We are proud that the Baby Monitor project from the iLab Latin America has been selected as a finalist for be one of the finalist for the “She Will Innovate Technology Solutions Enriching the Lives of Girls” challenge! The competition was steep with over 290 initiative submitted from over 50 countries. The finalists have been narrowed down to just 10, and in order for us to win we need your vote so that we can win the $10,000 prize!
We are proud that the 
Select “Giving Women a Voice in their Health”, submitted by Georgina Sticco, from Argentina.
THE COMPETITION: EMPOWERING WOMEN THROUGH TECHNOLOGY
This challenge is designed to promote ICT solutions dedicated to improving the lives of women and girls. Intel Corporation and Ashoka Changemakers launched this online challenge to find the world’s most innovative solutions that empower women and girls with new digital technologies, allowing them to live a healthier, smarter and more optimal lives.
OUR SUBMISSION: GIVING WOMEN A VOICE IN THEIR HEALTH
A great number of women and babies die every year due to lack of access to proper care during and before birth. Prenatal care and care during the first days and weeks after birth could prevent at least 2/3 of infant deaths. Eighty percent of maternal deaths are preventable with the implementation of a set of proven interventions by qualified health workers. For many women in rural areas, they are more likely to be reached by a mobile phone signal than an outreach worker who could help connect them to lifesaving care.
We developed Baby Monitor: a mobile phone application that takes clinical screening directly to women in the critical period before and after birth using interactive voice response technology via a mobile phone call.
BABY MONITOR
The Baby Monitor system, which was developed with researchers at the Population Council, calls women at regular intervals before and after delivery. Women listen to screening questions recorded in their local language and respond by pressing keys on their phone. Baby Monitor evaluates the answers and, if necessary, sends information, makes referrals and dispatches medical help. Because the system can reference information from previous calls, Baby Monitor is able to ‘remember’ how a woman and her baby have been doing and follow-up. This can help to keep hard cases from falling through the cracks.
Baby Monitor screening calls are powered by Verboice, one of our open-source tools which specializes in interactive voice response systems.
A simple web interface that allows users to develop interactive voice response applications like Baby Monitor without requiring programming knowledge or experience. It works with virtually any type of phone line and can be used anywhere in the world.
HOW TO VOTE
From now until November 7, you can vote to help us win the $10,000 prize that will help us build upon, improve and scale our interactive voice response tool, Verboice. Here’s what you need to do to vote:
STEP 1: Go to this url: http://www.changemakers.com/girltech
STEP 2: Click on the gray check mark that appears to the left of our proposal “Giving Women a Voice in their Health”, submitted by Georgina Sticco, from Argentina.
STEP 3: Log in by either creating an account (simply enter a username and password) or sign in through your Facebook account by clicking the blue “Sign in With Facebook” button
On behalf of the entire team of InSTEDD and the InSTEDD iLab Latin America , thank you very much for your support!
