Aptivate facts for kids
Aptivate is a special kind of group called a non-governmental organization (NGO) and a non-profit organization. This means they are not part of a government and they don't try to make money for themselves. Aptivate is based in the United Kingdom.
Their main goal is to help people in developing countries connect to the internet and communicate better. They do this by creating special online tools and services. These tools help ordinary people improve their lives, especially in places where internet connections are slow or hard to find.
Aptivate is well-known for creating an open-source (meaning anyone can use and improve it) website service called Loband. The organization started on December 1, 2002. For the first four years, until December 2006, it was known as Aidworld. Aptivate is also a member of the Humanitarian Centre, which is a group that helps humanitarian organizations work together.
What is Loband?
Loband is a special service that helps websites load much faster. It was first developed in 2004 and was originally called Aidbase. Loband works by simplifying web pages. This is super helpful for people who have very slow internet connections, especially in poorer countries where fast internet isn't always available. By making pages simpler, they download quicker, so more people can access information online.
How Aptivate Started
Aptivate, which used to be called Aidworld, was first thought of in Nepal. Two aid workers from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees had the idea. They had seen firsthand how difficult it was for people in developing countries to communicate. They wanted to find a way to make it easier.
In 2002, these two workers teamed up with some tech-savvy friends. Together, they started Aidworld. At first, they focused on helping groups that provide humanitarian aid. In 2006, Aidworld changed its name to Aptivate. Since then, Aptivate has continued to work with many different groups. These include other non-profit organizations, charities, and experts in web and software development.
Here are some important things that happened early on:
- 2004: They received a special award of £75,000 from the UK government.
- 2004: The Loband service (then called Aidbase) was tested for the first time in Kenya.
- 2005: A newer and better version of Loband was launched.
- 2006: Aidworld officially changed its name to Aptivate.
- 2007: They helped launch the Network for Information and Digital Access (NIDA) website.
See also
- Appropriate technology
