Vodafone Americas Foundation Blog

CareMother, OneSky and Raaji Win First-Ever MIT Solve Innovation for Women Awards by Vodafone Americas Foundation

June Sugiyama with MIT Solve Innovation for Women Awards finalists

From left to right: June Sugiyama, Vodafone Americas Foundation with MIT Solve Innovation for Women Awards finalists Morgan Lance of OneSky and Ameya Bondre and Aditya Kulkarni of CareMother

Earlier this year, we announced our partnership with MIT Solve to combine the legacy of our Wireless Innovation Project® program with their distinguished Solver teams awards for Global Challenges to create the Vodafone Americas Foundation Innovation for Women Prize.

The Innovation for Women Prize awards solutions that use technology to empower and enrich the lives of women and girls. We received incredible nominations and submissions over the last few months that underscore how technology can be used to better the lives of women and girls around the world.

At the MIT Challenge Finals in New York this past weekend, we met with finalists for the award as they presented their solutions. After a great weekend of collaboration and competition, we’re excited to announce the winners of the Innovation for Women Prize.
More

Our New Mission to Empower Women and Girls Through Technology

Photo by Adam Schultz

For the last 10 years, the Vodafone Americas Foundation has been committed to fostering change in global and local communities through connected solutions. In doing so, we’ve seen the true impact of technology in tackling some of the world’s biggest issues. It’s with this knowledge that we’re embarking on a new journey to transform the Vodafone Americas Foundation to focus primarily on empowering women and girls through technology while also supporting our employees around the country to make an impact in their communities.

We believe that by investing in the combination of women and technology, we are investing in change and the ability to make a true social impact globally. With our legacy experience in making social impact through technology for good, we know that by using the right tools to amplify and broaden our reach, we can enrich lives beyond a single woman and girl. In addition, by supporting our employees to make an impact in their local communities, we can collectively make a difference around the globe.
More

How This Non-Profit is Using Technology to Make Healthcare More Equitable for All

Today, 1 billion people around the world will never receive care from a trained health professional. Despite all of the advancements we have made, at least half of the world’s population cannot obtain essential health services. The vast majority of those lacking sufficient care live in poor countries – hospitals are simply stretched too thin, sometimes serving hundreds of thousands of people across areas that may span 100 miles.

More

The Potential for Mobile Data to Impact Social Good

In June, a collaboration between UN Global Pulse, the United Nations, and the GSMA released The State of Mobile Data for Social Good report which looks at how mobile big data can be an incredible resource in driving social good efforts around the world.

The report was produced with the support of Vodafone Americas Foundation and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), and released at an event at the Vodafone offices in New York.  During the event, a panel of experts representing the mobile data for good ecosystem—MNOs, UN, donors, data scientists— explored what opportunities mobile has opened, the challenges the field is facing, and what actions should be taken in order to improve the outcome of mobile data for global development. More

Join Us: Women and Girls Speak Up and Stay Safe: Media and Mobiles Event

Digital technology and social media have given people all over the world ways to make their voices heard, and they’ve also sparked countless meaningful conversations and interactions. However, these platforms, although well intended, do not always lead positive communication. They have unfortunately opened the door for cyberbullying and online harassment, especially targeted at women and girls.

On Tuesday, June 6th, we will host a panel with Internews, in partnership with Technology Salon NYC, to explore the safety and security of women on media platforms. More

Supporting Social Innovation Through Employee Engagement

At the Vodafone Americas Foundation, we bring people together from all sectors to address some of the world’s most pressing social issues. We also know that sometimes the biggest change starts right at home, with our own workforce. As times change, so too do the opportunities for employee engagement. Just a few years ago, employee engagement might refer to volunteering at a local food pantry, or an after-hours mentoring agency. Increasingly, however, the workforce is becoming more diverse, more technologically connected, and more interested in helping their communities in novel and creative ways. More

Fueling Innovation Through Competition

Innovation is a word used so frequently that perhaps it has become almost trivial. Globally, we use innovation to describe many things, from new technologies, to new processes, to disruptive ideas, but the action of innovation itself becomes harder to define, and harder still to execute. Countless ideas are abandoned because entrepreneurs could not find the proper funding or mentorship to build their idea from a mere thought to a reality.

More

Tackling Cyberbullying through Research and Mobile Innovation

Did you know 42% of youth have experienced cyberbullying, and of this group, 54% became depressed or anxious, 21% skipped school, and nearly 16% used alcohol or drugs to cope? It’s a sad reality that YTH (Youth Tech Health) recently discovered in a study by the Vodafone Americas Foundation that analyzes the current cyberbullying landscape.

In October 2016, YTH and the Foundation held a briefing in New York City to present findings from the study and bring together experts and key stakeholders to put the research to action. It was an incredibly special event as we also had young people bravely share their personal cyberbullying experiences with the group. To be in a room with allies who want to create safer online experiences for youth was inspiring and invigorating. However, our research is just half of the story. More