[GKD] Prize for Using the Internet for Social Justice

[Karen Higgs]

Dear GKD members,

The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is offering the
BETINHO COMMUNICATIONS PRIZE (2001), which recognizes the use of the
Internet for social justice. The prize is in the amount of $7,500 USD;
the deadline is September 24.

The Betinho Prize is offered to non-profit organisations,
community-based groups, coalitions, working groups or social movements
anywhere in the world that have successfully used information and
communication technologies (ICTs) as an essential ingredient in their
development work.

Last year, over 160 inspiring projects were nominated for the prize
including a Website recruiting and orienting volunteers to participate
in the reconstruction of ex-Yugoslavia; an information network
connecting indigenous communities in Mexico; and a child's rights data
gathering initiative in Mozambique. The inaugural winner, the Max
Foundation, is a life-saving online support network functioning in
English, Spanish and Portuguese for the families of children suffering
from leukaemia and host of Latin America's first online bone marrow
tissue registry.

Nominations for the Prize will be accepted until September 24, 2001.
Detailed eligibility criteria and a nomination form are available from:
http://www.apc.org/english/betinho



PREMIO BETINHO DE COMUNICACIONES DE APC, 2001- La fecha lÌmite para las
presentaciones al premio de 7.500 dÛlares, en reconocimiento al uso de
Internet a favor de la justicia social, es el 24 de septiembre

El Premio Betinho de APC de 7.500 dÛlares se entrega a organizaciones
sin fines de lucro, grupos comunitarios, coaliciones, grupos de trabajo
o movimientos sociales de todo el mundo que hayan sabido utilizar con
Èxito las tecnologÌas de informaciÛn y comunicaciÛn (TIC) como elemento
esencial en su trabajo por el desarrollo y la justicia social.

El aÒo pasado fueron nominados al Premio m·s de 160 proyectos de gran
inspiraciÛn; entre ellos, un proyecto destinado a conseguir y guiar
voluntarios, a partir de un sitio Web, para participar en la
reconstrucciÛn de la ex-Yugoslavia; una red de informaciÛn entre
comunidades indÌgenas en MÈxico y una iniciativa de recolecciÛn de
informaciÛn sobre derechos de los niÒos, de Mozambique. El ganador del
primer aÒo, la FundaciÛn Max, es una red de apoyo electrÛnica que se
dedica a salvar vidas: est· dirigida a las familias de niÒos que sufren
de leucemia y hospeda el primer registro latinaomericano de mÈdula Ûsea.

Las candidaturas al Premio ser·n recibidas hasta el 24 de septiembre de
2001. Los detalles acerca de los criterios de selecciÛn y el formulario
de candidatura se encuentran en: http://www.apc.org/espanol/betinho

Best regards,

Karen Higgs, APC Communications Manager
Tel: +598 - 2 - 419-6192 Int. 116 (GMT -4)
APC: http://www.apc.org

APCNews: Civil society's monthly e-bulletin on strategic uses of the
Internet to promote social justice and equality. From the APC, an
international online community or peace, human rights, development and
the environment since 1990.

To receive the news direct, write to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] or visit:
http://www.apc.org/english/news
__

APCNoticias: Un boletÌn electrÛnico dirigido a la sociedad civil,
enfocado en el uso de Internet para promover la justicia e igualdad
social realizado por APC.
Para recibir las noticias directamente, escribe a: [EMAIL PROTECTED] o
visite: http://www.apc.org/espanol/news





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Re: [GKD] GKD Will Not Be Moderated Today

[Debra Amidon]

Thank you, GKD, for your thoughtful consideration. There are many of us
that are still trying to fathom the depths of what has happened with
such terrorist acts - physical, social, political, financial and
military.

I've given thought to what we do...or what might we offer.

There are nations all over the world who are daily suffering casualties
of catastrophic impact.  Rarely has such devastation reached the shores
of the United States. Today, reality changed...forever. I watched the
television recounting of the explosions, which - with few exceptions -
had usually been documentation of bombings in other cities...other
countries. It's sad that things must be brought so close to home to
fathom the travesty. Today, this happened for Americans around the
world; and I believe that what happens in the future will be viewed
differently...by us all.

My own career has been blessed with visits to so many cultures that are
embracing the values of the new Knowledge Economy. This assumes a world
of collaborative advantage, one of unprecedented knowledge-sharing, a
society in which we can build a better standard of living for
industrialized and developing nations alike.

Such euphemism amidst such destruction...

Today's actions are a call to action...for each of us individually and
as nations. I pledge to do what I can personally to help influence
future policies and decision-making of our leaders; and I hope that you
will do the same.

I am seeking the documentation from every Head of State in the World -
at least those who are not condoning terrorist acts and harboring their
*leaders* - to step up to the world table and articulate a statement of
their support for the core values that support our humanity and rights
to freedom.

There are many of you who are listeners/participants in the GKD who may
not believe me. The focus on knowledge strategy is not a consulting fad
or a short-term fix for enterprise productivity. It is not a function of
information and technology. It is a human and humane agenda with
economic implications at all levels of our society. It is a platform for
world peace...nothing less.

And the time is now...

Debra


***

Debra M. Amidon
Founder and Chief Strategist
ENTOVATION International, Ltd.
2 Reading Avenue, Suite #300
Wilmington, Massachusetts 01887
USA

T: 978/988.7995
F: 781-939-0877
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
URL: 

"Innovating our Future...together."





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[GKD] ICT News from Brasil

[richard kyle]

Dear GKD members,

I thought that GKD members might be interested in an initiative we are
conducting in Brasil, aiming to expand the use of ICTs for educational,
personal, social and business development goals. The project,
Telecentros Brasil, was founded by the Regency Foundation.

TELECENTROS BRASIL

INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE: To provide greater public access to information
and communication technologies (ICTs) for educational, personal, social
and business development.

MISSION STATEMENT: To implant Sustainable Community Telecenters in
existing Community Centers servicing low income communities, and supply
information and communication services at an affordable cost, to people
who would otherwise have little or no opportunity to use or to learn to
use these technologies.

ACTIVITIES: Telecentros Brasil began operations in Brasil in October
2000. Already 1 Research and Development(R&D) Sustainable Community
Telecenter (TCS) has been implanted in  Sao Paulo and more are planned
for the state of Sao Paulo this year.

In its fourth month of operation, the R&D unit managed to achieve
sustainability--and with approximately 500 paying users every week and
with a healthy waiting list--things look set to continue well. The TCS
is fast becoming an important center for the community. Users,
instructors, administrators and  Community Center visitors are willing
to complete the various questionnaires that Telecentros Brasil are
supplying, so valuable information about the community is being
collected to help to improve the social and economic impact of the TCS
service.

The R&D unit also provides the model to replicate the process in other
states throughout Brasil. Each TCS will be equipped with 12 new PCs (1
Server of 550 MHZ and 64K of RAM and 11 PCs of 500 MHZ and 32K of RAM),
2 new Inkjet Printers, 1 new Fax Machine and 1 new scanner together with
new computer desks and associated furniture. All equipment is provided
fully insured against theft and natural disasters. At present, the 3
Basic Telecentros Brasil products are - a Basic Computer Course covering
Word, Windows, Excel and Internet 1; an Intermediate Course covering
Internet 2, Access, PowerPoint, Basic Coral Design and Front Page; and
an Advanced Course covering Web design, Advanced Coral Design,
Illustrator and Photo Shop. The 32 hour Basic course is spread over 2
months and runs 6 days a week, 12 hours a day. Users pay a total of
US$20 each, over a 2-month period. The local University train the course
instructors, 3 for each TCS. The TCS allocate Sundays for emails,
general internet access, studies, online services etc.

Users receive a comprehensive manual and, those who successfully
complete the course/s, also receive a certificate issued and signed by
Telecentros Brasil and the local University. The certificate is valued
both by users as well as by potential employers.

New courses are constantly being sourced by Telecentros Brasil in order
that each TCS can offer a varied mix of courses to the community,(e.g.,
administration, accountancy, cooperatives, construction, cooking,
cosmetics, hairdressing, marketing, reception, restaurant, security,
etc.) which will be charged out at US$20 each.

The Telecentros Brasil Job Opportunity Database is in the process of
being completed and alliances are being developed with various business
and professional associations to assist the TCS users in obtaining
future employment.

Telecentros Brasil have designed and developed its own Internet Portal
(see http://www.telecentros.org.br) which carries information on
Education for all ages, Business and Professional Courses, Health,
Public Services, Human Rights, Citizenship, the Environment, Jobs, Help
Groups etc - all in Portuguese.

Telecentros Brasil personnel, in conjunction with the local
Universities, will advise and assist TCS Administrators. The latter will
be responsible for the success of each TCS's sustainable operation. A
Telecentros Brasil Operating Manual, an Instructors Manual, and a
Maintenance Manual, incorporate all procedural aspects for the
administration and management of the TCS, together with recommended
practices for the supply of value added services.

Work has already begun in a number of the other states to implement
Telecentros Amazonas, Telecentros Bahia, Telecentros BrasÌlia,
Telecentros Paran·, Telecentros Rio Grande do Sul and Telecentros Santa
Catarina; each of the participating states to set up appropriate
associations to implement and manage the work of the TCS.

Meanwhile, Telecentros Brasil is now working with a further 28 Community
Centers in the East side of Sao Paulo, and is seeking to raise
$US707,280 (i.e., $US25,260 for each TCS) to install a TCS in each of
the 28 Community Centers.

Contact: Humberto Moreira, Executive Director, Telecentros Brasil Rua
Cardeal Arcoverde 1745 CJ 66B Pinheiros - Sao Paulo- SP CEP 05407-002
Tel 11 3816 6070 Fax 11 3815 3861

__

REGENCY FOUNDATION

ESTABLISHED in 1990 in the United Kingdom, Re

Re: [GKD] Welcome Back to the GKD Discussion!

[John Lawrence]

I'm really glad to see the return of this forum... as an inaugural
addict, I've been in withdrawal. Rather than suppose (or impose) a theme,
my contribution is a quick question:

the world's mountain regions contain some of the most remote, and
poorest communities, often with profound natural (not to mention
spiritual) resources, and Chapter 13 of Agenda 21 singles them out for
special focus in terms of conservation, sustainability and poverty
reduction. yet these regions remain on or outside the edges of the
communications revolution.so,  is anyone aware of specific public
and/or private sector  initiatives to bridge these gaps ... after all
laptops/cellphones have functioned effectively for (relatively) wealthy
climbers and sportsters on Mt Everest so links are potentially
achievable. does this technology penetrate positively into mountain
communities anywhere? and is it welcome? productive in improving the
quality of life?




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