Today is Blog Action Day, a yearly event which aims to raise awareness about important issues with the help of bloggers. This years focus is on Poverty, something which affects even the richest countries in the world.
Blog Action Day 2008 Poverty from Blog Action Day on Vimeo.
One Laptop Per Child
One of the best projects I have seen which aims to reduce poverty is the non-profit organisation One Laptop Per Child. The OLPC mission statement is
To eliminate poverty and create world peace by providing education to the poorest and most remote children on the planet by making them more active in their own learning, through collaborative and creative activities, connected to the Internet, with their own laptop, as a human right and cost free to them.
I am a big fan of this initiative and a great believer that more education will help those in developing countries and in developed countries too. Education opens doors and gives you many opportunities in life that many of us sometimes take for granted.
The OLPC’s main focus is the development of their XO-1 laptop, sometimes referred to as the $100 laptop. Although quite basic by modern standards, it is still a very functional computer and boasts a webcam, microphone and wi-fi.
The laptop runs on linux and will run at only 2 or 3 watts. It runs on open source software and is able to display e-books as well. With electronic prices dropping every year they hope to release the XO-2 in 2010 at a cost of $75 each.
There has been some criticism regarding the project though I think that at the very least this is a big step in the right direction 
Blog Action Day
Did you post about ? If so, please leave a comment with a link to the post
Link : Blog Action Day
But do you think for poor people a laptop would hold more meaning than their basic amenities? In thirld world countries like India, where they cannot get their 3 meals a day, a cheap laptop is not even on their wish list! But yes for students of poor people, such scheme can be beneficial as they would be able to learn to use computers at their homes.
This was one of the criticisms of the project. Some people have argued that governments and organisations should be providing basic living conditions. However, I think this is a poor argument as I don't think they are mutually exclusive.
Unfortunately, many developing countries, particularly those in Africa, suffer from widespread corruption and a lot of the money which has been donated in the past has not got to the people who needs it.
Sí!
You can read our note on poverty here.
In Spanish… Of Course!
@ kevin ~ awesome post and I love the idea of providing laptops where they haven't been available before … it's a worthy cause.
@ navjot ~ I'm not sure it's a matter of "hold more meaning" just that poverty affects every nation … and every individual … on a different level.
Providing food is HUGE … and also by providing internet access to those currently without … they can gain more knowledge and education … make some (or more) money … and purchase food. I am ALL for handing out where needed … but I also believe it's very important to enable others to provide for themselves whenever possible … giving them the hope and the means to better their situation on a whole.
It's wondeful that we are able to participate in this conversation … exactly what this "day" was designed for right? *huGs* Suzanne
Hey, Kevin!
I blogged for Haiti today.
http://geoffreyphilp.blogspot.com/2008/10/blog-ac…
Peace,
Geoffrey
I believe supplying knowledge to the impovished can be just as useful as food. Knowledge can help people free their minds which have become worn from being beat down metally and physically.
However, being new to the blogging community I didn't know this was action day, so I'll get to work on a post on my <a>stock trading blog.
Thanks for sharing,
Bill
I have added all of your Blog Action Posts to my post and I believe together we reallyb can make a difference. *SmiLes* Suzanne
@Suzanne – thanks for such a sweet linkback!
@ navjot ~ you are welcome! any time for my blogging buddies. LOL.
We believe we will all accomplish more if we network and help each other out whenever possible. *huGs* Suzanne
I did participate (Blog Action Day 2008 – Five Ways You Can Make A Difference).
I have to give it to OPLC – they atleast made their laptop look cute and attractive for kids.
Let's help others to help ourself. What do you think ?
Nice contribution, Kevin. Although they may not be used directly, Good Samaritans can use them to educate these people how to survive and it is not impossible.
I know what poverty means simply because I have been there. I started earning a living at the age of 10, while growing up in a slum area here in Manila.
However, I somehow had the chance to escape by treating others as members of a big family. I am just fortunate to meet people who helped me to be where I am now.
That is why I really think that families are important to solve a major problem like poverty.
By the way, I did not donate money but rather made a post as my testimony that poverty is disease but still can be cured.
Here is my post – Family against Poverty: Blog Action Day 2008.
Thanks!
Hey Angel,
I spent 4 weeks in the Phillipines in 2004 and 2 and a half weeks of that was in Manilla. The first week I stayed in a very rough part of town. I was the only westerner and everyone looked at me like I had a dollar sign floating above my head!!
The hotel I was in was ok but you couldn't hide the poverty. At the door step of the hotel there were a few families living in cardboard boxes and I swear the baby they had couldn't have been more than a month old.
After Manilla I stayed in Bicol. It was actually over christmas. Again, I had a great time but poverty was everywhere. We went to the cathedral on christmas day and there was a wedding there. There were dozens of kids, aged under 8, begging inside the cathedral. I made the mistake of giving them some money and they duly followed me for the next 30 minutes asking for more. I've since learned that giving directly in this matter isn't always helping and can encourage more people to beg, you should instead donate to a local charitable organisation.
I think having a laptop can help in areas where education is limited and sharing knowlege is the best way to beat the causes of poverty.
I took part in Blog Action Day 08 and promoted it by discussing it in forums and at social network sites. I'm still reading what other bloggers posted yesterday, and I hope the awareness continues. Here's what I posted on my blog:
http://belena.getpaidfrom.us/2008/10/15/positivel…
Hi Kevin,
Sad to say, there are still those you have seen 4 years back and I think it's getting worst.
You're right however, that it is better to give to charity institutions rather than directly to them.
But I really thank you for the effort of somehow trying to help, just like Darren Rowse did when I admitted that he also helped my countrymen. I did not even realized you visited my country and I hope you enjoy the visit in general.
yeah I had a blast. The first week I have to admit I wasn't enjoying myself too much and did consider leaving early. As I said the area I was in at first had no westerners so I stuck out like a sore thumb and when walking around many people stared and some even nudged their friends and pointed at me. It did make me feel really uneasy walking around and I was constantly getting hassled by street sellers etc.
I had been in Thailand before that but there are so many westerners there that no one gives you a second look. The phillipines was the first time I had been exposed to being the only white-guy/westerner around so it was freaking me out haha. I've since had similar experiences in other countries like Cambodia and Vietnam but it never fazed me, I just hadn't been exposed to it before I went to the phillipines.
All in all though I had a fantastic time. The people there were great with me and I had a lot of fun. Fillipinos know how to party, thats for sure! I'd definately go back.
Are all the kids still addicted to that ragnarok game? Everytime I went to the net cafe everyone was on it!
Well, what can I say?! At least, hearing some kind words about my country means so much to me. And yes, average kids here really love ragnarok and even adults too.
After all, Philippines as a whole is not bad at all.
Anyway, I'm so glad you are willing to go back and I hope you can inform me.
Don't worry, I won't be staring at you like you have a dollar sign in your eyes…lol!
By the way, I miss being a guest blogger to your blog and hopefully I can find time. I just wish I am still welcome to submit one, like you did before.
I really thank you for that.
haha it was just the street hustler guys that were looking at me like that. They kept shouting out 'Hey Americano' and things like that…I couldn't be bothered pointing out that I'm Scottish haha. One guy walked up to me and tried to sell me this terrible fake gold watch and then when I said I wasn't interested he tried to exchange dollars for pesos at the worst exchange rate ever! After a while I was actually laughing at them because the rate was so bad.
In the last week of the month I stayed in makati and that was pretty cool. There was some cool bars around there.
Yeah I'm always happy for bloggers to submit guest posts. Just drop me an email after you have submitted it for review so I know to check it
Hi Kevin,
Ah yes, we got used to it that there is only white guy in the world – the Americans. And I am glad you did not become a victim of those crazy street vendors. I had some old friends before.
Makati is our commerce capital I suppose and yes, there are a lot of cool bars there.
I will try to make another guest post for you, soon. You see, I am now a professional blogger and a lot of things are keeping me busy.
Thanks, really!
Hello, Do something for help those hungry people in Africa and India,
I made this blog about this subject:
in http://tinyurl.com/6p6lb8