Asia Source convened more than 100 people from 20 countries to increase the use of free/libre/open source software (FLOSS) among the voluntary sector in South and Southeast Asia.
This week-long event brought together NGOs and NGO technology-support professionals to learn new skills, exchange tips, and share experiences. With regionally and globally renowned experts, they looked at the use of FOSS within the nonprofit sector from both an access and a content perspective, exploring the practical technical side of FLOSS while providing a conceptual backdrop.
Asia Source was the first event of its kind in the region, bringing together regional nonprofit professionals with a rights-based focus. Those from both the technical and content ends of the spectrum were invited to focus on the practical elements of technology deployment.
Participants with a range of expertise were provided with a space for intensive peer learning. They were given the opportunity to develop their understanding of FLOSS, learn how to select and apply alternative technologies, and were provided with the skills and tools to utilize this in their daily work. They were also encouraged to explore the challenges and the future potential of FLOSS adoption.
During this camp-style event, participants took part in a range of sessions, from planning and helping NGO migration to FLOSS, to sharing tips and techniques on using tools for content development, to advocacy and campaigning. They also looked beneath user-level scenarios, and broke down tricky issues such as localization techniques and how to develop total cost of ownership models.
Four themes characterized the event:
- FLOSS for NGOs
- Migration and access
- Content and communication tools
- Localization
Asia Source was held in a small artists community on the outskirts of Bangalore. It aimed to become a community-building event, with the potential to initiate connections and future partnerships across borders and among varying skill levels.
Cosponsored by Mahiti.org (Bangalore) and the Tactical Technology Collective (Amsterdam), the event was guided by an advisory board of established nonprofit and FOSS professionals from across South and Southeast Asia. The organizers collaborated with international NGO technology groups such as the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) and Aspiration. Asia Source belongs to a larger family of source events that seek to increase the viability of FLOSS in the nonprofit sector. Other source events have taken place in South Eastern Europe and Southern Africa, and more are planned in 2005 for Western Africa.
For more information, please visit http://www.tacticaltech.org/asiasource.