ES ENTITY III

We are committed to solving the problem of access to information, and online learning resources. Based on a large population having devices without android and IOS, we have created an SMS based internet access system that can cater to information acquisition for all types of devices. This solution could positively change lives if scaled globally because it provides a new avenue for internet connectivity in low-connectivity settings where signal strength isn’t strong enough for internet access. Since SMS requires minimal signal strength to be able to function, this solution will prove to be a valuable communications protocol to the internet.

The specific problem we are solving is access to online learning resources, and within the Challenge we are working to increase the engagement of learners in remote, hybrid, and physical environments, including strategies and tools for parental support, peer interaction, and guided independent work. The scale of the problem in the communities that we are working in is all the primary and secondary schools do not have a designated technology based solution designed to increase engagement of learners. In our district alone over 20,000+ students are affected by this problem, globally internet penetration is at 59.5 percent. The factors contributing to the problem are  lack of financial means to be able to pay for smartphone devices as the majority are living below the poverty line. This relates to our solution because we have developed a system which allows all mobile devices to access online learning resources and facilitate an avenue for tools for parental support, peer interaction, and guided independent work. According to the Tanzanian Communication and Regulatory Authority(TCRA) in as of March 2021 there are a total of over 50+ million mobile subscribers with 26+ million not having devices with internet capabilities, namely android and IOS based smartphones.

Our solution is an SMS based internet access communication protocol. How it works is by taking the request message and activating functions based on keywords in the text message. Each keyword has a function associated with it. For example, when a student sends "wiki, Alexander the Great", this will activate the Wikipedia python API and search for Alexander the Great and save the information onto a variable. The variable is divided into 160 characters as SMS messaging protocol allows and sends the first 160 characters. If the student requires more from this variable, they simply text the number 2, 3, etc. All users send messages to a central processing unit that is running python 3 logic and is connected to the internet. The system uses the python and C++ programming language. It also includes  microcontrollers and an SMS application programming interface for incoming and outgoing messages.

Our solution serves to bring access to valuable online learning resources to the primary, secondary, and advanced level student. The ways that our solution will impact lives is to make is affordable to access learning resources such as dictionary definitions, translation serves, google searches, peer interaction, guided independent work and facilitate an avenue for students in remote, hybrid and physical environments to access online learning resources. No longer will there be one dictionary, encyclopedia, physics book, for 40 students to use and pass around. The target population whose lives we are working to directly and meaningfully improve are primary, secondary, and advanced level students. These students are currently underserved in not having enough subject books for all the students in a particular grade level. There is now an avenue to access books and the added feature of peer interaction, catering to simple mobile devices without android or IOS operating systems. What we have done to understand these needs is to take surveys, talk to students, teachers, parents, guardians, headmasters of all the primary, secondary, advanced level students to get a clear picture of their current educational circumstances to better understand what circumstance would be ideal. We have engaged them as we develop and improve our solution by better understanding what are the priority learning resources that should be added first. The answer was dictionary definition and translation services, since most secondary students are required to study all lessons in English. The solution will address their needs by providing an interactive platform to learning resources available online. Students don’t need to have a smartphone to access online resources. 

The challenge is to increase engagement of learners. The problem we are addressing is the lack of access to information and online learning resources. The solution we have designed aligns with increasing engagement by giving students, teachers, parents and guardians access to a communication protocol that facilitates communication and online learning resource acquisitions. This interactive bridge to learning resources enables tools for parental support, peer interactions, and guided independent work by exponentially increasing the capabilities of SMS communications technology. These tools will provide a foundational framework to acquire data on how to improve and add more features to the system.

The reason why the stage of development we selected is accurate is because we have built a system that tests the essential features of the system. We have tested the design with a small group of individuals just to make sure that we have a solid, reliable product. Our intention with the prototype was to make sure that we got rid of any bugs in the system that would cause the system to crash or misbehave if many people are texting to it at one time. We have tested the service and are now beginning to explore our business model. Looking very closely to policymakers decisions on education reform during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

What makes our solution innovative is that it is imploring new uses for an already existing technology. SMS is used mainly for communication purposes from one person to another person, and for a subscription to a service. Never has it been used as an internet connectivity protocol with designated keywords to access different online services. The reason why our solution provides a new and significantly improved approach to the problem of access to online information is that the communication protocol can now allow for devices that are not running android or iOS to be able to access services that normally one would need a smartphone to access. The way our service can be catalytic is that is can provide a communication protocol for an application to run completely offline, saving data packages and reducing internet traffic in low connectivity locations. I expect it to change the market in that it will provide engineers a new method for connecting to different types of services their application needs to function. The solution will also work alongside regular telecommunication internet services to provide users to all round connection to important notification from their Gmail, Hotmail, and other important services. 

Our solution is currently serving no more than 10 people a week for testing purposes as we improve the performance of the system. I expect that is one year we will service over 25 regions which is over 400,000+ people in Tanzania out of the 65+ regions. In five years, I expect that we will be serving well over 10 million users in Tanzania alone. The individuals that our solution will meaningfully and directly affect are individuals who are in learning institution particularly primary, secondary, advanced level, college career courses, certificate and diploma students.

We are measuring our progress towards our impact goals by monitoring the types of keywords are used in the system and marking a count of how many individuals are texting to our service. The measurable indicators that we are using to measure our progress is the number of users that are texting to our service every day. We are looking specifically at the kind of messages sent to the Google search API to see the types of information individuals are looking for, the reason for this is seeing if information is becoming something that is valuable to users. In a culture and setting where information is only for wealthy individuals, we seek to shift the indoctrination of the application of information. With the use of this system we plan to have more students in school, so for a particular subject we will measure impact by how many students from a particular school in our Region are texting to their schools online learning platform.

Currently, only I David Mashiku the CEO, founder, Lead Programmer are full time on this project. However, I often collaborate with the community such as teachers, students, parents and guardians to get feedback and suggestion on what would be appropriate to add to the system.

The way my team and I are well-position to deliver this solution is since it primarily a programming and technology based solution, we have a certified python programmer, an embedded systems specialist, and we have the full support of the District and Region education staff in the government. The way our team’s life and work experiences helped us to understand the experiences of those we serve is that most of the people working on our team have gone through the Tanzanian education system. They study other country's education systems and have a good understanding of how technology is shaping their education system. The way our team is representative of those we serve is most of them have children in all levels of the education system. They are able to identify very clearly where we are lacking in providing quality education to our students. Their input, ideas and agendas have contributed greatly to the design and implementation of our solution because they were the ones who brought the pressing matter of not having access to sufficient learning resources. A shortage of dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other learning resources has caused them to bring up this concern in our meetings. Through their guidance, we were able to structure a system’s architecture and quickly understand the immediate priorities that need to be addressed immediately.

Our approach to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive leadership team is first focusing primarily on the communities we are trying to serve and making sure that we have an equal number of man to female participants in our leadership team. Our leadership team embodies the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion but fostering a very strong conviction to a sense of belonging for all our participants. We believe that everyone despite race, gender, background, education level, has helpful insights, and we have a strict policy of mutual respect despite family socioeconomic background. We seek very strongly to create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected. Since we are located in Africa we have a tangible goal for our team that relates to these values and that is mainly mutual respect when others talk and share their options. No perspective shared by our members should be disregarded. The way we achieve these goals is by affirmation of speakers when they speak in relation to how they view the world around them and their perspectives. 

I am applying to solve because I hold the MIT Objective in high regard in that the  Institute is committed to generating, disseminating, and preserving knowledge, and to working with others to bring this knowledge to bear on the world's great challenges. I believe that some of the best minds in the world come from MIT and I would be honored to be a part of this ecosystem of brilliant minds in our quest to solve some the worlds most pressing challenges. Due to time spent wondering what the purpose of my life is, I have come to understand that the purpose of my life is to use my gifts to serve the needs of others because I believe that is what will give me a fulfilled and satisfying life. As mentioned in the become a solver page some of the things that I look forward to the most is, joining a class of impressive peers that act as trusted support group, offering inspiration and guidance. Joining a powerful network of impact-minded leaders across industries and sectors, with dedicated spaces to meet year-round and during Solve’s flagship events such as Solve at MIT, and having access to mentorship, coaching, and strategic advice from experts, as well as the Solve and MIT networks. I have come to realized that knowledge is the most valuable thing on earth and should be pursued.

Business model, I have begun to formulate a business model and a monetization strategy, however I would very much like to share my model with experts to get a better understanding of if I'm heading in the right direction for sustainable growth and effective market positioning with competitors

Financial, I do not at all have any background in accounting and this will be an area where I will need advice on where to find resources that can shift my thinking and perspective in a conducive manner to run an organization.

In public Relations, I have taken time to use the data available to understand what my value my brand will communicate to the user and gathering more information on how I will get customer feedback on my brand and marketing strategies.

 Monitoring & Evaluation, this is an extremely important aspect for me as a developer to make sure that I develop adequate monitoring systems to better understand how to improve services and measure impact.

 Product / Service Distribution, I have a solid product and would prefer to have individuals to talk with about what my product evolution and improvements would be in expanding client base.

Technology, as a programmer I am always looking for individuals to speak with and discuss my systems architecture to more efficeintly use the computers available resources to ensure a smooth and enjoyable customer experience. 

I would like to partner with Microsoft to have access to some services available on the Azure platform for cloud computing, monitoring, data storage, and evaluation purposes. I would also like to have access to some of  Microsoft's computing and development board products to include into my solution for enhanced keyword response functionality. Microsoft can help advance my solution by using the cloud computing, and storage facilities available on the Azure platform to provide the backbone of my information acquisitions for monitoring, peer to peer interaction services, and SMS services. Their cloud computing services will provide a powerful engine to run the python logic associated with my solution. I would also like to provide a communication protocol to expand Microsoft messaging services to work with SMS in Tanzania. I would also like to partner with HP for acquisition of a computing system to run my python logic on local systems and for the teachers to have access to computers to update assignment information for students. This will help me advance my solution because it will provide teachers an avenue to quickly update and respond to students questions and concerns. I would also like to partner with Google because I would like to call a branch of my service Google SMS and connect this connectivity protocol to other services that Google offers, namely Gmail, Hangouts, and Maps.

We qualify for the prize because our solution includes a specific aspect that caters to independent work for the users to be able to access information and online learning resources. The system is designed to allow users to be included into the educational system despite location. Refugees need to have access to learning resources, and often this is a challenge with refugee status. This solution is also designed to cater to low-connectivity areas, namely remote areas where traditional internet access through telecommunications companies may not work efficiently to support mobile application functions. The way our team would use the Andan Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion is to first understand the general demographic present and equip users with learning supplies and mobile devices to be able to access the system. If all refugees are located in one area, my team will deploy a Wi-Fi based information acquisition system where the central processing computer communicates through the SMS based internet access system for interactive learning capabilities. 

Our team qualifies for the prize because our solution is dedicated to providing quality interactive learning experiences for communities. With the global internet penetration at less than 60 percent I believe collaboration the GM to provide STEM education around the world with coincide effectively with their objective of working to be a more inclusive company in the world. Our solutions main priority is to make online learning resources more accessible to communities around the world. We have developed this solution around the initial development objectives of the internet, in that information must be accessible to all people. 

Yes I qualify and would like to be considered for the AI for Humanity Prize. I believe I am qualified for the prize because the reason for establishing my organization was to acquire data for the purposes of making informed decisions on what works and what needs to be improved. AI for Humanity in collaboration with my system will provide a framework for analyzing the data acquired for student, teacher, parent and guardian interactions to quickly identify what steps need to be taken in education reform and provide educational policymakers with sufficient data based evidence

We are qualified for this prize because our main objective as an organization is to acquire and process data from users. We believe that AI is the component to our solution that we have been missing. We seek to us AI to quickly identify a meaningful point from our users to better understand perspective on education to create a more engaging experience for our users. We will use the AI for humanity prize to invest in more powerful computing technology and cloud based services to store, process, analyze, and transmit our data. 

I believe we qualify for this prize because our team believes that in the quest to alleviate poverty we must attach this situation from the mindset. Access to information and the understanding of the importance of information to people that are impoverished is a critical first step. Our solution includes support for equitable classrooms where students are able to interact with teachers, peer to peer support, and independent work catered towards improving the learning experience. Our solution is designed to also make learning available to individuals that are located in remote areas and are unable to physically attend a learning institution due to the distance. The primary objective of our solution, is to make information and online learning resources available to everyone through a communication protocol that is resilient in low-connectivity settings.