Inspired by technology
It’s remarkable just how important the internet has become to me.
I recall using it for the first time – back when I was PR Manager of the now defunct Tyneside Training and Enterprise Council.
Even then it was too much of a distraction – ever since I’ve felt that I’ve needed to make something out this addiction – so I can justify the time I spend on it to myself and employers.
Social media is still relatively new but might just come close to making this net time worthwhile.
First off, thanks to Twitter, it looks like Bill’s Bluesman might live the dream. The BBC are are on the case. If Bill finds out how to podcast then he can teach me. I can teach others here – volunteers and locals alike.
Also long-term blog reader and Twitterer Minxlj has kindly volunteered to redesign the COPAAP logo. Another score for socal media.
And to learn more about how I can fundraise using these tools, I am in the early stages of sorting a trip to visiting the Mara Triangle crew in Kenya. Of course I want to learn the technical side – but mostly I want to learn how I can engage local people to buy into this and to grasp the power of the tools available to them.
Next week at COPAAP we are starting what I am calling Internet Club. It was just going to be a couple of people but interest is growing. I have recruited a fellow volunteer who knows about building websites to come in and spend an afternoon a week.
We’ll take our current website apart and rebuild it – new and improved. With proper branding. With the ability for local people to update it, and for people overseas to donate easily and with much much more social media interaction. I want people to follow our successes and to see how donations are making changes.
I want them also to know how urgently we need their help – in a city where tragically the most profitable businesses in town are still funeral directors.
So much to learn – so exciting that connections can be made so easily. For someone who never liked to network…hey, look at me – I’m networking.
And to those people out there with skills that they can also volunteer – do it. Can we make this COPAAP project an advert for these skills and for social media? I want to be able to hold up what we achieve as an example to others – just as Mara Triangle is for me.
How could anyone who believes in this technology, as I do, not want to be a part of that?
Whatever your skills or background – we need you. We need media publicity, technical knowledge, marketing know how, legal advice, fundraising support.
Check out the truly inspirational Kiva and what they are achieving even here in Cameroon. They get it.
Here in the office the internet situation is slowly resolving. We tried a new provider and that gave our old guy a shake up and now we’re back with him but with a faster and better service guaranteed.
The only downside is that there remains no downloading from this service. Shame.
However, we have hit upon a compromise. When everyone else in Cameroon is at church on Sunday – I will be downloading.
Yes, we have what is now known as Download Sundays. Twenty four hours to collate all the music and podcasts I want to keep me amused for the following week. In every sense, I can live with this.
And now, believe it or not, as of yesterday I am wifi-ed up.
This feels like progress. Anything here that feels like progress is grounds for optimism.
Oh and the generator is fixed too.
Did I mention this has been a good week?
I am inspired.
Tonight – Beers at Dreamland.
***
Just to follow on from that post – if you haven’t signed up to Twitter then you should. Or if you just want to follow my Twitter whinging then the feed is here.
I am only just realising quite how powerful these connections can be.
***
Pics from our recent workshop.
Tags: blogging, cameroon, social media, twitter, volunteer
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
October 24, 2008 at 9:30 am
This is the real stuff, Steve. Your inspiration is infectious. The events of the last couple days are evidence of that. At the same time, I feel like we’re figuring out how best to leverage social media here in Cameroon to achieve common goals together. You’re surely taking the lead on this front. People in our space can learn a lot from your example. Keep it coming.
October 24, 2008 at 9:53 am
Well, all I have to offer really are my Librarian Skills (which sadly don’t include flying or invisibility, imagine my disappointment!). They may not be the most obvious skills out there, but if you ever reach the stage of pointing the people COPAAP train or any of the medics you may work with towards decent, free medical resources (including journals and the like) on the Internet, please just ask. I’ve got a background in medical libraries, and worked in the NHS before moving to the dark side of Academia.
Keep up the great work and brilliant blogging, and I’m so glad you’ve had a good week
October 24, 2008 at 10:04 am
Steve, you were on about getting wifi into your hut over the road. There are ways of extending the signal
http://www.techworld.com.au/article/261270/extend_your_wi-fi_range_parabolic_reflector
http://lifehacker.com/software/lifehacker-top-10/top-10-wi+fi-boosts-tweaks-and-apps-306436.php
In fact Chris or Jamillah at 5Live did a piece on this a while back or was it Digital Planet??? A guy in Australia I believe, can’t remember. Sorry, that’s really of zero help…
October 24, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Steve seeing as you are embracing technology check this link out.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7688268.stm
October 24, 2008 at 12:46 pm
billz – I think the beauty of this is that we are all volunteers in this and that social media most often is a tool used for good.
At VSO we are encouraged to pool our skills between volunteers and this is a way of widening that – we have so much talent at our disposal – we just have to find it and motivate it.
Whatever one of us learns we all learn – what could be more sustainable.
Abby – most appreciated – and I am absolutely sure we will use your skills. You are at the vital end of things – we’re just trying to facilitate getting that far.
I need to work out how to fundraise – mostly the cash we need – and the hardest to come by is people’s wages. I may simply fundraise one person and a time – till we have two or three more of us – before we start looking to fund projects.
Graham – I was virtually hanging by my toes last night from my balcony trying to get a signal – but not luck. Turns out that when I came back this morning someone had turned off the server.
So I will try again tonight when I know the server is on. However (hopefully) in time we’ll move to our new apartments. We’re due to go…err…this weekend. Hmm – no ones making plans. Okay, let’s make it next week.
One day we will move.
October 24, 2008 at 12:48 pm
but…I will be trying the tin foil trick in the short term – thanks for the info.
October 24, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Great enthusiasm. Way to use technology to get your point out to the world.
Podcasting rocks.
Dave Jackson
http://www.schoolofpodcasting.com
October 26, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Steve I tried to send this link before but doesn’t seem to have worked.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7688268.stm
October 26, 2008 at 8:36 pm
Fella, if I can be of assistance in a techie way, just ask. I’m a gazillion miles away and will be busy(ish) in the runup to xmas working in France but I will have internet access for most of it and I can always fit more graft in! By all means, contact me directly via the blog link.
October 27, 2008 at 10:13 am
Steve, if you’re considering website stuff you might think about “self build” stuff like geocities, google groups, google sites, wepaint.com etc which will allow NGO staff etc to control their content instead of needing a developer.
October 27, 2008 at 6:22 pm
So many cool ideas coming from so many people…wow, the internet truly can be brilliant
As much as my boss moans about social networking being a waste of time, I’ve always argued that it’s not – I catch up on so many work-related things I otherwise might have missed, bounce ideas off of other designers worldwide or pick up on what they’re doing, or volunteer my time to a very, very good cause* 
*redesigns coming very soon!
October 27, 2008 at 6:35 pm
Mosh you are very kind. I will more than likely take you up on that – I just need to find out what is available locally and take it from there.
I may need you to fix things or tell us where we are going wrong. I am learning too here.
Tim – I think that is the plan. I basically have a broad outline of what I want but I have another volunteer with more tech knowledge. Basically we are going to learn together and develop what we want together.
minxlj – I was saying the same to a local kid here. My attitude is you have work to do that you have to do – how you manage your time is up to you – if you want to check out all this stuff and use the internet then that’s cool – but you have to make it worth your while.
Thanks for the comments everyone.