The Project
Why a 'How-To' Guide?
We realized early on that we were not meant to follow in the footsteps in the PPH Team before us that worked with InPress Technologies to develop additional hardware for the device. When we first met with InPress, it was suggested that we could attempt to educate instead. So often good ideas and good intentions prove to be of no help, because efforts aren't directed the right way. Using InPress as a primary source of good techniques, we wanted to share what we consider to be the most important steps in implementing new medical technology in an emerging market. To compliment the Guide and to add more utility to our website, our product, we provide information about PPH and Burkina Faso. The information provided we hope outlines the importance of the work being done by groups like InPress, provides context to the information provided in our Guide, and perhaps even inspires visitors of the website to find ways to help too.
Challenges
- Initially, just finding a new direction and vision for our project.
- We knew we wanted to work with InPress on PPH mitigation, but weren't sure how best to serve given a lack of engineering experience like the group previous to us.
- Making our Guide personal to our target country, Burkina Faso.
- A limitation of our project is that we can't gain personal experience in our target area ourselves.
- Learning more from those who do have personal experience in Burkina Faso is something we would like to focus on if we had more time.
- We eventually had to redirect our efforts to take a more general approach.
Stakeholder's Analysis
Conclusion and What's Next
Our "How-To" Guide provides a pathway for those venturing into underdeveloped countries with a device like the one InPress has made, a device or technology that would benefit a target country in need like Burkina Faso, if presented and shared the right way. Connecting with the people around us, creating relationships, and learning from them is the only way to create effective change.
Up next for our team is becoming friendly with groups with health experience in Burkina Faso like the Peace Corps. They have had over 100 members in the country working until earlier this year when they evacuated due to security concerns. Activity by Al-Qaeda affiliates and ISIS in Burkina Faso has increased recently. They have worked with the Ministry of Health, regional and local health officials, community representatives, and NGO partners. We will be reliant of groups like the Peace Corp for gathering information to improve our guide. Unfortunately, the one thing we can't do is travel to Burkina Faso and gain first hand experience, but we can read about and talk to and listen to those who have been there and are there today.
Up next for our team is becoming friendly with groups with health experience in Burkina Faso like the Peace Corps. They have had over 100 members in the country working until earlier this year when they evacuated due to security concerns. Activity by Al-Qaeda affiliates and ISIS in Burkina Faso has increased recently. They have worked with the Ministry of Health, regional and local health officials, community representatives, and NGO partners. We will be reliant of groups like the Peace Corp for gathering information to improve our guide. Unfortunately, the one thing we can't do is travel to Burkina Faso and gain first hand experience, but we can read about and talk to and listen to those who have been there and are there today.