From Capability to Impact: How Asia-Pacific Nonprofits Are Using Technology to Transform Communities

Across the Asia-Pacific region, nonprofits are navigating growing community needs alongside rapid digital change. To support this transition, Infoxchange launched the Asia-Pacific Digital Transformation Program, with support from Google.org, to help organisations strengthen digital capability, leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI)  tools, like Gemini, and increase social impact.

Phase 1: Building Digital Foundations

The first phase of the program focused on strengthening core digital capability, from cyber security and data to cloud collaboration and emerging AI tools. Organisations across the region improved resilience, modernised systems and enhanced service delivery.

Digital transformation, however, is not a single step – it is a journey. Read more on A Year of Digital Transformation in the Asia-Pacific Region: What We Learned.

Phase 2: From Capability to Innovation, leveraging AI

With an additional US$1.5 million, with support from Google.org, Phase 2 enabled selected nonprofits to drive technology-driven innovation utilising AI and designing real solutions to address social challenges at scale.

Below are six examples of how organisations are building their digital capability, leveraging AI tools like Gemini, to create greater impact in the communities they serve.

1. Giving Students a Second Chance: Pratham Education

Pratham built the AI-powered “Anytime Testing Machine (ATM)” enabling learners to take pictures of handwritten answers, and the platform would leverage AI (which generates curriculum aligned questions) to review the answers and provide personalised feedback. With teacher oversight, the platform improves education outcomes while supporting students returning to learning.

Watch video here.

2. Tackling Plastic Waste with AI: Clean Up Australia

The Clean Up Cam app transforms how volunteers report their litter collection. Instead of a manual account, volunteers can now take photos of their collected litter, and using AI, can identify and categorise litter types instantly. The app improves volunteer reporting and strengthens environmental advocacy through improved data collection. 

Watch video here.

3. Bridging the Digital Literacy Gap: ASEAN Foundation

The ASEAN Digital Academy delivers free digital literacy and cyber security learning, supported by an AI self-fact-checking chatbot for youth communities across the ASEAN region. Participants report increased digital confidence and safer online behaviour.

4. Empowering Women Through Digital Financial Tools: NWTF

NWTF developed an AI-enabled financial app providing budgeting insights, loan tracking and financial visibility, helping women strengthen businesses and achieve financial stability.

Watch video here: https://youtu.be/1JerCBFaN7s 

5. Protecting Communities from Online Harm: Netsafe

Netsafe developed Scamproof, a proactive scam-blocking app that detects and stops fraudulent websites before users are exposed, shifting from reacting to scams to preventing harm in real time.

Watch video here.

Technology for Social Justice: What Comes Next

These examples show how Phase 2 of the program is translating digital capability into real-world impact. Across Asia-Pacific, nonprofits are:

• Protecting communities from online harm

• Expanding access to education and digital literacy

• Strengthening environmental action through data

• Improving financial inclusion and economic empowerment

• Building digitally resilient organisations

Together, these initiatives demonstrate that innovative technology and artificial intelligence, when used ethically and inclusively, can help communities not just adapt to the future, but shape it.

Looking for digital and AI support for your organisation? Infoxchange’s Asia-Pacific AI Nonprofit Learning Community bridges the digital divide by providing specialised AI training, mentoring, and localised resources in multiple languages, ensuring organisations can leverage AI tools like Gemini to create positive change in their communities 

Learn more here.