Global Development Conference
October 28-30th in Clermont-Ferrand France
Theme: Inclusive digital transformation – social impacts and technological innovations
Attending this conference was a unique opportunity to hear social scientists, researchers and development practitioners from around the world discuss a wide variety of topics related to the work 60 million girls does in supporting education for girls in the Global South with technology.
From discussions on digital sovereignty we heard about the concept of citizen generated data to enable communities – especially in politically unstable countries- to collect and safeguard their data. The issue of climate change, content development and tech issues in low income countries, in indigenous communities and in fragile states were among the main themes discussed over the course of the event.
Digital offline learning for remote communities – 10 years of field experience unplugged!
Our workshop presentation enabled us to share how and why we developed the Mobile Learning Lab (MLL) to a new audience of mostly NGO practitioners and educators. Our session was ‘’sold-out’’!
We discussed how the RACHEL and the use of solar energy can provide low cost, contextually adapted quality educational content in the most remote and fragile areas of the world. Attendees from El Salvador, Vietnam, Myanmar, Brazil, Nigeria, Ghana, India, Afghanistan, Nepal, Togo, Papua New Guinea among other countries shared their challenges in supporting their local schools. And there are many.
Lorraine Swift, Executive Director of Change for Children – our long-time partner – spoke in detail about how implementation of the MLL in Nicaragua and Guatemala indigenous communities over the last 6 years has worked. From teacher training, to the MLL being integrated into classroom pedagogy, to the creation of climate change content through an indigenous lens, attendees could closely relate to the challenges and needs in so many countries trying to narrow the digital divide.
Diego Demerval , professor at the Federal University of Alagoas and a board member of the Centre for Excellence in Social Technologies (NEES) in Brazil tackled the subject of AI Unplugged for communities unable to access the internet. He shared that in Brazil there are over 20,000 schools in that situation. Based on research he presented, it is estimated to take another 100 years for all students to be able to access the internet at the rate connection is happening today. The question becomes: how do we reach those students more effectively to provide them with a quality education that will enable them to develop the digital skills and critical thinking they need to live in our connected world?
NEES has developed a number of approaches working with the technology – or lack thereof – that is available in low income countries. By understanding what skills teachers already have and what technology exists today in their specific community, applications can be devised incorporating AI not as individual access to regenerative tools like ChatGPT but rather as a direct support to teachers in their delivery of education now.
Using a teacher’s smartphone to take pictures of students’ handwritten exam texts, the content is uploaded by cell where the data from the cohort of students is first transformed into a digital format. The texts are then evaluated for such things as grammar, vocabulary, syntax using AI. The individual and group results are then sent back to the teacher via smartphone so she has an overall understanding of her students’ performance – in less than 5 minutes.
In overcrowded classrooms of 50, 60 – 70 students, in communities with very few resources, applications such as these save time for the teacher, provide immediate feedback which is more helpful and gives the teacher a dashboard of data to better understand her class’s needs. All this using only pencil and paper technology in the classroom and the skills to take pictures with a smartphone. This was an amazing example of how AI can have a deeply meaningful impact in schools with no access to technology today.
A quality education underpins all social development- from health outcomes, poverty reduction, political stability, income generation, climate action, maternal and infant mortality rates, sexual and reproductive health to improved economic outcomes for countries.
And since girls and women are half of the world, we cannot do without their intelligence and skills at every level of society.
Join us to support girls and to provide them, as well as boys, with that life changing right to quality education.
“Nations that fail women fail”
The Economist
Join the Conversation
We invite you to explore concrete, real-world applications of AI that are already supporting teachers and students from Brazil to Uganda and beyond. This isn’t about theoretical possibilities—it’s about proven solutions making a difference today.
Don’t miss this opportunity to be part of the solution.
We will also share insight on our two exceptional projects which will be made possible by the generous donors who answer the call of our 2025 fundraising campaign: empowering girls with digital climate education and experiential learning in Ghana, and supporting climate change education in Rwanda.
Register Now for Our Virtual Conference
> FRENCH: Tuesday, November 18th, 5:30-6:00 p.m.
> ENGLISH: Wednesday, November 19th, 5:30-6:00 p.m.
Together, we can harness AI’s potential to create sustainable, transformative impact for the communities that need it most.