Starting around May 2022, RIL and Audiopedia Foundation ran three interactive events in Kampala. These events also included developing interesting case studies of open source in action and running a contribution competition. Through these events it was hoped that existing open-source users and developers would find humanitarian and development actors to partner with and that more people, regardless of their background, would feel more confident to try using open-source software.

SomRIL has supported the Somali Livestock Insurance Consortium (SLIC) comprised off the SomReP consortium, ILRI (Internation Livestock Research Institute) and the Federal Government of Somalia, raise awareness across many public and private stakeholders, conduct feasibility studies, support the government for a task-force, and support the development of a Policy Roadmap. We also created an explainer video in English, Somali and Arabic: https://youtu.be/uQhcLojJxjY

In early 2021, the initial pilot between WV and OGOA Health concluded at the two targeted health facilities. However, the system continues to operate, and eventually funding was secured to expand the system to connect a total of 15 health facilities. MOUs were also signed with the Puntland Ministry of Health, endorsing the system.

https://youtu.be/XCL4w4ibk2E

In 2021, the SomRIL partnered with the Internet of Production Alliance (IOPA), and two of their members, Field Ready and Humanitarian Open Street Maps. This was around the Open Know Where (OKW) standards that were just released in 2021 to help standardize the mapping of factories to promote local manufacturing. We conducted a small pilot together with World Vision, Oxfam, the Somaliland Chamber of Commerce and the SIMAD iLab to map factories in Mogadishu and Hargeisa. We also had the standards translated into Somali. You can see these materials here: https://www.internetofproduction.org/open-know-where

In our efforts to support localization efforts, we have the privilege to lead a multi-country and multi-agency cross learning imitative. This project is working with Care Somalia and World Vision Sudan and World Vision South Sudan, 31 LNGOs from across the three countries, and Sadar Institute. The goal is to build the capacity of humanitarian LNGOs so that they are better equipped to respond. This initiative has been developing 10 curriculums that range from Community Driven Resilience, to Early Warning Systems and much more.

Click here to see the video series developed as part of the C4FC project

Over the course of four months, the RIL Central Support Unit worked with the Save the Children Sudan Country Office to help its team and partners apply innovation processes to four challenges that they had identified.

In 2020-2021, RIL further supported investment in this field by facilitating the 3rd call of the Dutch Relief Alliance Innovation Fund – allowing an investment of EUR 2 million in locally-led innovative proposals. See more about this locally-driven approach to funding innovation and the great solutions that emerged here.

A tailored curriculum has been developed based on an analysis of capacity gaps and existing other training programmes in Uganda. It has been delivered in partnership with Save the Children, United Social Ventures and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation. - Learn more about innovator trainings here

RIL Uganda runs a Learning Hub for the refugee response actors and has supported them to learn and uptake best practices around: the Refugee Engagement Forum- Learn more about U-Learn here

With the LINS project, RIL Uganda identified alternative solutions to the traditional distribution of free and imported nutritious foods (corn-soya blend/porridge) through a participative and competitive process.
Learn more about LINS here

In 2021, LINS issued a call for nutrition innovations/solutions that are locally rooted, market-driven, sustainable, with satisfactory proof of concept, and less dependent on humanitarian aid flows. The call sought to support quality solutions to at least one of the major challenges of malnutrition

Participation in the MIT D-Lab’s Co-Creation Summit in Arua, Uganda, which promoted locally designed solutions to energy and livelihoods challenges in refugee settlements.

Field Ready and Response Innovation Lab both aim to inspire and guide disaster response practitioners to develop and test new ideas and implement proven innovations. With the support of the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation, RIL and Field Ready organized a digital convene event on the topic of locally manufacturing Covid-19 preventive materials, including personal protective equipment, and with an emphasis on the use of 3-D printers in May 2021.

>>> Learn about the outcomes of this convener.

While this pandemic is not without precedent in human history, the novel coronavirus is, as it has fundamentally disrupted and changed our global systems. From history, we learn that during difficult and challenging times, the world and our communities innovate in unique and interesting ways. The stories that come to mind now are more of ad-hoc solutions to very immediate dangers. These tales of quick thinking and decisive action, as well as their aftermath, draw better parallels with the present that can help us see a new way forward.

As originally published on Devex (10 Feb 2021) - Through the establishment of RIL in Uganda, our team has learned a few lessons on integrating innovation into the humanitarian context that we are sharing in a supportive effort around localization.

UNDP Accelerator Labs, Honey Bee Network, and GIAN have jointly organized the first International annual competition for creative & innovative ideas or traditional knowledge practices around the world, which solve day-to-day problems. Life Shelter received this International Award among 2,500 solutions around the world.

A founding principle to RIL has always been the focus on strengthening local ecosystems to build resiliency and contextualized support for the response.