HFOSS at UN Open Source Week
During a vibrant and critical discussion at UN Open Source Week, a diverse group of stakeholders from DPG projects to on-the-ground implementers came together to unpack the complex world of HFOSS. The conversation went far beyond code, tackling the core challenges of funding, sustainability, ethics, and impact. My goal with this session was to get people passionate about this topic - and let them brainstorm. This article captures the essential takeaways from our session, offering a roadmap for the path forward.
Key Message for me: While open source offers immense promise for humanitarian aid and digital resilience, its true potential can only be unlocked when we address the ecosystem that surrounds it.
Insight 1: The True Cost of "Free"
A recurring theme was the need to understand that HFOSS is not free, much like FOSS. The powerful well known analogy that it's "free as in 'puppy'" resonated deeply. While the software license costs nothing, the true investment is significant. This includes:
- Infrastructure and Adoption: The cost of servers, deployment, and training.
- Human Resources: The need for skilled individuals to implement, maintain, and customize solutions.
- Privacy and Security: A non-negotiable cost. Without robust privacy and security measures, communities will not trust or adopt the technology, rendering it useless.
- Trust!
Just providing software is not enough. We must budget for the entire lifecycle to ensure its success and the safety of those it aims to serve.
Insight 2: The Funding Conundrum and the Search for Sustainability
Perhaps the most urgent challenge discussed is the broken funding model. Humanitarian budgets are shrinking, and the current philanthropic approach is proving unsustainable. The group identified several critical funding gaps:
- The "Valley of Death": Funding is often available for an initial proof-of-concept and again when a product is mature enough for large-scale trials. The crucial middle stage maturing a promising prototype into a robust, scalable tool is chronically underfunded.
- Bias Towards the "New": Donors are often more interested in funding novel projects than the "boring" but essential work of maintaining and supporting legacy systems that organizations depend on.
- Donor Dependency: Reliance on a few large donors is precarious. When their priorities shift, entire projects can collapse, leaving communities in the lurch.
However, the discussion also pointed toward solutions. We explored innovative models like the UNICEF Venture Fund, which invests in for-profit companies building sustainable businesses around HFOSS. Other paths include forging strategic partnerships with corporations and fostering grassroots civil society initiatives that work with local governments to ensure long-term operational support.
Insight 3: It's About People, Not Just Projects
Technology is created and sustained by people. A major concern is the "brain drain" from the HFOSS space. In regions like Africa, South Asia etc, contributors who gain marketable skills are often quickly hired by for-profit companies. This creates a lasting challenge in sustaining the inflow and training of new talent.
We must also address the significant power dynamics at play between those who fund, those who build, and those who receive aid. The conversation highlighted the dangers of "open washing" or "humanitarian washing," where organizations appear benevolent on the surface while engaging in exploitative practices underneath.
To counter this, HFOSS projects must be intentionally open, welcoming, and inclusive. This fosters collaboration, prevents the constant reinvention of the wheel, and builds a resilient community that can weather the challenges of funding and talent retention.
Insight 4: Bridging the Gaps in Awareness, Data, and Customization
Several practical hurdles prevent HFOSS from reaching its full potential:
- Discoverability: Many well-meaning individuals and organizations start building new solutions simply because they don't know what already exists. A systematic effort is needed to map the ecosystem and make existing tools findable and adaptable. How could DPGA fill this gap, beyond their current registry?
- Customization: One of the greatest strengths of open source is the ability to adapt it to specific local needs—a key advantage over rigid, proprietary software. We must continue to champion this flexibility.
- Open Data: Software is only part of the equation. The group emphasized that funding for the collection, curation, and protection of open data is critical. You cannot solve a problem you cannot measure. This brings its own challenges of data ownership, sovereignty, and ensuring that the local communities who help collect data are treated justly - preserving value, power and profit of data to its source.
Call for a Community of Practice
The energy and shared experience in the room were palpable. It was clear that while the challenges are immense, so are the passion and expertise dedicated to solving them. The single most important takeaway is the need for greater knowledge sharing.
Newcomers to the HFOSS space shouldn't have to learn these hard lessons alone. We need to establish a platform, not a technology, but a community of practice to connect with one another, share experiences, and collaborate on solutions.
Thank you to everyone who participated in this vital conversation. The journey ahead requires a collective effort to build a more sustainable, equitable, and impactful future for humanitarian technology. Let's continue to connect, share, and build together.