What is Social Good?

What is social good?

Data for Social Good: That sounds good, doesn't it? But when we talk about data and social good, what do we truly mean? People typically associate the phrase "data science" with how information from data analytics is used to develop new technologies, and increase revenue and profits for businesses. For us, at Natview Africa, analytics and data science are purely used for social good. Social good is any activity that attempts to assist the most significant number of people in the most effective way. Any activity that improves the quality of life of people for all people in a particular community, region, or country can be viewed as a social good. As a foundation that cares about impacting the lives of people across the Health, Education, and Agricultural sector, Natview Africa has created tons of products and rendered a number of services that promote human well-being on a large scale in Nigeria. As a community of change-makers and data scientists, we are spearheading the application of cutting-edge analytics tools and approaches in ways that can aid communities in need.

In every facet of contemporary life, data science is becoming more and more significant. As data scientists, like those in other professions, we feel obligated to use our knowledge and expertise to benefit people locally and globally. In my years of working with Natview Africa, I have come to also understand that the foundation does way more than just the application of data science for social impact. We work to gain knowledge of society, understand the elements that promote or obstruct growth, improve governance, develop the skills of public servants, foster the growth of tech ecosystems, leverage partnerships, exchange experiences with other change-makers in the field, and more.

Natview Africa has built and developed a wide range of portfolios to foster social good. One of them is the Warawa Living Lab Project, which seeks to develop innovative strategies to address the issue of water scarcity in some of our most vulnerable communities while using data generated from such intervention to understudy the impact of the provision of water on everyday social issues and behavioral patterns driving decision in communities with lack of access to this necessary commodity. The foundation’s main goal was to provide innovators across the public sector and the development space with platforms for experimenting and using the power of technology to confront real-world challenges and policy issues by providing exciting ways to generate data for decision making.

Our innovative social infrastructure is currently addressing the issue of water scarcity in some of the most vulnerable areas. The goal is to provide water whilst infusing technology to collect data for social good. So far, over 4,000 inhabitants of the Warawa Community have been impacted by the NFTI’s Living Lab Project. Several people are now meeting their daily needs for clean water and sanitation, and this is having a positive impact on their health and education.?

One of the immediate impacts can be seen in the light of the ongoing Cholera epidemic in Nigeria. Nigeria is currently facing one of the worst cholera outbreaks in decades and Kano State has been identified as one of the red zones for the ongoing outbreak. Fortunately, due to the presence of our intervention facility which provides clean water to the community, no cholera incident has been recorded.

The big picture? We see the NFTI's Living Lab Project as one that will help policymakers to accelerate efforts needed to boost sustainable change in the areas of good health & well-being, clean water & sanitation, sustainable cities & communities, zero poverty, and quality education for all.

Now, that is social good!?

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