Vodafone Foundation, in partnership with the NASSCOM Foundation, launched the ‘Vodafone Social Apps Hub’ - a first of its kind platform that aggregates all the mobile apps designed and developed for community welfare on a single platform. The app store uses the modern technology to address real life socio-economic challenges. Vodafone Foundation envisages the hub to create an ecosystem for users from diverse backgrounds to actively engage and learn about mobile applications and technologies which make lives easier and enable 360 degrees societal development.
The hub identifies reviews and features developed by different social apps for various developmental sectors and beneficiaries by bringing together various stakeholders including app developers, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), government initiatives and social enterprises which use the mobile platform and technology to drive awareness building, inclusion and empowerment within communities across sectors.
Over 100 such mobile applications are already featured across six main categories - Health, Safety, Education, Agriculture, Disability and Governance. This makes it arguably the largest exclusive repository of socially relevant mobile applications in India.
“The potential of mobile technology to address several of our country’s socio economic challenges is unparalleled. In addition to reducing the barriers in inclusion and communication, mobile technology has proved to be an effective means of development. Several mobile apps, across sectors, have already created substantial impact with their insightful approach and innovative solutions resulting in better education, health, livelihoods and safety. However, the awareness of such apps amongst beneficiaries, app developers, the development sector and general citizens is quite low. The Vodafone Foundation, guided by its philosophy of ‘Connected for Good’ has curated the Vodafone Social Apps Hub to solve this problem,” launching the Vodafone Social Apps Hub, said P Balaji, Director, Regulatory, External Affairs & CSR.
Also present at the event, Mr. Shrikant Sinha, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation said, “With the number of mobile connections across India crossing the 100 crore mark, mobile has been able to create inroads to the most remote part of our country and has become the best suited platform for social development. While the underserved communities across India are opening their minds to the power of mobile phones, it was a necessity to make sure that the best of the social apps that benefit them are all carefully handpicked and made easily accessible at one single web address. 'Social Apps Hub' is such a platform and we are proud to partner Vodafone Foundation in creating and helping them scale this further both in terms of the number of apps as well as the number of users benefitting from it”.
