Duration: 17 min 02 sec

The activist, academic and co-founder of Global Voices shares a story about building cultural bridges, xenophilia and a little video game called War of Warcraft.

My Tweets from his talk

• @EthanZ is talking about the importance of bridge figures when u encounter a new culture 2 help u embrace ur xenophilia #bif5
• @EthanZ shows CNN photo of Chinese army crackdown on riots in Llasa. The version used crops out the rioters throwing rocks at Army vehicle
• From @EthanZ’s talk: http://globalvoicesonline.org/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-cnn http://joi.ito.com/ #bif5
• RT @HelenWalters [P]ower of relationships in WOW. @ethanz tells of @joiito advising guild member on joining US army in real world. #bif5
• RT @ jpamental: @EthanZ: we’re ALWAYS communicating 2 a global audience, who are listening to us & how we talk about their culture. #BIF5

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Former Prime Minister Pierre-Louise at the IDB investor meeting in Port Au Prince earlier this month with Former President Bill Clinton, President Rene Preval and Inter-American Development Bank President Luis Alberto Moreno. Photo by Peter Haas AIDG

Haiti’s Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis was dismissed by the Haitian senate in late night voting. President Rene Preval has nomminated Jean Max Bellerive, the country’s planning and co-operation minister, to be her replacement.

Quotes on the dismissal:

From the Miami Herald:

” Pierre-Louis, in office for a year, said she has spent much of her tenure getting international support for Haiti after four back-to-back storms devastated the country last year, and it is too soon to see the results of her work.

Senators were not swayed.

But unlike the last censure of a Haitian prime minister — Jacques-Edouard Alexis in April 2008 following days of food riots — this one wasn’t as swift or orderly.

At times, chaos reigned: Lawmakers screamed and talked over one another in front a national television audience.

The Senate president often rang a small silver bell in a futile attempt to create order as the session stretched into Friday morning without a vote. The vote finally occured at about 12:15 a.m., long after Pierre-Louis’ Senate supporters had left, believing they had succeeded in preventing a vote.

“There is an error in the summons and everyone knows it,'’ said Sen. Youri Latortue, a Pierre-Louis supporter who last year successfully led the movement to oust Alexis.

But those lined up against Pierre-Louis weren’t moved by the constitutional arguments, nor her letter to the Senate president questioning the validity of the censure and informing him that she did not plan to attend the session.”

From Al Jazeera:

“The move to fire Pierre Louis comes days after Bill Clinton, the UN’s special envoy to Haiti and a former US president, told an investor conference in Port-au-Prince that Haiti’s political risk was lower than it had been in his lifetime.”

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An Environment Ministry study in Baoruco and Independencia provinces (southwest) identified 23 communities where 200 people make 37,000 sacks of charcoal per month, a clandestine market worth RD$89.2 million (US$2.5 million) yearly.
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[The Cross-border Environmental Program report] details a simple yet effective chain to make, traffic and illegally market charcoal in Haiti and notes that the 200 producers are mostly of Haitian origin, helped by 12 Dominican truck drivers, to produce every month around 37,000 sacks, sold to less than five Haitian retailers, who gather on the west side of the lake, for subsequent transport and sale in Port au Prince.

“This production equals 445,788 sacks annually (27,300 tons) which is sold at RD$200 (US$5.55) per sack, generating an annual market of RD$89.2 million, US$2.5 million).” the study headed by the consultant Humberto Checo said.

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An ideal groom in this dusty farming village is a vegetarian, does not drink, has good prospects for a stable job and promises his bride-to-be an amenity in high demand: a toilet.

In rural India, many young women are refusing to marry unless the suitor furnishes their future home with a bathroom, freeing them from the inconvenience and embarrassment of using community toilets or squatting in fields.

About 665 million people in India — about half the population — lack access to latrines. But since a “No Toilet, No Bride” campaign started about two years ago, 1.4 million toilets have been built here in the northern state of Haryana, some with government funds, according to the state’s health department.

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Entrepreneurs or Idiots?
Don’t let the social overtake the enterprise.

“Fortunately if you are starting a new program abroad you don’t need to be an idiot like I was. Here are ten “rules” of starting an international service organization that would have helped me if I had known them a few years ago, and maybe can help you. To anybody running an organization they may seem obvious but it is amazing how many early stage entrepreneurs ignore them while focussed on the mission of trying to just get the school built, the pollution reduced, the farm running, etc. With these rules maybe you can start an enterprise that is as much enterprise as social.

Rule number 1: Don’t start a new organization

There are literally millions of established organizations globally that are in need of support. Before you start something new ask yourself: “What can I do to help something that is already here become more effective?” There are several programs I know of now that if I had learned about them earlier and applied to a management position it could have likely saved me a few years of getting my program running.

Rule number 2: Clearly define what you do and stick with it

So in the face of massive unmet need there is always the temptation to run the feeding-housing-water-sanitation-ecotourism-renewable energy-child education-dolphin saving program. But unless you are say putting up a millennium village presenting this type of program to funders can be a tough sell. To draw an example from my experience at AIDG donors may not see the clear link between a program in say ecotourism and a program in say light industrial fabrication. Don’t be a swiss army knife. Do one or two things well . . . ”

Read The Full Post at the TED Fellows Blog

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A Winner in Haiti

Jun 24, 2009

COOPEN (“Coopérative pour la Promotion et l’Exploitation de l’Environnment”) was formed in 2009 in Cap-Haïtien, Haiti as a business cooperative dedicated to helping its members and customers convert organic waste into energy and agricultural fertilizer. In addition to producing and installing biodigester systems (specially-designed reactors for converting organic waste into biogas), COOPEN also offers comprehensive training programs to ensure that end-users can get the most out of these systems. Founders Roger Jean-Pierre and Raphaël Bélizaire, winners of AIDG’s inaugural business plan competition Konkou Biznis Ayiti, see COOPEN as a model in Haiti for socio-economic development that also engages citizens in the protection of the environment. Their objective is to reduce waste, decrease domestic dependence on charcoal, and provide a cost-effective alternative to propane gas, while at the same time promoting a profitable cooperative model where members share in the benefits.

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1. Clinton talk, push SME development, need to build out airport in Cap, need to build roads, Haiti turning corner, IS more stable 3:16 PM Oct 1st
2. One group in small solar systems saw seven fold slaes increase from 100K USD to 700K USD this past year. 2:25 PM Oct 1st
3. In group deal meetings on the energy sector. Saw several applicants that were matches for E+Co. Including one from our konkou in biodiesel 2:23 PM Oct 1st
4. It is essential that Haiti`s political class works in spirit of cooperation to smooth over bueracratic processes and form favorable climate 7:51 AM Oct 1st
5. Canada believes development of SME should be foundation of economic growth. Launched Haiti markets program.7:48 AM Oct 1st
6. Amb. Canada: Haiti second largest investment partner for CA, after afghanastan. 555 mil CAD invested. At forefront of debt reduction. 7:47 AM Oct 1st
7. IDB value added TAS (technical assistance) roughly 400K in Haiti. Future oncentrate on infrastructure, agirculture, managirial training SME 7:39 AM Oct 1st
8. IDB MIF (microentreprenuer investent fund) 6.8 million dollar portfolio in Haiti. 7:35 AM Oct 1st
9. Exports currently only 12% of GDP, has protections and favorable regimes with the US. IDB invests in road, electric, ag, watsan, tourism, ed 7:33 AM Oct 1st
10. Steven Puig, Q:why haiti why now? A: It is about Haiti`s growing possitive trajectory. 7:29 AM Oct 1st
11. The panel for the IDB needs a moderator. The monologues are going too long. 7:25 AM Oct 1st
12. strong new protections for international investors to encourage investment tax breaks, need to create conditions 4 productive investment 7:13 AM Oct 1st
13. Minister of commerce, we are ready to accept investment.7:04 AM Oct 1st
14. Haiti`s PM: Jobs and economic development are a priority of the Haitian Government, foreign investors must work with local entreprenuers 7:03 AM Oct 1st
15. Haiti`s PM opened strong: need to remove negative media image, move away from aid and into job creation, build roads, make investent 7:01 AM Oct 1st
16. At IDB international Business meeting in Haiti. Waiting for President Clinton, Prime Minister Pierre-Louis to speak. 6:09 AM Oct 1st
17. PCH on his way to Port-au-Prince today for a Haiti conference put on by the InterAmerican Development Bank 6:51 AM Sep 30th

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President Clinton Keynote:

President Clinton Closing:

Duration: 2min 3 secs

President Preval Closing Part 1:

Duration: 6min 6sec

President Preval Closing Part 2:

Duration: 6 min 22secs

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Duration: 2 min 37 sec

Amazing invention uses, otherwise wasted, plastic bottles to cleverly harvest the sun light to illuminate WINDOWLESS ROOMS in poor countries.

Amy Smith was at our offices in Haiti this past spring with her student Kofi Taha. They built a quick mockup of this invention on our roof with a cardboard box, lamina, tape, a water bottle and silicone caulk.

Duration: 37 sec

Quick mockup to see how well the invention works

Closeup of the silicone caulk that would prevent water from leaking in

View inside the box when the ‘roof’ is uncovered

Aside: I have to say, one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned from Amy Smith is that when you have an idea, get out there an prototype-test, prototype-test, prototype-test. A lot of new engineers and designers these days spend way too much time using CAD and not making their ideas real in the material world.

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On September 19th, 2009 the six semi-finalists teams from AIDG’s business plan competition, GuateVerde, began the first of five workshops. These 6-hour sessions are designed to give the teams more insight into the business planning process and help them improve the hard skills needed in running their business. Regardless of whether a team goes on to the competition’s final phase, the participants will be equipped with the appropriate tools and proficiency necessary to present their business plans to prospective investors.

Each workshop includes lectures by local experts and interactive activities that get the teams sharing their knowledge and experience as well as networking with each other for future business opportunities.

A Speaker from Guatemala’s Superintendencia de Administración Tributaria.

After three workshops completed, it is clear that competition is fierce for GuateVerde 2009. That said, there is still a strong camaraderie among the entire group. When you find one team swapping business strategies with another, you know there is a solidarity being built that can be just as fruitful than any monetary award.

The Quetsol and SET Renova teams

Best of luck to all the teams as they prepare to present their business proposals in front of panel of judges October 24, 2009!

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