The Better Immunization Data Story
Ona’s involvement in PATH’s BID Initiative began in January 2017, when we started developing the Zambia Electronic Immunization Register (ZEIR), in partnership with PATH, Zambia MOH, and BlueCode. ZEIR, built on top of OpenSRP, targets nurses and other frontline health workers in Zambia to help them track immunizations and identify missed children. Read about the entire experience in
At WHO presenting on Innovative Digital Strategies for Equity and Effectiveness
On Thursday, November 8th we will be speaking at the World Health Organization (WHO) on innovative digital strategies that work towards health for all people. This talk is hosted by the Innovations Hub and the Reproductive Health and Research (RHR) Department. This is following a great meeting we’ve had with colleagues at WHO and across
Presenting on Machine Learning for Healthcare at the Royal Academy of Engineers
This past week we were in Vietnam for the Royal Academy of Engineers Frontiers of Development symposium, which is brought together engineering leaders in academia and industry to solve global development issues. I presented on ways to re-think how we can utilize machine learning and engineering in low and middle income countries to create more
2018 Retreat + A New Mission + Ona is 5 Years Old
Last week, our team spent three days in beautiful Watamu, Kenya for the annual company retreat. We took stock of our first five years and also spent a good deal of time planning for 2019 and beyond. Here are some highlights: A New Mission CEO Matt Berg unveiled the new company mission: “Ensure equitable access to
Ona at the WFP and Gates Foundation Vaccine Delivery Workshop
We spent last week at the WFP Innovation Accelerator in Munich. As the winner of a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation GCE grant for vaccine delivery, Ona, mPower, and the JHU SPH workshopped our True Cover project. We were one of eight teams selected to refine our ideas while networking with mentors, experts, and each
Ona at the Stanford Social Impact Careers Event
Yesterday we attended the Stanford Social Impact Careers event to discuss the work we’re doing and network with current Stanford students. It was great to see the enthusiasm and ingenuity students are bringing. As a Stanford alumnus it’s always inspiring and reinvigorating to be back on campus. We’re looking forward to working together with the
Ona Named One of TIME’s 50 “Genius Companies” 2018
For Immediate Release – Download Press Release African data firm focuses on solving public health and social challenges through technology TIME named Kenya-based data and technology company Ona one of the world’s top 50 “Genius Companies” of 2018 today, in its first annual list recognizing innovative businesses that are changing the way we work, live and play. Ona,
Digitizing Sexual Health Information With WHO
In many parts of the world, young people lack access to accurate and understandable information on sexual and reproductive health. Myths and misconceptions are common and can lead to unnecessary anxiety, vulnerability to exploitation, and risky behaviour. In an Ona partnership with WHO, Kenya’s International Centre for Reproductive Health (ICRH-K) in Mombasa, and the Universidad
Reflecting On My Internship Experience
by Davis Internships: a chance for university students to sit at desks doing menial tasks that contribute close to nothing while watching professionals work on meaningful projects. This was my initial thinking coming into Ona — I did not expect my experience interning to be anything memorable. However, I’m glad my experience was the opposite
Ona On The Data Engineering Podcast
I was recently interviewed by Tobias Macey for the Data Engineering Podcast, the podcast about modern data management. We talked about the history of Ona and some of the technical challenges we’ve had to address to build global data collection platforms in humanitarian, international development, and global health verticals. You can check it out below.