Background

Empowerment Works Founder and TGS producer Melanie St James has sought to link social justice, hands on international policy research and private sector entrepreneurship to enable more holistic and multi-sector collaboration. After founding Empowerment Works (EW) in 2001, she developed EW’s “7 Stages to Sustainability” approach to Asset Based Community Development. Most recently she has applied those techniques to her recent teaching of the 7 Stages to Sustainability curriculum (Fall 2009) to 90+ young women leaders in China for the World Academy for the Future of Women.

Where: Dharma Drum University, Taipei, Taiwan (No.77, Yanping S. Rd.Taipei)

When: 1-4pm / Oct. 13, 2010

Why: To discuss DDU’s scope and vision in field study & design with our international communities (Belize, Indonesia, Taiwan, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria) with practices in the areas of ICT education, appropriate technology, indigenous cultural preservation and promotion, environmental protection, renewable technology for eco-living and food production towards an improved world.

Who:
Guests

• Apply Jia, CEO of Bamboo Community University Association (BCUA), Taiwan
• Kieran Ryan, Director of Department of Computer Science, Sacred Heart College, Belize
• Syafrizaldi Jpang, Board Member of Sumatra Sustainable Support (SSS), Indonesia
• Panut Hadisiswoyo, Founding Director of Orangutan Information Centre (OIC), Indonesia
• Okta Setiawan, Aceh Region Coordinator of AirPutih Foundation, Indonesia
• Nick Lee, Program Manager, Bamboo Community University Association, Taiwan

Dharma Drum University

• 劉安之, Principal of Dharma Drum University, Taiwan
• 楊蓓, Professor of School of Life & Living, DDU, Taiwan
• 陳平坤, Assistant professor of School of Life & Living, DDU, Taiwan
• 吳正中, Assistant professor of School of Philanthropy , DDU, Taiwan
• 邱明民, Assistant professor of School of Arts & Culture , DDU, Taiwan
• 孔健中, Assistant professor of School of Environmental Studies, DDU, Taiwan
• 黃啟豪, Assistant of School of Philanthropy , DDU, Taiwan
• 黃詩婷, Assistant of School of Life & Living, DDU, Taiwan

Event will be conducted both in English and Mandarin.

Moderator & Interpretor
Joy Tang, Founder, oneVillage Foundation (volunteering)

Agenda:
1:00-1:10  Opening – DDU Host & Joy Tang
1:10-1:30  Introduction of DDU’s visions and planning on Field Study & Design – President Liu of DDU
1:30-1:45  NGO Leadership Forum – Apple Jia
1:45-2:00  ICT Education Development in Belize where Students in Belize are Challenged to Solve Educational Problems in Rural Areas where Others have Failed – Kieran Ryan
2:00-2:15  Sumatra Sustainable Support – Syafrizaldi Jpang
2:15-2:30  Break
2:30-2:45  Orangutan Information Centre – Panut Hadisiswoyo
2:45-3:30  Group Discussion
3:00-3:50  Group Discussion – All
3:50-4:00  Comment & Feedback – President Liu of DDU

Suggested Questions for Discussion:

1. How to design an effective overseas internship program?
2. What kind of attitude/personality/background knowledge should international volunteers have?
3. Regarding the time length of overseas internship, what is most proper for a rookie international volunteer?
4. How to identify the potentials and qualities of a leader (such as training leaders on how to become problem solvers)?
5. How to design an environment where the leadership potentials and qualities could be maximized?
6. How to create a culture where the learned experiences and knowledge could be shared and utilized by others?
7. Recruitment and participant selection: consider how prospective students could join this process; learning and contributing thus honing their leadership skills.

Collective IQs for Knowledge Federation

• Dharma Drum University 法鼓大學
• oneVillage 連合村
• Bamboo Community University 青草湖社區大學
• Sumatra Sustainable Support, Indonesia
• Orangutan Information Centre (OIC), Indonesia
• Sacred Heart College, Belize
• Okogreen 生態綠 (from Social Innovation session Jul /2010 – http://blog.onevillage.tv/?p=1962)
• Global Voice Online 全球之聲 (from Social Innovation session July /2010)

Outcomes:
Co-create by this group.

*************** Bio of Guests ****************
Syfrizaldi Aal
Syafrizaldi Aal先生是印尼「蘇門答臘永續支持協會(SSS: Sumatra Sustainable Support)」理事，專長領域為社會森林學、生態保護區管理、環境資源治理、河川流域管理、社區環境服務、NGO之組織培力、婦女與農民培力等，曾在 美國國際發展署(USAID)支助之全國性大型印尼「環境服務計劃(ESP: Environmental Services Program)」任職五年，進行蘇門答臘地區河川全流域社區整合型治理計劃，包括上游之森林保護與小額貸款農民植樹復林計劃，中游之水資源治理、社區農 村學校設立與婦女和農民培力計劃，下游之都會區汙水管理、社區公共衛生計劃、學校環境生態教育等。Aal先生尤其擅長婦女、農民與志工之培力，與協助社區 成立在地NGO之輔導工作，過去數年曾協助青草湖社區大學協會暨清大之E-Mate印尼國際志工計劃，培訓台灣國際志工至都會貧民區與偏鄉社區進行與水資 源相關之環境教育服務。

Panut Hadisiswoyo
Panut Hadisiswoyo先生是印尼「紅毛猩猩資訊中心(OIC, Orangutan Information Centre)」的創辦人與現任主任。該組織是印尼蘇門答臘地區從事熱帶雨林保護與瀕臨絕種紅毛猩猩保育最重要的NGO，主要任務為紅毛猩猩保育、雨林植 樹復育、學校與社區巡迴環境教育與在地生態環境教育教材研發與教學影片製作。該組織長期獲得聯合國教科文組織(UNESCO)、國家地理學會等國際組織的 補助保護蘇門答臘重要雨林。近年與青草湖社區大學協會、國家高速網路與計算中心合作，爭取外交部NGO委員會補助設立兩處CDOC雨林數位機會中心，並協 助交大等各大學國際志工至該處服務。Panut先生為印尼培育之知識精英，但放棄高薪工作創立NGO，志在終身投入生態環境保護工作。於英國在職求學期間 (Oxford Brooks大學靈長類保育碩士)，其傑出保育成就榮獲頒授英國女王獎。

Okta Setiawan
Okta Setiawan先生為印尼白水基金會亞齊分會主任，是2004年底印尼亞齊省大海嘯後第一批進入災區救援之外省NGO工作者，並長期擔任災區復元、重建 與弱勢民眾培力發展之工作，後並定居亞齊。亞齊大海嘯是25萬人死亡之巨型災難，救援工作需仰賴國際與印尼全國人力物力之協助。「白水」取其白浪滔滔、海 嘯之意，白水基金會即為爪哇地區志願至亞齊災區救援志工為投入復元、重建、募款、組織、培力工作成立之印尼全國性NGO。白水基金會獲得德國大型NGO之 支助，專業領域為無線通訊科技、資訊系統建置與組織E化培力，於海嘯災後初期協助亞齊省政府架設基地台恢復無線通訊，中期協助省政府建置與營運計算機與網 路中心，近期多從事亞齊省23縣市組織E化巡迴培力工作。Okta先生與其工作團隊近年多次協助青草湖社區大學協會、原住民學院促進會、咖啡公平貿易協 會，清大、元智大學國際志工團隊，以及政大、高師大學者，進行學術災區與偏鄉田野研究、國際志工社區E化培力服務與公費碩博士生來台留學之工作。

Kieran Ryan
Kieran Ryan教授為貝里斯聖心學院資訊科學系主任。貝里斯為台灣在中美洲之邦交國，Ryan教授透過台灣的國合會(ICDF)的傑出學人獎學金計劃來台留學， 畢業於清大科技管理所之國際學程。貝里斯雖近2/3台灣面積，人口卻僅有30萬人，境內為廣大的熱帶雨林、溼地與美麗之珊瑚礁海岸，偏鄉教育普及、環境生 態保護與巡守、馬雅原住民文化保存、永續發展為貝里斯之重要發展課題。Ryan教授任職之聖心學院為貝里斯主要的高等教育單位，專長領域為資訊科技融入教 學、公共版權自由軟體在教育上之應用與企業社會責任(CSR)相關計劃推展。Ryan教授近年積極協助貝里斯教育部進行偏鄉教育普及、縮減數位落差、開設 社區學院終身學習課程之工作，尤其是環境生態相關全國與地方NGO之E化培力工作。

In the latest installment of this Forum, Joy will be presenting tomorrow at the Leadership Program for World NGO Staff Workshop.

Moderator: Prof. Jason Chan, Director of Research and Development Center for Community Learning (RDCCL), National Chengchi University (NCCU) will moderate.

Workshop Theme: The theme of the event is Developing “the NGO leadership master program at NCCU for world NGO staff.”

Discussion:

Building a Knowledge Federation among International NGOs – Joy will be discussing the idea of developing a Knowledge Federation among international NGOs. The idea is that such a federation is key towards forming new global networks and linking appropriate knowledge and technologies (including but not exclusively limited to ICT) as a way to solve World Urgent Issues. Related to this is the challenge of retooling modernity to think more collectively and holistically to solve challenging and globally interrelated problems and issues.

Duration:

The discussion is blocked out for 30 minutes and will include:

1. Presentation on how to develop the NGO leadership master program at NCCU for world NGO staff (10 min), Joy Tang
2. Discussion (20 min)

For more Information:

• Event Workshop Page
• We are looking at how we can link this effort to build the Knowledge Federation (the focus of this discussion) with Chris Watkin’s effort to organize the Content Initiatives for ICT4D. The goal: to develop effective ICT4D programs to enable appropriate technology development in non-affluent regions.

The Giant bikes at the Winneba Open Digital Village (WODiV)

oneVillage Foundation Ghana has taken delivery of 102 slightly used bicycles, 51 pairs of brand new bicycle tires, and some maintenance tools, from Giant Bikes Taiwan. The bikes and components are to be used to implement OVF’s Taiwan Bike Bike Ghana (TBBG) Project.

TBBG is a newly introduced project that developed from oneVillage Foundation’s (OVF) annual EcoTour Service and Learning Program (ESLP). The ESLP is designed under the Economy, Ecology & Education Pillars of the One Village Initiative (OVI), which is the methodology used by OVF to address world urgent issues. The ESLP Program offers a platform for Volunteers from around the world to come to Ghana and volunteer needed services in the operational areas of OVF. Currently, the program is currently executed in collaboration with the National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), Taiwan.

Project Goals

The TBBG project is designed and will be executed under the Health, Ecology, and Economy pillars of the OVI, to achieve amongst others, the following:

• Encourage a culture of biking in Ghana as a means of healthy living in OVF’s operational areas (Winneba, Cape Coast and Jukwa);
• Set up a bike rental station in Cape Coast to be managed by the Unity Drum Cultural Group (OVF Social enterprise Incubation Program), to create employment for some unemployed members and create a income stream to fund the group’s operations;
• Reduce manual labour by beneficiaries, such as farmers and cultural group, by fixing a Extracycle on the bikes for these groups. The Extracycle can extend the capacity of load haulage to 150 kilograms;
• Reduce Carbon dioxide emissions and help beneficiaries to make savings on transportation.

Project Execution Team Distribution Areas

The project execution team will distribute 102 used, and 15 new bicycles (bought in Ghana), in Winneba, Cape Coast and Jukwa; 75 in Winneba, 20 in Cape Coast and 22 in Jukwa. Other items which will be distributed include tires, Extracycle equipments (to expand load haulage) and maintenance tools.

Above: Jukwa Team Receive Giant Bikes

Winneba Assembly Women accept the bikes

1. Winneba – In Winneba, the bikes will be distributed to the Chief, Mayor, Education Director, and Police Commander. Other beneficiaries in Winneba will include young girls who walk long distances to school, 20 kids from 4 deprived schools (selected together with the Education office) and who live far from their schools, Ompeh Cultural Group, ICT teachers who attended this year’s IT School (an ESLP Project) , as well as OVF staffs.
2. Jukwa – In Jukwa, the bikes will also be used to create awareness and canvass support for the orphanage (Stoughton Horizon Orphanage), which has been supported by the EcoTour Program, since 2008 and currently houses several orphans from the Jukwa Region. The plan is to use the bikes to highlight the efforts of the Orphanage to improve the lives of the children to organizations (like Churches) and individuals. The remainder of the bikes will be distributed to Chiefs and opinion leaders, as well selected students of the Jukwa Senior High School, and the youth group [it would be good to have the name of the youth group] which partnered OVF for the EcoTour project in Jukwa.
3. Cape Coast – In Cape Coast, the team is entrusting to Unity Drum, 20 bikes, maintenance tools, a mechanized foot pump, and 30 tires, to be used to set up the bike rental station to create employment and income for the group.

Unity Drum Cape Coast Bike Ride

Led by Unity Drum Cape Coast founder Emmanuel Richardson, the Unity Drum group set up an event that invited commmunity members in Cape Coast Ghana to experience the Joys of bike riding. The event is titled Taiwan Bike Bike Ghana ride event, This included a bike ride around cape coast to advertise the rental station being established by Unity Drum to create jobs for people and also use the resources to support unitydrum members. This is a part of OVF’s social enterprise and business incubation initiative. The goal of this effort is to promote ecological awareness in Ghana, while supporting social innovation through social enterprise creation.

Evaluation

Receivers of the 102 bicycles will fill out questionnaires, which will help OVF to gain more awareness about the usage rate, utilization of bikes and to find out how the Giant Bikes are affecting the lives of beneficiaries. This information will help us plan improved future bike programs. We also will distribute information packets about the role of bike programs and biking in general and how it is key to promote more ecologically responsible living what we term at OVF as EcoLiving.

Next Steps

OVF will report back to Giant on the progress of this project. OVF and NTHU EcoTour volunteers will also use this information to submit a proposal to Giant, to build a long-term partnership for the “Taiwan Bike, Bike Ghana” project, in order to replicate the successes of the project in other areas where it is needed in Ghana. We also may consider the relevance of expanding the effort to other countries in Africa at some point in the future.

For more information:

• Read and Download OVF’s Press Release: OVF Receives 102 Bikes from Giant Bike Taiwan
• OVF’s Taiwan Bike Bike Ghana Project Flickr Page

Do far, the NGO Leadership Exchange Forum has been held in several locations in Kaoshung and Taipe, Chi Shan and Meinong cities of Taiwan through Bamboo Community University. The network seeks to bring NGO leaders together in Taiwan to promote effective community development strategies.

Prep for the trip which started in October when the 2010 team was recruited including for the trip’s service learning component, selection of students, fund-raising sponsorship events and communications with the OVF Ghana team in the field.

For more Info:

• Download Presentation: http://www.onevillagefoundation.org/ovf/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/NCTU_20100928_en.pdf

From Silicon Valley to Africa
The design and deployment started in 1999 from Silicon Valley to Africa: the digital-haves and the digital-have-nots. In the past decade, from technology driven (generate demand of using Internet technology) to human-centered capacity building focus, this process also naturally leads to the investigation of appropriate technologies suitable for context where ICT solutions and devices are used.

OVI consists of 6 pillars where programs are designed to meet local context and needs:

1. Economy: ecotour program
2. Education: IT School program (ICT education)
3. Ecology: Farmers co-ops and Bike Ghana programs
4. Governance: eGovernance program with Police Training School in Winneba
5. Culture & Tradition: Digital Archive program
6. Healthcare: TBD

All programs co-relate with the Digital Development Dynamics (DDD):

1. Policy & Regulations
2. Access & Infrastructure
3. Content and Applications
4. Human Capacity Building
5. Enterprise
6. Media

In 2006, the oneVillage team joined global wireless experts on training of wireless meshed networks (WSFII) and consequently set up the first ‘Open Digital Village’ as the hub where we provide Internet wireless network, IT training and Internet café to serve as the connection and communication layer for the oneVillage Initiaitve.

In April 2010, the first incubated business was established in Ghana through oneVillage Initiative. The service is providing consultancy and implementation services on Internet policy, research, IT solutions and digital center establishment.

OVI Ghana

City: Cape Coast (historical town and previous capital of Ghana)

Town: Winneba (a town with fishing villages and University of Education, Ghana)

Rural Village: Jukwa (farming village known for its peace, palm plantation and the home of the King of Denkyira Kingdom, oldest Kingdom in Ghana)

The correlation of OVI  integrated approach for the programs in the past decade would serve as the reference for FutureChallenges in the process and experiment of social networking and new media practices.

Ecotour collaboration with Jukwa Youth

Interviews and video coverage to create the trailer was conducted jointly with selected Jukwa youth, ably led by Nana Kwabena Amofa Appiah (Son of the King of Denkyira, Odeefour Boa Amponsem III).
After strategic meetings with the youth of Jukwa, we unanimously came to a strategy of partnership with the youth to learn from credible local sources, such as Denkyira Kwadwomhene, Nana Teeku (Chief responsible for recounting the history of Denkyira).
Paying attention and adhering to traditional standards, we plan to make the culture of digital culture in Denkyira Kingdom, sustainable. Hence all parties have identified their roles, in order to reach our target; Jukwa youth to record, edit and produce digital file of the Odwira festival in November, information dissemination through networks will be done by NTHU Ghana Team, and OVF Ghana team will coordinate the process.

We realize the importance of local involvement, partnership and empowerment. We had knowledge sharing and practical hands on sessions, to empower the youth in the Community to be able to sustain the effort.

MeiMan Lien is the Founder & Executive Director of Nook Association of Social Awareness, Taiwan.

Ms. Lien is the first oneVillage Fellow from Taiwan. Her role is to document how oneVillage Initiative is applied in Ghana from the perspectives of a social worker involved in special education in Taiwan. Ms. Lian’s lifetime work has been on igniting human ingenuity and maximizing human potentials of the mentally challenged individuals via artistic performing and practical work training for cafe operation.

She will be working on the Research Project related to the development of oneVillage Initiative in Ghana. The focus of the work will be a reflection of the cultural values of SANKOFA.

From Wikipedia about Sankofa:

The Akan people of Ghana use an Adinkra symbol to represent this same idea and one version of it is similar to the eastern symbol of a heart, and another version is that of a bird with its head turned backwards taking an egg off its back. It symbolizes one taking from the past what is good and bringing it into the present in order to make positive progress through the benevolent use of knowledge. Adinkra symbols are used by the Akan people to express proverbs and other philosophical ideas.

OVF's Joy Tang with NTHU student celebrating donation of 102 Giant Bikes for Ecotour Program

The bikes will be shipped to Ghana on July 29 using a shipping container and will be incorporated into a new effort in Ghana called Bike Ghana.

The bikes deployed through the Bike Ghana effort initiated by OVF and with the help of the students will be used to assist workers many of whom are engaged in agricultural production in Ghana and have limited transport options. We believe that the introduction of bicycles will help residents improve the efficiency of agricultural transport, while also promoting Taiwan’s reputation to make and distribute reliable and useful products.

The donation was made possible through the executive director of Giant Bicycle’s Foundation/NGO arm/ UMC executive director Liu Lizhu. The bikes were originally leased to a water park where they were rented to customers. A certain percentage of these vehicles are replaced each year, but that they are still very good and indeed almost new condition.

For more about the donation:

• Li Qinglin of United Daily News (Chinese) in Taiwan reported on OVF efforts to secure donation of 100 used bikes from Giant Bike: http://www.udn.com/2010/7/13/NEWS/DOMESTIC/DOM3/5721064.shtml (English version using Google Translate.)