Innovation Across Borders: Lao PDR
Soheib Abdalla, Technology for Development Officer, UNICEF Lao PDR, reflects on the deployment of open-source AI-powered air-quality monitoring.
Across 190 countries and territories, UNICEF colleagues and partners are on the frontlines of the greatest challenges affecting the lives of children and young people. Innovation Across Borders highlights the experiences, successes and learnings of innovation champions, committed to making positive social impact.
What has been the impact of your innovation?
Lao PDR ranks among the most polluted countries in Southeast Asia, yet air quality is under-monitored. Across the broader East Asia and Pacific region, UNICEF estimates that more than 100 children under the age of five die every day from causes directly linked to air pollution – an alarming reminder of the scale and urgency of the crisis. So, what are the opportunities for the country office to step in and help address air pollution in Lao PDR?
To answer this question, we first needed to understand the landscape: what data was available? Who was doing what? Where should we begin? Our initial survey revealed that only a handful of air quality monitors were scattered across the country – some functioning, others not. The lack of data made it difficult to quantify the scale of the problem. To close this gap and meet the need for data, we decided to deploy additional air quality monitors.
With the support of semi-conductor company Arm and the UNICEF Office of Innovation (OOI), the project has deployed commercially available AirGradient outdoor air quality monitors nationwide. Today, over 148 monitors are strategically installed in schools across every district – covering 8 per cent of all secondary schools. We also installed high speed internet so that now, with just a click, we can instantly view air pollution levels anywhere.
And it doesn’t stop there! We’ve linked this effort to the UNICEF Lao PDR UPSHIFT programme. Breath of Fresh Air, an UPSHIFT-supported initiative led by youth from Luang Prabang district, leveraged data from the air quality monitors and community radio to raise awareness among schools and community members about the dangers of a category of air pollutants known as PM2.5 that pose a significant health risk. Beyond awareness, the initiative has encouraged community members in a nearby district to reduce agricultural burning which is a major contributor to air pollution.
What challenges have you encountered?
Initially, it was difficult to find the right entry point for UNICEF with its child-focused mandate, because climate and air quality issues affect adults and children equally. Once we had a green light to proceed from the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, identifying relevant stakeholders and coordinating across multiple government departments and private sector partners added another layer of complexity.
However, by leveraging UNICEF’s established presence and trusted work in the country, we successfully secured the necessary buy-in to move forward with key partners including the Department of General Education at the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Biotechnology and Ecology Institute at the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, and the Digital Business Development Department at Lao Telecom.
What have been the high points?
Earlier this year, as part of the project preparations, I led a delegation from the Ministry of Education and Sports, Ministry of Agriculture and Environment and Lao Telecom to Chiang Mai, Thailand, for a technical workshop organized by the air monitor manufacturer, Airgradient.
Just before one of the coffee breaks, a representative from the Ministry of Education and Sports stood up, turned to his team, and began speaking to them in Lao. Since I don’t speak Lao, I asked my colleagues what was happening. They explained that he was saying, “Let’s meet over the coffee break to discuss how we can work together from now on.” In that moment, I realized, this is it, the collaboration we’ve been striving for is taking shape. It was a moment of mixed feelings: pride, relief, and excitement all at once.
What was your experience of collaborating with partners?
Working with different sections at the country office, collaborating with regional office, headquarters, the private sector and multiple government agencies is no easy task. Aligning priorities, agreeing on milestones and addressing each stakeholder’s needs can be complex and demanding, requiring persistence and determination. Yet, as the saying goes, where there’s a will, there’s a way – and our experience shows that with commitment and collaboration, even the toughest challenges can be overcome.
What have been your biggest lessons learned?
Communication is key. As an introvert, I spent many sleepless nights feeling drained and frustrated. My mistake was keeping everything to myself instead of being open and sharing my struggles. The moment I finally did, boom! I felt an enormous sense of relief, and the support came pouring in.
What are your hopes for the future of this innovation?
We started with almost no reliable data on air pollution levels; today, thanks to the air quality monitors that we installed, that data exists. With the data gap being bridged, we are now working to integrate air quality data into the Ministry of Health’s DHIS2 database, a free and open-source software platform developed by the University of Oslo.
At the same time, we are collaborating with AirGradient to localize the dashboard with additional languages and to develop child-friendly visualizations, making it easier for children and communities to understand and engage with the data. However, the true measure of success will come when UNICEF, government and private sector partners use this information to take actions to tackle air pollution, save lives and reduce mortality.
What message around innovation do you have for colleagues around the world?
Creating positive impact and driving change doesn’t have to cost a fortune. We launched the Air for Tomorrow air quality monitoring project with a budget of a few thousand dollars and now we are expanding it to include health facilities and government offices in Lao PDR, and several countries in the region are also interested in replicating what we have achieved here.
My message to colleagues is simple: big change starts small; don’t be afraid to share your ideas, however simple or even crazy; the right people will hear you and support you unconditionally.
