Most NGOs want to use technology more effectively, but don’t always know where to start or how ready they are. Tech often feels overwhelming—especially for non-tech teams who assume it’s only for coders or IT professionals. This session aims to break that myth. It’s not about fancy tools or jargon, but about discovering simple, actionable ways to assess where your team is and what solutions might work best—no matter how small or new you are in this journey.

Relevance:
Many NGOs delay tech decisions because they feel too complex, expensive, or risky. But in reality, a lot can be achieved with clarity, small steps, and the right mindset. This masterclass is designed for:
● Organisations still operating with Excel sheets, paper forms, or scattered WhatsApp threads
● NGOs beginning to consider how technology can save time, reduce errors, and improve efficiency
● Teams that have experimented with digital tools but are unsure if they’re using them effectively
The goal is to help nonprofits understand their tech readiness and move forward confidently—even without a dedicated tech team.

Key Sub-Themes to Be Covered:

• How to assess where you are in your tech journey (without any tools or tests)
• What kind of tech decisions are worth your time at different stages of growth
• How to get buy-in from your team (especially non-tech teams)
• What you can do without hiring engineers or spending a lot of money
• Simple frameworks to help you decide: what to build, buy, or drop
• How other NGOs have moved from paper to platforms—and what they learned along the way
• Keeping it people-first: how to build a tech culture that makes your team feel confident, not confused

About the Facilitator:

Erica Arya, Country Head, Project Tech4Dev
Erica Arya is the CEO of Project Tech4Dev – an ecosystem collaborative, on a mission to transform how non-profits in the Global South use technology and data to scale their operations and impact. Out of a total of 23 years experience, she has had a dynamic product management and engineering career for 12 years in the corporate world, developing software and creating products in the telecommunication, mobile VAS and digital Imaging domains.
In year 2013, she made a conscious choice to transition towards creating scalable solutions for Digital Transformation of the Non-Profits of the developing world. She has been effectively leveraging the power of the ICT channels including IVR (Interactive Voice Response), WhatsApp, ChatBots, VoiceBots, Mobile apps in this journey.
She feels fortunate to be sitting at the position where design, technology and social sector challenges converge providing her with the skills required to create sustainable, technology- driven, impactful human-centric solutions. Among the various roles she has undertaken, the ones she cherishes the most are those of a Creator and a Leader, with a deep focus on Cost, Efficiency, and Speed.