Sustainability
Historically, our partner company, Visual Software has primarily been a software company. They provide other services, however, to ensure that our customer’s implementations are successful. In the past, this has included managed services and is now including the building of a solar power solution for rural locations.
Sustainability, not only in the equipment, but the way it is implemented is of paramount importance to us. In an effort to accomplish this, we begin training nationals to help implement and provide support for the systems at the beginning of the implementation process and continue training until local staff can perform all day-to-day activities and provide basic help desk assistance to users. At the point when local staff become capable of performing these duties, we will drop off to advisory and second-level help desk roles.
The following timeline illustrates a typical sequence of events for a nationwide sustainable implementation:
Identify Pilot Sites and Fundraising
In preparation for the first phase of the project, we will identify a small number of locations that will participate in the Phase 1 pilots. We will also do the fundraising to secure capital to meet our expenses for these pilots.
Phase 1 Pilots
This phase consists of a small number of locations are independently implemented. The purpose of these is to allow time for national customization and to make sure the implementation fits with the environment and culture of the country.
Agreement Signed
While the Phase 1 Pilots are running (or afterwards), we will sign an agreement with the host country indicating that if the Phase 2 Pilots are successful, the country will take necessary steps to move toward a Phase 3 Implementation.
Phase 2 Pilots
Once Phase 1 is complete, we complete a contract with the implementation country that agrees if the phase 2 pilots are successful, they will introduce whatever is necessary to commence Phase 3 (the remainder of the country). The Phase 2 pilots will be funded through our organization and the locations will be distributed throughout the country, giving each member of Parliament a local implementation that he or she can become familiar with, helping muster support for the decisions and votes that will follow.
Implementation Agreement Signed
While the Phase 2 Pilots are running (or afterwards), we will sign an agreement with the host country detailing the rollout plan for the remainder of the country.
Phase 3 Funding
After an agreement is signed, we will work with the country to acquire funding for the full implementation either by grant or debt, accessing organizations such as USAID, OPIC, Prosper Africa as well as other organizations from other countries.
Create Local Company or Establish Relationship with Local Partner
At the beginning of Phase 3, we will either establish a relationship with a local technology provider (preferred) or establish a new company in the country receiving the implementations, tasked with carrying out the Phase 3 implementations.
Bring Students to US
At the beginning of the multi-year implementation, we would ask the country to send 5 students to the US to study technology and business. This would be part of the project funding.
After their second year in the US, they would be permitted to work 20 hours per week on their student visa. The would work as interns to either The Eneighborhood or our partner Visual Software in support of their own country’s implementation.
Phase 3 Implementation
As the longest part of a complete project, all schools (or medical centers) covered by the Implementation Agreement would be implemented.
Turn Over Implementation to Trained Students
Near the end of the implementation, when the students have finished their study and internship, they would return to their country to take over operation and ownership of the country established at the beginning of the project. The Eneighborhood Project and Visual Software would drop back to an advisory and second-tier customer service role.