MY Data is YOUR Data(MDIYD)

MDIYD can extend data gifting from the immediate family to our global family. A small act of kindness from a data donor, at no or low cost from their perspective, can make a huge difference to the recipient, analogous to buying a cup of coffee for a homeless stranger

or contributing to a food bank.

We are excited to have developed the concept of My Data is Your Data and to have reached a point where we need commitment from partners and funders to turn the vision and the groundwork completed so far into real benefit for disadvantaged communities and project partners. This project outline has been influenced by and is aligned with the 2020-2024 USAID Digital Strategy[1] (April 2020) and targets digital exclusion.

The premise is simple; there are many users of smartphones, particularly in the west, who purchase data on a monthly basis but do not use all of that allowance. There are many people around the world – in developed and developing countries alike – who cannot afford the data allowances that could make a real difference to their lives, giving access to the internet for education, community organisations, social enterprises, businesses, healthcare, maintaining family connections, and mental health support.

[1] https://www.usaid.gov/usaid-digital-strategy/01-executive-summary

My Data is Your Data is a project to facilitate exchange between these two groups. It will also allow those that can afford it to purchase data packages for use by others over and above their allowances, on a purely altruistic basis. The project has been inspired by the role of food banks in many countries, highlighted as they have been over the last 16 months by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Food banks allow those who can afford to spend a little more on their shopping to do so for the benefit of those that cannot afford the basics and allow manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers to support their communities, avoiding waste and delivering valuable, product-related CSR, for the benefit of all. 

My Data is Your Data will allow those who can and do spend a little more on their data to do so for the benefit of those that cannot afford any, and allow the networks, manufacturers and retailers to support those communities, avoiding wasted data purchases and delivering valuable, product-related CSR, for the benefit of all.

The project aspires to bring together these two groups (data donors and data recipients), provide a stimulus for the networks to work together to facilitate the system changes needed to support the project, create a common platform (data package exchange app), and proactively market the project, ultimately on a global scale. Those with data to donate will be able to offer it to members of specific groups in specific countries – including their own – or possibly even named individuals. 

The concept is simple and work has started already to scope the associated app. However, we recognise that what sounds simple in principle needs a lot of collaborative technical and marketing work. The challenges at this early stage are four-fold:

• To engage with networks and garner support for the project in principle along with a commitment to invest in the system changes needed, even if initially conditional
• To raise the necessary funds from philanthropists and CSR budgets to develop the MDIYD platform and recruit a project management team
• To secure integration with key networks (on a pilot basis initially)
• To market the offering to data donors and to reach potential data users

MDIYD is embryonic but has exciting potential. The purpose of this document is to encourage those who can conceivably make the project a reality to join us in doing so. Progress now depends on securing funding of £400,000 for the first 24 months of the project, and commitment from at least 3 major networks to allow us to deliver the proposed 2-country pilot.

Digital exclusion is simply where people are not able to access the internet as a result of poverty, conflict or poor infrastructure. People in many countries are excluded from the global online community; even in rich western nations with good communications infrastructure, there are areas of relative deprivation.

In our modern world, lack of access to the internet immediately confers a massive set of disadvantages:

• A lack of access to information
• Social isolation
• No access to educational resources, or even core education
• Inability to develop business, innovate and trade
• Reduced access to healthcare services
• Limited access to support services, for example in respect of disability or mental health
• For young people, in particular, the inability to interact with peers and be part of a social norm
•  Reinforcement of poverty and inequality.

The 2020-2024 USAID Digital Strategy describes “The Digital Journey

to Self-Reliance”[1]. This is laudable but of course, relies upon digital inclusion.

Not just a “traditionally poor country” problem

Digital exclusion can and does affect communities and individuals in many countries.

Digital exclusion is fast becoming one of the major challenges in (UK) society. From securing work and learning at school to accessing bank accounts and communicating with friends, almost every aspect requires basic digital skills … millions of people face exclusion from these everyday aspects of life due to a lack of skills, access to technology and good internet access.

In developed countries with already established excellent infrastructure, such as here in the UK, we take our internet connection for granted – a right, even. For example, here in the UK pupils at secondary school (it seems) all carry a mobile smartphone, and assumptions are made that they all have access to the internet for education, entertainment and interaction with peers. However, many families still cannot afford connections or are connected with limited data capacity. This has been brought to light in recent months during the COVID-19 public health emergency, which led to school closures and exposed the fact that many such families were unable to access online teaching or resources. Many projects to try and equip pupils with laptops have emerged (for example End Laptop Poverty[2]) but the equipment is inadequate without data allowances. Hapani’s One Child One Device Plus Broadband programme is an example of efforts to address the issue in full and has successfully supported 150 families by funding equipment and connectivity.

[1] https://www.usaid.gov/usaid-digital-strategy/02-usaid-vision

[2] https://endlaptoppoverty.org/

Digital exclusion is fast becoming one of the major challenges in (UK) society. From securing work and learning at school to accessing bank accounts and communicating with friends, almost every aspect requires basic digital skills … millions of people face exclusion from these everyday aspects of life due to a lack of skills, access to technology and good internet access.

Taking a global view, in many poor, developing countries mobile data networks are increasingly available, and new technologies are extending this all the time, even to increasingly remote areas. This is fundamental. However, again, if individuals cannot afford the equipment or connection then they will remain disadvantaged and the divide will continue to widen. The GSMA (an industry organisation representing the interests of over 750 mobile network operators worldwide and a further 400 companies in the ecosystem) have recognised this issue, most recently in their February 2021 report COVID-19 and digital humanitarian action: Trends, risks and the path forward[1]

in which it is noted (P29):

[1] https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/M4H_COVID-19-Report.pdf

The project is one of facilitation and coordination. The technical infrastructure and technical changes required to permit data allowance sharing between networks and countries will be addressed by the networks as project partners and as part of their CSR commitment to reducing digital exclusion.

Therefore, overheads for the project are anticipated to be low, the only significant cost being staff – a small team of project managers with some essential administrative support.

The key to success for MDIYD is the onboarding of the mobile phone networks, initially for a pilot stage. 

To start with, the project will be run and administered by Horn of Africa Peoples’ Aid Northern Ireland (HAPANI, see www.hapani.org) and finance for the project will be managed by HAPANI. HAPANI is a well-established, respected Belfast-based registered charity with experience in reaching disadvantaged groups in the UK and in East Africa.

However, as the project permits and demands, and subject to confidence around sustainability, MDIYD will ultimately be created as a separate not-for-profit organisation with its own financial and governance structures.

MDIYD Project Director Suleiman Abdulahi is also founder and director at HAPANI and a successful consultant in the area of welfare and social entrepreneurship. It is Suleiman who first conceived this project, and it is Suleiman who has already undertaken some initial work scoping the app that will facilitate data allowance exchange and developing this project concept.

In the current and next phase, MDIYD will also be supported by volunteers at HAPANI, and benefit from their existing infrastructure.

We anticipate the requirement for project management staff in the next phase of the project as being two full-time project managers (PMs) working alongside Suleiman. In addition, a full-time member of staff will provide the required administrative support.

The main functions of these roles will be:

• The development of relationships with key mobile phone providers and networks
• The development of the facilitating app
• Technical liaison with all stakeholders
• Marketing to data donors and data users
• Delivery of pilot project
• Fundraising and project sustainability.

Short term objectives for MDIYD are:

• To secure interest and collaboration from UK networks and East African networks to deliver a pilot scheme in the Horn of Africa
• To secure funding for year 1 and year 2 of the project to facilitate recruitment of PMs and support staff, and the development of the app that will facilitate the giving and receiving of data
• To build the Android and iOS app that will facilitate the giving and receiving of data

Medium-term objectives for MDIYD are:

• To deliver a pilot scheme based in Belfast in the UK, servicing donors in the UK and data recipients in one to three East African countries
• To grow awareness of and support for the project industry-wide and internationally to facilitate broader rollout when the time comes
• To secure industry, other corporate, philanthropic and government development aid funding to ensure the sustainability of the project

Appendix 1: UN Sustainable Development Goals

The 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) to transform our world:

GOAL 1: No Poverty

GOAL 2: Zero Hunger

GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being

GOAL 4: Quality Education

GOAL 5: Gender Equality

GOAL 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

GOAL 7: Affordable and Clean Energy

GOAL 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

GOAL 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality

GOAL 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

GOAL 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

GOAL 13: Climate Action

GOAL 14: Life Below Water

GOAL 15: Life on Land

GOAL 16: Peace and Justice Strong Institutions

GOAL 17: Partnerships to Achieve the Goal