The Empowa Internet Platform version 1.1
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The document discusses the need for a profound change in human consciousness as a solution to alleviate global suffering, emphasizing that true change starts from within. It introduces 'empowa', an internet platform aimed at connecting individuals and organizations for social, humanitarian, and environmental actions, facilitating communication and collaboration among users. The platform is designed to promote accessibility, establish community connections, and enhance participation in addressing social issues through innovative virtual spaces.
![This concept is under development I look forward to hearing from you ! Especially from NGOs and software developers e.g. drupal specialists or if you want to join the team THANK-YOU Rudston Cullen rudston [at] empowa.net](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/empowasshare1-110901013739-phpapp02/85/The-Empowa-Internet-Platform-version-1-1-112-320.jpg)
The Empowa Internet Platform version 1.1
- 1. All evils are the effect of unconsciousness. You can alleviate the effects of unconsciousness, but you you cannot eliminate them unless you eliminate their cause. True change happens within, not without. If you feel called upon to alleviate suffering in the world, that is a very noble thing to do, but remember not to focus exclusively on the outer; otherwise you will encounter frustration and despair. Without a profound change in human conscioussness, the world‘s suffering is a bottomless pit. So don‘t let your compassion become one-sided. Empathy with someone else‘s pain or lack and a desire to help need to be balanced with a deeper realization of the eternal nature of all life and the ultimate illusion of all pain. Then let your peace flow in to whatever you do and you will be working on the levels of effect and cause simulataneously. Eckhart Tolle in “ The Power of Now“
- 2. Introducing myself Hello! I am a dual South African – Irish citizen and a resident of Berlin since 2001. While I have worked most of the past 15 years as a programmer, I am also a qualified and experienced mathematics teacher. In these times of global crisis, I am seeking a truly meaningful application of my skills and experience and it is out of this longing that this concept for an internet platform has arisen. Most of this presentation was composed before I attended the World Peace Festival in Berlin: I am now convinced that the time is riper than ever for going public with the convergence between work for inner and outer peace. This approach should be the golden thread that holds together all action for change in this world. Rudston Cullen, Berlin August 2011
- 3. Introducing the internet platform empowa Mission: To facilitate the local and global networking of people organizations educational institutions and businesses engaged in social, humanitarian and environmental action
- 4. The Target Audience
- 5. The Target Audience active in
- 6. The Target Audience active in etc. …
- 7. A Personal Starting Point: an African in Berlin
- 8. A Personal Starting Point: an African in Berlin Despite the widespread poverty in Africa …
- 9. A Personal Starting Point: an African in Berlin
- 10. A Personal Starting Point: an African in Berlin … its people have such a tremendous spirit …
- 11. A Personal Starting Point: an African in Berlin
- 12. A Personal Starting Point: an African in Berlin … that is often missing in affluent societies …
- 13. A Personal Starting Point: an African in Berlin Wild grey louries eating bananas out of my hands
- 14. A Personal Starting Point: an African in Berlin and remarkable encounters with the incredibly rich natural world are common. wild grey louries eating bananas out of my hands
- 15. A Personal Starting Point: an African in Berlin “ You can leave Africa, but Africa will not leave you“ and remarkable encounters with the incredibly rich natural world are common. wild grey louries eating bananas out of my hands
- 16. A bond with potential that could be put to work
- 17. A bond with potential that could be put to work to facilitate international development, cooperation and intercultural understanding
- 18. How to find others sharing this bond ?
- 19. How to find others sharing this bond ?
- 20. How to find others sharing this bond ?
- 21. Which organisations? Examples Friends of South Africa e.V. Initiative Südliches Afrika e.V. Laureate Stiftung Go Ahead e.V. Sage Net e.V. small to middle-sized
- 22. Which organisations? Examples Friends of South Africa e.V. Initiative Südliches Afrika e.V. Laureate Stiftung Go Ahead e.V. Sage Net e.V. Solidaritätsdienst - international e.V. SOS-Kinderdörfer weltweit Oxfam Deutschland e.V. Weltfriedensdienst e.V. small to middle-sized international
- 23. Which people? Examples praktikum in SA language course in SA
- 24. Which people? Examples SA citizen working here relatives in SA praktikum in SA language course in SA
- 25. Which people? Examples SA citizen working here SA student relatives in SA praktikum in SA language course in SA returned volunteer
- 26. Which institutions? Examples Society for International Development Berlin Humboldt University - Seminar für Afrikawissenschaften
- 27. Which institutions? Examples Society for International Development Berlin Embassy of South Africa Humboldt University - Seminar für Afrikawissenschaften Afrikahaus Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Heinrich Böll Stiftung
- 28. Which institutions? Examples Society for International Development Berlin Embassy of South Africa Humboldt University - Seminar für Afrikawissenschaften Afrikahaus Konrad Adenauer Stiftung Heinrich Böll Stiftung Nelson Mandela State International School - Africa AG Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung Afrikavenir Deutschland
- 29. Locating these on the web??
- 30. Locating these on the web?? Google, facebook, ning.com don‘t help much …
- 31. The solution: an “empowa community“
- 32. The empowa community: Berlin - Southern Africa Botswana Lesotho Namibia South Africa Zimbabwe
- 33. The empowa community: Berlin - Southern Africa Botswana Lesotho Namibia South Africa Zimbabwe Probably also Angola Malawi Madagascar Mozambique Zambia
- 34. The empowa community: Berlin - Southern Africa Botswana Lesotho Namibia South Africa Zimbabwe Probably also Angola Malawi Madagascar Mozambique Zambia Build on existing city partnerships: Berlin – Windhoek (Namibia) Berlin-Lichtenberg – Maputo (Mozambique)
- 35. An empowa community: overview organisations institutions members linked communities add to my communities
- 36. An empowa community: overview organisations institutions members linked communities events news add to my communities
- 37. An empowa community: overview organisations institutions members linked communities blogs, forums events news add to my communities
- 38. An empowa community: overview organisations institutions members linked communities blogs, forums events news add to my communities virtual meeting space
- 39. An empowa community: overview organisations institutions members linked communities blogs, forums virtual meeting space events news adverts add to my communities
- 40. An empowa community: overview organisations institutions members linked communities blogs, forums virtual meeting space events news adverts search add to my communities
- 41. The empowa community: the page of a member organisation
- 42. The empowa community: the page of a member organisation
- 43. The empowa community: the page of a member organisation
- 44. The empowa community: the page of a member organisation
- 45. The empowa community: the page of a member organisation
- 46. The empowa community: the page of a member organisation
- 47. The empowa community: the page of a member organisation
- 48. The empowa community: members online now all 400 … Add to my communities
- 49. The empowa community: members online now all 400 … Add to my communities messaging to individual members to all members of a community
- 50. Social Networking and empowa integration for facebook users only one login needed empowa as Facebook App Facebook fan pages linked to communities
- 51. Social Networking and empowa integration for facebook users only one login needed empowa as Facebook App Facebook fan pages linked to communities The empowa user profile has a different focus than a facebook or google+ member profile
- 52. Social Networking and empowa integration for facebook users only one login needed empowa as Facebook App Facebook fan pages linked to communities The empowa user profile has a different focus than a facebook or google+ member profile friending etc. left to facebook, google+ etc.
- 53. The empowa community: blogs and forums spreading ideas sharing information NGOs develop their reputations follow-on from or lead-up to online events …
- 54. The empowa user: my empowa Users can add communities to my communities Quick access to my communities on logging in Some elements from these displayed on this page: messages news…
- 55. Communities can be defined by location and or topic
- 56. Topics such as
- 57. Topics such as etc...
- 58. The resulting Platform Structure
- 59. Example: Berlin
- 60. Example: Berlin
- 61. Example: South Africa
- 62. Example: South Africa
- 63. Example: South Africa
- 64. Linking Communities LINK
- 65. Linking Communities LINK
- 66. Core feature: synchronous communication
- 67. Synchronous Communication: technologies empowa can facilitate Skyping but more is possible …
- 68. Synchronous communication : virtual meeting spaces harnessing video conferencing technology Community VMS
- 69. Synchronous communication : virtual meeting spaces the online meeting place for community members optionally available for organizations harnessing video conferencing technology Community VMS
- 70. Virtual Meeting Spaces: possible features Capacity large – up to 300 users for a large moderated online event middle – up to 30 users for meetings, discussions, training sessions small – up to 5 users for smaller meetings, e-mentoring, teaching
- 71. Virtual Meeting Spaces: possible features Capacity large – up to 300 users for a large moderated online event middle – up to 30 users for meetings, discussions, training sessions small – up to 5 users for smaller meetings, e-mentoring, teaching Features voice and video over IP chat panel shared whiteboard ! desktop sharing and file sharing
- 72. Virtual Meeting Spaces: possible features Capacity large – up to 300 users for a large moderated online event middle – up to 30 users for meetings, discussions, training sessions small – up to 5 users for smaller meetings, e-mentoring, teaching Features voice and video over IP chat panel shared whiteboard ! desktop sharing and file sharing Permissions listen in and chat participate – using voice, video, shared whiteboard moderate
- 73. Virtual Meeting Spaces: possible features Capacity large – up to 300 users for a large moderated online event middle – up to 30 users for meetings, discussions, training sessions small – up to 5 users for smaller meetings, e-mentoring, teaching Features voice and video over IP chat panel shared whiteboard ! desktop sharing and file sharing Permissions listen in and chat participate – using voice, video, shared whiteboard moderate Sessions Open to the public / members of the community or organization only
- 74. empowa communities: who runs them?
- 75. Following the model of wikipedia.org the communities run themselves The platform is a service for its users built on the principles of authenticity, openness and transparency
- 76. Following the model of wikipedia.org the communities run themselves The platform is a service for its users built on the principles of authenticity, openness and transparency basic rules set at the start details of policies and procedures develop with empowa
- 77. Following the model of wikipedia.org the communities run themselves The platform is a service for its users built on the principles of authenticity, openness and transparency basic rules set at the start details of policies and procedures develop with empowa a shallow hierarchy with one top-level community monitoring content, policies and procedures
- 78. empowa communities: as markets
- 79. empowa events guidelines must be adhered to mostly organized by a community – cf. TedX events some by empowa itself – cf. Ted events sponsoring as an opportunity
- 80. empowa ads appropriate for the community commercial and non-commercial advertising users can comment on products and services!
- 81. empowa ads appropriate for the community commercial and non-commercial advertising users can comment on products and services! CSR – sponsoring of communities and projects
- 82. Challenge: internet access and capability in the developing world
- 83. Being aware of the myths of ICT4D : internet access is not enough
- 84. Being aware of the myths of ICT4D : internet access is not enough empowa: promote access and training
- 85. Being aware of the myths of ICT4D : internet access is not enough empowa: promote access and training partnering with locally based NGOs, universities and businesses
- 86. Being aware of the myths of ICT4D : internet access is not enough empowa: promote access and training partnering with locally based NGOs, universities and businesses role of CSR : motives often questionable important: interfacing with rapidly expanding mobile-telephony
- 87. NGOs on empowa: the benefits
- 88. Accessibility : an NGO on empowa is easily located by individuals by other NGOs
- 89. Accessibility : an NGO on empowa is easily located by individuals by other NGOs e.g. an empowa user could find NGOs active in HIV programs in Nairobi involved in education in Peru engaged in environmental activities in Berlin NGOs: your feedback please!
- 90. Messaging: easy access to whole communities of your target audience
- 91. Messaging: easy access to whole communities of your target audience examples: an NGO can send messages to individual community members send messages to whole communities
- 92. Messaging: easy access to whole communities of your target audience examples: an NGO can send messages to individual community members send messages to whole communities spread its message through blogs and forums notify communities of upcoming events and news
- 93. Messaging: easy access to whole communities of your target audience examples: an NGO can send messages to individual community members send messages to whole communities spread its message through blogs and forums notify communities of upcoming events and news advertise its needs share information and resources NGOs: your feedback please!
- 94. Synchronous Communication: using virtual meeting spaces
- 95. Synchronous Communication: using virtual meeting spaces Possible uses for NGOs: online meetings with members / staff / volunteers
- 96. Synchronous Communication: using virtual meeting spaces Possible uses for NGOs: online meetings with members / staff / volunteers reinforcing relationships with distant linked communities
- 97. Synchronous Communication: using virtual meeting spaces Possible uses for NGOs: online meetings with members / staff / volunteers reinforcing relationships with distant linked communities online training and mentoring
- 98. Synchronous Communication: using virtual meeting spaces Possible uses for NGOs: online meetings with members / staff / volunteers reinforcing relationships with distant linked communities online training and mentoring live interaction with community members
- 99. Synchronous Communication: using virtual meeting spaces Possible uses for NGOs: online meetings with members / staff / volunteers reinforcing relationships with distant linked communities online training and mentoring live interaction with community members participation in large online events NGOs: your feedback please!
- 100. leading to more … traffic redirected to member websites members donations involvement in projects and campaigns participation in events more effective campaigning volunteering …
- 101. Building an NGO on the empowa platform An example: How I would use the platform
- 102. Unmet needs : in many African countries school tuition is in english school students have few opportunities to speak the language large numbers of young people have little adult care and guidance
- 103. Unused human resources : fluent english speaking professionals in Europe, having time – a few hours a week the desire to contribute a bond to the African region concerned
- 104. empowa as the bridge between need and resource Seek suitable e-mentors in empowa communities in Europe
- 105. empowa as the bridge between need and resource Seek suitable e-mentors in empowa communities in Europe Seek e-mentees via empowa communities and NGOs in Africa
- 106. empowa as the bridge between need and resource Seek suitable e-mentors in empowa communities in Europe Seek e-mentees via empowa communities and NGOs in Africa Make virtual meeting spaces available for online mentoring
- 107. empowa as the bridge between need and resource Seek suitable e-mentors in empowa communities in Europe Seek e-mentees via empowa communities and NGOs in Africa Make virtual meeting spaces available for online mentoring Provide structures for regular online communication
- 108. empowa as the bridge between need and resource Seek suitable e-mentors in empowa communities in Europe Seek e-mentees via empowa communities and NGOs in Africa Make virtual meeting spaces available for online mentoring Provide structures for regular online communication Living the links between distant communities
- 109. Business Case
- 110. membership fees of NGOs donations sponsors especially hi-tech corporations commercial advertising Your feedback / suggestions please!
- 111. Feedback sought: e.g. concerning … The NGO point of view on the proposed features improved accessibility easy messaging the possibilities of synchronous communication What are the obstacles to NGO participation? Social media achieving ‘critical mass‘ – start with Facebook fan pages for each community? compatibility with current usage of social media ICT4D: should fostering internet access and basic IT training be part of the mission? Comments on the application of the Wikipedia model How to strengthen the business case? Miscelaneous comments
- 112. This concept is under development I look forward to hearing from you ! Especially from NGOs and software developers e.g. drupal specialists or if you want to join the team THANK-YOU Rudston Cullen rudston [at] empowa.net