Top Ghanaian Footballers Compete to Benefit AIDS Prevention and Treatment - On October 9th, OVF Ghana in partnership with United Through Sport (UK based NGO) and ProLink organized the 2005 "Sports People that Care" Cup Match at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium. Thanks to United Through Sport, we were able to obtain a grant from the Accenture Foundation. OVF Ghana Director Kafui Prebbie reports that the Oct 9 event in Ghana was successful, leading to funds being raised for the caring of those suffering from HIV/AIDS. Sports People That Care promotes AIDS awareness, prevention and treatment by using sports events as both fundraising tools and opportunities to get the word out about HIV/AIDS. The event itself was designed to promote prevention through mass media promotion and coverage while a percentage of gate proceeds will go towards treatment.
SPTC Match Field Report (preliminary)| SPTC Project Overview

Software Freedom Day Celebrated in Ghana and Nigeria on Sept 10 by OVF - Both Ghana and Nigeria participated in Software Freedom Day. SFD promotes open source software as an alternative to proprietary software. To secure our position with Open Source Federations around the world (FOSSFA), Kafui constituted a team of 10 students in Winneba who underwent Open Source Training at the University of Education Winneba Ghana (UoE) ICT Center in preparation for this year's Software Freedom Day Celebration. More...

Winneba Linux User Group Launched - With the sponsorship of OneVillage Foundation Ghana, on September 27th, the, Winneba Linux Users Group (WILUG), the third tertiary LUG in Ghana, was launched a the University of Education, Winneba Ghana (UoE). Kafui Prebbie, the head of this project and the administrator of the ICT Center at the University of Education (the primary Un iversity for teachers in Ghana), has gathered a critical mass of 15 students to start this chapter. At the WILUG launch, 4-5 thin clients, provided courtesy of Linux Africa User Group (LAUG) were used to demonstrate how Linux powered servers can power many thin clients cheaply and reliably. The Winneba Linux User Group (WILUG) was launched on the Sept. 27th, as a means to show OVF's commitment to training programs using Open Source. We anticipate that this event will build support in realizing the OVF dream of building an ICT and social entrepreneur center in Winneba. WILUG seeks to promote a whole range of free/open source solutions. The reasons for this are several; they not only reduce software costs for ICT projects (which is a major consideration particularly in developing countries) but also to promote more reliable and dependable systems. We believe that well thought out open source programs can address the digital divide more effectively than would a proprietary Windows based Information Development approach. This story will appear in the Linux Magazine December 2005 issue.
WILUG Launch Field Report | WILUG Project Overview

Jukwa Coop Palm Oil Press Update - Thanks to a donation from Helen Depietro OVF Ghana and its partners, the Jukwa Farmers Cooperative in Jukwa Ghana was able to apply for a grant for a palm oil press from the Ghanaian government. In June we received word that the grant was approved. Plans are now being made to assemble this facility in Jukwa in the coming months. This facility will help improve the quality of life of local farmers by increases the value of their farm products - palm oil is of higher value than unprocessed palm fruit. We are also exploring sustainable technologies and approaches such as the use of the palm oil as an alternative to diesel in vehicles and electric generators.
JPEG of Grant Approval | Project Overview

Time to Get Online Workshop - Olaposi Abiola, Country Director of OVF Nigeria recently engaged in ICT training with Kabissa a US based NGO. The TTGO workshops in March allowed him to become an Kabissa authorized workshop facilitator for further developing ICT training to Information Development in Nigeria. As a follow up to his training, Olaposi was able to conduct a successful “Time to Get Online” workshop in which he trained officials from local governments and on ICT. We are planning to conduct these workshops on a regular basis in Nigeria in 2006. More...

OVF Invited by Stockholm Challenge to become the 'Stockholm Challenge Champion' - We have established a direct link and recognition with Stockholm Challenge. They work to reward innovative, effective ICT programs that make the world a better place promoting best practices through partnerships with ICT4D participants around the globe. Our goal is to participate in this program by assisting in getting our network and overall readiness in place so we can become an equal partner with the Challenge in moving towards equal and 'beyond sustainable' economic development. Ericisson is one of the partners of Stockholm Challenge along with City of Stockholm. Please let us know of any best practices in ICT that are moving in this direction but may not be getting the attention they deserve. More...

 

OVF Networked Meetings and Conferences

Kafui Prebbie Participates in the Young Think Tank of the Club of Rome Conference in Brazil (tt30) - OVF Ghana Director Kafui Prebbie received word in August that his application to become a tt30 member was accepted. As part of his selection he was invited to participate at an important tt30/Club of Rome Conference. This included a stipend to travel to the week long series of discussions in late August. Additional funds for travel were provided by the University of Education Winneba Ghana (UoE) and OVF. The conference also coincided with the launch of a new Club of Rome chapter in Brazil. On August 26 Kafui left for Sao Paolo, and when he arrived on the next day he met with deputy secretary general of the CoR, Joerg Geier and others at the conference there and returned to Ghana on the 4th.
Blog Report | Complete Report in PDF

The Bay Area Sustainable Action Coalition Gathers for 3rd Meeting - The Bay Area Sustainable Action Coalition (BASAC) was formed as part of a desire to combine the idea of traditional think tanks with a more grassroots oriented approach which we refer to as action tanks. There is a compelling need for such a group in relation to action oriented, human scale sustainable development. The focus is on cultivating a Bay Area regional movement to develop ourselves as a consciously, evolving regional network in the service of all sustainable, community scale development globally. This includes consideration of the fact that we also are served and learn from other villages including those in non-affluent regions as part of the realization of the "global village" concept and process of dynamic knowledge exchange between cultures.

CoR Preparing for WSIS Event - Dr. Raoul Weiler of the Club of Rome Brussels Chapter informs us that he is making progress in compiling the proceedings of the May World Conference in Paris. The proceedings will be in PDF format which will be downloadable and also distributed as CDs at the upcoming WSIS conference. The major activity under preparation is a joint initiative between CoR and WorldSpace, that a workshop of 1-2 hours each day and will include extensive broadcasting possibilities. Each workshop has its own topic: 1st on low costs infrastructure; 2nd on capacity building and 3rd on ICT and Sustainability and environment. Extracts of the workshops will be broadcast live as well as specific interviews with the participants.

OVF Country Directors Kafui Prebbie and Olaposi Abiola Represent OVF at the World Telecommunication Development Conference African Regional Meeting - OVF Country Directors Kafui Prebbie and Olaposi Abiola were invited to the July 1-4 WTDC event in Abuja. It was an opportunity for Kafui to meet with several ITU alumni from previous conferences. After the event OVF Nigeria Country Director Olaposi Abiola was Interviewed by the Nigerian Tribune about the conference. More...

"We are stakeholders in achieving National Development" Youth Declare at National Youth Leadership Summit - Young Leaders from 19 states of Nigeria came together in Port Harcourt between September 1-2, 2005 for the first ever Nigerian Youth Leadership Summit. The Summit organized by Development Partnership in collaboration with Centre for Development Support Initiatives had the theme: "Youth Leadership towards Sustainable National Development." It was a unique opportunity for youth leaders to reflect on the importance and implications of the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS)-Nigeria's equivalent of the IMF/World Bank Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers, for their future, its correlation with the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), what practical roles they can play to ensure that the gains of the reform process, through NEEDS, reach the communities where they do their work.


ICT News

$100,000 Development Gateway Award Goes to India’s eChoupal - Since June 2000, over 5,200 eChoupal Internet kiosks have been established to serve 3.5 million farmers in 31,000 villages. At the kiosks, farmers learn management techniques, order fertilizer and other supplies less expensively, check market prices and sell products online, with resulting increases in earnings of up to 20%. In recognition of its innovative program and the tangible successes eChoupal, a program of ITC Ltd., of India, has been awarded $100,000 by Development Gateway. The award recognizes eChoupal’s impact in enabling millions of farmers in India to improve their livelihoods with access to information on growing and marketing their products. ITC Chairman Y. C. Deveshwar upon accepting the award at the Development Gateway Forum 2005 in Beijing in September said, "By delivering essential healthcare and educational information, we can extend the benefits of eChoupal more deeply into the fabric of communities across India."

Google to Launch Corporate Philanthropy Campaign Focusing on Fighting Poverty and Disease in Africa - According to the Washington Post this initiative in addition to fighting poverty and disease will also address energy and environmental issues, and assist nonprofit groups by giving away free online advertising. Rather than doing all of that through a traditional corporate foundation, which has certain tax advantages, Google is setting aside the equivalent of 3 million shares of stock, worth more than $900 million, to fund an entity called Google.org. By using Google.org for the bulk of its charitable giving, the company will have greater flexibility in how it deploys the funds since the affiliate will not be subject to the restrictions imposed on foundations by the Internal Revenue Service. Google Vice President Sheryl Sandberg said initial projects include funding research to examine the best ways to supply clean water and reduce infant mortality in Kenya; training and financing budding entrepreneurs in Ghana who would establish new local businesses there; investing in the socially responsible, New York-based Acumen Fund; and supporting an initiative to supply laptop computers to children who do not have them. Google claims it will donate 1 percent of its profit and stock to innovative philanthropic efforts aimed at solving global problems.

Ecology and Sustainability News

Introducing the New Phyco.org Wiki - A wiki and forum has been created for the purpose of creating a working commons for researchers and enthusiasts to contribute ideas and resources related to alternative bio-based energy sources. Phyco includes practical, inexpensive and decentralized Methods of creating alternative fuels as well as advocating and advancing both public knowledge of alternative fuels. This also includes practical applications of algae growing in relation to bio fuels production.

Open Source Ecology Establishes Self-reliant EcoCenter in Rural Missouri - Marcin Jakubowski is founder and director of Open Source Ecology in the US, a form of third-generation intentional community (share your views at the GlobalVillages Intentional Communities wiki) whose goal is not only support its members, but develop a scheme of positive social change by promoting the practical realization of the ideals of the grassroots do it yourself sustainability movement. Adding momentum to OSE’s efforts was the gifting of a 40 acre property with a house in the central US (Osborne, Missouri). Earlier in the year OSE set up a wind generator, constructed a greenhouse and developed a waste vegetable oil system. The Vegi oil system includes collecting used oil and then using it to fuel a conventional vehicle (Chevy suburban) as well as providing 3 kW of electricity via a Lister oil engine. OSE’s latest work includes experimentation with a hydroponic system to grow lettuce. Go here for the latest updates on OSE's progress.

Mushroom Growing and More in Nigeria: The Impact of ICT in Promoting Best Practices - Olatubosun Adeleke (he goes by Obayomi) recently graduated from college with a degree in biology. After graduating he took his academic expertise into the field and started a mushroom farm in Nigeria. His latest experiment has been to install a bio digester which uses anaerobic bacteria to process waste, while producing fertilizer and bio-gas. He is now in the process of installing a gas line into the kitchen of his house. One challenge Obayomi recently confronted was that Manometers which are important safety devices used to prevent reverse gas flows and potentially harmful explosions, are expensive and hard to find in Nigeria. However reading a manual about digester construction and operation at UN FAO's website, he found instructions for building a water trap (gas escape valve). which he believes will work in place of the manometer. This is one example of how we can in many cases develop a more simplified "production at low cost" approach, which is more suitable to developing country conditions without compromising safety or reliability.

Social Enterprise News

The New Heros - The New Heros is a documentary series hosted by Robert Redford, that tells 12 dramatic stories of social entrepreneurs who bring innovative, empowering solutions to intractable social problems around the world. According to Skoll Foundation The “New Heroes” are brilliant men and women who have turned their business skills into tools for change, development and hope. Among those profiled in the “New Heroes” series are Dr. Govindappa Venkataswamy and David Green, who offer low-cost cataract surgery to prevent blindness in India; Maria Teresa Leal, who started a sewing cooperative in Rio de Janeiro that gives slum dwellers a chance to create clothes seen on fashion runaways; and Martin Fisher and Nick Moon, whose affordable water pumps allow African farmers to double the yield of the crops they grow. Major funding was provided by the Skoll Foundation, with additional support from Calvert and the Flora Family Foundation.

"We still have a lot to learn" by Calestous Juma - African universities need to make sweeping changes if they are to benefit from aid offered by the G8, writes Calestous Juma in a article titled "We Still have a lot to Learn." The articles which was in the July 14, 2005 edition of the The Guardian makes a particular reference to the appropriate technology center in Kigari Rwanda. The center offers not simply skills but also promotes the application of those skills towards practical research and development efforts that can improve the lives of ordinary Africans such as through the conversion of waste into bio gas for electrical generation.

 

Collaboration and Alliance Building

Field Agent Profile: Mangong Peter Musa and the Musa Heritage Gallery in Cameroon - When considering sustainable development as a practical concept, culture is often neglected. Thus we were very encouraged to hear about the work of Mangong Peter Musa and his family. His many achievements include that of a Visual Artist, Journalist and Director of the Musa Heritage Gallery in Kumbo Cameroon. He has expressed interest in exploring how we might collaborate to extend our work to Cameroon. As a first step, he agreed to volunteer for OVF assisting us to further develop our process for evaluating the formation of new branches and in guiding their effective operation. This includes developing a methodology for interviewing and training as part of our oneVillage Initiative. We are honored to welcome Peter to our team. For more see our Blog Report and the Bahai Library Link.

OVF's Good Books List - We have created a new section on our website to promote books of interest which are relevant to our work. These are books that have helped support the seed of intent which is now oneVillage Foundation. Typically OVF books of interest avoid ideological lines of dissent but at the same time take a critical look at existing practices but from a solutions based perspective that is focused on human development. If you know of a book that you think should be included, please send us the title of the book and why it should be included.

Chris Macrae on Corruption and Pralahad’s Bottom Up Economy Thesis - Chris Macrae of Why Not Now? says corruption is the beginning and end of almost every compound challenge we face for and with humanity. How do we use ICT to map out how powerful figures are coming together to stand up for removing corruption in a comprehensive way? How do we use ICT to address this problem. He says Prahalad has at least 2 pages on why Bottom of Pyramid practices outlined in his book can't work in as many places as it could until the people's opinion worldwide devalues those who systemize corruption. He has set up a page at Disruptive Mice to discuss this further. Chris offers a review of Pralahad's book which we included in OVF's Good Books. More...

Guy Kawasaki Making Waves in Entrepreneurial Community with Art of the Start - Guy Kawasaki is managing director of Garage Technology Ventures Publishing Manifesto on entrepreneurship and capitalism - an early-stage venture capital firm out of Palo Alto, California. His book The Art of the Start is everything he learned in 20 years so that others—entrepreneur, product managers, and engineers—wouldn't have to repeat my mistakes. Guy worked at Macintosh Division of Apple as an evangelist and then an Apple Fellow responsible for maintaining the Macintosh “cult”. The Art of the Start is not just for people starting up a business, but rather for everyone who is starting in a new direction. For more see excerpts from a presentation given by Guy Kawasaki to an audience at Autodesk's 'Realize Your Ideas.'