Yes, of course we want everyone to learn to read. But in the meantime, in oral cultures like those in rural Africa, arranging for the local minister or imam to speak from the pulpit may be the most effective action that can be taken immediately.
This is what we are doing in Ghana. See http://www.pangaeanetwork.org Sarah -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Paperless Homework Sent: Wednesday, August 20, 2008 9:35 PM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: Re: [DDN] Google Insights - social networking Good. What you point out is essentially education. This education about dangers of aids should begin in schools. Children will know and how to advise their illiterate parents. We do it by "Learning English through anti-Aids campaign" where subjects like comprehension are based on aids. They learn English at the same time the dangers of aids. They remember because they need to get the right scores. Catch them young before they gets it. Any volunteers or contributors of such articles among members? Action not just talk :>) Anyone who knows any NGOs wishing to go into this direction? We have no resources to develop this at the moment. Regards Alan Foo www.paperlesshomework.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- On Sat, 8/16/08, Sarah Blackmun-Eskow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: Sarah Blackmun-Eskow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: Re: [DDN] Google Insights - social networking To: "'The Digital Divide Network discussion group'" <digitaldivide@digitaldivide.net> Date: Saturday, August 16, 2008, 4:15 AM One of the most successful forces against the spread of HIV in Africa is one of your favorites: the church people. In Uganda, for example, clergy promoted the ABC approach: Abstinence, Be faithful, use a Condom. If church (and mosque) leaders do have the reputation and credibility we think they do, and that seemed to be true in Uganda, then we have a simple, honest, moral approach right at hand. S. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Joe Beckmann Sent: Thursday, August 14, 2008 8:16 PM To: The Digital Divide Network discussion group Subject: Re: [DDN] Google Insights - social networking A meeting of minds is far from difficult: western techniques are easier to transport than western technology - and netting via medicine men is virtually how the Edna McConnell Clark foundation almost wiped out Trachoma (http://www.trachoma.org/). It's a lot more complicated than condoms imply, since it takes disclosure to deal with condoms, and that disclosure is pretty culture-bound. Hence 52% of the new HIV cases in the US are black women. The newest rage of PEP pill pushing is much, much more controversial - if anybody has any real interest in ending the epidemic - since (a) we've known for more than a decade that it works, and waited until pharma found a financial incentive to make it popular and (b) we've also known that it doesn't take a lifetime of pill taking, in spite of last week's notice that it is precisely that treatment that pharma is now pushing. The corruption of the west is something that spreads a lot faster and easier than our benevolence. On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 4:19 PM, Steve Eskow <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > There is the digital divide, and the health divide. And perhaps those > divides are related. > > Westerners live longer than those in the poor countries, or so the > mortality tables tell us. > > Western hard and software interests: are they the ones who are > promoting the digital divide idea for their shareholders and > executives? Is this list part of a Microsoft/Intel conspiracy? > > And big pharma: are they the ones promoting antiretrovirals for their > shareholders? > > "Western" DDT almost wiped out malaria in parts of sub-Saharan Africa > until it was banned--and the mosquitoes and malaria returned with a vengeance. > > There seems to be little evidence that local medical knowledge can > prevent or treat malaria. The bed netting developed in the West, but > certainly able to be produced locally, can. What, if anything, is the > right thing to do or not do, say or not say, about bed netting and > malaria in sub-Saharan Africa? > And should the help of the local medicine man be enlisted in the bed > netting campaign? > > Condoms can reduce the frequency of death-dealing AIDS in Africa. Big > pharma medications can keep people alive once they have contracted the > disease. > ICT > can bring information about these life-enhancing possibilities to Africa. > What do we do, or not do, about life and death in Africa, and who will > involve the local medicine man, and how, and what to do if he is not > interested but has his own routines? > > Steve Eskow > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 12:39 PM, Joe Beckmann <[EMAIL PROTECTED] > >wrote: > > > To get back to that medical model, don't under-estimate the medicine > > man > vs > > the doctor. Last week's HIV/AIDS Conference in Mexico City "discovered" > > that > > pre-exposure prophylaxes (PEP) actually work, but framed that "working" > in > > terms of a daily dose of an anti-viral and/or use of microbicides > > (which are still in testing). There is over 15 years of research > > that proves fairly conclusively that PEP has always "worked" about > > 87% of the time, and > that, > > in most cases, a single dose of a microbicide before exposure is all > > it takes. It is not coincidental that Bush signed a $55billion > > subsidy the week before the PEP announcement, and that lots of big > > pharma can support any "solution" that guarantees a daily pill, > > subsidized, will achieve that > same > > 87% prevention rate. Bah and humbug. > > > > Surely, before celebrating the universal solutions of the west, it > > makes some sense to look more closely at solutions locally, and > > explore how > some > > synergies might accomplish more with less for more people. Promoting > > western medicine means more than promoting western big pharma way > > beyond the > scale > > of either need or good practice. Yet when big pharma pays for the > > promotion, and the social research remains unclear, the benefits > > ought not be > presumed > > for the high tech solution. > > > > Just as big pharma has "unexamined consequences," it benefits any > > culture to explore what those consequences may be in crossing the > > digital divide without a map for what's to come. > > > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 3:07 PM, tom abeles <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > > > > > Thanks for this post Steve. Perhaps some insights from a few "gray > > beards" > > > on the list are needed from time-to-time. > > > Let me suggest some other issues: > > > > > > a) The problem with science is that it works, to a certain extent, > > > for > > the > > > natural environment. As many have pointed out the idea of finding > > > universal laws, programs that can be cloned, etc in social > > > systems, the false notion of western Enlightenment, might be > > called > > > as in Levin's book, "The Tyranny of Reason" > > > The political philosopher John Gray (not the Mars Venus person) > > > points > > out > > > similar ideas in his collection, "Heresies". Yet, in the > > > development community hope springs eternal, like the milk horse > > > hoping to catch that elusive carrot held out by the driver > > > > > > b) Natural or human created Tsunamies- weather or changing > > > political > and > > > economic acts, across the oceans can change a small village in a > > > small country in Africa at the click of a mouse. > > > Many in the development community keep hoping for such a perfect > > > storm, like the Cargo Cults, unwilling to accept that life is > > > fragile for all creatures on the earth and there is no guarantee > > > that on this planet change will not lead to losses. > After > > > all, most development has a strong polyanna element. Triage is > > > not > seen > > as > > > an option. > > > > > > c) we are enamored with technology (things and social technology). > > > Thus > > the > > > problems between the enfranchised and disenfranchised (in all > dimensions) > > is > > > knowledge- > > > educate and the rising tide will equalize all boats on the seas > > > and > raise > > > all ships equally. Hence the problem has been cast as a "digital > divide". > > > Instead of the US political cliche, a chicken in every pot, it is > > > now a smart phone in every home. > > > information/knowledge/education, hopefully digitally distributed, > > > is > the > > > equivalent of the 6-gun in the US west, the great equalizer. It's > > > the liberal (or progressive) answer to problems created by a > > > conservative past. > > > > > > Esperaremos > > > > > > tom > > > > > > > Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 09:41:46 -0700 > > > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > To: digitaldivide@digitaldivide.net > > > > Subject: Re: [DDN] Google Insights - social networking > > > > > > > > Joe Beckmann's warning about the limits of the "first things first" > > axiom > > > is > > > > well taken--and it's the danger that the "ecology" metaphor > > > > intends > to > > > > avoid. There is no necessary linearity in a web of > > > > interconnections, > > and > > > no > > > > obvious starting point. > > > > > > > > Those who have watched developments, or in many cases lack of > > > developments, > > > > in some of the poor countries--who have watched billions of > > > > dollars > of > > > > well-intentioned "aid" result in no visible betterment of human > > > > conditions--might understandably question the utilty and the > > > > accuracy > > of > > > > such a notion as "an indigenous capacity to succeed." At times, > indeed, > > > it > > > > seems as if there is an indigenous capacity to fail. > > > > > > > > The "positive deviants" notions is another usefl idea that can > > > > have disastrous results in practice. Those who the intervener > > > > sees as > > > "positive > > > > deviants" might be seen as "negative idiots" by those locals > > > > whose cooperation is crucial to the success of an intervention. > > > > > > > > And even the universally applauded notion of "home grown" and > > > > locally controlled development is often a fiction. Quite often > > > > the "positive deviants" know that the resources and the skills > > > > that the community > > needs > > > to > > > > break out of poverty aren't in the local community: if the local > > medicine > > > > man could prevent and cure AIDS they wouldn't need non-local > > > > doctors > > and > > > > antiretrovirals. > > > > > > > > So: all the metaphors, and all the formulas, and all of the > > > > homilies > > > point > > > > us in important directions, and all of them have to be used with > great > > > care. > > > > > > > > Steve Eskow. > > > > > > > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 8:07 AM, Joe Beckmann < > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > >wrote: > > > > > > > > > My only reservation about an "ecology of need" is an > > > > > implication > that > > > there > > > > > are a sequence of "readiness" opportunities, that it's hard to > > > > > do > "d" > > > > > before > > > > > doing "a," "b," and "c." There is a need/readiness system, and > > > > > the > > > system > > > > > also includes - almost inevitably but not at all obviously - > > > > > an > > > indigenous > > > > > capacity to succeed. Social interventions that ignore those > "positive > > > > > deviants" where success can be a foundation for further > > > > > success > will > > > almost > > > > > inevitably fail; others, that build on local capacity to > > > > > enhance > > > locally > > > > > derived strategies for success, are far more sustainable > > > > > because > they > > > have > > > > > local sponsors, invested in expanding their efficacy. > > > > > > > > > > One of the more interesting approaches is a formal evaluation > > > > > of > that > > > > > "positive deviance" adapted by the Institute of Positive > > > > > Deviance > at > > > Tufts. > > > > > http://www.positivedeviance.org/ The Institute of Positive > Deviance > > > has > > > > > begun to ramp up a variety of programs in a variety of social > > services > > > to > > > > > demonstrate this approach. In education, for example, there is > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.teacherdrivenchange.org/teacherdrivenchange/2008/07/index.html. > > > > > Their model is a slightly more academic spin on the older > organizers' > > > > > strategies framed by people like Saul Alinsky (well > > > > > represented > here > > > > > http://www.itvs.org/democraticpromise/alinsky.html). > > > > > > > > > > In short, this is anti-imperialism: solutions don't come from > > > > > one > > place > > > and > > > > > get dropped on another; they've got to be home grown, nursed, > > > > > and > > with > > > > > local > > > > > support. > > > > > > > > > > For the Digital Divide this means well documented local change > > > > > has > > the > > > > > greatest transportability, since others can see what people > > > > > went > > > through in > > > > > creating their own solutions. It is the process that can be > > > transferred, > > > > > not > > > > > it's product. > > > > > > > > > > On Thu, Aug 14, 2008 at 8:46 AM, Jaevion Nelson < > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > >wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > Thanks, this is very useful. I really like the last idea of > > > > > > the > > > ecology > > > > > of > > > > > > need. I beleive it is one of the things that are preventing > > > > > > the sustainability for nmany social interventions and > > > > > > programmes > across > > > the > > > > > > world and in the Caribbean. For example in Jamaica, several > persons > > > enter > > > > > a > > > > > > community provide persons with the opportunity but > > > > > > illiteracy, > > > poverty, > > > > > > culture, etc prevents the programme from making that > > > > > > exponential > > > impact > > > > > that > > > > > > it had intended to. The result is that within months the > programme > > > fails > > > > > and > > > > > > is forced to withdraw from the community. The designers then > > > > > > go > > back > > > to > > > > > the > > > > > > drawing board. To be able to understand the ecology of need > > > > > > we > > cannot > > > > > just > > > > > > recognise a problem in a handful of persons and beleive then > > > > > > that > > it > > > > > > warrants intervention. Proper research must be done at phase > > > > > > one > to > > > > > > determine the needs of the individuals living wthin a > > > > > > specific > area > > - > > > the > > > > > > truth is these programs really need a wholistic approach. > > > > > > You may > > be > > > > > going > > > > > > to reduce illiteracy but you will have to include poverty > reduction > > > > > > components such as school feeding programmes, uniform > > > > > > allowances, > > > travel > > > > > > stipend, etc. > > > > > > > > > > > > Regards, > > > > > > Jaevion Nelson > > > > > > Marketing & Partnerships Coordinator Jamaica Youth Advocacy > > > > > > Network www.jamaicayouthadvocacynetwork.org > > > > > > > > > > > > Asst. Programmes Officer > > > > > > Violence Prevention Alliance www.vpajamaica.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Jaevion Nelson (Jae) > > > > > > > > > > > > > Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:36:26 -0700> From: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > To: > > > > > > digitaldivide@digitaldivide.net> Subject: Re: [DDN] Google > > Insights > > > - > > > > > > social networking> > The intervener--all of us who want to > > > help--studies > > > > > the > > > > > > culture and the need> before choosing a path. Before choosing a > > > > > technology.> > > > > > > > Where there is a "digital divide" there are > often--usually--other > > > > > > divides.> For example: there may be no Internet in the area to be > > > served. > > > > > Or > > > > > > there may> be Internet but many of the intended beneficiaries > have > > no > > > > > > electricity.> > Or they cannot read. Cannot read what is on the > > > computer > > > > > > screen, whether it> is in English or Twi.> > That is: there is an > > > > > "ecology > > > > > > of need." If the good-hearted social> entrepreneur does not have > a > > > > > complete > > > > > > map of the territory of need, it is> almost certain that he or > she > > > will > > > > > > blunder.> > Steve Eskow> > > > On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 4:57 AM, > > Taran > > > > > > Rampersad <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:> > > This post from the > > > Trinidad > > > > > and > > > > > > Tobago Computing list may be of interest> > to some. It > > demonstrates > > > > > > geographical distribution of social network> > use. It is a nice > > > > > datapoint, > > > > > > I think.> >> > Richard Jobity wrote:> > > > > > > > > > > ********************************************************************> > > > > > > > > > > > Computing - General Discussion on Computing in Trinidad and > Tobago> > > > > > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ********************************************************************> > > > > > > > > > > > http://royal.pingdom.com/?p=336> > >> > > With the help of > Google > > > data, > > > > > we > > > > > > have looked at 12 of the top social> > > networks to answer a > > simple, > > > but > > > > > > highly interesting question:> > >> > > Where are they the most > > > popular?> > > > > > > > > > > > > >> > > The social networks we included in this survey were > MySpace, > > > > > > Facebook,> > > Hi5, Friendster, LinkedIn, Orkut, Last.fm, > > > LiveJournal, > > > > > > Xanga, Bebo,> > > Imeem and Twitter.> > > Popularity by country > > (how > > > we > > > > > got > > > > > > the data)> > >> > > Google Insights for Search makes this quite > > easy > > > for > > > > > > you. For a search> > > term (for example "MySpace"), it will > > > highlight > > > > > the > > > > > > regions where that> > > search term is the most popular. Google > > calls > > > > > this > > > > > > "regional interest".> > >> > > This "regional interest" should > give > > a > > > > > good > > > > > > indication of which regions> > > (in this case countries) a > social > > > > > network > > > > > > is most popular in.> > >> > > Google also provides a nice heat > map > > of > > > the > > > > > > results. We have included> > > the heapmaps for all the social > > > networks > > > > > > below.> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.google.com/insights/search/#cat=&q=imeem&geo=&date=&clp=&cmpt=q > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > http://www.google.com/insights/search/#cat=&q=facebook&geo=&date=&clp=&cmpt= q > > > > > > > > > > > > > >> >> > --> > Taran Rampersad> > Presently in: San Fernando, > > > Trinidad> > > > > > > > > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> > http://www.knowprose.com> > > > > > > > http://www.your2ndplace.com> >> > Pictures: > > > > > > http://www.flickr.com/photos/knowprose/> >> > "Criticize by > > > creating." - > > > > > > Michelangelo> > "The present is theirs; the future, for which I > > > really > > > > > > worked, is mine." -> > Nikola Tesla> >> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________> > DIGITALDIVIDE > > > mailing > > > > > > list> > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net> > > > > > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide> > To > > > > > unsubscribe, > > > > > > send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > word > > > > > > UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.> >> > > > > > > _______________________________________________> DIGITALDIVIDE > > > mailing > > > > > list> > > > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net> > > > > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide> To > > > unsubscribe, > > > > > > send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with > the > > > word > > > > > > UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > > > > News, entertainment and everything you care about at Live.com. > Get > > it > > > > > now! > > > > > > http://www.live.com/getstarted.aspx > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > > > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net > > > > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > > > > > > To unsubscribe, send a message to > > > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] the word UNSUBSCRIBE > in > > > the > > > > > body of the message. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > > > > Joe Beckmann > > > > > 22 Stone Avenue > > > > > Somerville, MA 02143 > > > > > 617-625-9369 > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net > > > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > > > > > To unsubscribe, send a message to > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] the word UNSUBSCRIBE in > the > > > body of the message. > > > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > > > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net > > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > > > > To unsubscribe, send a message to > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in > the > > > body of the message. > > > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > > Got Game? Win Prizes in the Windows Live Hotmail Mobile Summer Games > > Trivia > > > Contest > > > http://www.gowindowslive.com/summergames?ocid=TXT_TAGHM > > > _______________________________________________ > > > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net > > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > > > To unsubscribe, send a message to > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the > > body of the message. > > > > > > > > > > > -- > > Joe Beckmann > > 22 Stone Avenue > > Somerville, MA 02143 > > 617-625-9369 > > _______________________________________________ > > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net > > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > > To unsubscribe, send a message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] the word UNSUBSCRIBE in > the body of the message. > > > _______________________________________________ > DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list > DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net > http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide > To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. > -- Joe Beckmann 22 Stone Avenue Somerville, MA 02143 617-625-9369 _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message. _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list DIGITALDIVIDE@digitaldivide.net http://digitaldivide.net/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
