A data-collection tool that is compliant with SDMX-HD will be able to easily exchange indicator data, outcomes data and reports with other M&E tools, databases and spreadsheets. Similar to the “.doc” standard for text documents, this is a means of “future-proofing” M&E applications to ensure they will work across agencies, geographical areas, grantees and donors, as long as they follow the SDMX-HD standard. NPOKI works to reduce redundant systems and standards in the global health community. In this spirit we endorse the WHO’s Statistical Data and Metadata Exchange for Health Domains (SDMX-HD).

In December 2009, NPOKI was nominated by the WHO-led community of practice responsible for designing the normative document, technical documentation and other information that will be ratified as the final SDMX-HD standard, to lead the design, moderation and management of a ‘wiki’ forum at http://www.sdmx-hd.org. The normative document is being developed collaboratively, leveraging NPOKI’s experience in collaborative tools and processes for software development in the global health community. The ratified SDMX-HD standard will be published to the wiki that NPOKI is managing, and can be viewed at http://www.sdmx-hd.org/projects/show/sdmx-hd-standards.

NPOKI encourages its membership to evaluate adopting the SDMX-HD standard as a protocol for importing and exporting data into M&E systems, databases and worksheets. Upon request, we are happy to subscribe members to the wiki at http://www.sdmx-hd.org to keep M&E team members apprised as this new standard moves toward adoption by USAID, the Gates Foundation, the WHO and the UN agencies. Feel free to email sganguly@npoki.org for more information.

*** Please share this message with appropriate staff at your organization ***

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce our sponsorship of an iRider Training on Weds – Fri, March 24, 25, and 26. The three-day training will happen at EngenderHealth in New York:

• Wednesday, March 26 from 9AM to 5PM (with a break for lunch)
• Thursday, March 27 from 9AM to 5PM (with a break for lunch)
• Friday, March 28 from 9AM to 5PM (with a break for lunch)

Keith Edwards, Lissette Bernal-Cruz, Tuba Coskun, David Manuel, and Bill Lester – all experienced iRiders – will be leading the training.

iRiding Training is geared towards staff who train other staff. An iRider is someone from a team who trains other staff in the tool/solutions/best practices that they use to get their work done. If you have people on your staff who go from office to office training staff on topics like…

• Standard Operating Procedures
• Using your Finance System
• Using your Enterprise Resource Planning System
• Project Management Best Practices
• Monitoring & Evaluation Tools and Best Practices
• Human Resources, etc.

…then they are de facto iRiders. They may or may not have these duties as part of their job description and they may be field-based or headquarters-based, but the requirements for being able to effectively transfer knowledge and skills to others go beyond just knowing the content. These are the kinds of staff who benefit from the added skills iRider training provides.

iRider Training helps to improve the peer-learning process, by treating the iRider as an “internal consultant” and giving him/her the skills that good consultants use when working with clients. Some examples of existing EngenderHealth iRiders are Keith Edwards from the Compliance Team, Tuba Coskun from the Knowledge Resource Center, and David (Fifi) Manuel from the Monitoring & Evaluation Team. Since many of these iRiders work externally, you might have experienced them at sector meetings, like InsideNGO or NTEN.

Here’s a link to some iRider information: http://sites.google.com/a/npoki.org/irider/

Fee Schedule per Participant:

NPOKI Members – $299

Non-Members – $599

Last year’s training was a big success, with 22 trainees from 8 international organizations participating. If you (or someone at your organization) would like to be trained as an iRider, please contact info@npoki.org
for more details, or to reserve a spot in the training. The training has limited seating. If you have questions, please feel free to contact me as well.

Regards,

Bill Lester

By DEVIN DWYER

Oct. 27, 2009—

In a wide-ranging interview with ABC News’ Charles Gibson Tuesday, billionaire philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates said Americans should “feel good” about the U.S. government’s generosity abroad and enthusiastically support the work of publicly and privately-funded health initiatives worldwide.

“It’s not often you hear about a government program that’s gone so well, in fact, even better than expected,” said Bill Gates. “We think when people hear about that, they’ll support what’s only a quarter percent of the budget being continued and even increased.”

Watch Bill and Melinda Gates’ interview with Charles Gibson tonight on World News at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Gates, the founder and former CEO of Microsoft, says the millions of dollars spent by the U.S. government on vaccines, drugs, and training for health workers around the world  far more than any other government or foundation  has made a huge difference and has saved millions of lives.

“There’s been a perception in the past that [the money] goes to the dictator, that it’s not well measured,” said Gates. “In fact, these health programs have been designed in a different way&so, we’re bringing those stories here.”

The couple is launching what they call the Living Proof Project to showcase success stories of their foundation’s work around the world.

Find the full interview and videos from the Living Proof Project in our special global health section.

“There’s something that seems strange in this modern world, that you have to make ads and you have to make films and you have to say, ‘Look, we’re showing progress,’” remarked Gibson during the interview.

The Gateses said publicizing the outcomes of U.S. taxpayer-funded initiatives lends credibility to the effort, particularly at a time when many Americans may feel skeptical of how their money is being spent.

“I think really what we’re trying to say is that the U.S. government has made huge investments already, and we want people to know that they’re working,” said Melinda Gates.

Gates: Vaccines Are A ‘Miracle’

Melinda Gates says she and her husband also hope proof of past success will garner support to tackle existing health crises like the high mortality rate of newborns and their mothers worldwide. “We think there should be a little bit of an increase in U.S. government funding, but not a substantial increase” for these areas which have seen less progress, she said.

The Gates Foundation, which is perhaps most widely known for its ambitious, decades-old global vaccine initiative, has struggled in recent years to bring in broad contributions from foreign governments and private donors.

“We would like to see more [contributions] because vaccines are just such a miracle,” Bill Gates told Gibson. “When I look at&this immunization effort, 2.5 million kids are alive because of that effort that wouldn’t have been there before. So when I go out and meet people and see what the difference is, then you don’t lose hope.”

He told Gibson that while many global health groups focus on treatment of the sick, his focus is on developing new vaccines to prevent the spread of diseases like tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS. He said vaccines are inexpensive tools that give lifelong protection.

“In the long run, it’s self-sufficiency that we’re aiming for,” he said.

Gates concedes that is often easier said than done. Corrupt and unstable governments, widespread poverty, and gender inequality can undercut efforts to improve health in what he called “the toughest countries in the world.”

“We want to give people a sense of where things have gone very well and admit that, in a few cases, these conditions make it tough and the progress has been less than we hoped for,” Gates said.

Still, Bill and Melinda Gates say, the story of the few should not overshadow the “overwhelming impact” of money well spent. “The U.S. has a view of equality that, you know, doesn’t stop at the borders& In terms of how people think about the United States, I think it’s a very positive thing,” Bill Gates said.

Gates Discusses Life After Microsoft

Asked about the ongoing health care debate in the U.S., Gates said it’s a very complex topic but entirely separate from the mission of improving global health.

“As much as is broken in U.S. health care,” Gates said, “we can assume our children by and large are going to live healthy, long lives… The U.S. wants to improve. That’s a fantastic thing. But we can do both.”

On the economy, Gates said the stabilization of the financial markets is “great for the world” and that “people will debate for decades” which measures have facilitated the turnaround.

He told Gibson that he continues his involvement with Microsoft, the company he founded in 1976, although the Gates Foundation remains his primary focus. “I love the work that Microsoft does,” he said, “I love the magic of software even now.” Gates stepped down as CEO in January 2000.

As for his prediction about the future of personal computing, Gates said “the ability to have the computer see you, see gestures you’re making…voice interaction& that’s coming more and more,” he said. “And so this kind of natural interface will make the computer more pervasive — less, you know, this single device.”

Watch Bill and Melinda Gates’ interview with Charles Gibson.

27 Sep 2009

Aspiration is delighted to announce that William (Bill) Lester has joined our Board of Directors, effective immediately. Welcome Bill!

Bill is the Executive Director of NonProfit Organizations Knowledge Initiative (NPOKI). A visionary in use of Information and Communications Technologies (particularly in low-resource settings), Bill is well-known in the nonprofit knowledge management and technology communities, and is a popular speaker at many industry gatherings. As Chief Information Officer for EngenderHealth for 15 years, Bill has been instrumental in capturing and sharing the organization’s operational and programmatic best practices and lessons learned. In 2007, he was honored with NTEN’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Bill was elected to the Board of InsideNGO (formerly APVOFM) in 2008. He was an NTEN board member from 2000 – 2007, participates on the advisory committees for NPOWER and KABISSA, and is a NPOKI founding member. A strong proponent of social entrepreneurship, Bill works worldwide to promote and encourage problem-solvers. His personal mission is “Imagine-Build-Connect”.

We are happy and honored to welcome such a passionate and committed innovator to the Aspiration family.

http://www.aspirationtech.org/blog/william_lester_joins_aspirations_board

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