Basic civil
rights ensured
for 1 Million+ people

Open CRVS
Social and Public Services
An open-source platform for inclusive, digital
civil registration.
OpenCRVS captures major life events — birth, death, marriage, divorce, adoption, and migration — through an open-source enterprise-scale platform that digitizes civil registration nationwide.
partner
Countries using the system
Cameroon
Mali
Nigeria
Niue
Zambia
1.2 million
Registration completed worldwide
50 million
Basic civil rights records processed
45% increase
In registrations
8+ years
Ongoing
The Challenge

Millions without
legal identity

In many developing countries, births and deaths go unregistered — leaving millions without legal identity, access to services, or basic civil rights. Existing paper-based systems were slow, inaccessible, and prone to data loss.

There was a critical need for an open-source, interoperable platform that could work offline in remote areas, scale to national population levels, and integrate with existing government health and identity infrastructure.

The platform had to support multiple countries with different legal frameworks, languages, and administrative structures — while remaining flexible enough for local customization without forking the codebase.

Our Approach

Open-source by design,
offline by default

DSi built an enterprise-scale digital civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) platform from the ground up. Designed as a Progressive Web App with offline-first functionality, it serves remote communities without reliable internet.

The platform uses a Node.js and React frontend with GraphQL-based interoperability, enabling seamless integration with national identity systems and health infrastructure across multiple countries.

Built with open-source principles for government transparency and multi-country adoption, the system supports the full lifecycle of civil events — birth, death, marriage, divorce, adoption, and migration — through configurable workflows that adapt to each country's legal requirements.

Tech Stack
Engineering for stability,
scalability and interoperability
Utilized proven technology stacks to support long- running services and ensure security.
database
Hearth
InFluxdata
Elastisearch
business
Hapi
Node
Typescript
presentation
pwa PWA
oauth OAuth
react React
interoperability
openHIM OpenHIM
graphQL GraphQL
Key Features
Robustness is the key
to success
in production
The platform can adapt to a wide spectrum of socio-economic conditions allowing effective deployment addressing local challenges.

Over the course of an 8+ year partnership, DSi helped OpenCRVS grow from concept to a globally deployed digital public good. The platform has completed 1.2 million registrations worldwide and processed over 50 million civil rights records — giving previously invisible populations access to legal identity and government services.

Registration rates increased by 45% in deployed countries, demonstrating the platform's ability to reach communities that paper-based systems could not. The system is now operational across five countries — Cameroon, Mali, Nigeria, Niue, and Zambia — with more deployments in progress.

stairs
Open-source,
Digital compliant
  • Freely accessible, no lock-in
  • Meets DPG Standard
  • Collaborative and Innovative
hexagon
project management
Configurable
events and actions
  • Define vital events
  • Customizable workflows
  • Adapts to laws
circle
scrum
Purpose-built
for CRVS
  • CRVS workflow design
  • Supports frontline users
  • Improves registration quality
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ux
Low connectivity
& Offline suitable
  • Capture events offline
  • Syncs data automatically
  • Ensures rural inclusion
circles
hr
Privacy, security,
& data protection
  • Secure authentication, encryption
  • Role-based data access
  • Privacy-by-design principles
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document
Interoperable with
national systems
  • Open API enabled
  • Integrates with systems
  • Follows global standards
circle flower
accounts
Real-time data
deduplication
  • Detects duplicate registrations
  • Matches new records
  • Enhances accuracy, reduces fraud
hope
finance
CountryConfig & modular architecture
  • Structured CRVS data access
  • Supports rapid creation
  • Allows new features
Ed Duffus
open crvs
Ed Duffus
Co-Founder and CEO,
OpenCRVS
“We’ve been working with DSi since the very beginning of OpenCRVS, starting with our pilot in Bangladesh, and they’ve been a key part of our journey ever since. What began as a local technical partnership has grown into a close, long-term collaboration. The DSi team has consistently brought high-quality skills, flexibility, and a great attitude to everything they do. They’ve become a genuine extension of our own team — fully integrated with our technical leadership and always ready to step up when things get challenging. During crunch times, they’ve shown real commitment, professionalism, and good humor, helping us deliver to the highest standards. DSi has gone far beyond what we’d expect from a subcontracting partner. They’re an essential part of the
OpenCRVS family.”
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Over two decades of
growth and innovation
We believe that technology's true value lies in its power to create a legacy of good.
Talk to the team