Promising Solutions to reach the last mileThe use of ICTs to bridge the knowledge divide

Practical Answers Sri Lanka (PASL) Where knowledge blends with a difference

Practical Answers Sri Lanka

• Development information service of Janathakshan

• Partner of Practical Answers group of Practical Action

• 25 years history on providing development information

Our VisionRight knowledge at right time to make the worldeco-friendly, poverty free and sustainable

Our MissionTo contribute to the improvement of lives and livelihoods,by providing knowledge relevant to development andpoverty eradication

Paradigm Shift: sustainable social enterprise by 2018

Hybrid Business Model

Knowledge Services Business Unit

Essentials of an effective information service

• Asses the demand

• Generate and collect

• Compile, process, develop, quality assurance

• Organize and store

• Distribution, promotion, marketing

• Develop and strengthen the pool of expertise

• Build partnership and networks

•

Practical Use of ICTs

Web Portal: www.practicalanswers.lk

Digital Repository: www.library.practicalanswers.lk

Face book:www.facebook.com/practicalanswerssrilanka

Twitter & You Tubehttps://twitter.com/practicalasl

https://www.youtube.com/user/janathakshanvideos

Blog & Slide Sharehttp://practicalanswerssrilanka.blogspot.comhttp://www.slideshare.net/practicalanswerss

Television & Radio

Use of digital media tools and devices

• Desktops, laptops, tabs, fax machines, scanners, voice recorders, digital camera

• Skype and vidyo• Internet, wify• Sharepoint• Village information centres

Mobile Applications

Why ICTs & Digital Media Tools• To create innovative and user friendly contact formats

• To disseminate and share the knowledge and information

• Free and open access to knowledge materials

• Provide a gateway to connect with the service

• To strengthen the knowledge base by gathering knowledge and information

• To create a platform to directly interact with each other

• To create development discussions

Why ICTs & Digital Media Tools • To build communities and networks

• To lobbying and advocacy

• To showcase the impact

• To ensure the effective communication with internal and global team

• To share learning

• To market and promote the service

• To establish the brand presence and enhance the brand reputation

Wider reach

258 676 380 506

2816 32003800

010002000300040005000• 30 % growth of enquiry

numbers• 150 000 page views and

downloads• 171 new partnerships

initiatives: cooperate, public, development organizations

• 1.5 million beneficiaries

Growth of income

0

200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

Q1-2013 Q2-2013 Q3-2013 Q4-2013 Q1-2014 Q2-2014

Inco

me

(LK

R)

Quarter of the year

• LKR 1 430 000.00 during Q1 and Q2 vs annual target of 3 000 000.00

• LKR 900 000.00 via online resources

Continued support

• Replicable business model to the Practical Answers group

• Positioning PASL within Janathakshan as their official information service and public interface

• Interest of private sector partners for join investments

National Recognition

E-Swabhimani award as the National Best e-content for livelihood development by the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) in 2010

Practical Future

• Regional digital repository for open access

• Knowledge Avenue: green technology demonstrations, non-

traditional resource library which provides a space to play, share and learn with and access to ICTs, provision of business services

• Online business platform

• Digital literacy improvement campaign

We are available @

PRACTICAL ANSWERS - Sri Lanka

No 05, Lionel Edirisinghe Mw, Colombo 05TELEPHONE: 94-11-28 29412FAX: 94–285 6188E MAIL: practicalanswers@practicalaction.org.lkWEB: www.practicalanswers.lkREPOSITORY: www.library.practicalanswers.lkFB: facebook.com/practicalanswerssrilankaTWITTER: @practicalaslYOU TUBE: janthakshanvideo

Thank You