Reflections from a Tech Pioneer – Juliana Rotich

Juliana Rotich is guest blogging for the Forum. She is Co-Founder, Ushahidi, South Africa and a Technology Pioneer. You can follow her on twitter @afromusing

In Klaus Schwab's opening remarks at Davos annual meeting, the idea of constructive optimism stood out for me. In the face of immense challenges around the world, the idea that we can get away from rehashing the same old challenges and focus on tangible ways forward is something that I found inspirational.
 
There are very many sessions, some interactive, some working lunches and dinners where important questions that are global are discussed, noted and included into the pipeline for the agenda of the regional meetings. As someone who is involved with Technology, [Ushahidi is part of the Technology Pioneers program at World Economic Forum] the session on Governing in a New Media Age was a major highlight for me. Questions about the shift in information flow, transparency or the lack of it, wikileaks, the role of civil servants, Gov 2.0 and IT Security were discussed in depth over breakfast. The variety of thoughts and suggestions that will shape the agenda was something I think felt like true constructive optimism. The key people to read regarding these matters were  Jeff Jarvis, Clay Shirky, Jonathan Zittrain and JP Rangaswami.

What struck me after the session is the role of technology in enabling people to say, this is not only what I see, but this is what can be done. The role of tools like Ushahidi that are participatory channels come to mind, not only because it is something I am immersed in, but because if there is one thing that is for sure… No longer are the channels of information just top down anymore. The cat is out of the bag, the public has a voice and they are going to use it. The events unfolding in Egypt are in everyone's mind and for people of the internet like you and me, it is jarring to find that a government can shut off the technology that enables us to connect with each other. At another session on the New Mobile Reality, someone asked the question whether mobile phone access and internet should be considered human rights just as access to water. It becomes rather apparent that these two pieces of technology are the infrastructure not only of many businesses, but now of society. If the Gov 2.0 dream becomes a reality, then it is the infrastructure for that too. The guiding principles that Jeff Jarvis is putting together become even more important as we consider how the world will continue to use the internet and mobile phones. It is rather difficult to remain optimistic after watching the events in Egypt unfold, but we must consider the immense potential of using technology in new ways to provide information and services to the world. 

Many of the technology pioneers here at Davos are showing how this can be done. Carol Realini of Obopayis on the forefront of mobile payments, Dr. Andrew Shiermier of Medicine In Need is changing how vaccines are made available using thin films. You can find out more about the incredible tech pioneers of 2011 on the Forum Website.

As one of this year's tech pioneers, Ushahidi is spreading the adoption of its data collection and interactive mapping technology around the world, as it provides a channel for people to create their own narrative; to not only say this is what I see, but this is what can be done. It is how we use transformative and disruptive technologies that has impact on society, and can lead us to be optimistic about changing the state of the world.