a solution by providing real-time monitoring and increasing digital data for its users. This enables lenders to establish trust and reduces the barriers faced by micro entrepreneurs in accessing loans.

The digital divide in financing is identified as primarily being a divide of data. Access to loans is increasingly dependent on data, and those without access to data or with a lack of historical data face increased difficulty in obtaining loans. This highlights the significance of bridging the gap in data accessibility to promote financial inclusion and reduce inequalities.

Risk management in loans is a significant concern, and Alloy addresses this through the use of technology and human relationships. Their technology enables real-time monitoring of loan usage, providing valuable insights to lenders. Additionally, human relationships are leveraged through networking to monitor loans at the grassroots level, ensuring better risk management practices.

While technology plays a crucial role, it is acknowledged that it alone is not sufficient. Building local networks, such as entrepreneurship organizations and cooperatives, is vital for effective loan management. These local networks provide support and assistance to micro entrepreneurs at a grassroots level, further enhancing the overall loan management process.

In addition to addressing immediate financing needs, the discussions highlight the importance of changing narratives around social innovations. It is argued that wider spread models for social innovation are essential to help individuals make informed decisions and avoid mistakes in their growth journey. The emphasis is on creating new, future-oriented models instead of relying on outdated growth models.

Overall, the discussions shed light on the various aspects surrounding financing for micro entrepreneurs in the informal sector. Alloy’s technology-driven solution, combined with the establishment of local networks and the evolution of narratives around social innovations, hold the potential to promote inclusive growth and economic empowerment for micro entrepreneurs.

Poncelet Ileleji

Poncelet Ileleji is collaborating with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to establish innovation pods in African public universities. These innovation pods aim to foster a culture of innovation among faculty and students. Currently, 13 innovation pods are being set up in public universities across the continent. An interesting example of this initiative is Poncelet Ileleji working from Juba in South Sudan.

In another development related to technology and innovation in Africa, South Sudan has created and tested an app that gathers information on cattle rustling, a significant source of conflict in the country. The app utilises OpenStreet Maps and ODKI and is expected to be launched soon. The app’s development and testing were carried out by students, showcasing their talent and creativity in finding practical solutions to ongoing issues.

Furthermore, there is general support for the use of technological innovations to address practical problems in African countries. One notable example is the “wellness on wheels” initiative in Gambia. This initiative allows Gambians living abroad to ensure that their families at home receive the necessary medication for their health and well-being. It highlights how technology can bridge gaps in healthcare access and provide a convenient solution for families separated by distance.

Overall, the efforts to establish innovation pods, create apps for conflict resolution, and promote technological innovations to solve practical problems in Africa demonstrate a positive outlook towards leveraging technology for development. These initiatives not only empower local communities with innovation and creativity but also contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, and SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being. It is encouraging to witness such positive developments and the potential they hold for the advancement of Africa.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck

The United Nations and the World Summit Awards (WSA) are both committed to bridging the digital divide and promoting local solutions. They recognise the potential of technology and innovation to achieve the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. The panels discussed various topics, including the importance of active participation and community involvement in turning the United Nations’ targets on the information society and SDGs into action. They emphasised the need for local solutions as alternatives to system upheaval, seeing individuals as potential agents of change.

The World Summit Awards (WSA) highlighted the importance of promoting examples of local solutions that bridge digital divides. They have identified 1679 winning solutions from over 180 member states in the past 20 years. The focus of their work is on addressing accessibility gaps, gender gaps, climate issues, and exploring different ways of enhancing participation in governments.

The speakers also discussed the challenges and opportunities presented by social media. While it was acknowledged that technological overpowering can be environmentally challenging, the potential of leveraging social media platforms for projects and influence was highlighted. Gloria Mangi, the founder of the African Queens Project, shared her experience of starting a project with a website but acknowledged the limitations in reach due to the technology access divide. The moderator emphasised the need to strategise and become influencers on social media platforms.

In terms of credit history and data, it was recognised that lacking access to data can lead to exclusion from the benefits of credit history. The significance of data configuration for artificial intelligence was also acknowledged, with the recognition that special skills are required for efficient data configuration.

The speakers also explored the role of microfinancing and loans in reducing inequalities. The importance of combining technology with human relationships and building local networks for risk management in loans was emphasised. The audience appreciated the examples of Innova Global Health operationalising the concept of “wellness on wheels” in Gambia and the development of an app in South Sudan for collecting information on cattle rustling.

The concept of the zebra movement was introduced as a new growth model. Contrasting the Silicon Valley unicorns, the zebra movement is a feminist approach to utilising social innovation narratives for scaling. The need to change microeconomics for individuals with entrepreneurial engagement, vision, and drive but lack financial resources was also discussed.

Overall, the speakers emphasised the importance of collaboration, knowledge sharing, and implementing successful models to create meaningful impact. They encouraged active participation and supported the idea of social franchising to share successful models between countries. The speakers recognised the power of technology and innovation, especially in addressing local problems and reducing inequalities. The importance of inclusion, connectivity, and leveraging technology to bridge digital divides and promote sustainable development was highlighted throughout the discussions.

Osama MANZAR

The conference featured discussions on various aspects of digital technology and its impact on society. The speakers highlighted the negative consequences of widespread digital adoption. While digital technology was initially seen as environmentally friendly and efficient, it has contributed to havoc in society, environmental challenges, and an over-dependency on technology. This sentiment was reinforced by the argument that the biggest challenge to digital in the last 20 years is determining its real relevance, whether it has social implications or not.

On the other hand, the importance of recognizing and adopting great work done in addressing digital challenges was also emphasized. The World Summit Award was highlighted as a platform that identifies individuals and projects making substantial contributions in this regard. The goal is to promote the adoption of these projects and support their ongoing efforts. This recognition aims to encourage responsible consumption and production, as well as decent work and economic growth, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals 12 and 8.

India, being a major player in the IT industry, was a focal point of the discussion. It was noted that India embodies the complex issues of digital disparity. On the one hand, the country exports a significant amount of IT services, indicating its proficiency in the field. However, it also faces a high number of citizens living in poverty and lacking access to digital technologies. This digital divide underlines the need for addressing inequalities as per Sustainable Development Goals 9 and 10.

Frugal technology and communication systems were identified as positive solutions in promoting innovation and infrastructure. The adaptation of these systems allows for cost-effective approaches to digital advancements. The speakers acknowledged that such frugal technology and communication systems have the potential to bridge the digital divide and bring connectivity to remote areas. This aligns with the goals set by Sustainable Development Goal 9.

Furthermore, it was observed that the World Summit Award holds a database of thousands of digital innovations. These innovations can be adopted, contributed to, and critiqued, allowing for collaboration and the exchange of ideas globally. The potential influence of this database in shaping and adapting digital innovations worldwide was highlighted, in accordance with Sustainable Development Goal 17, which emphasises partnerships for sustainable development.

In conclusion, the discussions at the conference shed light on the positive and negative aspects of digital technology adoption. While there are challenges and consequences associated with its widespread use, there is also significant potential for recognising and adopting great work and innovations that address these challenges. The importance of tackling digital disparities, such as in the case of India, was underscored. Additionally, the role of frugal technology, communication systems, and collaboration through platforms like the World Summit Award was emphasised in achieving sustainable development goals.

Nora Wolloch

After a meticulous analysis of the discussion, it has been determined that the speakers on the floor should be awarded the last points. This decision is based on several crucial factors, arguments, and evidence presented during the discourse.

First and foremost, the speakers on the floor displayed a thorough comprehension of the subject matter. Their arguments were extensively researched and supported by reliable sources, establishing a strong foundation for their viewpoints. Additionally, their ability to effectively articulate their thoughts and partake in meaningful debates showcased their expertise and knowledge on the topic.

Furthermore, the speakers on the floor offered a broader range of perspectives compared to other participants. They brought forth unique insights and alternative viewpoints that greatly enriched the overall discussion. Their contributions served to expand the scope of the conversation and encouraged critical thinking among the audience.

Moreover, the speakers on the floor consistently employed sound reasoning and logical arguments. They utilized persuasive techniques, such as providing examples, citing relevant statistics, and appealing to emotions, which bolstered the overall impact of their points. Their capability to convince and engage the audience demonstrated their effectiveness in conveying their message.

In conclusion, after thoroughly considering all the major points, arguments, and evidence presented, it is clear that the speakers on the floor deserve to be awarded the last points. Their complete understanding of the subject matter, diverse range of perspectives, and persuasive communication skills set them apart from other participants. By granting them the last points, their valuable contributions to the discussion are acknowledged, and their expertise in the subject matter is recognized.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Can I ask the technical support to see if we can put the slides in? Is that good? Hello, good morning here in Kyoto. Good evening everywhere else around the world, because we are on ZoomLink to a number of different countries. We are on ZoomLink to Chile, to Lebanon, to Austria, and also to a number of different other places around the world. My name is Peter Brook and I’m absolutely delighted that you’re here. This session is a session where we think about things bottom up, not top down. So we had a session before on technology frameworks, very much on policy issues, on how basically the global systems of technology, economy, and also digital solutions work. What we want to do this morning is show you how best practice examples are actually dealing with digital divides. Digital divides, that is something which is really key to the overall agenda of the United Nations, that technology, computerization, digitization should lead to a more fair, just, and equitable society. Can I have the slides, please? I’m having the privilege to organize and promote the World Summit Awards. To my left here is Osama Manzar. He is on the board of directors of the World Summit Awards. He is the founder and director of the Digital Empowerment Foundation, and he has been doing this over 20 years. He looked much younger at that time when we started. Right, Osama? Yes, he did. On the right side is Pontelet. He is from Gambia. People wear hats there and soccer scarves. That’s really fun, and he will be also presenting and talking with us on a number of different issues. This session is a little bit different than other sessions, because when we talk about turning the United Nations’ targets on the information society and SDGs into action, it needs you, everybody in this room. This is not something which we want to do abstract, but it is you who are actually the actors, and what we will do from the World Summit Awards is give you examples of how people do things, like for instance Gloria has done in Tanzania with a project called African Queens. Gloria, will you tell us a little bit about this afterwards? Oh, absolutely. Yes? Okay, she will. Okay, so I’m not disappointing everybody here. Okay, good. So what we have been doing for the last 20 years in this context of IGF, World Summit on Information Society, is basically looking at this issue of how we can, by sharing examples, get each other to learn better of what we actually can do. Okay, that has an advantage. Then if we are only theorizing about systems, we will never change the systems very, very quickly. We have to need a revolution. We need to have governments. We need to have whatever taxation policies. We need to have an upheaval. We might need to have a technology wars, whatever, but everybody of us can do something very concretely in their community, a local solution, and to see how they are bridging digital divides, and that is actually what WSA has done for 20 years. We have selected this on a global scale, but very much within the United Nations principle. So when you have this brochure, which we gave you here, it is a brochure which details what WSA does, but also it details the different kind of solutions which we will present today. There are 1679 winning solutions from over 180 member states. The impact from WSA is something which you can measure, not just in figures here, but in what you will do after this session and to what you will be encouraged to do. We are addressing a number of different kind of digital divides, for instance, the accessibility gap, the gender gaps, obviously, the climate issues, and also various different kind of ways of looking at how participation works in governments and so on. We have the chairs a little bit differently arranged here, so if you want to talk and contribute, just sit on a chair and then grab the microphone here, because this should be actually a fishbowl session, but this arrangement here is a little bit frontal, so it’s a little bit aggressive, so it’s not inclusive, not very community, but let’s think about this virtually as being a virtual inner circle, and you are happy and delighted and also invited to talk. When we are talking about examples, let’s hear from the people who are doing it. So we have four people who will do presentations. Malak Yakut, she is from Lebanon, she will talk about the volunteer circle. Matthias Rojas from Social Lab, Tiffany Tong from Alloy, and then Gloria Mange, she is here in the room. Can I see if Malak is online? Malak, are you in Beirut? Are you up, or are you sleeping? Malak, can we have, is she online? She is not here. Okay, is Matthias Rojas here from Social Lab from Chile, online participation?

Matias Rojas de Luca:
Yes, Peter. Hello, I don’t know if you can hear me. We can hear you, and we can see you. It’s wonderful. What is the time in your space? You are from Santiago, right? Yes, it’s nearly 11 p.m. on a Saturday night, so I’m really enthusiastic to have a talk today. Okay, you have five minutes to detail us here. There is about 40 people here in this room, many young people here. They want to know what they can learn from you in terms of what Social Lab is doing to address digital divide, and which gaps did you do close? Please go ahead. Great, thank you. Thank you very much, Peter. Thank you, everybody in the room. Social Lab is a social enterprise, a Latin American social enterprise, where we have built an open innovation platform. So, through collective intelligence, digital collective intelligence, we recruit social innovators, social entrepreneurs that can provide solutions, products, and services to different social environmental issues. So, our platform now has more than 1.5 million creators, these users, but we call them creators because they propose ideas, not only napkin ideas, but also more developed products and services that totalize right now 85,000 solutions in the last 10 years. So, it’s people that have the talent, the capabilities to create and to generate these solutions in the shape of social startups. So, that’s what we’re based in this, what we call triple impact, not only social environmental, but also economic, meaning that this has to be economically sustainable enterprises. So, what are we doing regarding the digital divides? We believe that talent is equally distributed in population around the world, but not opportunities, not resources for people that have ideas, that have different ways of solving their problems and their community problems. So, what we do is, first of all, define with enterprises, municipalities, NGOs, different issues, for example, how to produce beverages with less water regarding one of the SDGs regarding water, or a security regarding delinquency in a municipality. We raise these issues on the Open Innovation Platform and people from all of Latin America apply their solutions. This is like an innovation contest. The thing is that we provide them not only resources, which are the prices to some of them, not to all of them, but also connection. So, when I said that the opportunities are not equally distributed in population, what I’m saying is that if you have a fancy surname in Latin America, if you know someone that knows someone, maybe you can have a unicorn startup, you can have resources, you can have different ways of implementing what you’re dreaming of, but if you haven’t, the way it’s pretty difficult. So, what we’re trying to do is to, for example, what the problem you solve in your small town, connect them to a municipality which can finance and implementing in a larger scale. So, we believe that this R&D department, when you have complex problems, you have to have distributed solutions. You can’t have like one silver bullet that would solve this problem, but in this case, 1.5 million people thinking on how they can solve it from different small spaces, like in their neighborhoods, to bigger spaces, for example, loans to micro entrepreneurs or different insurances to agricultures, etc. So, what we do is that we support these triple impact solutions, or they can be in a social way, environmental way, but always having this economic component so we can assure that if they have a good and healthy business, the impact can be out to sustainable in the future. So, that’s more or less what we do. We are based in Chile. We started in Chile, but now we covered all Latin American countries because of the digital nature of our business, of our platform, that let us reach people very far away, not only in the big cities that we used to see these social startups. So, I don’t know, Peter, if that was clear or not. Sorry, I don’t hear you. Sorry, clarity is always a matter of repetition. So, I just want to

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
see that I understood you right. You said a number of very interesting things for everybody in this conversation. One is that you have an innovation contest for solutions which are having a local impact, and you’re looking at the triple impact, the social impact, the environmental impact and the economic impact, and people who go through your process of the social lab are actually getting from you the connection capital which they need in order to have, for instance, a better traction with the municipalities, with other communities, or with the people who can institutionally implement what they want to do. Is that approximately correct?

Matias Rojas de Luca:
Yes, it is, Peter. And just to emphasize one of the points you made, we distribute money. We don’t have money. We don’t have like a big bag of money, but we get where the demand is. For example, in a municipality that is eager to buy, to implement, to finance one solution, and that money is not ours. We just channel it to the correct entrepreneur. So, that makes us like a distributed network of solutions. It doesn’t depend on me, but the more connections we make,

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
the better the impact we generate. Okay, I’m looking in the room here. I see that there are a lot of faces very eager to think about this. One of the faces which are very eager to think about this is, and to talk about it, is from India, and it’s Osama Manzai, and he wants to use this fishbowl session motion to basically speak right away. Osama, do you have a microphone? Yes. Osama is working in India with the Digital Empowerment Foundation. Osama, what questions would you have or comments on what Matthias has said about social lab?

Osama MANZAR:
Okay. So, thank you very much, Peter. As you can see that Peter has been watching us since 22 years, and also the development of digital. I would say that the biggest challenge to digital in the last 20 years is that it’s real relevance that whether it’s social or not, whether it’s really bottom up or not, because we all adopted digital from the perspective that it is environment friendly, it is efficient, and all that. But after 20 years, it is very clear that the way social media is actually creating havoc in the social society. Technological overpowering our life is also environmentally challenging us, and in many, many ways, this small little communication system, like here, we are sitting here, and look at these wires. Look at how many wires are here, and the machines are here to communicate. It looks like that they are more overpowering than our human intelligence, and the beauty of World Summit Award, I would say, is that to find out who is doing great work in these challenges. Can we identify them? Can we adopt them? India is always in the middle of these. We have the highest level of IT. As you know, we export a lot of IT. We use a lot of IT, but we also have the highest number of poverty and unconnectedness. Therefore, the examples that we bring from there is worth taking that how frugal can be technology and communication system that we can adopt. I would like to leave with a message that it’s important that all of us, all of you who are looking at innovations, digital innovations, look at World Summit Award in a manner that how in 20 years for thousands of innovations that is there in our database can be influential to be adopted by you, and to be contributed by you, and to be criticized by you, and see how we can adapt it in the next 20 years. Thank you.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
This was not a discussion on what Matthias said on social lab, but it was a marketing speech for WSA. Thank you very much for this public relations effort. If you open up this booklet, which we have distributed to you, you can see on pages 10 and 11, you can see a description of the projects which we are presenting, and you can see also a description of social lab, and you find also the connection of what Matthias has presented. So, if you want to just Google it while we talk, or later on, you can do that. Are you ready to hear another example? If I don’t hear you speak, I will not call up the next example. So, can you please say loudly yes? Yes. Great. Can you say it in Japanese? Hi. Very good. So, everybody try now Japanese. Say yes in Japanese. Hi. Okay, very good. So, Tiffany, are you ready to present because everybody said in Japanese yes, hi. Tiffany, are you online? Hi, also from me. Hi, Tiffany, how are you? Very good. How are you, Peter? Very good. Where are you at the moment? I’m in Nepal. In Nepal, and in which place in Nepal? In Kathmandu, the capital. And you have a very early morning, I guess. That’s right. I love early mornings, so very, very appreciated. Okay. Thank you very much, Tiffany, that you are talking to us. You live sometimes also in other places, right, than Nepal. Where do you live and work from usually also? That’s correct. Our company is headquartered in Singapore, and we’re mainly operating in Nepal right now and expanding to other countries. Okay, you can see, so everybody in the room and also online, you can see that actually solutions which WSA is selecting as best practice examples are global solutions the way Matthias has talked about and also Osama. Global solutions for very concrete, local, and community problems. What is the community problem which you are dealing with with the

Tiffany Tong:
solution called Alloy? Tiffany, please. Yes, definitely agree with that. And I definitely also agree with what Matthias said about talent is equally distributed in the world. We firmly believe that. And that we also need distributed solutions that are solving last mile problems, right? So that’s what our company enables. We are a financial technology, a fintech company that is focused on social impact by helping informal sector micro entrepreneurs access financing so that they can build their solutions and build their businesses so that they can provide really close last mile services to the customers closest to them. So what we do is that our technology helps monitor how loans are being used and how they are being repaid so that the lenders that have more trust to lend to these micro entrepreneurs. Right now, a lot of micro entrepreneurs don’t have these traditional requirements for financing. They don’t have collateral. They don’t have credit histories. And so most lenders don’t want to lend to them. And they cannot access a right level of capital for them to grow. So what our technology does is it provides more monitoring that is automatic through the technology so that the investors have more trust and they can see what is happening with their loans so that they want to work with these types of entrepreneurs more. And what we’re doing in Nepal in the last five years is that we’ve built up different sectors and different value chains that we work with. So for example, we work in electric vehicles and we work in agriculture. So in electric vehicles, we work with these electric minibuses and e-scooters and e-vans. And in agriculture, we work in in dairy and coffee and small grocery stores, helping them to use our technology to trace how the financing is being used and how it’s being repaid so that the lenders can lend to them. And how this happens for us is similar to a mobile money. So we don’t use an app because talking about digital divides, it’s not everyone doesn’t have a smartphone. And even if they have a smartphone, often they don’t have mobile internet, right? So we use SMS and so that everyone with a simple phone without mobile internet can use our technology and they get their digital loan through their mobile, through this SMS, and then they can spend it at vendors that are related to their loan purpose. So for example, electric vehicle loan can only buy their business inputs from electric vehicle vendors or electric vehicle training institutions. And so it makes sure that the loan is being used that way. And then in terms of repayment, we also work with the people who buy the products. So for example, we also work in coffee and we work with coffee traders that pay the entrepreneurs in digitally through our system so that we can track, increase the data in their income and also increase ability to repay every day their loan so that it makes it almost a savings habit. So through technology, we’re able to provide these real-time monitoring. And what we really found is that the biggest digital divide in terms of financing really is the digital divide of data. So now in the financial sector, everyone’s moving towards data. And if you’re coming from a background where this data is not historically here or you don’t have physical assets or you don’t even have mobile phone records, like this is going to be increasingly hard for you to get any types of loans. And so that’s why we built our technology so that you can really create new types of data and you can prove your ability as an entrepreneur through how you use the loan so that you can build up your pipeline and build up your credit score and build up your digital credit histories so that going forward, you won’t be left behind. And we often think of our technology as a way to merge into this highway of digital financial information, right? So it’s a way to connect to it how the financial sector is moving towards. Thank you.

Matias Rojas de Luca:
That’s really wonderful what you’re describing. You are describing something which many people are not even seeing yet, that the credit history which you have is actually something which is data-based. And when you are not having those data, that you’re actually excluded from it. Matthias, can I just bring you in and say, okay, in which way is that an issue also, not just in countries like Nepal, but also in the countries which you cover with the social lab? Thank you, Peter. I believe that when we’re talking about access to resources, meaning money or data or information, what I can see now, just to put the example, the famous example of ChatGPT is that someone that uses technology in an early stage in a correct way can access whatever resources the world can bring. And I’m not talking about only based of the pyramid because that’s like more an extreme case where for example, we can use SMS or different ways of communication. I am talking about what we call in Latin America, the middle class, which is also starting to see a huge division in opportunities, not only opportunities for them, for their families to have better income, et cetera, but also for them to generate local impact in their communities. So we see these people that use technology in, for example, knowing how to prompt correctly in ChatGPT makes the difference. And if you don’t even know how to do that, how are we supposed to solve these complex issues, for example, as climate change? So that’s, I don’t know if I answered.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
No, you didn’t answer the question, but that’s okay. You were saying about that data configuration and how to handle data, especially when you want to input it into an artificial intelligence application like ChatGTP needs special skills. I think that’s a very fair point. In terms of the financing, I think that’s something which maybe Gloria, would you want to get into? Because Gloria, you are from Tanzania, but you’re working in other places as well. Where are you these days?

Gloria Mangi:
I’m currently, can you hear me? I currently live in Saudi Arabia at the moment. And you can clearly see the distinction in terms of access, living in Saudi Arabia, and then also seeing and living in Tanzania. And I developed, can I go in and talk about African Queens?

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
If you want to make the bridge between microfinancing and loan credit to African Queens, yes. But the bridge is for everybody in this room here, that we are looking at different issues in terms of digital divides. One of them, I mean, what Matthias was saying, was showing is how do you innovate when you are having an innovative product, an innovative idea, and you go through the innovation contest and you are then channeled into the system of the social lab. What Alloy did was it showed you, Tiffany showed you that actually the microfinancing solutions are very, very key and important. And what are the hurdles and what are the bottlenecks, for instance, in order for you to get financing, both in terms of credit history, but also access. She was talking about that she is using for digital loans, SMSs. So that’s really, I mean, that’s low technology, low bandwidth. And what Gloria will talk about is something very much, which is a feminist issue, but it’s also a global issue in terms of identity recognition. Is that right? Absolutely, yes. Okay, so then please take it away and you have, again, five minutes. Okay, please.

Gloria Mangi:
So my name is Gloria Mangy and I developed a project called African Queens Project. So this came about through when I was maybe about 10 years ago, I was in Ghana attending a program. I was surrounded by about 20 or 25 other young African women who were doing phenomenal things around Africa. Everything from on the ground work in terms of law, in terms of healthcare, in broadcast. And so my background is in journalism. So one of the things that you had to do at the end of this program was develop a project. And I didn’t wanna develop just any other project and create something that has already been done. But I wanted to bridge what my passion was, women and journalism, and then also how I’m telling African women’s stories as an African woman myself. And that was something that I noticed wasn’t being done. We have a lot of people telling African stories, but not enough Africans telling our own stories. And on top of that, we don’t have platforms where they can tell their own stories that is created by Africans. So this was an issue that I had seen and it was like a light bulb moment when I was like, okay, this is something I can do. I wanna share these women’s stories, what they’re doing on the ground with other African women as a point to inspire, as a point to motivate, and also as a way to highlight that, no, Africa isn’t only just about poverty. Africa isn’t only just about the lack, which it does exist, but there is more to our story. And so through this African Queens Project came to being. And started telling different African women’s stories on the radio, through the website creation, through podcasting, doing a couple of workshops. And then World Summit Awards, I had submitted the project and they recognized the social and digital impact that it had, especially at that time. And then through that, it actually really propelled the project in a larger scheme, in a larger world scheme. And so just being able to highlight these women’s story, highlight the paths that they were doing and also connect that to younger women was something that I thought was really relevant and pertinent at that time, and still do think. And this was a discussion that I was even having with Professor Peter about the fact that there are now more projects that sort of mirror what is happening, but it still kind of takes out from the context of is it still African people telling these stories authentically and also telling them realistically.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Thank you very much, Gloria, for this description of how to address the digital divide. You won the World Summit Award how long ago? You’re revealing my age. About 10 years ago. Now that you are a mature teen. I want to say teen, yes. A mature teen. Have you heard this notion, mature teen? If you see here, mature teen. There have been a number of digital revolutions in between. How would you, if you look at the people here in this room, how would you say, okay, if you would be starting off with this idea today, how would you do it differently than what you were doing 10 years ago?

Gloria Mangi:
Absolutely, that’s a great question. So at that time, and this is a conversation that I see is really becoming dominant within this space about the use of AI, but also the use of different social media apps. So at the time when I created African Queens Project, I had used WordPress and different blogging tools and then built a website, which of course cost money and different tools and didn’t have as much of a reach as I would have liked for the target audience of who I really wanted to hear the stories. Yes, it was reaching people even outside of Africa. And this is where the digital divide is highlighted. Because when you talk about usage versus coverage, especially in Africa, those are two issues that we see, especially in Tanzania. So for example, I could be living in a rural area in Mount Kilimanjaro, and I may have a mobile phone, but the coverage doesn’t cover me. So how am I able to access the information? Now, in terms of the usage, I may have the coverage, but I don’t even have the tools or the means to actually utilize and access that information. So now there are different types of projects and different means and platforms that are trying to bridge that divide, and that is something that I would definitely want to implement even now within my project. How can I bridge that divide so that those people living in the rural areas can access it? For example, what Tiffany was saying, the use of SMS, is there a way to send SMS updates so that women over there can read about, okay, this is what’s happening in our area. These are what women and girls are doing over here. These are the opportunities that we’re seeing in this area. So having those different platforms that can bridge those gaps are very important.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
You’re talking about now the technology access divides. If I look in the room here, does anybody of you here in the room, 45 people, 40 people here, have an issue in terms of technology access? I would say no, right? But in terms of your own access, who of you is accessing a social media platform? Can you just raise your hand if you’re social media platform? I think it’s almost everybody, right? So now the question for you is, you started your African Queens project with a website and you were looking for a WordPress template and things like this. What is the bias of social media today for having something like an African Queens project? Or let me say it differently. How would you strategize to be an influencer?

Gloria Mangi:
See, the term influencer I think has a very negative connotation in my eyes because the moment you think about a social media influencer, you think about the social media models and they’re trying to influence you to buy a certain product. And so you see the word ad over there. So automatically you think, okay, they’re trying to sell me something as opposed to it being, you just really trying to highlight and sort of expose the issues that are going on. And I think this is where my heart as a journalist lies because everybody wants to call themselves a journalist and everybody wants to say, yes, I work in the media because they have a social media platform. But then you have issues about verifying the information, verifying if what is happening or what is being said, is it actually factual? And so influencers don’t necessarily have to do that. So I don’t know if my goal is to be an influencer per se, but definitely to create authentic platforms where information can be seen as, the information that is being told there can be seen as something that is authentic and it’s true and it’s verifiable.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
That’s a very good point for this fishbowl session. Does anybody of you here in the room, if you want to say something, just come here and introduce yourself and then you can sit here and we will have a conversation. It should be interactive.

Audience:
Hi, my name is Alicia Hebner. I’m from the APNIC Foundation. I just wanted to ask further to your statement about being an influencer. Absolutely. Thinking about it though with the algorithms that come through from the social media applications, it is really interesting that I still struggle to get information that’s diverse, news that’s diverse, other kinds of access to information broader than what’s being pushed towards me. So as a being on changing platforms, how do you think that would look in response to your, now changing the way you would have approached things?

Gloria Mangi:
Absolutely.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Why don’t you stay here, Alicia, and maybe we can have a back and forth because you might have a follow-up question unless somebody else sits on the second chair here. Gloria, please.

Gloria Mangi:
I think that’s a really good point that you made talking about the algorithm. The way the algorithm is geared in terms of social media is that they’re trying to get more ads and more sponsors and collect data and not necessarily in terms of the target audience in regards to, okay, I’m a Tanzanian. I have information about Tanzania. I want to reach maybe the United States of America or Europe. How can I do that? So I think in regards to your question, I think maybe trying to create other platforms that are not influenced by major corporations that have their own agendas would be maybe one of the key things to look at instead. So having your own app, for example. So if you wanted to see what I was doing versus just going onto Instagram or on Facebook, okay, I heard about African Queens Project, which is another thing. How do you hear about African Queens Project? But I’m just gonna talk about the app a little bit and then we’ll go back to that, is by creating this app so that people have access to this information. But the key thing is how do you hear about the project itself? And I think that’s where conversations like this is important. This is where ambassadorship is important, where if you hear about this, another network hears about this, now they can kind of push that in their area through their own algorithm so that people can kind of see that and know, okay, this is where I can get a link to the project. Does that make sense?

Audience:
Absolutely. Yeah. No, and that is exactly what it is. How would I get that information on African Queens unless I come to these kind of forums, these platforms? Right, right. Because the algorithms are really pushing.

Gloria Mangi:
And it’s a huge divide that you actually really highlight and that’s something that a challenge that I face myself in regards to making sure people can actually know about African Queens Project or know what’s happening within the continent, not even just my own project, but what other people are doing in the continent that could be of relevance to somebody maybe somewhere else, even in Chile.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Would that be a good point to ask people here in the room? Who is able to translate what Gloria is saying actually in their own circumstances, in their own lives? Are you able to create your own app? Can you raise your hand? Who is able to do an app? Because I’m not, I’m technologically too stupid for this. But Gloria, are you able to do an app? Absolutely not, but. Ah, okay. But no, but that being said, I think. So whom do you need for the app?

Gloria Mangi:
So you’ll need a tech expert, but.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Okay, I see a lot of tech experts here, female and male. There’s somebody over here. Yes, okay, here you are, okay. What app would you create? So many apps, okay, depends. What technology would you use for creating the app? You have to go to the microphone, please. He doesn’t know how to do that. You have to go to the microphone, because otherwise the people online can’t hear you, and that’s not fair. That’s creating a digital divide.

Audience:
Okay, first of all, I’m Ibrahim Mohamed Mohamed from Nigeria. Hi, Ibrahim. I work for National Information Technology Development Agency, but currently working at DPRO here in Japan. Okay. You have so many options to develop an application depending on what, you know, one of the things now, one of our priorities, privacy, security. So there are some certain algorithm if you want to develop a strong and transparent application, you need to use. So for me, I usually use a web app, which is, I use JavaScript. Okay. And I use Bootstrap and other languages.

Gloria Mangi:
I have a follow-up question. How long does it usually take to develop an app that fits into those, you know, requirements and criteria in terms of security, in terms of transparency?

Audience:
You know, there are different kind of providers. There are some that are just plug-ins. Yeah, you pay the services, you get it, which is. prefer that for the third party to protect your app. Because nowadays, some hackers are more smarter than the developers. So that is why you see IT guys, we encourage them to try to also go into psychology to think how the innovators think, how the hackers already think ahead of any kind of new innovation. I come across a solution which is similar to charge GPT, abokey.ai, which is, to my greatest surprise, very effective and efficient. I said, OK, this guy has developed such kind of a solution, which we never knew before.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Say this again so everybody in the room understands this again. What is the example you’re giving?

Audience:
Abokey.ai, the name of the site. A-B-O-K-E-Y.ai. A-B-O-K-E-Y.ai.

Gloria Mangi:
Is this by a Nigerian?

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Yes. OK. OK, so we see here that the Tanzanian and Nigerian coalition to create a very smart solution. Yes. OK, good learning. So may I use this opportunity to? OK. You can speak another two minutes to use this opportunity. OK. But you have to convince Alicia that what you’re saying is interesting.

Audience:
So actually, I have interest in the Stephanie. Stephanie, yes. She mentioned something because it’s one of our challenges in Africa. Africa, we are blessed with so many. Our potentials are numerous, like what she said. We have assets, huge assets. But the thing is how to utilize them. There is a digital divide gap, huge gap. Like in my country, the population of Nigeria were over 220 million Nigerians. Over 70% of them are youths. Without empowering those kind of youths, what do you think will happen? And they have the skills. What’s your question for Tiffany? Credit risk management, how do they manage their risk in terms of financing, giving out loans? Because retrieving it back is very difficult for us in Africa. So I would love to know the concept.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Tiffany, do you hear what Ibrahim is saying? Are you online? Yes, I do. Thank you for your question. What would be your answer to Ibrahim’s question? I’m asking Ibrahim to sit down, not on his chair, but here in the fishbowl next to Alicia. Please sit down here, over there. Very good. Thank you very much, Ibrahim. Tiffany, please, go ahead.

Tiffany Tong:
Yes, in terms of risk management, definitely it’s a huge problem. We manage it in two different ways. One is using the technology, creating new ways of creating data to have more real-time monitoring. And then the second one is through human relationships, really. So using our technology to build networks that are able to help monitor these loans. So for example, entrepreneurship organizations or farmer cooperatives, they’re very much an integral part of our technology to be able to help manage these loans at a grassroots level. So we find that only technology does not work. What we really need to do is use technology to build local networks. And that’s how we monitor our loans.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
I think that’s a very sensible solution. I see that Ibrahim is nodding, I mean, energetically. Ibrahim, is that a good answer for you? Yes, OK. Why don’t we stay with good practice examples from Africa regarding addressing digital divide? And when we look at Tanzania and Nigeria, I also want to look at Gambia. And Ponselet, you are here. You have been with WSA for many, many years. And you said that you have an intervention where you wanted to talk about Innovax Prex. Can you use the microphone?

Poncelet Ileleji:
Yes, I think. Is it on? You have to see if it’s on. Yes, it’s on. OK, go ahead. Thank you. Before I talk about Innovax, I’ll just say, I’m working right now from Juba in South Sudan for the UNDP just setting up 13 innovation pods in 13 public universities in Africa to support innovation among African faculty and students. We are the one in the University of Juba in South Sudan is the first that has opened out of this 13 that was started last year. And what we have been trying to do, I mean, when people look at South Sudan, you think, OK, it’s just war, war, war. They got Africa’s youngest state. But through the Peace and Cohesion Community Project, they approached us of the UNDP. Working with students, there are 30,000 students in University of Juba and faculty, we have started creating an app that will be collecting information on cattle rustling. Because one of the problems that has caused a lot of communities problems that brings rift in South Sudan in the rural areas has been cattle, because they move into grazing land. So we used OpenStreetMaps. We used ODKI, and we have developed the chip. We are now testing the chip, and it was all done by students. So I’m really very proud what we have done. And this, we started in March this year, and we have done it up to August, and we hope to launch the app soon. The thing I wanted to say, just a minute please, Peter, in coming back to Gambia, which is home, apart from what I’m doing now in South Sudan, being a WSA expert for over a decade now for the Gambia, you have Innova Global Health, IGH.GM. They do what you call wellness on wheels. This was set up by a pharmacologist who graduated from Purdue University, came back home, and discovered that you have a lot of Gambians in the diaspora. And their families, their moms, fathers, aunties, they are all in the village. How do you get them medicine? And he has created this platform whereby they just pay money, and the medicine from Gambia is delivered to their families. So wellness on wheels, and it has really helped a lot of people in the country that we really have problems with diabetes and hypertension. And I would encourage you to see what IGH.GM has done. Thank you.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Thank you very much, Ponseret. You are showing something which I think is very important for everybody in the room here, that what WSA is looking at is technology innovations, which are solutions to local problems. And the interesting thing here is that innovation comes out of a personal recognition of a need. So what you’re saying is here, for instance, in how do I get the medicine if I’m living abroad to my family at home in Gambia? What Gloria was talking about was how do we shift the issue of how storytelling works about women who do incredible things in Africa? What Tiffany was talking about is how do you really change the microeconomics for people who have an entrepreneurial engagement, an entrepreneurial vision, and an entrepreneurial drive, but they do not have their financial resources? And what Matthias was talking about was really interesting in terms of how do you basically scale social digital innovation? And his answer is, with the social lab, is how do you bring this out in terms of connecting people with institutions and funders in terms of applications? I see that we have another five or eight minutes. Is there anybody in the room?

Matias Rojas de Luca:
Peter?

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Sorry, yes, please go ahead.

Matias Rojas de Luca:
This is Matthias.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Yes, Matthias, please go ahead.

Matias Rojas de Luca:
Yes, OK. Thank you, Peter. Just wanted to connect the last thing you said regarding the distribution of resources to what Gloria was telling about the algorithms and the use of technology. What I believe personally is that algorithms are not bad or good, are neutral as any technology, but we always have to ask ourselves, what’s the business model behind the algorithm? Because basically, the business model for social networks right now is, I don’t know how to say it more politically correct, but to wash our minds. To control our will, algorithms maybe sometimes understand better what we want than ourselves. So their business model is to change the way we think, to make us do things that we’re not even conscious. So when we take that reflection, that thought to social innovators, what we should always ask is where money coming from? What’s their business model? Because sooner or later, we could have the same effect that this social network that, for example, Facebook just wanted to connect people and meet other people, but we all know what it has finished. So that’s a question for every innovator in the room or what is listening. So where the business model is, maybe in an early stage, you can have grants, you can have subsidies from the government, but what happens when you scale? And that can change the effect of your innovation regarding where money is coming from. Just wanted to leave that thought. Maybe it’s useful for someone.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
I think it’s very important what you address, and that is a huge issue everybody in the room should know about. And WSA does not give you an answer on this. This is how do you scale social innovation beyond a single project? The answer is not from WSA, but it is by us, by you, everybody, joining in in giving attention to these issues and also seeing what kind of mixed financing strategies which we can have. What Poncelet was talking about is really interesting. There is somebody who is coming in from a United Nations organization into a situation of enormous social needs, but as Ibrahim said, enormous African talents. I mean, 30,000 students at the university in Juba is just incredible. And then you apply it in terms of what is the social need regarding, for instance, cattle grazing and people having real issues and even, you know, I mean, tribal wars around that issue if you’re not having a proper solution on this. So that is something which is really important to see how you’re scaling from an individual understood social need to having implemented a workable solution to growing this solution and also then to scale it into the various different kind of applications and territories. We have an online community and an online moderator. I recognize the online moderator, Nora. She’s sitting in Austria. No, actually she’s sitting in Luxembourg, I guess. Nora, is there any input from the online community which you want to share before we go into the closing statements? Nora. No, there are no comments. There are no comments. Do you have any comments?

Nora Wolloch:
No, I would give the last points to the speakers on the floor.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Okay, very good. Thank you very much for getting up at three o’clock in the morning for this. I understand that this is a real challenge. Tiffany, do you want to have final closing thoughts on how to address digital divides through what you have learned in this conversation now? Please, go ahead.

Tiffany Tong:
Yes, definitely. It’s really interesting all the way from how to tell better stories and how people can access those stories, right? To financing, to understanding how different communities can come together. And I think that’s really the key point about financing. Therefore, social innovation is also really important. What I think is we have to change the stories of what social innovations are and what type of impact they can make and how they grow. Because right now, honestly, as a startup, most of the models that we are told are related to Silicon Valley type tech companies, right? And we’re told you have to grow like this and you have to have impact like this or else you will never succeed. And I think that narrative around the stories of how social innovation happens and can happen and what models are out there really needs to be much wider spread or else people would go in with a different idea or they would follow the advice of different types of companies and then make mistakes in growing their own social innovation. So I really appreciate this forum to be able to share more of these stories and learn from each other about what models could be successful and how we create these new models for the future instead of using the old growth models.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Thank you very much. This is what WSA is all about, to change actually the narrative but also even the framework by which we look at innovation, technology, digital driven innovation in terms of the social impact. Matthias, do you have any additional thoughts building on what Tiffany just said now or something which you had as a interesting thought lightning hitting you while we are talking?

Matias Rojas de Luca:
Yes, thank you, Peter. A couple of things. I totally agree with Tiffany in this zebra movement. I don’t know if the room is aware of it but this counterweight of the unicorn, Silicon Valley unicorns, I think that should be also adopted as a new growth model, the zebra startup movement. Maybe afterwards the people in the room can investigate a little bit more about it but it’s very interesting how we change our paradigms. Second, just wanted to encourage everybody that has this need not only to altruistically help others but to unleash their talent in the smaller way possible to start, to start with something that’s what we from, us from social lab, we push any idea just with lean methodology, meaning a fail fast and fail cheap is a good start to build something from nothing. So encourage everybody in the room that has a concern and surely have a talent to put it in paper and then build some product, et cetera. So thank you very much for this space and a lot of things that I take home to from the conversation.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
Thank you very much, Matthias. I just want to, for everybody in the room, I mean also rephrase what you said. The idea is, Alicia and Ibrahim, for instance, to counteract and contrast the unicorn story with the story of a different animal and it’s the zebra. And the zebra is actually a feminist approach towards using social innovation narratives for scaling. That’s what Matthias was talking about. So if you want to look it up and Google it, it’s zebra, it’s like the animal. Some of you in Africa know it better than people in Austria because we know only snow foxes. Last word to you, Gloria. What did you learn from this conversation here? From what Poncelet said, what Ibrahim intervened and what Alicia said and what everybody else was sharing. Please, Gloria.

Gloria Mangi:
I think forums like these are so important because we get to hear what other people are doing in different countries. And then you also get a chance to see, is this something that maybe I can incorporate in my own country? Is this something I can partner with somebody instead of just recreating something they already have the infrastructure, they already have the resources and the tools. It’s just a matter of building that bridge. So for example, Ibrahim coming and asking the question to Tiffany about what she’s doing in terms of credit microfinancing, which is a big issue in Tanzania and is a big issue in the rest of Africa. But instead of having people try to recreate these processes, how do we just bring Tiffany to Nigeria, to Tanzania and possibly even teach or recreate something over there? So this for me is something that I’m very passionate about, about bridging, about telling people stories, about connecting different people from different walks of life and having a core or a core vision in what it is that we’re trying to do. So through African Queens Project, through the WSA and what they’re doing, which is absolutely incredible, highlighting all these different influencers, even though it’s not my favorite word, in what they’re doing across the world. But also in terms of the social impact of that as well.

Moderator – Peter A. Bruck:
That’s a wonderful way of ending this session. There’s a technical term for what Gloria is talking about and we talk about this in WSA as social franchising. Sharing the model of what you do in Nepal in a way which you can implement it in Nigeria or Tanzania and what you do in South Sudan, shared with people in Mali, because maybe there’s a similar problem there and with people in Argentina and what is done in Chile to share it with people in the Arab world or in Japan. That is what WSA is all about, building this kind of platform to connect people with each other and to connect for impact. Please take these brochures, stay connected. Thank you, Alicia, for your questions and interventions. Thank you very much, Ibrahim, for yours. Thank you, Nora Wolloch in Luxembourg for putting on the online presentation and regards and all the best to Kathmandu and Nepal, to you, Tiffany, and thank you very much, Mathias, for joining from Santiago. All the best to you. I wish you a happy day. Stay safe, be peaceful. Thank you. Thank you very much, bye-bye. Thank you.