IMHO Web Portal "Inaiyam"

Inaiyam Web portal connecting the diaspora with partner organizations in Sri Lanka

Motivation/Inspiration • Inspired by the Med Exchange Portal which was implemented by Greg Buie in Ethiopia • Growing number of funding opportunities directed toward diaspora based projects and virtual activities – hope this platform will increase IMHO’s visibility and ability to qualify for funding

Web Portal Functions & Agenda • Case Exchange : – Inspiration from the Med-Exchange : Ethiopian web portal

• E-Library : – Feedback from partner organizations in Sri Lanka, possible partners in the Diaspora

• Internships: – Listing opportunities, consolidating and building on internship experiences

• Current Status • What now?

Current Status • Web portal being built • Reaching out to partner organizations for elibrary content • Reaching out to previous interns to collect experiences/data • Determining projects/internships to be posted

Brainstorming Questions • Strategy for generating steady stream of content to be posted (internships, e-library) • List of categories for e-library videos • Reaching out to target audience for e-library videos (have them use the web portal) • Strategy for recruiting doctors for case-exchange • Metrics to determine if this portal is useful

Case Exchange • An expanded version of the tele-radiology consultation blog that was piloted a few years ago by IMHO • Physicians in Sri Lanka can log onto the web portal and post challenging medical cases, for which physicians in the diaspora can then provide comments and support • Venue for collaboration between diaspora med students and Sri Lankan med students • archive of past cases will be a powerful storehouse of clinical knowledge/expertise that is specific to Northeast Sri Lanka

E-Library • Diaspora to provide content/educational resources • Video library/Online professional training (ex. ABA therapists for autism & special needs; social workers in abuse counseling training in Tamil as suggested by Dr. Ganesan) • Open access journal; online charting resources; electronic resources for librarians (Suggestion from Jaffna Medical Students Association)

Internships • Conversations with Dr. Ganesan, Dr. Arulnithy, Darshan Ambalvanar - identified a whole host of opportunities for diaspora youth to be involved in • Importance of centralizing info on internships/projects in order to continually build and improve • Data analysis, consolidating data and tracking info, MBA project, teaching english, skype mentorship