Access2Service

This Entry has been submitted.

Access2Service

mandaue, Philippinesall, Philippines
Organization type: 
for profit
Project Stage:
Idea
Budget: 
$10,000 - $50,000
Share page with AddThis
Project Summary
Elevator Pitch

Concise Summary: Help us pitch this solution! Provide an explanation within 3-4 short sentences.

Philippines is composed of over 7000 scattered islands. Water serves barriers to access to good doctors and good lawyers. These professionals cannot be found in these rural poor areas. How about giving access to the poor and isolated to speak to a lawyer or consult a doctor through mobile phones?

WHAT IF - Inspiration: Write one sentence that describes a way that your project dares to ask, "WHAT IF?"

mobile phones can connect the poor with lawyers and doctors in the city?
About Project

Problem: What problem is this project trying to address?

Access2Service connects expensive professionals such as doctors and lawyers, with the isolated and under-served communities in the Philippines. With low cost to talk to professional through mobile phones, there is hope for poor people to be educated about their legal concerns and health issues.

Solution: What is the proposed solution? Please be specific!

Philippines is the Mobile SMS Text messaging capital of Asia. Why not use it to solve real problems of disconnection to professional services of lawyers and doctors. How about a call center where people can SMS their number and the code from the community distributed consultation cards for $2. The telephone operator, after verifying the card code, calls the person and interviews him regarding details needed by the lawyer/doctor. The person is advised to wait for the call of the lawyer or doctor to answer questions.
Impact: How does it Work

Example: Walk us through a specific example(s) of how this solution makes a difference; include its primary activities.

A wife who is physically abused by her husband can call and ask the lawyer what are her rights and how to properly address the issue. A mother with a child just got accident one night, fractured the leg, can call and ask doctor right away what to do, while waiting for opportunity to go to the city and consult the doctor the next day.

Impact: What is the impact of the work to date? Also describe the projected future impact for the coming years.

About half of the Philippines’ 88 million people live in rural areas. Poverty is most severe and most widespread in these areas and almost 80 per cent of the country’s poor people live there. Agriculture is the primary and often only source of income for poor rural people, most of whom depend on subsistence farming and fishing for their livelihoods. In general, illiteracy, unemployment and the incidence of poverty are higher among indigenous peoples and people living in the upland areas. Overall, more than a third of the people in the Philippines live in poverty. These are the people who have limited to no access to healthcare or legal advises from professionals. Imagine if these services are just at the tip of their fingers.
Sustainability

Financial Sustainability Plan: What is this solution’s plan to ensure financial sustainability?

The card that will be distributed to be sold by $2, half will go to the company and half will be paid to the professionals. Hundreds of calls are expected on the first year per professional.

Marketplace: Who else is addressing the problem outlined here? How does the proposed project differ from these approaches?

There are online platforms where people can ask doctors or lawyers for a fee, like $18 to ask a doctor. Doctor will receive questions, then answer through email. Currently mobile phone load cards are distributed through small stores scattered across the country. This is also the target channel to sell the cards.
Team

Founding Story

My daughter is recommended by her teacher for occupational therapy test due to her social and motor skills delay. I talked to a lot people and they give me different inputs, how about if I can just call a doctor for a more official answer right away? It's $10 to see a doctor and what kind of doctor do I see? Who can advise me what steps to make? Oh, but how about the poor in the far places? I have these dilemma while I'm in the city, how about them? Maybe their issues are more urgent and critical.

Comments

Hi,

I need help to refine my idea, when I told me brother about it, he laughed with my idea.

Thanks