Artificial Intelligence isn’t just a tool for big tech—it’s a powerful catalyst for change, especially for non-government organizations working with vulnerable communities. In countries like Kenya, AI-driven innovations are already transforming areas such as agriculture, healthcare, and education. By integrating AI, NGOs can empower those at the poverty line with more efficient, targeted, and sustainable solutions.
However, if we don’t bring this cutting-edge knowledge to the grassroots, we risk deepening the divide between the rich and the poor. Failing to democratize access to AI technology could inadvertently marginalize already vulnerable populations, leaving them even further behind in today’s digital economy.
Investing in digital literacy and local capacity-building isn’t just about technology—it’s about creating a fairer, more equitable future. By ensuring that every community has the tools and skills needed to harness AI, we can drive sustainable development and foster inclusive growth.
In our system changer networks in Kenya and India, at our Making More Health centers and the work with the most vulnerable communities we will focus this year to bring more AI knowledge to our vulnerable communities, farmers, fisher men and women, marginalized groups, self help groups in slum areas.
What do you think? Interested to contribute?
Go Kenya, go future! 
I’m not sure if AI is mature and reliable enough yet to be helpful to poverty areas. I don’t know if it would know what to do with tea, coffee, and flowers, or how to socialize with real people. It might be as out of touch as well-meaning humans who theorize from a distance without actually visiting and listening to develop practical solutions. It can be a little vague.
Here is an example of AI Google responding to “How can NGOs help poor people in Kenya?”:
“NGOs can help poor people in Kenya by providing essential services like healthcare, education, clean water, food distribution, income generation programs, disaster relief, advocating for policy changes, empowering women and youth, promoting sustainable agriculture practices, and focusing on community development initiatives, all while tailoring their approach to the specific needs of different regions and vulnerable groups within Kenya.
Key ways NGOs can assist poor people in Kenya:
…
Food distribution: Delivering food aid to areas experiencing drought or food insecurity.
Clean water access: Building and maintaining clean water sources like wells and sanitation facilities.
Healthcare access: Providing medical services, preventative healthcare programs, and training community health workers.
School support: Providing scholarships, school supplies, and building new schools in underserved areas.
Vocational training: Equipping individuals with skills to access better employment opportunities. Early childhood development: Supporting programs for young children to promote early learning
It’s a little clichéd don’t you think? I doubt that it could write a school curriculum and teaching plan for children as they are now at the starting point in their particular community.
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Thanks for your comment. You are right. There might be many AI answers that will not fit (yet) or not fit to where and how the single community members live. This happens also to my professional and daily life – the benefit comes in only if the information or service given responds to my individual needs. But to get such an answer , I need to know how to formulate the need, how to communicate it. And this is the big issue that can have a lot a negative consequences, if the most vulnerable do not have access to this knowledge. It’s about understanding the opportunities AI offers, how to get access to easy solutions which otherwise ‚hide‘ somewhere on the net, to understand the different types of Ai, and to know how to use e.g ChatGTP and where are the challenges. Partly, in our communities people till today do not know how to find information on the internet, how to write emails, how to get access to good information. It is not that they have no access to a device or to internet connection, it is much more to get the right experience on how to find out and in which cases e,g ChatGTP can provide a huge advantage.
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