[Ubuntu-PH] Fwd: Application announcement: 2006-2007 RDVP Fellowship

Thu Jan 26 06:14:18 UTC 2006

Dear Charles,

I don't know how you have been oriented on NGO work.
But I understand where you are coming from and I am
somewhat saddened about that.

Because of some few NGO's doing nothing but making
themselves more richer, the whole NGO community has
been marred. I have been working in the NGO community
for about 7 years now and I don;t have any regrets
working here even with the low pay I have. Genuine
NGOs are governed by the Philippine Council for NGO
Certifcation (PCNC. Its a government and NGO body
policing the ranks of NGOs to prevent NGOs some
becoming monsters like the one you may have known. If
you want to work with a good NGO, look for their PCNC
or at least ask them is they knew about PCNC or have
plans about PCNC. 

NGO work is not equal to government work. Red tape is
a governments' ill and not of the NGO's. We at the NGO
community sometimes cannot fully provide servises to
the poor because of this government red tape. For
instance--a project providing drinking water to a
barangay--the NGO cannot do it alone--they are legally
bound to go through the government's RED TAPE to do
this...some times NGO projects are even victims of
government corruption. 

NGO's have databases and forms but these are not for
red tape. I would agree for centralizing databases on
NGO data on poverty, data on where are the poorest of
the poor (which the NEDA has difficulty finding!). But
there are initiatives already about this. 

I like your idea of helping NGOs with FOSS so they can
help the poor more efficiently and effectively. But
FOSS can also do goo directly to the poor communities
without pasing to the NGO's. Linux commmunities can
directly train and provide hard and sofware for public
schools--EdUbuntu is good for this. Or how about
software development fit for the unique financial
system of cooperatives. I think there is no commercial
software for cooperatives or these are few and very
restrictive to the poor. FOSS can help in networking
but not NGO databases--how about agricultural products
database for marketing...A web portal where farmers
and fishers coops can go to sell their produce and buy
raw materials. 

Also how about writing a FOSS applications for
business planning? Cooperatives especially the small
ones mostly fail in their buisness because of bad
business planning. I would love to see a business
planning software in Tagalog and Cebuano. These things
are possible becuase we are in FOSS. 

Wilson

--- Charles Yao <ccyao at greenleecp.com> wrote:

> Just an idea, since were on the topic. A lot of
> NGO's are working with these
> farmers, how about someone talk to them about
> centralizing their databases
> and forms so that the red tape is cut and they can
> focus on helping the
> farmers. Im sure a huge chunk of the budgets of
> these NGO's go to their
> operational costs. With a more efficient system,
> these cost can now be
> reallocated to do what they were supposed to, that
> is to help farmers,
> fishermen etc.
> 
> Computer literacy, would be an issue with the
> farmers and fishermen so time
> may be better spent on those NGO's whose sole
> purpose should be to help
> these people. I know these NGO's get a lot of
> funding from foreign NGO's and
> I think it is a shame that a lot of money may only
> be going to their
> operating costs ie: 9/11(only 10 cents per dollar
> given to the  victims
> ever got to them because the people in charge of
> helping them wasted the
> money on bureaucracy.
> 
> Charles
> 
> On 1/25/06, Yolynne Medina <yolynne at gmail.com>
> wrote:
> >
> > Hi Sir Barbon!
> >
> > I am also interested in the idea, actually my
> father and his siblings
> > own a farm land on Cotabato.
> > I also wanna bring technology in the area kasi. 
> Can you help me out
> > with a proposal for the cooperatives, I also have
> an uncle who works
> > in the cooperative and is quite open with the
> technological
> > advancement advantages.  I can bring up this topic
> to him , when I go
> > to Davao sometime in March.
> >
> > More Power and God Bless!
> >
> > Sincerly,
> > Yolynne
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 1/19/06, Barbon Wilson John
> <wjbarbon at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > Para sa mga interesado dito. Pwede ako tutulong
> sa effort by
> > contributing my
> > > experience on social entrepreneurships and rural
> development work. I
> > would
> > > say that small businesses like fisher and
> farmers' cooperatives needs a
> > lot
> > > in assisting them in terms of technology--it
> would be nice to see these
> > > cooperatives using computers for financial
> management and for better
> > market
> > > linkages like E-marketing and E-advocacy.
> > >
> > > Just sent me email.
> > >
> > >
> > > Charles Yao <ccyao at greenleecp.com> wrote:
> > >  Jerome,
> > >
> > >  How about something to do with e-governments.
> I've always foud
> > governments
> > > to be slow this not very good especially in
> communites where money is
> > tight
> > > to begin with. Ubuntu based document management
> for proper filing or
> > > automated forms or something like that. Red tape
> and bureaucracy is
> > usually
> > > so bad in these countries that nothing ever gets
> done.
> > >
> > >  Regards,
> > >
> > >  Charles
> > >
> > > On 1/18/06, Jerome Gotangco
> <jgotangco at ubuntu.com> wrote:
> > > > Any projects in mind for the team?
> > > >
> > > > ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> > > > From: Stuart Gannes
> <digitalvision at csli.stanford.edu>
> > > > Date: Jan 18, 2006 2:50 AM
> > > > Subject: [RDVP-UPDATES] Application
> announcement: 2006-2007 RDVP
> > > Fellowship
> > > > To: rdvp-updates at lists.rdvp.org
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > We apologize if you receive this message more
> than once.
> > > >
> > > > Announcement
> > > >
> > > > The Reuters Digital Vision Program (RDVP) at
> Stanford University is
> > > > accepting applications for the 2006-07
> academic year (September 2006 -
> > > > June 2007). The deadline is April 3, 2006.
> Fellowships will be awarded
> > > > at the end of May, 2006.
> > > >
> > > > The Program
> > > >
> > > > The Digital Vision Program supports social
> entrepreneurs who seek to
> > > > leverage technology-based solutions in the
> interest of humanitarian,
> > > > educational, and sustainable development
> goals. The Program fosters
> > > > interdisciplinary projects and prototyping
> efforts that address real
> > > > needs in underserved communities. For the
> 2006-07 academic year, the
> > > > program will focus on the following broad
> categories:
> > > >
> > > >          - Advancing Financial Services
> (Microfinance, microinsurance,
> > > > remittances, market information, e-commerce)
> > > >          - Knowledge and Empowerment (Literacy
> and numeracy,
> > > > e-learning and training, e-government, social
> networks, and community
> > > > building)
> > > >          - Networked Health and Welfare
> (Health administration, health
> > > > research and sciences, public health and
> safety, telemedicine, relief
> > > > services, advocacy)
> > > >
> > > > The core of the Program is a nine-month
> fellowship that brings
> > > > individuals from around the globe to the
> Stanford University Campus.
> > > > Digital Vision Fellows collaborate with
> faculty, students, private
> > > > sector firms, non-government organizations,
> and most importantly, each
> > > > other. Digital Vision Fellows have Visiting
> Scholar privileges at
> > > > Stanford University, including the ability to
> audit courses. Fellows
> > > > also participate in a structured Sanford
> Digital Vision Program with
> > > > weekly meetings, workshops, and seminars.
> > > >
> > > > Fees and Scholarships
> > > >
> > > > The Reuters Foundation and other DV Program
> partners will award
> > > > approximately a dozen full-time fellowships,
> covering all Stanford
> > > > University fees and expenses. Living stipends
> may be available for
> > > > fellows accepted from developing world
> countries. The Digital Vision
> > > > Program also offers "Corporate Fellowships" to
> individuals from
> > > > organizations who continue to perform their
> full-time professional
> > > > duties in their organizations, while
> participating in the seminars,
> > > > workshops, and other organized activities of
> the DVP.  For additional
> > > > information on the fellowships please click on
> the "Become a Fellow"
> > > > link on our website at <http://rdvp.org >.
> > > >
> > > > Stuart Gannes, Director
> > > > Reuters Digital Vision Program
> > > > Stanford University
> > > >
> > > >
> _______________________________________________
> > > > RDVP-UPDATES mailing list
> > > > RDVP-UPDATES at lists.rdvp.org
> > > >
> http://lists.rdvp.org/mailman/listinfo/rdvp-updates
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > ubuntu-ph mailing list
> > > > ubuntu-ph at lists.ubuntu.com
> > > >
> http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ph
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > "It is unwise to pay to much, but it is worse to
> pay too little; you
> > > sometimes lose everything becuase the thing you
> bought was incapable of
> > > doing the thing it was bought to do" --
> > > ubuntu-ph mailing list
> > > ubuntu-ph at lists.ubuntu.com
> > >
> http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ph
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Wilson John Barbon
> > > Senior Social Development Officer
> > > Project Seahorse Foundation for Marine
> Conservation, Inc.
> > > Mobile phone: (0927) 700-1047
> > >
> > >  ________________________________
> > > Yahoo! Photos – Showcase holiday pictures in
> hardcover
> > >  Photo Books. You design it and we'll bind it!
> > > --
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> > >
> http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ph
> > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > --
> > "The Best things in Life are Free"
> > Yolynne Medina <yolynne at gmail.com |
> yolynne at netaccess.com.ph >
> > ym: yolynne.rm skype: ynmedina
> > Mobile: +639062199524
> > GPG key: 0x3C45D3D4
> >
> > --
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> >
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ph
> >
> >
> >
> 
> 
> --
> "It is unwise to pay to much, but it is worse to pay
> too little; you
> sometimes lose everything becuase the thing you
> bought was incapable of
> doing the thing it was bought to do"
> > -- 
> ubuntu-ph mailing list
> ubuntu-ph at lists.ubuntu.com
> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-ph
> 

Wilson John Barbon
Senior Social Development Officer
Project Seahorse Foundation for Marine Conservation, Inc.
Mobile phone: (0927) 700-1047

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