Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Governments and development agencies struggle to reach and serve the most remote and marginalized rural communities with access to information. At the same time, they also lack an adequate understanding of each community's specific needs. There are too many villages, too far apart — and too many barriers. Challenges include poor infrastructure, illiteracy, gender inequities, unreliable electricity and internet, and expensive mobile data. As more funders and organizations turn to mobile phones and apps, there's a risk of creating new groups that are left behind—especially women and girls. Over 1 billion women don't use mobile internet. More than 80% of digital development projects fail (World Bank). Without the right tools, governments and INGOs are limited in their ability to achieve the United Nations 2030 Agenda and fulfill the pledge to leave no one behind.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
UNICEF Ghana CHPS Program
Through a partnership with UNICEF and Ghana Health Services, Talking Books are used to strengthen health education and service delivery at 47 Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) sites (27 health compounds and 20 mobile units) in Jirapa District. The 2021 program expansion builds on a successful CHPS pilot project in 2019. Community health nurses and volunteers are using Talking Books to share consistent and accurate health messages during Child Welfare Clinics, Antenatal Care Visits, and household visits. Latest reach: 101,921 (95% women)
Niger Smart Villages
Funded by the World Bank, in partnership with the Government of Niger, International Telecommunication Union (ITU), and other UN specialized agencies, Niger Smart Villages aims to reach 15,000 remote villages with digital services. In 2021, a Smart Villages proof of concept pilot was launched in two communities to reach approximately 2,400 people prior to project expansion. Niger's ministries of agriculture, health, and education are using Talking Books to share targeted, local language audio messages.
MEDA/Esoko FEATS Project
Funded by Global Affairs Canada, MEDA's Farmers' Economic Advancement Through Seedlings (FEATS) project used Talking Books to economically empower over 5,000 women farmers and their families in small- and medium-scale shea picking and shea butter processing enterprises in the Northern Region. Topics included sustainable agriculture, value chains, and more, with messages produced in six languages (Wali, Sissale, Kasem, Dagbani, Kusaal, and Nabit). The project was implemented by Esoko.
Ready2Read Malawi project
Funded by USAID, the Ready2Read project is implemented by ILC Africa, in partnership with Amplio and Malawi's Association of Early Childhood Development. Talking Books are placed at 50 early childhood education centers to support pre-literacy skills for children ages 3 to 5. ILC Africa has adaptedMalawi’s early childhood development curriculum into audio lessons for Talking Books, enabling students and families to listen and learn together in their local language. Content includes pre-literacy lessons for children (age 3-5) and messages to help parents build their skills and capacity to support their children’s learning. Talking Books will be used by instructors at the centers. Families can also take Talking Books home to listen at the household level. The project anticipates reaching over 7,200 people.
VSO Zambia TALK II program
Funded by Arm Ltd, VSO Zambia is using Talking Books to inform and engage youth (aged 10-19) in the remote islands of Samfya District about sexual and reproductive health and rights. Community health volunteers use Talking Books to facilitate youth discussion groups. Youth also take devices home to listen with their families. The project is being implemented in partnership with Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia and Zambia’s Ministry of Health. In 2021, TALK II's total reach was over 15,700 people (youth and families). An external evaluation showed that Talking Books significantly improved 1) reach of messaging to adolescents and families, 2) access to quality SRHR messages, 3) SRH data collection and feedback, and 4) engagement through technology. The project will continue and expand in 2022.
APME 2A Maize/Cowpea Value Chains project
APME 2A and CLINISOLS are using Talking Books to train and support smallholder farmers in the Cascades and Hauts-Bassins regions of Burkina Faso. The project aims to reach and help 5,000 farmers improve food security and income for their families by growing and selling maize and cowpea.
CARE Ethiopia Adolescent SRHR project
CARE Ethiopia’s Act With Her project used Talking Books to deliver adolescent sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and life skills education to boys and girls groups in extremely hard-to-reach pastoralist communities in the Afar region. Topics covered included sexual and reproductive health and rights and life skills, in order to ease the transition of adolescents to mature adulthood. Reach: 850
TechnoServe Nigeria - Business Women Connect pilot
Funded by Exxon Mobil, this women's economic empowerment project targets women farmers, with a focus on rice production. Talking Books will be piloted with 50 groups to reach 1,000 women with messages on agriculture, entrepreneurship, financial management, and gender.
CARE Haiti ASARANGA project
For CARE Haiti's ASARANGA project, lead farmers and extension agents share Talking Books with agriculture collectives, mothers groups, and Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) to facilitate learning and group discussion. Topics include nutrition, agriculture, animal husbandry, financial literacy, COVID-19, maternal and child health, and more. Latest reach: 883 (66% women)
CARE Bangladesh - JANO project
CARE Bangladesh’s Joint Action for Nutrition Outcomes (JANO) project is using Talking Books to spread knowledge, promote positive changes in attitudes, and influence the behavior about nutrition, health, climate-smart agriculture, gender equality/women’s empowerment, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH). Funded by the European Union (EU) and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the project aims to support the effective implementation of the National Plan of Action for Nutrition (NPAN). Community volunteers (all women) will use 215 Talking Books to reach and train 86,000 people, including mothers, adolescent girls, and farmers.
Where we work
Awards
Recognized for using ICT to improve agriculture production in developing countries 2010
EU Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation
Global Social Benefits Institute Scholar 2010
Santa Clara University
Integral Fellows Award 2009
Microsoft
Education Laureate 2012
The Tech Awards
21st Century Achievement Award 2013
Computerworld Honors
PBS NewsHour Agent of Change 2013
PBS
Integral Fellows Award 2014
Microsoft
WISE Award 2015
Qatar Foundation
UNESCO-Pearson Initiative for Literacy (Digital Solutions) 2017
UNESCO
2030 Vision Project 2018
Arm Ltd
Affiliations & memberships
Clinton Global Initiative 2011
Million Lives Club 2020
Principles for Digital Development 2020
World Summit on Information Society 2021
External reviews

Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsNumber of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Families, Extremely poor people, Farmers, Adults, Children and youth
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
In 2020, Amplio passed a milestone: Talking Book programs have now reached over 1M listeners. Because programs span years and Talking Books are re-used, we measure this # cumulatively.
Net promoter score
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Children and youth, Families, Extremely poor people, Farmers
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
We began measuring NPS in Q3, 2020, and had 3 responses from partners (all promoters). In 2021, our NPS is 62 from 42 responses, more partners, a wider range of experiences and perspectives.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
In 2020, Amplio passed a milestone: Amplio Talking Books have now reached over one million listeners! Our five-year program goal is that by 2024, two million people challenged by poverty, remoteness, or low literacy will have acquired the knowledge they need to address their greatest needs.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
In order to reach and serve those who are the furthest behind, Amplio is committed to forming partnerships with organizations that focus on the most vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations. Our program strategy includes:
1. Grow the number of vulnerable communities served by our technology by expanding our affiliate network and community of practice.
2. Regularly evaluate sales channels (e.g. affiliate vs. self-service) and business development strategy.
3. Help partners effectively achieve their objectives.
4. Invest in technology and training resources to improve scalability and quality.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Amplio partners with local experts, government agencies, and leading international development organizations to plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate Talking Book programs and to continually update and improve our technology and services to achieve our goals. Our team brings strategic skills and experience to this work.
Arthur Tao co-founded Amplio with Cliff Schmidt in 2007. He previously was a senior program manager at Microsoft. He has extensive experience in the management of large, complex software programs and working with global teams. Arthur has a MS. in computer engineering from Cornell University.
Bill Evans, Senior Software Design Engineer, started out supporting room-sized mainframe systems for the healthcare industry in 1978. Bill was a founding member of the Microsoft team that created the .NET development environment and later worked on the Kindle reader at Amazon. Bill has programmed professionally in more than a dozen computer languages. He has a BS in electrical engineering from Mississippi State University.
Lisa Zook, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, has 11 years of international development experience. As a senior specialist for World Vision International, she designed and led M&E capacity building workshops in 14 countries and gained field experience in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. She has a MPH in epidemiology and international health from University of Michigan and a BS in mathematics from Davidson College.
Lindsay Dakan, Global Partnerships Program Manager, has eight years of international development experience, including program monitoring and evaluation for NGOs in Uganda. She has an MA in sustainable international development from Brandeis University.
Bea Covington, Global Partnerships Director, is an economist and data-driven leader. Bea worked for USAID, International Finance Corporation, and private sectors clients. She has extensive experience leading and scaling public/private partnerships. Bea has a MAg in natural resource economics and an MS in adult education/communication from the University of Florida.
Gumah Tiah, Ghana Country Director, has developed and led programs for the SEND Foundation, Populations Services International, and the British and Swiss Red Cross. He has 12+ years of experience in the emergency and development sectors, including climate change, disaster management, food security, health, WASH, livelihoods, gender, and governance, in Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Sudan. Guman has an MPhil in Development Management.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since 2007, Amplio has reached over one million people in 13 countries through our Talking Book program and partnerships. The Amplio Talking Book is recognized by UNESCO as an inclusive digital solution that low-literate people can use to gain new skills and knowledge to improve their livelihoods and lives. Our innovative, low-cost technology has proven effective as a safe and appropriate tool to help bridge the gender digital divide.
- A Ghana pilot project that used Talking Books to share messages from agriculture experts saw a 48% increase in crop production, leading to greater food security and nutrition.
- Funded by Global Affairs Canada, MEDA's Greater Rural Opportunities for Women project used Talking Books to help empower over 23,000 women farmers in northern Ghana to improve food security and nutrition by growing and selling soybeans. The women doubled their annual income. Over 53% percent achieved income stability.
- In Kenya, the USAID-funded Afya Timiza project used Talking Books to train and support community health workers to improve access to quality health information and services for semi-nomadic pastoralist families. As a result, community health posts saw a 110% increase in pregnant women attending antenatal care visits.
- The Government of Niger, in partnership with ITU and other UN agencies, has included Talking Books in the Niger Smart Villages project, which aims to reach 15,000 rural villages.
- In 2020, Amplio partnered with UNICEF and Ghana Health Service to launch a COVID-19 awareness in eight vulnerable districts in the Upper West Region. Community health nurses and volunteers used Talking Books to share consistent and accurate local language health messages more efficiently and effectively.
- Landesa is currently using Talking Book to reach and inform rural farmers in Liberia about women's land rights and to expand program delivery while maintaining social distance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- In 2021, an external evaluation of VSO Zambia's TALK II project showed that using Talking Books to educate adolescents in Samfya District about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHF) significantly improved 1) message reach to youth and their families, 2) quality of SRHR messaging, 3) data collection and feedback, and 4) engagement through technology.
- Talking Book programs and partnerships expanded to new regions, including South Asia (Bangladesh) and Latin America (Haiti) as well as more countries in Africa (i.e., Uganda, Ethiopia, Nigeria)
- We launched a suite of products to help partners more easily and cost-effectively launch and run their programs, created a community of practice, and designed a new system for processing Talking Book user feedback.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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Who are the people you serve with your mission?
Amplio provides technology and consulting services to international development organizations, government agencies, and locally-led NGOs/development agencies in low-income countries. Through our partnerships, we serve the poorest, most marginalized, and hard-to-reach populations in remote rural areas, including women, men, and youth.
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How is your organization collecting feedback from the people you serve?
Electronic surveys (by email, tablet, etc.), Focus groups or interviews (by phone or in person), Community meetings/Town halls, Talking Book usage data and user feedback,
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals,
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What significant change resulted from feedback?
Our technology, the Amplio Talking Book, collects usage data and user feedback from the communities we serve. Amplio and our partners use that data to monitor program engagement, identify issues and trends, and improve program and message delivery - as well as local resources and policies. For example, complaints about health discrimination and school child abuse in northern Ghana resulted in local systems and policies changes. In 2021, we launched a suite of products to help our partners more easily and cost-effectively launch and run their programs. We designed a better system for processing user feedback. In 2022, we're launching Talking Book V2 which has a better speaker and a rechargeable battery.
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With whom is the organization sharing feedback?
The people we serve, Our staff, Our board, Our funders, Our community partners, Prospective partners,
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How has asking for feedback from the people you serve changed your relationship?
Talking Book user feedback lets us hear directly from those we serve in their own words, languages, and voices — their questions, comments, and ideas. This creates a community feedback loop with marginalized populations, so knowledge sharing goes both ways and has led to improvements for content and program delivery, as well as local resources and policies. Feedback from partners and prospective partners has shown how hard it is for locally-led organizations to secure donor funding to launch and run their programs. In 2022, we are exploring how to support and help build capacity for locally-led NGOs. We are looking at a new funding model — i.e., creating a fund to award Talking Book program grants to local organizations in low-income countries.
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded,
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback,
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
AMPLIO NETWORK
Board of directorsas of 1/21/2022
Paul Cotton
Mr. Cotton Paul
Cliff Schmidt
Founder and Executive Director, Amplio Network
Kevin Reed
Shelby County Tennessee General Sessions Criminal Court, Magistrate Judge
Paul Cotton
Philanthropist, Information Technology Leader
Christine Chew
School Board Director, Nonprofit Leader
David Vogel
Data Scientist, Hedge Fund Founder
Anthony Cavalieri
Senior Program Officer, Gates Foundation
Dena Morris
President, Washington Global Health Alliance
Tawiah Agyarko-Kwarteng
Sustainable Development Consultant, Ghana
Tim Akinbo
Founder and CEO, TimbaObjects
Revi Sterling
Director, USAID WomenConnect Challenge
Margo Schneider
Senior Director, Digital Strategy, UW Medicine
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? GuideStar partnered on this section with CHANGE Philanthropy and Equity in the Center.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/20/2022GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.