"I believe that international companies should aim 50 percent of their R&D budget at those 1.3 billion people who earn less than a dollar a day." - Kevin Roberts, Lovemarks
Been thinking about social entrepreneurism again. Maybe Duyen's story did it.
Or this BBC story about young bloggers. Reminds me once again about Rogelio Mendez in Guatemala and his dream. And maybe that project could be extended into other communities around the world.
John [Mills, a junior high school teacher in Hove, Sussex, UK] set up an after-school club about weblogging at Hangleton [Junior School], and it has become so popular that nearly half the school turns up for some sessions.The children enjoy using the weblogs so much that they happily do extra work at home, even though they've not been given homework to do, and expand their weblogs far beyond the four pages John suggests they aim for at the start.
Crucially, some of the children who attend the club have improved their knowledge of IT far above what is required of their age group by the National Curriculum.
"The Government target is for 80% of children of this age to reach level 4 by year 6. All of the webloggers have done that, and some have reached level 6. They are doing what 14 or 15-year-olds are expected to do.
"The children using weblogs are streets ahead of their peers in IT, and they have made greater advances in literacy than we would normally expect for their age group," John adds.
Another bonus: "The local community can be drawn in on something that, without the weblog, would have been isolated within the school."
I don't know if I'm a better writer from my five-month blogging foray, but I have noticed I can articulate my thoughts much more quickly. It helps me to crystallize ideas that are still swirling in my head and the process of writing often miraculously distills them into something resembling sense. And I think given enough time it will become an outlet for self-expression. As the BBC story illustrates blogging is even a good way to get young kids interested in computers and information technology.
AdRants reports recently on the "optimistic" Gen Y age bracket (the youngest are 11 years old now), born between 1981 and 1995:
In terms of marketing and advertising, the report says they "want and expect to have control over their media experiences." and show a "sincere desire to purchase products from companies that have a social conscience."
Sounds like Gen Y are naturals for blogging and would love to use their voices to do good.
When I met Rogelio he had no idea that I was even in the technology field or possibly able to help him in any manner. (I tend to downplay that I'm a 'rich' foreigner when traveling, so I just blend in with all the other vagabonding backpackers. At first glance, I'm more often mistaken for an Israeli than American when in Central America. So what Rogelio shared with me came straight from his heart. I only shared with him after he spoken that perhaps I could be able to help in some way (I had no clue how at that moment). I should probably throw up a PayPal link at some point here. But right now, simply read the next story in the Backpack Nation series in the immediate next post and if you feel inclined, vote at the site.
Below is a picture of Rogelio standing by a part of his father's altar facing Laguna Chicabal, a very sacred lake to the Mayas at the top of a volcano crater. Below is a photo I took this past December at the market in San Francisco el Alto. Next follows my story about Rogelio.
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