Last Mile Mobile Solutions Project

The World Economic Forum has recently included a profile of LMMS in action in Haiti. The report references the work we have been doing today in Haiti. While a little short on the extensive design, software development and roll out from the LMMS teams, it is still a good reflection of the work to date in Haiti and the power of partnerships. Take a read:

Case Study: World Vision and Automated Food Distribution

World Vision, a Christian humanitarian organization founded in 1950, committed several years ago to improving the efficiency of its food aid provision. In 2006, it began working with a Canadian technology firm, FieldWorker, to reduce cumbersome paperwork processes for logging and processing food distribution. After several months of developing software and vetting systems internally, it launched a one-year pilot programme to test mobile technology involving hand-held scanners and bar-coded identification cards.

This system combined hardware from Intermec, a US-based company specializing in mobile computing systems, and FieldWorker’s software, which World Vision licensed at a reduced rate.

The result was a system that drew on best practices from the private sector and was customized to meet the needs of humanitarian agencies: food aid recipients were issued barcoded identification cards, and aid workers could scan these cards with hand-held, wireless computers.

The device would automatically calculate rations and log food distribution at the particular site. World Vision determined that the pilot study – which covered 20,000 recipients in Kenya and Lesotho in 2009 – was a vast improvement over the time-consuming paperwork: it reduced registration time from approximately three minutes to less than one minute. It also reduced errors in accounting for food distribution and decreased insensitivity towards illiterate beneficiaries.

Based on these promising early results, World Vision leaders wanted to implement the automated solution in Haiti. Intermec donated dozens of devices, and staff members were deployed for implementation. A limited number have been put into use in two resettlement areas. “The initial feedback from the ground is very positive,” says
Otto Farkas, World Vision’s Director of Humanitarian & Emergency Affairs, Resource Development and Collaborative Innovation. “The field workers love the
ease of the technology, and the beneficiaries are also very receptive of the new technology and the biometric ration cards that will allow real-time identification and data use.”

Despite the improved efficiency, deployment of the programme in Haiti was significantly delayed due to backlogs at customs and the inability to clear the equipment at the port. However, World Vision hopes that its experience drawing on the private
sector for best practices in information processing can be used to help other NGOs. According to Farkas, World Vision plans to offer this technology to other humanitarian agencies as a way of standardizing and automating many aid services.

The opportunity to use the technology in Haiti, where it is expected to improve service to over 500,000 beneficiaries, will prove invaluable in refining and demonstrating the benefits of such technology.

“Humanitarian actors shouldn’t wait for the next disaster,” says Craig Tyndall, FieldWorker General Manager. “Disaster is the worst time for innovation because people simply don’t have time.”

Guiding Principle: Foresight in experimenting with technology and testing collaborative development paid off in responding to the crisis in Haiti. While the disaster left little time for radical new ideas, humanitarian agencies and private companies that were nimble and had prior records of adapting to new ideas were able to roll out new solutions that improved efficiency of operations.

The full report can be found at here.

Jay Narhan General Communications

By Sibusisiwe Ndlovu, WV Zimbabwe Communications Officer

In the heart of the indigenous forests of Lupane, the revolution of Humanitarian Aid has begun, with Information Technology breaking down the barriers of hunger, poverty and illiteracy.

All at the touch of one button, the Last Mile Mobile Solutions (LMMS) that has been recently rolled out by the Food Programming Management Group (FPMG) in Lupane District has digitalized beneficiary registrations and commodity distribution plans, demonstrating the many immense benefits of the food programming software.

LMMS technology that uses laptops and handheld devices has distinct advantages over the widely used paper based system. The current LMMS architecture uses Local Wireless Networking which allows for an outdoor roaming radius of 100-300 metres between the handheld devices and the laptop that acts as the server.

Figure 1: LMMS Technology comes to Lupane

During registration at a food distribution site, World Vision (WV) field monitors use a hand held device to photograph beneficiaries and record important information such as name, location and states the vulnerability that makes them eligible for food assistance. The beneficiary data is transferred to the laptop using wireless to for verification and tracking.

The beneficiary then receives a photo identity card (ID) with a barcode that is scanned each time there is a food distribution for verification and calculating accurate ration size in a matter of seconds resulting in fewer errors and duplication. It keeps track of distributions and easily picks up any attempts to double dip.
This computing technology reduces the registration and verification processes to less than a minute compared to the 2-3 minutes consumed by the paper based system. Beneficiaries receive their rations faster and there are no mistakes in ration size.

The manual based calculations used in the paper based system are sometimes inaccurate and a beneficiary may receive more or less than what they are actually supposed to receive. LMMS ensures that there is sufficient food available for distributions. With this system, World Vision field staff have more time to monitor feeding projects because reporting is done automatically. Staff members have suggested a 60 per cent reduction in the time required to generate key reports, with the distinct advantage that these
automatically generated reports are accurate and can be transmitted electronically.

Donors and other stakeholders are assured of greater accountability and inventory control in the field.  Every component of LMMS is password protected and is put through a strong encryption process. If the equipment is stolen or data intercepted during transmission, without passwords, all data is scrambled and impossible to read. This is unlike paper based records which if lost can be easily read by anyone.

Figure 2: LMMS has done away with finger prints during verification

World Vision’s Systems Development and Field Implementations Officer, Richard Lankas who carried out a recent LMMS training program for the Lupane Food Aid Team says “LMMS is set to revolutionize the implementation of commodity distributions, by cutting down operational costs and whilst speeding up the beneficiary verification process.

The current paper-based systems are difficult to store, easy to manipulate whilst calculations of food rations are done manually and with a high possibility of inaccuracy. There is also need for the collection of thumb prints and signatures from beneficiaries each time food is distributed and due to illiteracy, some beneficiaries may find this process demeaning.”

Having undergone an intensive one week training on the use of LMMS, the Lupane District Food Aid Team was quick put into practice what they had learnt at the next scheduled food distribution that was held at Sotani Food Distribution Point (FDP).

Following the pre-distribution address, the Food Aid Team wasted no time in distributing the beneficiary ID cards containing vital information that includes the beneficiary’s name, photograph, a bar code and the name of the respective household head.

Figure 3: Beneficiary registration card being scanned

Ululations and excited laughter soon punctuated the air as beneficiaries admired their new registration cards in anticipation and curiosity of what technology would unfold next at this particular distribution.

Figure 4: Excited to receive her beneficiary card

Eager to start the verification process, the WV Zimbabwe Lupane District Coordinator, Sinini Masuku said, “before this food distribution even begins, it is evident LMMS has eliminated the massive paperwork that my team has had to deal with in the past, thus cutting costs on paper, ink, cartridges and manpower as we had to hire seven more casual workers to do beneficiary registrations. Also the risks of losing information are minimal when comparing to paperwork that can easily be misplaced or destroyed.

Sinini added “what I like best about the system is that it’s a secure, tamper proof verification tool that encourages the registration of factual data, thus discouraging beneficiaries from inflating household member numbers thus disadvantaging really deserving vulnerable households.”

As events marking a new era in food aid programming continued to unfold at Sotani FDP, Sinini led the verification process with utmost ease, utilizing scanning technology much to the marvel of the rural folk of Lupane.

Figure 5: A beneficiary signs receipt of her ration

In a record one hour, 700 beneficiaries had gone through the verification process and were sharing their food rations amongst each other.

Unable to hide her excitement elderly Elisabeth Sibanda, who was collecting food rations for two of her orphaned grandchildren and herself said “I knew it, some day World Vision would realize that it is not easy for a poor villagers like me to spend the whole day queuing on an empty stomach due to the long verification process, hence they have come up with a dignified way of speeding up distributions. It is my first time to leave a food distribution before lunch time, in the past we have always left at sunset. This makes me feel truly valued by World Vision in the work they do for us here in drought ravaged Lupane,”
concluded Elisabeth with a smile.

By 1pm, both young and old that had gathered at Sotana FDP slowly dispersed in the direction of their various villages all touched by the information technology revolution that has made life easier for both beneficiaries and the Lupane Food Aid Team.

Before making their way back to the Lupane District Office, the field monitors had the post distribution report automatically generated all at the touch of a button allowing the team to pursue other issues on arrival at Lupane District Office.

Figure 6: The Lupane Food Aid Team compile the post distribution report at the touch of a button

LMMS’s ‘roaming server architecture’ is capable of manipulating vast amounts of data with sheer accuracy by eliminating variables at the click of a button.

Plans are underway to roll out LMMS throughout all of WV Zimbabwe’s Food Aid districts subject to the further development of the functionality around the software and mobile scanning devices.

This system that is currently being tested in Zimbabwe will be rolled out in Haiti in May after successful testing in Lesotho, Kenya and Uganda.

Jay Narhan General Communications, Project Updates

As a good example of why LMMS is so needed as a tool to ensure aid gets to who needs it and to hold agencies accountable for aid, consider this report today from the UN’s news agency:

In Brief: Alleged food aid seller arrested in Afghanistan

KABUL, 21 January 2010 (IRIN) – A man who allegedly sold 72 tons of food aid destined for internally displaced persons (IDPs) along the border between the southern provinces of Zabul and Paktika, has been arrested, the National Security Department (NDS) said in a press statement on 20 January.

“The accused has confessed that he sold 1,212 sacks of wheat, 224 cartons of cooking oil, 145 sacks of pulses and 12 bags of salt which were given to him by WFP [World Food Programme] for IDPs – to a merchant in Qalat City [Zabul Province] for one million Afghani [over US$20,000],” the statement said. NDS is Afghanistan’s intelligence agency and its officials do not respond to media queries.

WFP spokeswoman in Kabul Challiss McDonough told IRIN WFP was taking the food diversion allegations very seriously. “We will aggressively investigate this case,” she said, without confirming the food aid sold had been donated by WFP.

UN agencies do not have direct access to insecure southern provinces but run aid projects through local partners such as NGOs and government offices.

Reported from http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportID=87819

Jay Narhan Uncategorized

Readers – please consider support for the Haiti Earthquake. One option: http://bit.ly/Help_Haiti

I will be posting more info on Haiti support soon.

Jay Narhan Uncategorized

Just a quick update to notify everyone that the system’s development team finalized two major issues on LMMS last night that came up as we worked on the integration pieces between World Vision and Fieldworker’s respective software coding. We are expecting Fieldworkers applications to be released on Friday and WVC’s updated release also on Friday. The Core Team will spend a few days running through test scenarios. Additional (lower priority) functionality on LMMS will continue as we work on the Alpha release on the existing specifications (expected to end beginning of March).

Equipment order process has started and we have a deadline imposed as of beginning of February to have equipment in Uganda and Zimbabwe. Card printing options at WVC are still under design phases, but we hope to have all cards pre-printed ahead off shipment to the field.

One quick note to all – the LMMS team is exhausted, we have been going full out for a while. With the Christmas break upcoming and the closure of a number of offices, the team will be off December 22 to January 4th. Let me wish you all a very peaceful, joyous holiday season and a very happy new year!

Jay Narhan Uncategorized

Couple of recent posts and links to LMMS that have popped up:

Zunia.org and Reliefweb

both linking to case study cited in an earlier blog entry, but good to see some greater coverage from two well respected humanitarian sites!

Jay Narhan Uncategorized

Those of you you have been biting your finger nails and unable to get to sleep (I know you’re out there) … yes indeed – we had a release Monday evening Dec 7th on LMMS. With General feeding and Food-for-Work modules incorporated. Targeted Feeding will be added by early next week. Next Monday evening (Dec 14) we begin the integration testing with our very fancy, very slick, very effective mobile applications from Fieldworker Mobile Technology Solutions. We’ll keep you informed.

Again – so you’re all fully aware – this is an alpha release .. work that we are doing on the software that will facilitate a faster, smoother release for field applications that meets basic user specifications. That’s a fancy way of saying that we are on schedule for field applications but the system’s developments need more work. It won’t quite make you a cappuccino in addition to helping manage your food aid projects …not  just yet … there’s still a lot to do and we are pressing ahead.

To let you know as well .. we had major proposals submitted this week to support the LMMS systems in field deployments and in better integrating monitoring and evaluations inside food aid projects. Essential work to support our efforts  to alleviate human suffering from hunger. Keep us in your thoughts as we enter into the festive season .. I’m hoping for an early Christmas present to help us out in this endeavor! If you would like to support us in delivering more effective humanitarian aid – visit World Vision Canada via this link, call, drop us email, or send a homing pigeon.

Jay Narhan Project Updates

Step number one – take two parts of tried and tested rapid software development tools from your software development partner, Toronto based Fieldworker Mobile Solutions, add a healthy dose of your own software development and mix thoroughly with an knowing eye on how humanitarian projects should run …. bake in the oven .. and serve on an Intermec hand-held devise .. and there you have LMMS 2.0.  Ok .. not quite as simple but yes, we’re still working hard at delivering this fab innovation.

The Alpha version of LMMS 2.0 is scheduled for released December 7th (.. actually it was the 4th, but Benny – our super dooper developer fiend defines close of business on Friday … as Monday instead .. who can argue?) What’s new in the app .. a redefined web application that enables humanitarian workers to set up and manage projects and system-users online, new look-and-feel to the web based reports that aid workers love, an intuitive and easy to use commodity management system … and mobile applications that let us run General Feeding, Targeted Feeding and Food-For-Work projects in remote, off the grid locales!!!! Oh joy.

For people wondering what’s the diff between a General Feeding and a Targeted Feeding program, I’ll write up a short brief on each of these major food aid programs as soon as I can for you and will update this post – but you can read the April 28th entry for a peek at what Targeted Feeding entails.

This entry is a quick update to where we are in LMMS 2.0′s release .. I also want to take the opportunity to let you know that interconnectedness is vital to our planning for LMMS. We’re delivering a solution for humanitarian agencies that empower aid workers through mobile technologies. Step’s four and five that are to come will entail connecting the dots – taking donors on a journey to actual work on the ground. All of that requires a technology backbone … the LMMS team have a few things up their sleeves on building the connectivity parts .. but the following support by Cisco to aid agencies is great to see – and shows how the LMMS application can link back into the global world wide web.

Jay Narhan Project Updates, Tech Solutions

Ok .. let me ask the question that comes up – LMMS is built on a Java environment and is running on the Window’s Mobile O/S. There is lots of media attention currently on Google’s Android O/S and how this will replace Windows. Does a demise of Windows Mobile O/S (I’m a Mac user and I can’t help but grin at that prospect) have any bearing on the LMMS application?

Perhaps we’re getting a little too caught up on emerging trends versus the implication of business applications? I can’t help but think that if businesses foresee a shift away from Windows O/S there would be a correction in delivery of business applications that can run of competing O/Ss.

Beside, I doubt developers, hardware providers and network folks would walk away from Java. Further, my understanding is that Android (which is built using Java code) allows for application development that makes use of Java’s libraries. Granted shortfalls exist … but that will likely just strengthen the programming evolution of Java or Java-like languages. (.. sorry I’m here to ask questions, not answer them)

Once we’ve got the O/S addressed – there are some people who feel that a .NET application would be more suited over a Java application. Is this cause for concern? Comments?

Jay Narhan Technical Ramblings

Wow – its been a long, long time since I blogged. Guess what I’m going to cheat. Here’s video instead:

You may also be interested to know that LMMS was selected as one of five top innovations in the Humanitarian sector by ALNAP (a major think tank on Humanitarian work).

If you want to read a case study on how innovation took root – consider grabbing a cup of coffee and sitting down to a cracking read: LMMS – ALNAP Case Study LOW RESOULTION File

Okay .. need more LMMS – visit http://www.worldvision.ca/PROGRAMS-AND-PROJECTS/LMMS/Pages/last-mile-mobile-solutions.aspx

Have a good one!

Jay Narhan Project Updates