Digital Innovation
This Innovation Challenge seeks to empower local innovators to develop and implement innovative sustainable solutions using Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning technologies, that tackle the intertwined issues of climate change and environment degradation
Reimagining Humanitarian Action Through Digital Innovation
At the International Centre for Humanitarian Affairs (ICHA), digital innovation is at the heart of how we reimagine humanitarian action. We leverage emerging technologies to co-create solutions with communities, inform evidence-based responses, and build resilience in fragile and conflict-affected settings.
Our Digital Innovations Unit works across sectors to design, pilot, and scale tools that address real-world challenges—from AI-powered systems and blockchain-based aid delivery to localized mobile apps and early warning mechanisms.
We are driven by human-centered design, ethical tech development, and inclusive partnerships, ensuring every solution is impactful, sustainable, and rooted in local context.
Because innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about people.
That’s why we collaborate with youth, community leaders, technologists, government actors, and global partners to co-create solutions that are locally owned, scalable, and truly transformative.
Humanitarian Action Through Digital Innovation
Our Digital Innovation Process
1
Problem Framing & Co-Design
We begin by identifying challenges through community engagement, participatory research, and data analysis. Using tools like Human-Centered Design (HCD) and Systems Thinking, we co-create solutions with diverse stakeholders to ensure inclusivity and relevance.
2
Prototype Development & Testing
Early-stage ideas are developed into working prototypes and tested in real-world settings. Feedback from users is used to refine the solution, leading to the creation of a strong proof of concept.
3
Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships
From the outset, we involve government, academia, private sector, and humanitarian actors to ensure solutions are integrated, locally supported, and sustainable over time.
4
Implementation & Capacity Strengthening
Through local innovation labs like I.O.Me254 and Fab-Lab models, we provide training and mentorship to equip communities—especially youth—with the skills needed to deploy and maintain these technologies.
5
Monitoring, Learning & Scaling
Real-time feedback loops, continuous monitoring, and iterative learning allow us to improve and scale solutions. We prioritise data ethics, inclusion, and long-term sustainability at every stage.
END-TO-END
What Makes Our Approach Unique?
Community-first innovation
We believe that the best solutions are those built with communities, not just for them. Our innovation process begins and ends with the people we serve—listening to their challenges, co-designing solutions together, and ensuring their voices are central at every step.
Digital meets dignity
For us, technology is a tool to elevate humanity—not to replace it. We embed dignity into every innovation, ensuring that users maintain control over their data, identities, and choices.
Scalable systems
Innovation must be sustainable to be meaningful. We use open-source tools, modular architecture, and interoperable design principles to create systems that can evolve and scale across regions and sectors.
Our Impact
We’ve co-designed and scaled several breakthrough projects that place communities at the centre of innovation. Highlights include:
Blockchain-Based Community Inclusion Currencies
In partnership with the Danish Red Cross, we deployed digital tokens to support local economic resilience. By linking these with cash assistance, we increased financial inclusion for 17,042 community members, enabling over 2.3 million digital currency trades in informal settlements in Mombasa and Nairobi. The solution has since expanded to Dadaab and Kalobeyei.
Dignified Identity for Displaced Populations
Supported by the IFRC and American Red Cross, our Dignified Identity project piloted secure digital wallets for displaced populations. These wallets enabled access to humanitarian aid while preserving personal dignity and data ownership. The project was successfully tested in three pilot programs across Cash and Health sectors.
