Building the Evidence Base for Technology-for-Development

While Havilah is a new organization, we’re launching with an ambitious research agenda that will both inform our practice and contribute to the broader technology-for-development community. Our team members have published in leading journals and presented at major conferences; we’re bringing that same rigor to our work at Havilah.

2026 Research Priorities

AI Ethics in Low-Resource Settings

We’re conducting research on responsible AI deployment in contexts where regulatory frameworks may be weak, digital literacy is limited, and power imbalances are pronounced.

Expected output: White paper on ethical AI deployment frameworks (Q2 2026), peer-reviewed article on consent mechanisms (Q4 2026).

Data Quality in Resource-Limited Settings

How do we ensure data collected under challenging conditions is accurate and useful?

Expected output: Data quality assessment framework (Q3 2026), training curriculum (Q4 2026).

Sustainability of Digital Development Projects

We’re studying what separates sustainable technology interventions from those that collapse after donor funding ends.

Expected output: Research report analyzing 50+ projects (Q3 2026), practical sustainability toolkit (Q4 2026).

Measuring Impact of Digital Interventions

We’re developing more rigorous approaches to evaluating the true impact of technology interventions.

Expected output: M&E framework for digital projects (Q2 2026), comparative methodology analysis (Q4 2026).

Mobile-First Design for Basic Phones

We’re researching best practices for delivering sophisticated services via SMS and USSD.

Expected output: Technical documentation of design patterns (Q2 2026), deployment case study (Q4 2026).

Knowledge Sharing & Community Building

  • Open Documentation: Every system we build will be documented and open-sourced where partners
    agree
  • Webinar Series: Starting Q2 2026, quarterly webinars on critical topics
  • Blog & Case Studies: Active blog documenting work-in-progress and detailed case studies
  • Conference Presentations: Presenting research at leading conferences

Knowledge Sharing & Community Building

✓ Open Documentation
✓ Webinar Series
✓ Blog & Case Studies
✓ Conference Presentations

Why Research Matters to Us

We believe the technology-for-development sector needs better evidence about what works, why, and in which contexts. Too much knowledge remains locked in project reports that never see broad circulation. Too many organizations repeat mistakes that others have already learned from.

By conducting rigorous research and sharing our findings openly, we hope to accelerate learning across the
sector and help the entire community deploy technology more effectively and responsibly.