DevClear: An information-sharing platform for rural development

Abstract

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) around the world are engaged in community development activities to improve access to basic human services, such as water supply and sanitation (WASAN). In spite of their efforts to address critical human needs, a lack of communication between NGOs, the communities they serve, and the agencies that fund them has inhibited widespread efforts or sustained progress. Because the most severely affected communities lack reliable access to the Internet, they cannot use available web-based systems to connect to agents and resources that can help them. Additionally, an effective accountability system that evaluates the performance of NGOs delivering services to communities-in-need does not exist. This capstone project develops a system called DevClear that allows communities-in-need, NGOs, funding agents (FAs), and external service providers (ESPs) to share information about the need for and acquisition of access to WASAN services. DevClear is an SMS-enabled web-based tool that facilitates information sharing between these four major stakeholders. DevClear also includes a simple rating system of NGOs and their respective projects that may serve as an informal accountability system for NGOs. The project's success is measured by; the extent of reach of information, the speed in disseminating the information, the accessibility to the information sharing service by stakeholders, the flexibility in changing and updating the information, and the cost. This paper outlines the approach used to design and develop the system, and describes the frontend design, backend design, SMS functionality, and integration of subsystems into a prototype.