Marie Stopes Uganda shall today Tuesday 1st December, 2015 launch their Reproductive Health App Challenge at Hive Colab.
The challenge launch will call for applications from reproductive health and technology experts and young people from around Uganda: innovators, developers, healthcare workers, academics, software developers, entrepreneurs, designers and partners who will, in February 2016 gather for a three day hackathon to develop mobile app solutions, create mobile and web-based solutions, to address real healthcare challenges in sexual and reproductive health.
Ugandan startups will be tasked to demonstrate the use of existing Marie Stopes resources API (SMS, USSD and Hotlines) in their app development and submit their app development ideas for the Marie Stopes Developer Challenge. These startups stand a chance of being supported by various partners. The developer challenge will give startups an opportunity to harness their skills and showcase to the rest of the world game changing ideas and products.
This is a great platform to showcase great ideas and provide solutions using the availed resources as well as interact with other great minds and we’d encourage all of you to take part and invite your friends to participate too.
Sponsored by MSU’s Innovation Fund, the hackathon responds to a growing commitment to leverage information and communication technologies to empower young people, complementing MSU’s ongoing work to promote the sexual and reproductive health and rights of young people.
Using methods drawn from design thinking and creative problem solving, the hackathon will encourage participants to think outside-the-box and design unconventional solutions to promote young people’s health. The hackathon will follow principles of “user-centred design”, actively engaging young people in the development of solutions that are based on their real needs and experiences.[related-posts]
The opportunity
There is a high and increasing use of mobile phone technology in the access of health information in Uganda basing on the research by Incite, 2014. Phones are the second means of reaching our clients second to the use of radio in Uganda.
Ugandan startups will be tasked to demonstrate the use of existing Marie Stopes resources API (SMS, USSD and Hotlines) in their app development and submit their app development ideas for the Marie Stopes Developer Challenge. These startups stand a chance of being supported by various partners. The developer challenge will give startups an opportunity to harness their skills and showcase to the rest of the world game changing ideas and products.
The challenge
- Technology has developed in ways that we can now use a toll free hotline to reduce the reproductive health disease burden. How can we use phone applications to increase the use utilization of the toll free hotline?
- There is low male involvement in family planning in Uganda, how can we use phone applications to increase male involvement in family planning and promote maternal health?
- There is a high teenage pregnancy in Uganda where 1/3 girls are at risk of falling pregnant and failing to complete their secondary education. How can we solve this problem with the use of mobile technology?
- Life guard has been proven to be the best socially marketed condom brand in Uganda that has been listed as the ladies choice due to its high quality and unique features namely; the dots and studs. How can mobile technology be used to promote the demand and awareness?
- How can we utilize mobile app technology to increase the uptake of approved videography content and photography as IEC materials for use by community health workers by making them readily available even in remote places?
KEY ACTIVITIES
– Launch – 1st December
Applications open – Immediately after Launch ( Submit Ideas)
– Hackathon – February 2016
Winners announced – February 2016 ( End of Hackathon)
You can register on Evenbtrite if you’d like to attend the event. Registration is free.
