CALL FOR PAPERS CLOSES FEBRUARY 15TH   SEND SUBMISSIONS TO UFAHAMU@GMAIL.COM     CALL FOR PAPERS FOR UFAHAMU DUE FEB. 15, 2022   The editors of Ufahamu: A Journal of African Studies are currently accepting submissions for Volume 43, Issue 2.  In honor of the journal’s recent 50th anniversary of publication, this special retrospective issue will include republished essays from the back catalog alongside new submissions including, but not limited to:   Essays Poems Book reviews Visual arts   This call gives special consideration to those submissions which directly engage with the themes covered in the first decades of Ufahamu’s publication.  Examples include direct engagement with a previously published article in Ufahamu, a paper written through citations of past Ufahamu writings, or any submission addressing themes such as:   Anti-colonialism National liberation Consciousness Pan-Africanism Black Marxisms Diaspora Activist-intellectualism and much more!   The editors are also soliciting articles concerning contemporary political issues in Africa and the diaspora in the spirit of Ufahamu’s original activist-academic ethos.   Ufahamu’s full catalog is freely available and digitized at https://escholarship.org/uc/international_asc_ufahamu/1/1   For more information about Ufahamu, please visit https://international.ucla.edu/asc/ufahamu   ----------------   Information forwarded by the UCLA African Studies Center – www.international.ucla.edu/africa     Read more

We invite participants to this multi-location hybrid conference, ‘Remapping the feminist global’ co-convened by International Feminist Journal of Politics and Asian Center for Women’s Studies, Ewha Womans University. Read more

Indiana University is accepting applications for fellowships and scholarships to support study in its intensive summer programs in Akan, Swahili or Wolof in summer 2022. Courses are offered in an in-person/online hybrid format or a fully online format.   Participants may also join a 1-credit African Studies course in English: "Military Engagement and Global Power Competition in Africa." All participants pay in-state tuition and earn 6-10 credits. Several scholarship and fellowship programs are available. Funding and priority admission application deadline is January 29, 2022.   See http://languageworkshop.indiana.edu for course-by-course details and application forms. Questions? Write to us at languageworkshop@indiana.edu Read more or reply Read more

PAS Bamako invites proposals for projects that strengthen ties between the United States and Mali by promoting bilateral cooperation and highlighting shared values and shared interests. All programs must advance one of the key priorities listed below and must promote an element of American culture or have a connection with American expert/s, organization/s, or institution/s in a specific field that will promote increased ties between the United States and Mali and foster understanding of U.S. policies and perspectives. The PAS Small Grants program is NOT a vehicle to fund development projects, nor can these grants be used to support for-profit entities.    Examples of PAS Small Grants Program projects include, but are not limited to: Artistic and cultural workshops, joint performances, and exhibitions Academic and professional lectures, seminars, and speaker programs Cultural heritage conservation and preservation programs Civic engagement and social activism programs Key Priority Areas and Audiences   The purpose of projects funded under the annual program statement is to strengthen ties between Americans and Malians as we work together to make progress toward the goals outlined below. Strengthening independent media and fighting disinformation through media literacy, training and other engagement; Reinforcing existing Sister City relationships or other relationships between U.S. and Malian institutions (e.g. universities or museums) Ensuring participation of citizens, especially women and youth, in the democratic process; Fostering economic growth and entrepreneurship; Advancing anti-corruption efforts and promoting transparency and good governance; Promoting inclusive social development, particularly by empowering women and girls; Engaging underserved populations, including persons with disabilities, through art, sports, culture and other creative programs; Promoting tolerance and peace; Strengthening community resilience to extremism; and Promoting English language study and acquisition.  For more information or to apply visit grants.gov Read more

The U.S. Mission in Uganda’s Public Affairs Office is pleased to announce that funding is available through the Public Diplomacy Grant Program for projects ranging in value from $5,000 to $40,000. Projects for greater values will be considered on a case-by-case basis.    Grants are intended for committed and organized civil-society organizations, local representatives of civil society, think tanks, non-governmental organizations, cultural institutions, and academic institutions. Awards to individuals will also be considered on a case-by-case basis. All grantees must have a non-profit status.    Notice: For Fiscal Year 2022 all proposals submitted in response to this Annual Program Statement must include a contingency plan describing how the proposed activity would be implemented in the event that COVID-19 related health restrictions are in place during the anticipated period of performance.    Objectives and Project Outcomes:  The objectives of the Public Diplomacy Grant Program are to promote positive relations between the people of Uganda and the United States; reinforce shared values; and connect high potential Ugandan youth and young professionals (aged 16 to 35) as well as established professional leaders to the American people through projects that:  Help Ugandan youth aged 16 – 35, especially young women, explore and discover their potential through innovative science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programs, as well as entrepreneurship programs.  Encourage Ugandan youth aged 16 – 35 to participate in civic life through social entrepreneurship, volunteerism, and community engagement.  Strengthen understanding of U.S. values and institutions; highlight U.S. culture, including American Studies; and support diversity, inclusion, and equality.  Utilize the power of the arts to promote positive self-expression, social change, and economic opportunity among Ugandan youth aged 16 – 35.  Equip emerging community leaders (e.g., sports coaches, arts instructors, and cultural professionals) aged 22 – 35 with the skills and knowledge necessary to grow their organizations or to enhance their engagement with youth audiences.  Promote the development and application of new technologies and innovative solutions to economic, environmental, and social challenges. Projects could connect U.S. technology or public policy experts with Ugandan peers or foster the application of American technology and innovations to address challenges in Ugandan communities.  Support civil society organizations (CSOs) in developing a vibrant and prosperous democratic society through programs that strengthen NGO management, enhance the skills of early to mid-career NGO/CSO professionals, strengthen networks between NGO/CSO professionals in the United States and Uganda, or demonstrate to the public the positive role CSOs play in advancing a prosperous, healthy, and informed society.      U.S. Content  In order to be eligible for funding consideration, proposals must demonstrate significant U.S. content.  U.S. content can include, for example, the substantial participation of U.S. experts or alumni of U.S. government exchange programs, partnership with U.S. organizations or educational institutions, the involvement of U.S. companies present in Uganda, the application or adaptation of U.S. models and best practices, or learning materials related to American history, society, culture, government, or institutions. Initiatives that promote sustained cooperation between the people of the United States and Uganda even after program funding has concluded are encouraged.  Proposals without significant U.S. content will not be considered for funding.    Activities that are typically funded include, but are not limited to:  Programs that reinforce and amplify lessons learned by alumni of State Department-funded exchange programs (both American and Ugandan alumni);  Youth engagement and leadership programs;  Workshops, seminars, trainings, and master classes on American themes or issues of mutual interest mentioned in the above goals of the Program;  Programs to empower young women;  Radio, television, and social media training and programming in support of the above program objectives;  Programs designed as a partnership between a Ugandan and U.S. organization;  Initiatives in support of the above program objectives that make creative use of the Mission’s American Center in Kampala or Nile Explorer bus, a mobile classroom that provides extracurricular learning opportunities in STEM and other subjects through visits to underserved communities across Uganda.    Activities that are not typically funded include, but are not limited to:  Social welfare, community development, or vocational skilling projects,  Fees and travel costs to attend conferences in the United States,  Ongoing salary costs and office equipment,  Paying to complete activities begun with other funds,  Projects that are inherently political in nature or that contain the appearance of partisanship/support to individual or single party electoral campaigns,  Political party activities,  Projects that support specific religious activities,  Trade activities; fundraising campaigns; commercial projects; scientific research; construction projects; or projects whose primary aim is the institutional development of the organization itself.  For more information or to apply, please visit grants.gov Read more

    We are pleased to announce the Eighth International Conference on Higher Education Advances (HEAd’22), as a hybrid conference (in-person and virtual conference, simultaneously). Every year, HEAd brings together around 250 participants from more than 50 countries to exchange ideas, experiences and research results related to the preparation of students, teaching/learning methodologies and the organization of educational systems.      The HEAd'22 conference will be held on June 14-17, 2022 on the Faculty of Business Administration and Management of the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), which has been recently ranked as the best technical university in Spain by the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU) 2021.   The program committee encourages the submission of articles that communicate applied and empirical findings of interest to higher education professionals. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following topic areas: Innovative materials and new tools for teaching Educational technology (e.g., virtual labs, e-learning) Evaluation and assessment of student learning Emerging technologies in learning (e.g., MOOC, OER, gamification) Scientific and research education Experiences outside the classroom (e.g., practicums, mobility) New teaching/learning theories and models Globalization in education and education reforms Education economics Teaching and learning experiences Entrepreneurship and learning for employment Education accreditation, quality and assessment Competency-based learning and skill assessment Important Dates Submission deadline: February 4, 2022Acceptance notification: April 6, 2022Camera ready due: April 25, 2022Conference dates: June 14-17, 2022 Publications All accepted papers will appear in the conference proceedings with a DOI and ISBN number. They will be published in open access by UPV Press and submitted to be indexed in major international bibliographic databases. Previous editions are indexed in Scopus and the Thomson-Reuters Conference Proceedings Citation Index - Web of Science Core Collection (former ISI Proceedings). Awards The Program Committee will select the winners for the Best Paper and Best Student Paper awards. To be eligible for the best student paper award, the presenting author of the paper must be a full-time student. Submission guidelines Authors from all over the world are invited to submit original and unpublished papers, which are not under review in any other conference or journal. All papers will be peer reviewed by the program committee based on their originality, significance, methodological soundness, and clarity of exposition.   Submitted papers must be written in English and should be in PDF format. They must follow the instructions in the template file, available in Microsoft Word format at: http://www.headconf.org/template.docx   Paper length must be between 4 and 8 pages, incorporating all text, references, figures and tables. Submissions imply the willingness of at least one author to register, attend the conference, and present the paper.   HEAd'22 is using the OCS platform of UPV Press to manage the submissions. This platform provides you with a submissions homepage where you can register your paper submission and make appropriate changes. The submission website is: http://www.headconf.org/submission-instructions/   The organizing committee looks forward to welcoming you all to a fruitful conference with open discussions and important networking to promote high quality education. Read more

Call for Expression of InterestAwards to support the application fees for professional recognition of research managers and administrators in Africa  This call for expression of interest serves to invite research managers/administrators to put themselves forward as candidates for professional recognition. The professional recognition application fees will be sponsored for the selected candidates.Competitive research environments require efficient and responsive individuals with specialised administrative, managerial and strategic skills to strengthen the research mission and intensity of the organisation. The International Professional Recognition Council (IPRC) was established as an autonomous body of expert research managers to recognise these individuals as professionals.Professional recognition is awarded through the review of a portfolio of evidence by peers on the IPRC and it is granted to research managers/administrators for their professional knowledge, based on prior learning, experience, functional and transferable expertise. The IPRC recently launched a call for applications for professional recognitions in the following categories: Research Administrator Professional (RAP), Research Management Professional (RMP) and Senior Research Management Professional (SRMP).  Read more about the IPRC and the call for professional recognition. It is the IPRC’s vision to establish the professional recognition programme as a programme for Africa. In support of this vision, the Research Management Programme in Africa (ReMPro Africa) is supporting awards to enable fifteen research managers/administrators from across Africa to apply for professional recognition. ReMPro Africa aims to fill critical gaps in the African research ecosystem to support a vibrant research culture and leadership at universities and research institutions.What will the awards cover?The awards will fund the professional recognition application fees of the selected candidates. The following awards are available: Research Administrator Professional (RAP) – five awards Research Management Professional (RMP) – six awards Senior Research Management Professional (SRMP) – four awards EligibilityInterested research managers/administrators should demonstrate their suitability for and commitment to professional recognition and consider the following criteria. Employed in a research management role, at an administrative, management or leadership level (as relevant) at an organisation based in Africa (applicants will typically support researchers directly or support the research life cycle in some way or the other, including research policy or strategy development) A member of a research management association (e.g., Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA); West African Research and Innovation Management Association (WARIMA); East African Research and Innovation Management Association (EARIMA); Central African Research and Innovation Management Association (CARIMA); Northern African Research and Innovation Management Association (NARIMA)) Professional designation specific criteria:  Research Administrator Professional (RAP) awards New entrants to the profession (one to three years’experience) OR those who have been in the profession for some time but who have not yet advanced professionally Committed to professional development Committed to apply for the RAP designation  Research Management Professional (RMP) awards Mid- to advanced career research managers with an undergraduate qualification and a minimum of three years’ relevant work experience at the management level, OR a minimum of five years’ relevant work experience without a qualification A record of completed research management related training A track record of competence in and professional contributions to research management Committed to apply for the RMP designation Senior Research Management Professional (SRMP) awards Research managers who serve in leadership or strategic roles with a postgraduate qualification at a master’s level or beyond, and have five years of relevant work experience A record of completed research management related training A track record of competence in and professional contributions to research management at a leadership level Committed to apply for the SRMP designation How to apply Submit the expression of interest no later than 30 December 2021. Expressions of interests will be reviewed by a panel and selected candidates will receive an award letter by 31 January 2022. Selected candidates finalise and submit their applications for professional recognition for the selected designation through the IPRC’s online application system (https://iprcouncil.com/) before 31 May 2022. Awards will be made upon submission of the duly completed application for professional recognition. EnquiriesPlease direct enquiries to Dr Karin Dyason at karin@sarima.co.za Read more

Livestock as Global and Imperial Commodities: Economies, Ecologies and Knowledge Regimes, c. 1500 – present Annual Commodities of Empire International Workshop, Freie Universität Berlin, 14-15 July 2022 Livestock has played a crucial role in imperial politics, economies and societies over the past centuries. The expansion of animal raising often went hand in hand with settler colonialist land expropriation, and various animals were in many places crucial to colonial conquest and exploitation. Moreover, livestock and livestock commodities, such as meat, wool, hides and tallow were traded and consumed within and across boundaries, both imperial and non-imperial. Such commodification processes not only relied on settler livestock frontiers, but also on the transformation of indigenous livestock economies, knowledge regimes and local ecologies. They were closely tied to the global expansion of capitalism and, as such, also affected non-colonial and post-imperial spaces across the world in many similar, yet sometimes also diverging ways. However, compared to agricultural cash crops and minerals, imperial and global histories of livestock are still quite rare. This workshop addresses this important research gap. It aims to explore the different (political, economic, societal, cultural, religious, ecological and scientific) dimensions of livestock production and commodification in global and imperial history.   We broadly define livestock as domesticated animals that are raised for multiple purposes, most notably for their labour (draft, pack, riding and powering machinery); their skin, hair, horns, shells, feathers, etc. (for clothing or ornaments); their meat, milk and eggs (for nutritional purposes); their manure (as fertilizer or fuel); their body parts (for medicinal purposes); their monetary value (for barter, savings and marriage payments); or their symbolic value (for religious uses, punishments and displays of prestige). Our definition includes cattle, water buffaloes, yaks, reindeer, sheep, goats, pigs, camels, elephants, horses, mules, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, poultry and ostriches, and we would also welcome papers on (shell)fish farming. Yet, we would exclude wild animals that are hunted, exhibited and/or subjected to conservationist measures. These will be addressed in a second workshop in 2023.   Potential paper topics may relate to: ·     the politics of livestock production: colonial control over land and/or pastoralist societies, local/imperial food security, capitalist expansion, international organisations such as FAO, etc. ·     modes of livestock raising: nomadic, semi-nomadic and settled pastoralism and mixed farming, large-scale ranching, industrial animal farming, ownership by international corporations, etc. ·     social conditions and effects of livestock production: social stratification, gender, race, caste, religious, and ethnic roles, changing labour forms and relations, (legal) regimes of land and livestock ownership, etc. ·     environmental consequences: deforestation, formation of grasslands, soil erosion, (water) pollution, global warming through methane emissions, etc. ·     veterinary, agricultural and environmental knowledge and technologies: (non-)circulation of knowledge, conflicting knowledge regimes and actors, scientific institutions and practices such as experimental stations, cross-breeding and selective breeding techniques, practices of disease control, etc. ·     processing of livestock commodities: slaughterhouses, processing of hides, wool and dairy, techniques for dried, salted, canned, frozen and chilled meat, etc. ·     trading infrastructures and networks: transport technologies, ports, trade companies, credit mechanisms, etc. ·     livestock labour: transport, warfare, role in agriculture, forestry and mining for the production of other (global) commodities such as  sugar, teak or silver, etc. ·     local, imperial and global uses of livestock commodities: for food, clothing, fertilizer, medicine, payments, etc.   We are interested in cases from all geographical regions and in approaches from various disciplines. In addition to historians, we welcome papers from anthropologists, sociologists, veterinary scientists, zoologists, environmentalists and other scholars working on the global and imperial history of livestock and livestock commodities.   This two-day workshop is a collaborative venture between the Commodities of Empire British Academy Research Project and the Commodifying Cattle Research Project funded by the German Research Foundation at the Free University Berlin. Following the long-standing practice of Commodities of Empire workshops, papers will be grouped in thematic panels, pre-circulated to all workshop participants, and panel discussions will be opened by a chair or discussant. Paper-givers will then have the possibility to reply succinctly, and this will be followed by open discussion. Papers presented at the workshop may be considered for publication in the Commodities of Empire Working Papers series: https://commoditiesofempire.org.uk/publications/working-papers/. We strongly encourage graduate students and other early career scholars to propose papers. Costs of accommodation in and, within certain limits, travel to Berlin will be covered. We have special funding for scholars coming from the Global South. Please note, however, that while we aim to hold the workshop on site at the Free University Berlin, we might have to hold the workshop virtually, or in a hybrid form, depending on the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic and the (travel) restrictions it entails.   Please e-mail expressions of interest, with a title and an abstract of no more than 300 words, by 31 January 2022 to Samuël Coghe, Free University Berlin, samuel.coghe@fu-berlin.de. We will notify authors about the acceptance of their papers by 15 March 2022. They will then be asked to submit a draft paper of approx. 5,000-6,000 words (not counting footnotes and bibliography) 3 weeks prior to the event. Read more

The US Embassy Nairobi invites interested applicants to submit proposals from implementing partners for 2022 -2023 English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) in response to the reference Notice of Funding Announcement (NOFO). Due to the uncertain situation with the COVID19 pandemic in Kenya, the Program might be delayed or postponed. There might also be restrictions in numbers of people who can attend public gatherings, travels and curfews hours, which might affect the implementation of the program. In this regard the submitted proposal should have an innovative component to engage Access students both in person and virtually. For virtual programs, proposals should offer creative ideas for remote/online content delivery, online/virtual promotional activities, and virtual participant/audience follow-up.    Background Information  The English Access Microscholarship Program (Access) is a global program supported by the U.S Department of State. Access provides highly motivated economically disadvantaged youth with an opportunity to learn English language skills and enhance leadership through teaching the basics of American culture and values of democratic development and civic engagement. It gives participants skills that may lead to better jobs and educational prospects. The program targets 13 – 20 year old students from underprivileged families to participate in afterschool instructions and intensive sessions. Since its inception in 2004, approximately 198,408 students in more than 95 countries have participated in the Access Program. In Kenya, there are more than 780 Access alumni, many of who are studying at, or have graduated from, top-tier universities throughout the country. The Access program must provide two years of English study, consisting of at least 180 hours of instruction per year.   The goal of the Access Program is to equip bright, talented, economically deserving students with a range of global citizenship skills anchored by the core components of enhanced English language skills and a stronger Kenyan-U.S. cross-cultural understanding. The global citizenship skills aim to build individuals with stronger self-esteem and a keen sense of public service in an increasingly globalized world. Global citizenship skills include, but are not limited to, critical and creative thinking, leadership, information technology, civic outreach, and media literacy. Participants should commit to enroll in classes during the full two year program. Selected participants must be bright, economically-disadvantaged secondary school students with a beginning level of English, ideally in Form 2 at the beginning of the program in January 2022. Students will graduate with certificates of completion from the U.S. Embassy Nairobi at the end of their two-year program.     PROGRAM DESCRIPTION  The Public Diplomacy Section of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi announces an open competition to equip bright, talented, economically deserving students to learn English, develop civic engagement and leadership skills and gain multicultural awareness through teaching the basis of American culture and vales. Project-based and task-based approaches should be employed in order to help learners to understand and work on authentic local and global challenges. The English language component should break from traditional models to deliver a more meaningful, interactive language learning experience centered on the learner. Project-based and experiential approaches should be employed in order to help the learner use English to understand, discuss, and resolve authentic local and global challenges. Enhancement and off-site immersion activities should help extend the language learning experience beyond the classroom walls. Access classrooms should serve as strong educational models for a community. Programs should, where possible, aim at sharing new and relevant practices with English teachers in other schools, especially those from which the Access students are chosen. Other members of the community, including interested administrators, content teachers, and future educators studying at nearby universities, can also be included in outreach efforts. The participants’ parents should also be made aware of what and how the students are learning, and appraised of what they can do at home to encourage their children to learn more effectively. Civic outreach activities should further cement the connection between the Access program and community.    Providers can submit proposals of varying size with a minimum of $50,000 USD and a maximum of $175,000 USD, depending on the Provider’s capability, infrastructure, and geographic spread. The grantee should work with students in Mombasa and/or Isiolo Counties. The project supports the Embassy’s strategic goal of sustaining Kenyan economy to achieve rapid economic growth. Program proposals should include using U.S. exchange program alumni, and the target region is Mombasa and/or Isiolo Counties. Ideal partners include Educational Institutions, non-profit organizations that use innovative methods to reach to economically disadvantaged youths in this region.    U.S. Embassy Nairobi reserves the right to split the project between two or more providers and may request providers to adjust their final proposals and budgets as necessary. All possible costs – instruction, books/materials, transportation, enhancement activities, administration, food and possible accommodation for intensive sessions – should be covered.   For more information about this opportunity or to apply, please visit grants.gov Read more

The U.S Mission to Nigeria is accepting proposals from eligible organizations seeking project funding through the Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) for fiscal year 2022. The deadline for the submission of proposals is December 5, 2021 at 11:59pm.    AFCP Program Objectives:  The Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) Grants Program was established in 2001 at the request of the Congress, reflected in the Conference Report on the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2001 (P. L. 106-553). AFCP was launched to preserve cultural heritage and to demonstrate U.S. respect for other cultures. The aim is to preserve of major ancient archaeological sites, historic buildings and monuments, and major museum collections that have an historical or cultural significance to the cultural heritage of Nigeria.   Appropriate project activities may include:    a) Anastylosis (reassembling a site from its original parts);  b) Conservation (addressing damage or deterioration to an object or site);  c) Consolidation (connecting or reconnecting elements of an object or site);  d) Documentation (recording in analog or digital format the condition and salient features of an object, site, or tradition);  e) Inventory (listing of objects, sites, or traditions by location, feature, age, or other unifying characteristic or state);  f) Preventive Conservation (addressing conditions that threaten or damage a site, object, collection, or tradition);  g) Restoration (replacing missing elements to recreate the original appearance of an object or site, usually appropriate only with fine arts, decorative arts, and historic buildings);  h) Stabilization (reducing the physical disturbance of an object or site).    Competition Format: Both AFCP small and large grants are now combined to a single program and projects will be selected in two rounds. During Round 1, embassies will submit concept notes for both small and large projects that focus on the public diplomacy objectives that may be accomplished through the proposed project. Applicants invited to participate in Round 2 will flesh out the technical aspects of the proposed project and submit a full application. Awards will range from $10,000 to $500,000.   For more information about this opportunity or to apply, please visit grants.gov Read more

Background The elimination of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is feasible but its progress is hindered by the suboptimal implementation of available interventions. Challenges faced by NTD programs can range from poor targeting of interventions, low treatment coverage among specific sub-groups, and lack of surveillance systems that can meet the sensitivity and specificity requirements for the endgame of disease elimination. These challenges could be addressed by the development of innovative solutions but also by the application of existing tools and technologies which are effectively used by other health programs, including polio, malaria and immunization. We see an opportunity to identify and demonstrate feasibility of innovative solutions and new applications of existing technologies to address the challenges faced by national NTD programs in mapping, targeting, disease and vector surveillance, and other endgame strategies. The Challenge We have partnered with Kikundi, a community of practice for NTD program managers in Africa, to identify areas for transformational innovation in service of national NTD programs. We invite proposals that will address one or more of the following areas: Methods to rapidly map NTDs, including integrated mapping Methods to better target existing interventions Strategies to target subgroups routinely missed by programs Approaches to vector surveillance Integrated surveillance that leverages other health surveillance platforms Strategies for post-elimination surveillance, including cross-border surveillance. Funding level: up to USD $200,000 for each project, with a grant term of up to 18 months depending on the scope of the project. We are looking for proposals that: Are led by institutions, which could be ministries of health, based in sub-Saharan Africa (other global partners may be included but at least 80% of funding should go to sub-Saharan Africa) Demonstrate partnership with national NTD programs Propose innovations and applications that are scalable Have a plan for how the proposed solution would be tested or validated, and report its impact on NTD elimination goals and program efficiency For more information about this opportunity or to apply, please visit the Grand Global Challenges website. Read more

Background Digital health is revolutionizing the landscape of global healthcare. Solutions such as telemedicine, electronic medical records, and digitally enabled devices help to provide accessible, high-quality care around the world. These services have the potential to be especially impactful in low-income areas where care provided by highly trained individuals is not as common. Digital health can empower individual patients by enabling them to manage their own healthcare journeys. It can also drive systemic change through affordable, wide-reaching services that reduce the strain on healthcare professionals and facilities in low-resource settings. The Maternal, Newborn & Child Health Discovery & Tools team believes that the ability to leverage digital health systems can enhance care and reduce adverse birth outcomes in low-and-middle income countries. One area of focus is the stratification of pregnancy risk to ensure that patients are put on the appropriate care pathway. This can enable tertiary facilities to focus their constrained resources on high-risk pregnancies, while low-risk pregnancies are managed at lower levels of care. Antenatal Risk Stratification (ARS) is a portfolio of devices and data that predicts a pregnant woman’s risk of experiencing adverse birth outcomes in early pregnancy. Building and implementing an ARS solution requires three key steps. 1) Collect data on pregnant women (e.g., patient history, clinical data, and diagnostic results with an emphasis on ultrasound and hemoglobin assessment). 2) Use data as inputs in a robust, AI decision model that accurately predicts a pregnant woman’s risk of adverse birth outcomes. 3) Support clinical decision making by using the predicted risk to pre-emptively triage patients across different levels of the healthcare system. Through this process, ARS would enable more efficient resource allocation by sending the riskiest patients to high-level facilities, while referring low-risk patients to community or public health centers. ARS would aim to improve the quality of care for pregnant women by ensuring that they can receive the right level of care. Developing and delivering an ARS solution will require a robust digital backbone including tools for data collection, automated analytics, and platforms that connect to patients and healthcare providers. Before ARS can be successfully implemented, a landscape of digital health devices, partners, and services must be put into place. The Challenge We seek patient-facing digital health services for pregnant women that have been developed and are actively being provided in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We will consider proposals for services that can support or contribute to our ARS vision via digital applications. Types of services that we would consider include: Engagement: Services that increase the participation of pregnant women in digital healthcare. (E.g., a platform to provide group antenatal care or a telemedicine platform that allows pregnant women to send medical questions to doctors by text) Adoption of existing platforms: Services that leverage existing digital systems/platforms to support pregnant women (e.g., contacting patients about care or scheduling using an existing messaging app like WhatsApp) Data collection: Services that collect data from pregnant women that could support clinical care. (E.g., a mobile app that allows pregnant women to track their pregnancy through metrics such as weight and fetal movement) Algorithm development: Services that use data from pregnant women to assess or make predictions about their health (e.g., a web-based tool where pregnant women can input information to receive an automatic assessment on whether or not they should see a doctor) We seek projects that will help us develop and deliver an ARS solution in sub-Saharan Africa. Proposals should endeavor to build upon existing solutions to help support ARS. Potential options include (but are not limited to): Researching implementation methods for a solution (e.g., conducting market research for an existing app that supports one or more of the objectives outlined above) Expanding the scope of a solution (e.g., translating a web-based app to mobile platforms to increase engagement) Adding features/functionality to a solution (e.g., adding cloud-based data collection to a mobile app) Improving the delivery of a solution (e.g., integrating a mobile app into an existing clinical health system) Funding level: up to USD $500,000 for each project, with a grant term of 6 to 24 months depending on the scope of the project. We will consider solutions that are: Developed and/or actively supported in sub-Saharan Africa (note: development/active support does not include cases when groups outside of SSA are testing their solutions on users in SSA) Delivered in sub-Saharan Africa Providing pregnancy-related services Offered directly to pregnant women (i.e., patient-facing) Currently available for use and interested in expansion Serving a substantial and active user base in sub-Saharan Africa (e.g., more than ~100 users) Digitally integrated (i.e., have a strong, technical component)   Clearly linked to the development and implementation of ARS Preference for solutions that reach women in both rural and urban areas in sub-Saharan Africa For more information about this opportunity or to apply, please visit the Grand Global Challenges website. Read more