Question Box provides a hotline service that allows citizens in remote areas to ask questions via a phone-based system. Users push a button to ask questions in their local language, and live agents look up answers and provide translations. This connects citizens to important government and nonprofit programs without the need for in-person staff. It also gives organizations valuable community feedback. Question Box handles setup, training, and can administer the hotline if needed. The system has been successfully implemented in several countries to strengthen initiatives in health, education, agriculture and more.

1. Connect the World
How Question Box Can Strengthen Your Government and Civil Society Initiatives - May2012

2. Imagine this citizen could access the resources of
the your program without leaving his village.

3. Direct access is possible

4. Question Box lets you build
a hotline connection to
any population – quickly
and in a budget-conscious
manner

5. How Question Box Works:
Creating a
positive
experience with
responsive
government and
civil society
User pushes button, asks question in local language. Live Agent looks up
information, translates answer into local language. Citizen served from place of residence.
Valuable information gathered for Program on citizen needs. Agent is employee of your
Program.

6. All Question Boxes
use GSM mobile
phone SIM card to
make calls.
SOLAR Option, for off-grid

7. Why is a Question Box Hotline Useful?
• Your Program needs to know information from
Citizens
• Citizens need to know information from your
Program

8. CONNECT with 1 billion illiterate
Works in MOST SECTORS
HEALTH EDUCATION AGRICULTURE CLIMATE VOTING

9. Example:Programneeds information from Citizens
Rural Development
Department Question
Box
Department sends Rural Citizens Report
focused response to Needs to Department
affected community

10. Example: Citizens need to know
information from the Department
Agriculture
Question Assistance Program
Box
Targeted expert advice
Farmers Affected by
Climate Change require
support

11. Reach Communities without Staff on Ground
Central Office
QB
QB
QB
www.questionbox.org

12. Example Uses of Question Box
• Providing information about rural
communities toyour Program (surveys &
citizen reporting)
• Citizens receive information regarding Rights
and Programs – qualifying and enrolling
• Direct connection to Program Experts
• Other affairs of interest to the Program

13. Connecting Schools
Question Box
National Intern
Exchange of Ind
(NIXI) – sponso
program to brin
educational
resources to
underprivileged
children in grea
Pune.

14. Uganda
• In Uganda, we used community agents with
mobile phones
• These agent circulated as the point person for
the expert hotline.
• This model works in dispersed populations
• Over time, the agents become educated about
the topics, pushing learning from experts into
communities

15. KAMPALA,
BUSHENYI, UGA
UGANDA
NDA

16. Uganda Question Box in Action

17. Organizational
schematic for Question
Box program in Uganda
– Agriculture Hotline.

18. Question Box India
Crisis-Ready

19. Question Box India
Citizen
Reporters

20. Question Box India
Access for
Everyone

21. Question Box Call Track Software
Keeps track of all calls, provides useful data on needs and Program work.

22. Who Administers the Hotline?
3 Options:
• Government Ministry
• Non-Governmental Organization
• Question Box

23. What Question Box Provides:
• Set up& customize hotline system
–Hardware
–Software
–Guides
• Train call agent personnel
• If desired: Run the hotline service

24. Question Box Background
• Founded in 2007 as a US-registered National Internet Exchange of India
501(c)3 NGO (NIXI); Europe Asia Business School;
• Question Box featured in leading NIIT; Grameen Foundation on a Bill &
publications worldwide, including: Melinda Gates Foundation project; &
– New York Times other organizations
– Times of India (orphanage, agriculture, health, etc.)
– Deutsche Welle
– BBC
• Thousands (1000s) of Questions
– UK Telegraph
Answered
– Indian Express
– Harvard Business Review online
– UK Guardian
– New Scientist
• Past project partners include

25. Question Box Benefits
Research Educate Help
Question Box is a tool to: Research rural populations needs.
Educate rural populations, and provide critical, requested Help.

26. Question Box can help your Program better
serve difficult-to-reach citizens.
Rose Shuman
Open Mind – Question Box
1158 26th Street, #267
Santa Monica, CA 90401 USA
+1-323-389-5065
rose@questionbox.org
www.questionbox.org