MIT Solve

Solution overview

Our Solution

Gage

Tagline

To give people equal opportunities to participate and influence issues of governance affecting their societies.

Pitch us on your solution

Problem

The provision of public services in less-developed countries is rife with corruption problems, such as exclusion of citizens in democratic processes, policy formulation, and budgeting.

Solution

Gage will use simple tools such as a web platform, SMS, email, USSD and WhatsApp to enable citizens to view, rate and comment on government projects, policies, programs, practices and opportunities in relation to the budget; hence generate a monthly performance rating for the government.

Scale

Wider involvement of youths, citizens and civil society in the budgeting and decision-making process.
Improved coordination amongst civil society and press organizations in implementing different projects to improve governance and accountability.
Increased adherence to data-driven practices in governance.
Improved assessment of government performance void of barriers related to race, colour, language, region, religion and ethnic group as it is a single figure.
Improved reporting and communication of government projects, programs, practices and policies.

Film your elevator pitch

What is the problem you are solving?

Citizens play a critical role in advocating and helping to make public institutions more transparent, accountable and effective, and contributing innovative solutions to complex development challenges.

The inability of communities to participate meaningfully in designing and determining solutions around critical services broadly in the area of budgeting, policy formulation and voting.
Poor accountability and transparency in government and corporations as well as poor responsiveness to citizens feedback.
Inequitable and exclusive economic growth across geographies and demographics
Citizens inability to overcome barriers to civic participation and inclusion, including access to information, and services.

These problems exist across Africa and other parts of the world (developing and developed countries) and affects 1.2 Billion people in Africa are affected by this problem and another more than 6 Billion people are affected in other parts of the world

Some causes of this problem include:

Lack of human capital
Lack of a repository to track government activities in relation to projects.
Lack of technical infrastructure
Digital and language literacy

Who are you serving?

Civil Social Organizations (CSOs) through training, access to technology solutions, and data on public projects for evidence-based advocacy. We are partnering with the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) a leading civil society organization to co-create and pilot Gage.
Citizens benefit through improved governance performance. Through our Gage tool citizens will have access to government projects, policies, practices, budgets and programs via the web platform, SMS and WhatsApp. We are collaborating with the citizens in our implementation through the creation of "Civic Corners" a centre for Public Policy and Development hosted by Universities and acts as a hub to catalyze civic action by young people.
Government through getting feedback from the citizens on public projects implementation and communicating their activities directly to the citizens. We are working with the National Orientattion Agency.
The media through evidence based data on government performance.

How the solution will address their needs

Timely data collection and disclosure
Proactive data sharing and developing digital skills
Clearer information about social impact
Responsive communication
Collaborative generation of data
The local context in data sharing.
New data related to government activity and citizen demands
Strengthen social license
Improved citizen engagement

What is your solution?

Gage will use simple tools such as a web platform, SMS, email, USSD and WhatsApp to enable citizens to view, rate and comment on government project, policies, programs, practices and opportunities in relation to the budget hence generate a monthly performance rating for the government in local languages while providing an avenue for the government to communicate to citizens and understand citizens’ priorities and gather feedback on their activities in real time.

Gage will be available in local languages, use USSD for registration in local areas without a need for internet or a smartphone and SMS for communication and provide direct communication of government activities to the citizens as a paid service to get the buy-in of the government.
The pilot study will be focused on updating the platform with government projects, policies, opportunities for youths and programs and ensuring that the first 10,000 users view, rate and comment using the available channels. We have secured a partnership with 3 populated private universities in Nigeria to host “Civic Corner” a centre for Public Policy and Development which will serve as a hub for young people to interact with the solution, engage the government in their state through town hall meetings and manage the upload of government activities in their piot states. Hence, making it easier to acquire the first 10,000 at a low cost.

IMPACT

Increase citizens’ participation in the democratic process, public policy formulation, anti-corruption and advocating transparency and accountability.
To facilitate tracking of public projects implementation through the use of user-friendly and cost-effective technology.
Timely data collection and disclosure
Proactive data sharing and developing digital skills
Clearer information about social impact
Responsive communication
Collaborative generation of data
The local context in data sharing.
New data related to government activity and citizen demands
Strengthen social license
Improved citizen engagement

Select only the most relevant.

Make government and other institutions more accountable, transparent, and responsive to citizen feedback
Ensure all citizens can overcome barriers to civic participation and inclusion

Our solution's stage of development:

Prototype

More about your solution

Select one of the below:

New application of an existing technology

Describe what makes your solution innovative.

Community ownership: The distribution model of Gage is focused on community ownership by partnering with universities to host the centre for public policy and development names "Civic Corner" as youth driven hub where content generation will youth driven and continuous activities will happen in each state from the Civic Corner hence increasing localizing adoption strategy.

Availability in Rural and low income areas: Gage is enabled to provide value to the people living in rural areas and low income areas who cannot afford to purchase a smartphone or buy internet data where internet is available. We do this by using the USSD channel for registration and SMS for communicating government projects, programs and policies.

Cost Effective: Gage remains cost effective by adopting user friendly channels to ensure real time engagement by using USSD, SMS, WhatsApp and Email apart from our web channels.

Describe the core technology that your solution utilizes.

Web Technology: Gage users web technology including web servers and web interface to engage citizens, governments, donor and multilateral agencies, Civil society organization and the Press on data visualization and civic engagement. This platform allows users to view, rate and comment.

WhatsApp: Gage uses WhatsApp to drive cost-effective communication to users on government activities and also for users to request for data and receive automated feedback from our database. WhatsApp is the most widely used messaging platform in Africa.

USSD: Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is a Global System for Mobile(GSM) communication technology that is used to send text between a mobile phone and an application program in the network. USSD requires no internet or smartphone. We are using USSD for user registration for underserved communities and they will receive information on government activities via SMS.

SMS: Short Message Service. SMS refers to the systems that mobile carriers around the world use to transmit text messages between mobile phones. We are using SMS to reach people who can't be reached via email, WhatsApp or opt-in for SMS only communication. However, they can log in with their mobile phones to view full details of the activities.

Please select the technologies currently used in your solution:

Big Data
Indigenous Knowledge
Behavioral Design
Social Networks

Why do you expect your solution to address the problem?

INPUT

Funding
Staff
Training
Volunteer
Research study
Digital technology
Equipments
Civil society organizations

ACTIVITIES

Meeting with stakeholders
Training and sensitisation of CSOs on the importance of the use of ICTs for both advocacy and governance monitoring
Developing citizen engagement software with web, USSD, SMS and WhatsApp Channels
Training of staff and volunteers.
Media Campaigns across all channels
Support for forums related to governance and accountability.

OUTPUT

Stakeholders understand the aims and objectives of the project
CSOs understanding on the use of ICTs for project monitoring
Digital technology for citizens to view and rate the government performance
Digital technology for citizens to monitor and provide opinion on existing and potential government activities in line with the budget.
Digital technology for government to post all government activities
Civic Corners across universities in Nigeria to facilitate active engagement amongst the youth and lead to community ownership.
Research work on civic participation and democracy
Robust media tour and campaigns
Governance and Citizenship Workshops , town hall meetings and debates across the civic corners which acts as a hub for young people in those states

OUTCOME/IMPACT

Wider involvement of youths, citizens and civil society in the budgeting and decision making process.
Improved Coordination amongst civil society organizations and press organizations to improve governance and accountability.
Increased adherence to data driven practices in governance.
Improved assessment of government performance void of barriers related to race, color, language, region, religion and ethnic group .
Improved access and reporting and communication of government projects, programs, practices and policies.

Select the key characteristics of the population your solution serves.

Women & Girls
Pregnant Women
LGBTQ+
Elderly
Rural Residents
Peri-Urban Residents
Urban Residents
Very Poor/Poor
Low-Income
Middle-Income
Minorities/Previously Excluded Populations
Refugees/Internally Displaced Persons
Persons with Disabilities

In which countries do you currently operate?

Benin
Nigeria

In which countries will you be operating within the next year?

Benin
Nigeria

How many people are you currently serving with your solution? How many will you be serving in one year? How about in five years?

Our Pilot is targeted at 10,000 users with Civic Corners hosted in 3 Universities.

In one year we will reach 1,000,000 people.

In five years we will reach 10,000,000 people across 8 African countries.

What are your goals within the next year and within the next five years?

Within the next one year we will go beyond the beta deployment of our Web, WhatsApp, USSD and SMS with a reach of 10,000 by the end of 2019. In the Q1 of 2020 we will strengthen our hub structure to reach 30 Universities while leveraging town hall meetings, social media, offline media and word of mouth to reach another 100,000 users. By the end of Q2 2020, we aim to expand partnership with civil society organizations active in Nigeria as well youth organizations and press organizations. by the end of Q3, we will be serving 1,000,000 Nigerians through operations in over 20 cities with an enlarged network of youth hubs(civic corners) through the universities, civil society organizations, youth organizations, and press organization and most importantly our partnership with the National Orientation Agency.

In 5 years, we will apply our structure and learnings in Nigeria an over 190,000,000 person country across 8 other countries including Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Ethiopia, Uganda, Benin Republic and Togo to reach over 50,000,000 people.

What are the barriers that currently exist for you to accomplish your goals for the next year and for the next five years?

Social/Cultural Constraints :

High linguistic diversity
Low digital and basic literacy rates Low involvement of vulnerable populations in planning and design processes

Political Constraints

The complexity of political systems can be hard to manage; need adequately designed policy frameworks

Economic Constraints

Budget uncertainty (for sustained operations}

Infrastructural and Technical Constraints

Brittle mobile cellular networks (WEF Global Risks Report)

Insufficient ICT infrastructure, systems, platforms, and standards
Low prevalence of mobile data plans

How are you planning to overcome these barriers?

Social/Cultural Constraints :

Gage Mobile and USSD application will be available in 5 languages: English, Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa.

Gage USSD application will be easy for non-tech savvy people.

Political Constraints

Messaging will be focused on the values it creates for the government.

Advocacy to the government

Economic Constraints

Governments who want to communicate projects, policie, programs and opportunities to citizens and voters via SMS and email as part of their media budget will pay an annual fee for this service.
Multilateral organizations who wish to communicate projects, programs and opportunities to beneficiary citizens via SMS and email as part of their media budget will pay an annual fee for this service. This will clarify the citizens on projects funded by external bodies and those by the government.

Infrastructural and Technical Constraints

Gage USSD Application works without a need for a smartphone and mobile data. Hence people in rural areas will easily register without a need for internet or a smartphone. They will be notified of government activities via SMS and can login into the web dashboard using their phone number as an authentication tool.

If your solution has a website, provide a link here:

https://www.govgage.com

If you have additional video, provide a YouTube or Vimeo link to your video here:

About your team

Select an option below:

For-Profit

If you selected Other for the organization question, please explain here.

Not Applicable

How many people work on your solution team?

Full-time staff - 3

Part-time staff- 2

For how many years have you been working on your solution?

Less than 1 Year

Why are you and your team best-placed to deliver this solution?

Our team has extensive knowledge in public policy, law, economics, product, business processes and technical skills in software development and offline technology for rural and low income implementation.

I have over 3 years’ Public policy and innovation experience with FCMB, DIT UK (Consulting), and Abia State Government. Our Chief Technology officer and User experience lead worked together to build a civic engagement solution (GoVote.ng) in the past as well as other enterprise softwares. Our head of policy analysis is trained at the London School Economics and has an incredible interest for public policy. Our Operations director has a track record of streamlining operational processes. Our Partnership Lead has led us to secure two universities for our hub in less than 1 month.

We have a diverse background that will enable handle the scale of our operations and also identify the best people to scale further with us. We also an active advisory board that has worked in the social impact space and government open data space.

With what organizations are you currently partnering, if any? How are you working with them?

National Orientation Agency

NOA is the government body responsible for disseminating government activities. This they do manually today and we have signed an MOU to drive this function digitally using Gage and will work with their human capital in scaling to inner communities.

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD)

CITAD is a leading governance and accountability organization in Nigeria. We are working with CITAD to pilot Gage and manage stakeholder and early stage donor buy-in.

TechSoup Europe

We are working with TechSoup to create enhanced linkages between accountability initiatives in Africa and Europe, through an augmented model of city twinning between an AU and an EU city.

Slickcity Media

Slickcity Media is a startup messaging and video storytelling startup. We are working with Slickcity to create the appropriate messaging for Gage and create the right media that will tell the right story.

Your business model & funding

Partnership potential

Why are you applying to Solve?

As we expand across throughout Africa, we are seeking a better understanding of how to most effectively scale our work. We want to know the best teaching methods and strategies. Solve has an extensive network, and we hope to connect with organizations doing similar work to learn about their approaches. We also hope that Solve membership will increase our exposure, helping us make connections with leading philanthropists and investors. We are eager to connect with likeminded funders who can not only support us financially, but help us strengthen our model and infrastructure.

What types of connections and partnerships would be most catalytic for your solution?

Business model
Technology
Distribution
Funding and revenue model
Talent or board members
Legal
Monitoring and evaluation
Media and speaking opportunities

If you selected Other, please explain here.

Not Applicable

With what organizations would you like to partner, and how would you like to partner with them?

Luminate Group: Scale up partnership for access to their portfolio of investees operating across the world for easy entry into new markets.

UNDEF: United Nations Democracy Fund- Scale Up and Knowledge transfer from their experience supporting civic action across the world

MacArthur Foundation: Scale up partnership for access to their portfolio of investees operating across the world for easy entry into new markets.

Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation: Scale up partnership for access to their portfolio of investees operating across the world for easy entry into new markets.

If you would like to apply for the AI Innovations Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If you are not already using AI in your solution, explain why it is necessary for your solution to be successful and how you plan to incorporate it.

Not Applicable

If you would like to apply for the GM Prize on Community-Driven Innovation, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.

Not Applicable

If you would like to apply for the Innovation for Women Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.

Not Applicable

If you would like to apply for the Prize for Innovation in Refugee Inclusion, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.

Not Applicable

If you would like to apply for the Innospark Ventures Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If your solution utilizes data, describe how you will ensure that the data is sourced, maintained, and used ethically and responsibly.

Not Applicable

If you would like to apply for the Morgridge Family Foundation Community-Driven Innovation Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution.

The Morgridge Family Foundation has a huge interest in Education. In line with the existing focus of the foundation.

We will use the prize to setup 6 Civic Corners ( a governance lab) in partnership with 6 universities in 6 states across the 6 geopolitical regions in Nigeria.

The civic corners will

Serve as a hub for research amongst students and academics.
Serve as a hub for governance debates and forums
Host town hall meetings with government and corporate leaders based on data available on Gage.
Serve as a channel for volunteers and civic champions.

If you would like to apply for the Everytown for Gun Safety Prize, describe how you and your team will utilize the prize to advance your solution. If your solution utilizes data, describe how you will ensure that the data is sourced, maintained, and used ethically and responsibly.

Not Applicable