The Social Innovation Blog

Julian Baggini: Is there a real you?

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 15:39:00 +0000

A good point of view for those who constantly ask themselves, who they truly are?

Applications open to LAMP Fellowship 2012-13

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 08:31:00 +0000

Do you want to work with an MP to shape national policy?

Apply Now for LAMP Fellowship 2012-13.

The Legislative Assistants for Members of Parliament (LAMP) Fellowship is an opportunity for exceptional young Indians who are seeking to widen their understanding of politics and policy-making in the country. The LAMP Fellowship is a unique initiative, designed to provide individualised research support to MPs, by training Fellows to assist them in their tasks as law-makers.

The LAMP Fellowship was conceptualised by PRS Legislative Research in 2010, launched with a pilot initiative consisting of 12 LAMP Fellows. Currently, the LAMP Fellowship 2011-12 has 46 LAMP Fellows, who come from diverse academic backgrounds and are working with Members of Parliament from across political parties.

Role of a LAMP Fellow: Each Legislative Assistant is assigned to an MP, to provide quality research support for their legislative and oversight duties. The LAMP Fellow will help MPs frame Parliamentary questions, raise issues, participate in parliamentary debates and speeches and help prepare for committee meetings.

Essential Criteria: Under the LAMP Fellowship, we are seeking committed, highly-motivated individuals to assist MPs for their work in Parliament. Applicants must meet the following criteria:

Applicants must be no more than 25 years of age (born on or after
Applicants must have at least a Bachelor’s degree in any discipline.
LAMP Fellows are required to be based in Delhi for the entire duration of the Fellowship.
Only Indian citizens can apply.

Duration: June 2012 to May 2013.

Applications are now open. Last date for applications is February 26, 2012. Apply at: www.lamp.prsindia.org

Find out more about being a LAMP Fellow at: www.lamp.prsindia.org/faqs

Hear from current LAMP Fellows and MPs in the programme. Watch the LAMP film at: http://lamp.prsindia.org/ gallery

If you have any queries regarding the LAMP Fellowship, you can get in touch with us at lampfellowship@prsindia.org

What Happens When an NGO Admits Failure

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 07:57:00 +0000

We all face failures, big or small, throughout our lives. Does admitting your failure give you a chance to learn from it and grow further. Have a look at this wonderful talk by David Damberger.

(Video Link)

David is the founder of Engineers Without Borders Calgary (EWB). After building the organization in Calgary and working with them in India, David spent four years building EWB's overseas programs as the Director of Southern African Programs.

David will be drawing on his work experience in Africa to speak about the transformative power of publicly admitting failure in the development aid sector which currently lacks accountability, creativity and transparency.

Who do you listen to ..

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 07:10:00 +0000

That's impossible, said Pride,

That's risky, said Experience.

That's pointless, said Reason,

Give it a try, whispered the Heart ...

A Day in the Life of Swaraj University

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 09:09:00 +0000

A wonderful university in India that focuses on self-directed learning - Swaraj University - check out the video below.

As a part of our creative art initiative - Art Pitara, we've also worked with another similar school in Ladakh area known as SECMOL. Off late the school has become famous since the character of Aamir Khan in the Bollywood movie 3-Idiots was inspired by the people and innovations in this school.

(Video Link)

Sustainability: Doing Well by Doing Good: by Chris Laszlo

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 07:36:00 +0000

Philanthropy/Charity is about WHAT you do with your money once you've earned it.
Sustainability is about HOW you earn your money.

A good talk by Chris Laszlo on Sustainability in Business and how small innovations in business processes can bring about huge social and environmental change.

Do Trust in the Things You Love

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 11:55:00 +0000

Beautiful talk by Mickey Smith (Photographer, Filmmaker, Surfer) at DO Lectures.

You have to watch the full video to get the message + don't miss the amazing film he created while surfing.

“If I can only scrape a living, at least it will be a living worth scraping” - Mickey Smith

Watch the video here - http://www.dolectures.com/lectures/do-trust-in-the-things-you-love/

When the World's Poorest People Volunteer ...

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 10:09:00 +0000

A must read article for all changemakers, at Huffington Post, by Uma Vishwanathan.

Here is an excerpt:

"How do feel when you come to a country and interact with people who have so much?" I ask him later that evening. We are walking around the pool at the Hotel del Prado, a beautiful sprawling 18th century colonial hotel.

Lesly pauses thoughtfully. "Every country has its strengths. Some are material. Some are not. I don't worry about it. What I do know is that my real strength lies in my own mind. There are people all over the world who are unhappy and who feel powerless to do something about it. But I know that if my mind is on what I don't have, I am powerless. When I volunteer, when I think about what I can give to others, I realize how much I do have."

Volunteering or selfless service is a frame of mind. It is an attitude of continually working to improve lives and the environment around you, without demanding or expecting reward.

Read the full article at Huffington Post

WalMart: The High Cost Of Low Price - Documentary

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 08:48:00 +0000

As Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the Retail sector is currently a hot topic in India, I thought of sharing a documentary that I watched a few years ago.

This documentary showcases some of the things that we as consumers oversee when buying low-price goods in the market and how our actions affect the local economy. It also showcases how empowering the local economy is the way to achieve long-term sustainability.

I guess we have a lot to learn from this documentary. Have a look and do share what you think.

Watch directly on Youtube.

Social Entrepreneur Highlight: Jeroo Billmoria & ChildLine

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 06:46:00 +0000

I recently wrote about ChildLine at a Design Challenge on OpenIDEO. Thought it might be relevant to share it with all of my blog readers too.

In 1996, Jeroo Billmoria (a social entrepreneur) from India launched CHILDLINE (Dial 1098 Ten-Nine-Eight), India's first toll-free tele-helpline for street children in distress. As of March 2011, total of 21 Million calls since inception have been serviced by CHILDLINE service and operates in 172 cities/districts in 30 States and UTs through its network of 415 partner organisations across India. You can read more about them at http://www.childlineindia.org.in/

And yes, this model is scalable across geographies and cultures too. After Childline's success, Jeroo went further and founded Child Helpline International (http://www.childhelplineinternational.org/) - an initiative that runs similar children helplines in more than 150 countries across the world and responds to 14-18 million calls annually.

To learn more about ChildLine, I would suggest you to go through these resources:
1) Video - An Introduction to ChildLine India

2) Book - How Childline 1098 started and how it works (Pages 8 to 24)

3) Jeroo Billimoria's talk at TEDx Hamburg

Some more facts:
- ChildLine started as an independent initiative, but eventually government started supporting and funding the Childline and other nonprofits who provide support to the children.

- Childline partners with several allies and NGOs to help provide support to children in far off locations.

- Depending on the urgency of the situation, after a child calls, a local representative reaches the child within 60 minutes to 1 week from the time the call was made to the helpline.

Prime Minister's Rural Development Fellows in India

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 16:47:00 +0000

If you are affected by and concerned with issues of social equity, democratic engagement and socio-economic-political justice the PMRDF Scheme offers an exceptional opportunity for the youth to engage at the grassroots to learn and absorb the realities of the poor and the marginalized, while simultaneously matching you with the required skills and resources to 'be the change you want to see'. Apply to be a PMRD Fellow now!

Visit the following site for details on the application process: http://pmrdfs.tiss.edu/index.php

To be Eligible:

Must be 25-30 years old
Must be a postgraduate in Social Science/ Science/ Management OR a graduate in Law/ Engineering/ Medicine

The selected candidates will go through a three-month intensive training course including a 4 week internship in the preferred district. The fellows will be appointed for a period of two years on a ﬁxed contract, extendable for one more year based on performance. The PMRDF will be offered an attractive compensation that would include HRA, health insurance and other support.

Deadline: Dec 4, 2011

12000 Libraries Around the World, +6 Added Everyday

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:29:00 +0000

John Wood, the author of "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World" has always inspired me. He started Room to Read, an initiative that inspires children to read by providing resources like books, building libraries/schools, and even scholarships.

I was very happy to learn that they've opened 12,000 libraries around the world, along with 1,500 schools. Recently they also celebrated giving 10 millionth book at a school in Vietnam.

For those who do not know, Room to Read is one of America’s fastest-growing charities and is now opening new libraries at an astonishing clip of six a day. In contrast, McDonald’s opens one new outlet every 1.08 days.

Read more at Nick Kristoff's article at NY Times. I also recommend reading John Wood's book (Leaving Microsoft to Change the World) about his story on how he started Room to Read and the inspiration behind it.

Top Three Things to Know about Hunger & Agriculture

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 22:22:00 +0000

We all have heard the terms ‘Hunger’ and ‘Agriculture’ but do you know these terms are harsh realities for so many people around the world. Also do you understand how issues like Hunger and Agriculture affect you directly or indirectly?

Let me share my learning about these issues from being a part of a wonderful program by UN World Food Program and ONE.org known as the Hunger and Agriculture Griot program.

1) At every passing moment, one-billion people are chronically hungry in the world.

Yes that is every 7th person in this world. Most of us living in cities, working in companies, eating delicacies of the world, never get to know about this. But this statistic is real. Today, one in seven people do not get enough food to be healthy and lead an active life.

We also need to understand that this issue affects us in different ways. Did you know that the food price rises over recent past have been a primary reason behind major riots in nearly 40 countries? It has become a question of security now. What happens when desperate people can’t find or afford food? And the anger that comes from people who see no future for their children except poverty and starvation.

Josette Sheeran, the head of the UN's World Food Program, talks about why, in a world with enough food for everyone, people still go hungry, still die of starvation, still use food as a weapon of war.

Wish to learn more? You might want to read through the preface to the book “Enough” available here.

So the question is whether we should build public programs to start feeding these 1-billion hungry people. Well that might help, but it would not be a long-term solution.

2) Agriculture is the long-term solution to poverty, hunger and rural development.

Most of the people are hungry, because they are poor. And many of the poor people are living in the countryside / villages. The secret to a country’s development lies in boosting the rural economy and bringing up small-scale and marginal farmers. And as you saw in above video, the rural economy is mostly dependent on agriculture.

Now how do you support the rural economy? Of course agriculture alone won’t be helpful. Here are some of the ways:
- Give training to farmers on latest techniques and best practices.
- Improve rural communication, telephone/mobile coverage, etc.
- Almost 50-60% workers in agriculture sector are women – build programs to support them.
- Support Infrastructure Projects – availability of water, roads, electricity, rural banking, etc

Did you know that developing nations lose almost US$ 450 billion each year due to hunger? Yes, each year. Remember, countries grow as weak as their people. Hunger also eats away at economies. Hungry children can’t study, hungry adults can’t work, and malnourished people die more quickly when other diseases strike.
Now, you know that boosting the rural economy is the way to go. But you should know how to do that well. There are many aspects of rural development, let me share one point I think is very important.

3) Develop the community as a whole, and not a single entity within the system.

When we talk about development, we need to understand that we might start our work with one set of people, but we would have to extend its benefits to others in and around the system as well. That is what will bring about true development in an area.

Have a look at the TEDx talk of Jemimah (a PhD researcher in Africa) as she shares her experiences of what happens when the other entities in the system are forgotten.

I believe that the above three points will help us look at Hunger and Agriculture from a different perspective. I will share more as I learn further in the course. If you have come across anything similar, or have any related thoughts or experiences on the above points, please feel free to share your comments with me.

(photo credit)

Indian Railways - Printouts of e-Tickets Not Needed

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 11:34:00 +0000

In a new initiative to become more environment friendly Indian Railways' (one of the largest rail networks across the world) passengers would no longer be required to take printouts of their e-tickets (booked through IRCTC website). However, the passengers would have to carry a Virtual Reservation Message (VRM) along with an Identity Card in original.

A screen-shot of the e-ticket displayed through Laptops / Palmtops / Mobile phone is referred as Virtual Reservation Message (VRM).

This new initiative estimates saving about 3,00,000 A4-size paper prints every day.

Appreciate the efforts of the government on this new initiative. More details here - https://www.irctc.co.in/VRM.htm

Bunker Roy: Learning from a barefoot movement

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 06:03:00 +0000

One of the best TED TALKS ever ... Truly inspiring journey of a man who stood up for his ideas.

In Rajasthan, India, an extraordinary school teaches rural women and men -- many of them illiterate -- to become solar engineers, artisans, dentists and doctors in their own villages. It's called the Barefoot College, and its founder, Bunker Roy, explains how it works.

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win .. Mahatma Gandhi

Dive Deeper:
- Learn more about Barefoot College
- Barefoot College's Approach
- Founder Bunker Roy in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People

How We Respond is Who We Are

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 11:33:00 +0000

A series by Nokia called Responsiveness is what inspired me to share this post with all of you.

Many times I try and reflect on who I truly am. Am I an entrepreneur, an activist, a social worker, a marketer, or a coach. We all play several roles in our lives and it is difficult to know why we behave in certain ways to certain situations.

I guess I agree with this statement of "How we respond is who we are" - To know ourselves better, we need to reflect on what we do and how we react to certain situations that life throws upon us.

Have a look at some of my friends and fellows whose lives have inspired me .. and have a look at how they've responded and their journey of knowing themselves better:

Kyra Gaunt Palmer: Singer, Teacher, Anthropologist, and so on ....

Tin Ho Chow: Biker, Designer, Builder, and so on ...

Colleen Flaginan: artist, sea and coral lover, designer, and so on ...

Ever wondered who you truly are?

I think the best way to know yourself is by your actions and how you respond :-)

Ever wonder why hundreds of millions of people go hungry?

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 21:25:00 +0000

Watch the multimedia video featured on the left and you’ll begin to understand. The reality is this: we already know what works against hunger. But the world has never made it a top priority. Our objective is to build a critical mass of people worldwide who no longer accept the status quo. To put pressure on politicians – in rich and poor countries alike – to do what needs to be done.

HUNGER: what you need to know.

Revealed: Why Indian farmers are hungry - Oxfam investigates the broken food system

Wish to learn more? .. visit http://www.endinghunger.org/en/educate/

Marketing in Development Sector Needs to Rethink its Strategies?

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:36:00 +0000

If you think people need something, make them want it. Make it look "aspirational" - like something they should aspire for ... and not they have to just comply with. That is marketing in development sector.

Have a look at these two wonderful talks sharing some important thoughts about marketing:

Melinda French Gates: What nonprofits can learn from Coca-Cola

Amy Lockwood: Selling condoms in the Congo

30 Great Podcasts for Nonprofits

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 21:00:00 +0000

Ref: An excellent post by Wild Apricot Blog

Audio is a engaging way to learn about timely topics straight from the experts, but who has the time to search for useful recordings, or tie yourself to your desk for someone else's broadcast schedule?Podcasts to the rescue!

A podcast (or non-streamed webcast) is a series of digital media files (either audio or video) that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication. ~ Wikipedia

Think of a podcast as something very much like a radio or TV show, but it's programming that you can enjoy on your own time, whenever it's convenient for you. Better yet, podcasts are almost always free! And you'll find inspiring and educational podcasts (in both audio and video) on every topic under the sun, from social media and nonprofit technology to cause marketing and fundraising ideas.

To get started, check out these 30 great podcasts for nonprofits:

Magic Keys Radio is a monthly podcast "unlocking the secrets of nonprofit marketing and fundraising" with NonprofitMarketingGuide.com's Kivi Leroux Miller and Claire Meyerhoff.

Since 2006, The Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies (ACPNS) has been producing a monthly podcast series that discusses key nonprofit issues of the day, including recent research, legislation and policy.

BoardStar's On Being Board is a free monthly podcast that tackles a range of governance topics through inspirational 8-10 minute interviews with nonprofit leaders, helping board directors to learn about their roles and responsibilities, as well as how to strengthen the nonprofit boards on which they serve.

Fundraising is Beautiful : Between them, Jeff Brooks and Steven Screen have more than 35 years of experience in helping nonprofits to raise money for their causes. Their occasional podcasts supply practical tips as well as "inspiration and ammunition" for fundraisers.

Big Vision Podcast is a series of Britt Bravo's interviews with individuals who work to create positive change in the world – a truly inspiring source of ideas for "do-gooders" in any sphere.

CraigList Foundation offers free podcasts of its Boot Camp sessions presented by leading nonprofit experts on a variety of topics around "empowering communities," including Beth Kanter's talk onUnderstanding the Networked Nonprofit.

The Chronical of Philanthropy runs three excellent podcasts at present:

Social Good: Allison Fine, a nonprofit leader and expert on technology and communications, discusses how charities and foundations can more effectively use social-media tools to spread their messages and raise money.
Making Change: Hildy Gottlieb interviews leaders to discuss how those who are working for the greater good seek to create social change.
Philanthropy This Week: Learn about some of the nonprofit world's most important issues fromChronicle editors and reporters. Join us for discussions with the people behind the stories and interviews with some of philanthropy's most prominent newsmakers.

In the GrantWhisperer podcast on BlogTalkRadio, Victoria M. Johnson, CFRE, offers grantwriting tips and advice. Victoria is the author of Grant Writing 101: Everything You Need to Start Raising Funds Today, slated to be published by McGraw-Hill in February 2011.

Making a Difference is a 20-minute weekly program on BlogTalkRadio hosted by Barbara Talisman, who talks to nonprofit leaders, volunteers and donors about the challenges they're meeting to make a difference: "Their lessons provide nonprofit organizations with solutions they can use to cultivate donors and volunteers and raise more money."

For tips on social media marketing, website design, best practices and tools to grow your small business, nonprofit or faith-based organization, check out Professional Mojo's Marketing Podcast, also on BlogTalkRadio.

Stanford Social Innovation Review's Nonprofit Podcasts and Social Innovation Conversations (from Stanford Graduate School of Business' Center for Social Innovation) brings you social change ideas through audio lectures, panel discussions, audio interviews, and conference recordings. In the Social Innovation Conversations series, you'll find a motherlode of educational podcasts on:

Some of the Stanford resources linked here are archived episodes rather than current programming, but don't discount the wealth of knowledge and insight you can find in those archived podcasts!NetSquared: Remixing the Web for Social Change and 501c3Cast podcast archives, for example, offer loads of evergreen value for nonprofit staff, board members, and volunteers.

New to Podcast Listening?

Get new podcasts delivered automatically as they're published — you'll find an iTunes or "Subscribe" link on most podcasts' web pages. If you don't have iTunes installed, look for download link to get audio files for the individual episodes, or try one of the many alternative podcatchers (podcast receiver software) such as Juice, a free GPL-licensed tool that works on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers. Another useful tool is Adam Schlitt's Feed Flipper, a free online service that converts any iTunes podcast audio feed into a standard RSS XML feed to subscribe to in the reader of your choice.

Wantrapreneur: Light Up Rural Lives and Stand to Win Upto Rs. 1.5 Lakhs

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 07:03:00 +0000

http://www.villgro.org/wantrapreneur/index.php

Wantrapreneur, the Business Plan Competition for social entrepreneurs is an annual affair hosted by Villgro. Wantrapreneur is about identifying and recognizing innovative social enterprises that have the potential to transform rural lives. It is an amazing opportunity for all those who have a social enterprise that can change lives. The finalists get an opportunity to pitch their plans to social investors and win cash prizes. Wantrapreneur is now calling for entries under the following categories:

Agriculture – Start up
Agriculture – Early Growth
Diary/ Energy/ Water – Start up
Diary/ Energy / Water – Early Growth

Who should participate:

Indian citizens aged 18 years as on Oct 15, 2010 can participate who have a functioning start-up, in operation for at least 6 months or an enterprise in its early growth stage (greater than 3 years in operation). Also,

The business enterprises should be headquartered in India; a standalone, not a subsidiary or division of a larger company
Should be an early stage social enterprises developing a viable business model focussed on Agriculture, Water, Energy and Dairy
The enterprise must have been in operation for at least 6 months

For further information and to apply, click here to visit the Wantrapreneur Website

Staples Youth Social Entrepreneurship Competition

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 21:51:00 +0000

If you’ve ever been told, “You’re inspirational!” or you are a young leader who’s creating positive change in the world, we’d love to hear your story.

In fact, we’d love to give you a rare opportunity share your story with others.

Eight young changemakers will be chosen as winners of our annual Staples Youth Social Entrepreneurship Competition and invited to present at the first TEDxYSE event in Washington, D.C.
How do you qualify? Just fill out the short >entry form. You can also nominate an inspiring young leader (age 12 to 24).

Winners will be chosen on a rolling basis, so don’t wait.

Piramal Fellowship in Sustainable Business

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:55:00 +0000

The Piramal Foundation is excited to announce the launch a new
leadership program. The Piramal Fellowship for Sustainable Business is
a two-year program that provides aspiring leaders from around the
globe with an opportunity to explore the power of business to do good,
to develop the tools to innovate impact-driven business models, and to
be part of a broader community dedicated to the pursuit of social
impact.

By working with some of the best social entrepreneurs in India on
their greatest challenges, Piramal Fellows contribute on the
frontlines of where business and social aspirations intersect.

The Fellowship is a total immersion classroom for impact-driven
enterprise, supported by a sustainable leadership curriculum and a
community of peers. Content and training partners include leading
social-impact organizations such as Intellecap, Dasra, and ISB's
Center for Emerging Markets Solutions.

The Piramal Fellowship is looking for talented, young professionals
who are willing to work hard to make a real difference. Fellows'
costs will be covered, and will be provided a living stipend for the
duration of the program. Applicants must have with at least two-years
of work experience to participate in the program.

The deadline to apply is September 15, 2010 for the inaugural program,

which will complete in July 2012.

Visit www.piramalfellowship.org to learn more about the Piramal
Fellowship for Sustainable Business.

TED Announces the 2010 TEDGlobal Fellows

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 12:13:00 +0000

NEW YORK, May 25 -- Organizers of the TED Conference announced today the 23 Fellows who will participate in TEDGlobal 2010, TED's annual conference in Oxford, UK, July 12 – 16, 2010. The 2010 TEDGlobal Fellows join the TED community as the most recent additions to the TED Fellows program.

The 2010 TEDGlobal Fellows reflect both geographic and discipline diversity. From Venezuela to Ghana to Brazil to Costa Rica to Sri Lanka to Yemen, these pioneers are breaking new ground in technology, engineering, programming, biology, genetics, environmental science and invention. Fellows also are innovating in filmmaking, photojournalism, architecture, music, poetry, entrepreneurship and activism, among other disciplines.

Meet the 2010 TEDGlobal Fellows:

Mubarak Abdullahi

Aircraft engineer

Nigerian aircraft engineer who, at 24, built a homemade helicopter out of car and motorbike parts

Walid Al-Saqaf

Anti-censorship activist

Yemeni programmer and founder of Yemen Portal and alkasir -- software that gives individuals access to blocked websites

Erika Bagnarelo

Filmmaker

Costa Rican writer and director (her most-recent film tells the story of atomic bomb-survivors aboard Peace Boat)

Eric Berlow

Ecological networks scientist

American ecologist and entrepreneur researching networks and environmental sustainability

Milena Boniolo

Environmental chemist

Brazilian chemist developing methods to detect emerging contaminants in the environment

Nina Dudnik

Science facilitator

American geneticist and CEO of Seeding Labs, an organization providing up-and-coming researchers with lab equipment and other resources

Adital Ela

Sustainability designer

Israeli designer and artist incorporating indigenous knowledge into sustainable design

Joseph Foster Ellis

Sculptor

American artist, living and working in China, whose work bridges gaps between East and West

David Gurman

Installation artist

San Francisco-based installation artist whose work makes invisible events (such as seismic data from nuclear testing) visible

Lope Gutiérrez-Ruiz

Culture curator

Venezuelan editor, writer and co-founder of The Gopher Illustrated magazine and the Plantanoverde Foundation, a platform for emerging artists

Sanjana Hattotuwa

Citizen journalist

Sri Lankan human rights activist and founder of Groundviews, a citizen-journalism initiative

Su Kahumbu-Stephanou

Organic industry entrepreneur

Kenyan entrepreneur promoting the development of an organic food industry in Kenya

Teru Kuwayama

Crisis photographer

American photojournalist covering humanitarian crises in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir and Iraq

Richard Move

Performance + media artist

American dancer, choreographer and filmmaker exploring the intersection of the human body and digital media

Dominic Muren

Open manufacturing evangelist

Open-source fabrication advocate, product designer and founder of The Humblefactory, a product-development consultancy

Boniface Mwangi

Photo-activist

Kenyan photojournalist and founder of Picha Mtaani, a youth-led national reconciliation initiative in Kenya

Guido Nunez-Mujica

Biotechnologist

Venezuelan writer and scientist working on LavaAmp, a pocket-size thermal cycler for rapid PCR

Olatunbosun Obayomi

Bio-energy inventor

Nigerian biotechnologist inventing new means of alternative energy production from organic waste

Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo

Poet + recording artist

Nigerian-American poet and recording artist currently based in Boston

DK Osseo-Assare

Grassroots architect

Ghanaian-American architect and co-founder of DSGN AGNC, an activist design think-tank, and Low Design Office, an architecture studio

Veronica Reed

Architectural activist

Ecuadorian architect working in sustainable design and low-income housing

Camilo Rodriguez-Beltran

Arts + science collaborator

Mexican scientist, filmmaker and gallery founder focusing on human health, biodiversity and cross-cultural collaboration

Roshini Thinakaran

Documentarian

Founder of Women at the Forefront, a multimedia company that examines the challenges faced by women living in conflict zones

The TED Fellows program seeks individuals of age 21-50 (though anyone over age 18 is eligible) who demonstrate remarkable achievement in their field of endeavor. The program focuses on candidates from five regions: Asia/Pacific, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Middle East. The TEDGlobal Fellows program is made possible by the visionary support of the Bezos family, the Harnisch Foundation, the Case Foundation, private donors, IBM, Johnny Walker and Nokia.

Details on each Fellow and the program are available at www.ted.com/fellows. To support the program, or to receive more information, please contact Logan McClure at +1.212.346.9333 or via email at fellows@ted.com. Follow the TED Fellows blog at http://tedfellows.posterous.com.

mBillionth Award 2010: Last Date for Mobile Innovations & Contents

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Mon, 31 May 2010 13:12:00 +0000

FYI .. last few days to submit entries for Mobile Innovations & Contents.

--
Dear All,

I had written earlier and now again. As mentioned, we were looking for best practices from across south asian countries in the areas of mobile application, mobile content and services that would in one way or the other impact masses and make citizen's life easier.

We have already got more than 120 nominations, and we thought many of you may know more or even may be having something like this apply for nominations.

We are accepting nominations till tonight, and also if you can inform that you are intending to send your nomination, then we can give couple of days extra.

All is available at http://mbillionth.in

For more details,
You can write to me directly at: osama@mbillionth.in

warmest regards,

Osama Manzar
Founder & Director: Digital Empowerment Foundation

TED Talks now on TV

noreply@blogger.com (Yatin Sethi) — Tue, 18 May 2010 10:16:00 +0000

Launched in May 2010, the TED Open TV Project allows broadcasters worldwide to air TEDtalks for free, provided they follow basic guidelines (no editing, interrupting or showing commercials during the talks). Licensed broadcasters will have permission not only to air the talks, but also create programs around them -- for example, using local hosts to introduce or wrap up the talks. It's truly open-source TV.

With dozens of participating broadcasters worldwide, the pilot project will expand TED's capacity to spread ideas, particularly in the developing world, where low internet penetration and slow connections make online video impractical. Where appropriate, the talks will be translated into the local language, and these new translations will be made available on TED.com.

Find TEDTalks on a TV station near you >>