Riko Kamachi's Posts - Urgent Evoke2024-03-29T02:15:00ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachihttp://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2209233025?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=1ach572kizsiu&xn_auth=noRachel's storytag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-14:4871302:BlogPost:928002010-04-14T19:30:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">[tape recording]</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"></br><br style="font-weight: bold;"></br><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This is an Urgent EVOKE progress report. All names have been changed to protect the identity of the subjects detailed in this report. A voice modulator has been used.</span> <br></br><br></br>Well, I don't know why I put up with 'Matt' for so long. When we first met he was great - you know, he did all the nice…
<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">[tape recording]</span><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><br style="font-weight: bold;"/><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">This is an Urgent EVOKE progress report. All names have been changed to protect the identity of the subjects detailed in this report. A voice modulator has been used.</span> <br/><br/>Well, I don't know why I put up with 'Matt' for so long. When we first met he was great - you know, he did all the nice stuff, took me out for meals, we went out dancing, we had a fab time. He said, that he'd save up for a wedding ring out of his salary at the depot and we'd have one of those, whatcha call them, 'civil marriages'. Then we'd have a baby, because we both wanted one, and get a house in a <span style="font-style: italic;">nicer</span> part of the city. We'd be all sorted.<br/><br/>Things started to go wrong when he lost his job, with a few of the other boys. The recession, yeah? The company laid half of them off. He, of course, took it bad. Always did have a temper on him. He signed on the dole, but you couldn't get a job in construction back then. He went out drinking with his mates and came back completely hammered, first a couple of nights a week, then every night. He'd go on so much about Gordon f'in Brown, the immigrants, how they were stealing all the jobs, how the dole treated him like dog's mess.<br/><br/>So, I guess, we kinda forgot about the whole 'ten year' plan. 'Matt' couldn't afford a ring or anything else and my part-time at the local supermarket only just kept us in food and the bills paid. Came close sometimes though. He didn't see the point in looking for work so he didn't bother. During the day he just sat and watched telly. Only time he paid me much notice was well, you know.<br/><br/>Then, right, one of the girls told me a friend of hers had gotten knocked up and the council got her a nice house over on one of the nicer estates, <span style="font-style: italic;">and</span> they gave her money to look after the bairn. Matt didn't like it though. I guess that's about when he started hitting me.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">[pause]</span><br/><br/>He'd say stuff like, "you're daft like, living with your head up in the clouds, council doesn't give you money if they can help it". Then he'd storm out to the pub and crash back through the door after midnight half-wasted and fall into bed.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">[pause]<br/></span><br/>Was it my fault? I dunno, even now. I dunno what made me do it, but I stopped taking the pill. After a couple of weeks my periods stopped. I got one of those baby tests from the shop. It came out positive. <br/><br/>'Matt' went mad when he found out. He got worse. Once he said he'd kick the baby out of me. Man, he tried. He told me to get an abortion. I agreed, but like, I didn't want to. I got an appointment at the clinic but I couldn't do it. I went to my sister's then I came back and told him I'd had it done. He stopped hitting me, for a while. I was skinny, I hid the bump under baggy clothes. Told him I was overweight. Eventually he caught on and it was even worse. But it was too late for an abortion.<br/><br/>I hated the classes they sent me on. Once one of the other mums saw a bruise, said she'd go tell someone. But I loved him, even then, I couldn't leave him, if they'd told someone they'd locked him up. Wish they had. But she didn't say anything. Tell you the truth I think she was scared of me. One of those posh lot, married and stuff with a posh house. Me a rough kid from the estate.<br/><br/>The day Mara was born was the happiest of my life. July 4th 2010. Independence Day... funny that. He came to the hospital after and saw her and I hoped, I hoped for one second he'd love her, that he'd see her and me and it'd be like we used to be.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">[pause]<br/><br/></span>He told me to get her adopted. He didn't want a squaly baby and besides, he said I'd be too busy looking after her to spend any time on him. I tried to argue but he could've hit me there and then in front of everyone. So I kept quiet. Put on a show for the nurses. When we got home he hit me. Got the forms, made me sign them. I told him I wouldn't. He hit me so hard, I don't remember what happened. Woke up with Mara screaming and Matt gone to the pub.<br/><br/>I had a few hours till he would come back. I looked at Mara... I thought, what if he hits her too? I couldn't handle it. So I ran. I took Mara and I took what I could and ran. Found myself here at the Refuge.<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br/><br/></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">[pause]<br/><br/></span>Well. Mara's ten now. She's a bright one alright, gets picked on a bit by the other kids at school but she's a good kid. The people at the Refuge were good to us. When we turned up on the doorstep they got us a room, just like that. Even got some clothes for Mara and they fed us and stuff, but what was great was that I didn't have to worry about Matt beating me or her up. The other mums were great too. After a while the Refuge people and WWIN got me a house, even gave us furniture! <br/><br/>I'm a social worker now, helping women like me. Didn't hear from Matt again, but then it's not like I wanted to. I've got a new life and he's not in it.<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"><br/><br/>End of Report.<br/><br/>[recording end]<br/></span>Empowering women begins at home!!!tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-14:4871302:BlogPost:927322010-04-14T18:42:23.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
On encountering the mission for ACT6 - to "help empower one girl or woman with better access to education or economic opportunity", I was overjoyed. I would like to take this opportunity to share a project that myself and my mother have been involved with for several years now.<br></br><br></br>In my city there is a residential home* for women who have been victims of domestic abuse. The residents of the home are women who have fled violent relationships and left everything behind. Most arrive with…
On encountering the mission for ACT6 - to "help empower one girl or woman with better access to education or economic opportunity", I was overjoyed. I would like to take this opportunity to share a project that myself and my mother have been involved with for several years now.<br/><br/>In my city there is a residential home* for women who have been victims of domestic abuse. The residents of the home are women who have fled violent relationships and left everything behind. Most arrive with very few possessions and many bring children with them of varying ages.<br/><br/>A all-year-round project, <a href="http://www.wearsidewomeninneed.org.uk/">Wearside Women in Need</a>, collects donations for the Women's Refuge. They also help women and their families move into safe new homes and make a fresh start.. The charity also campaigns for more help and support from the government and the local council for victims of domestic abuse. While WWIN takes monetary donations, it also accepts donations of food, clothing, furniture, toys and so on for the women and their families, who so often have next to nothing and would struggle without help.<br/><br/>More than that, donations of new goods and presents can help to bring joy back into lives of mothers who can't afford to buy their children birthday and Christmas presents. WWIN runs a <a href="http://www.sunderlandecho.com/daily/Sunderland-Echo-Christmas-Toy-Appeal.5827149.jp">Christmas Toys Appeal</a> every year, asking the public to donate presents for the displaced children, and for their mothers and/or fathers.<br/><br/>Every year we get involved with another charity fundraising event, <a href="http://www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/">Operation Christmas Child</a>, which has restrictions on donated items (e.g. really big soft toys, liquids etc). Due to shipping regulations we sometimes can't send certain items, so instead we donate these to WWIN instead. My mother also bakes a Christmas cake!<br/><br/>Getting involved with a local charity like this is a lot of fun, very rewarding and an ongoing opportunity to give in a very efficient, personal way. I'd heartily reccommend other agents to look around in your local area for this kind of project!<br/><br/><font size="1">* I can't share the name or location of the residential home because I don't know it myself. It isn't advertised purely to protect the residents living there.</font><br/>Killing in the name of...?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-14:4871302:BlogPost:926482010-04-14T17:30:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
I've always considered myself as a 'semi-feminist'. I do feel very strongly about the rights of women in society and at the same time, increasingly glad that I live in a country which upholds those rights. When I saw this week's topic, the empowerment of women, I knew that once I began my research I would discover violations of these rights which would truly upset me.<br></br><br></br>The UK is far from perfect when it comes to gender equality. Domestic abuse is a scourge of the developed world, and…
I've always considered myself as a 'semi-feminist'. I do feel very strongly about the rights of women in society and at the same time, increasingly glad that I live in a country which upholds those rights. When I saw this week's topic, the empowerment of women, I knew that once I began my research I would discover violations of these rights which would truly upset me.<br/><br/>The UK is far from perfect when it comes to gender equality. Domestic abuse is a scourge of the developed world, and although worryingly a growing portion of reported cases are of abused men, it's generally the case that women make up the majority of victims of domestic abuse. According to Women's Aid, a UK charity, two women die every week at the hands of their current or ex-partner (<a href="http://www.womensaid.org.uk/domestic_violence_topic.asp?section=0001000100220041&sectionTitle=Domestic+violence+%28general%29">Women's Aid</a> 2009). One in four European women will experience domestic abuse in their lifetime (<a href="https://wcd.coe.int/">Council of Europe</a> 30 April 2002), and 54% of all reported rapes in the UK are committed by a woman's current or former partner (<a href="http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb0207.pdf">Home Office</a> 2007) (PDF).<br/><br/>Bearing this in mind, I turned my attention to international cases of domestic abuse against women. I soon found <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?ReportId=88636">an article</a> on the UN Gender Equality News Feed about the plight of <span class="reportbody" style="text-align: justify;"><span id="Body">Naseeba Bibi, a 25 year old Pakistani woman from the city of Kasur in Punjab province.<br/><br/></span></span><p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 486px; height: 340px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234201151?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><font size="1">Photo from <a href="http://www.irinnews.org/">IRIN Asia</a></font><br/></p>
<span class="reportbody" style="text-align: justify;"><span id="Body"><br/>Enduring daily beatings from her unemployed husband of six years, sometimes with a stick, Naseeba was finally forced to flee for her life with her three children, the youngest of whom is seven months old. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Her husband publicly accused her of having an affair with another man and announced the intention to kill her for 'honour'.</span> <br/><br/>Naseeba now lives in Lahore, 55km north-west of her home, in a single room with her children with no water or electricity and sells handcrafted toys on the pavement, which barely provides enough food to feed her children.<br/><br/>Naseeba has no hope of justice or legal protection. As she has had no formal education, she doesn't understand <a href="http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C08%5C05%5Cstory_5-8-2009_pg7_4">the law</a> that was passed in Pakistan against domestic violence in August 2009. Speaking to the IRIN Asia reported Naseeba said, "If I played any part in putting my husband in jail, his brothers would kill me."<br/><br/>There are two particular aspects about this story that shocked me the most.<br/><br/></span></span><ul>
<li>This idea of "killing for honour" is not a religious belief. It is not a "mercy killing" intended to exonerate a woman like Naseeba who has been accused of infidelity. <span style="font-weight: bold;">It is murder solely to protect the man's reputation.</span></li>
<li>Naseeba's husband is a hypocrite. She believes that, "this was his plan, as he wished to marry someone else." <span style="font-weight: bold;">He wanted to kill his wife so he could be free to commit the very sin of which he accused her.</span></li>
</ul>
<br/>Naseeba's case is <span style="font-weight: bold;">common</span>. She could even be considered lucky! The article goes on to report that last month, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan published a report stating that in 2009, <span style="font-weight: bold;">647</span> women were killed for "honour"... <span style="font-weight: bold;">73 more than in 2008</span>. That's not counting the potentially hundreds more which were never reported.<br/><br/>I am completely left without words to describe my feelings about this lady, who at my own age is fending for herself and her children. We are both the same age. We both live in modern cities. But could our lives be any more different?<br/>Money that doesn't really exist?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-11:4871302:BlogPost:888362010-04-11T14:30:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
To be honest, when I first saw the LEARN5 mission objective - to write about an alternative currency or monetary project - my first thought was to virtual money. However, I felt uncomfortable writing on this subject as I couldn't see any benefit to it which would make a blog post relevant to EVOKE. Having thought a little more on the subject, I now see things a little differently.<br></br><br></br>EVOKE aside, my main online hobby is the virtual world of Second Life. It is where my EVOKE agent name and…
To be honest, when I first saw the LEARN5 mission objective - to write about an alternative currency or monetary project - my first thought was to virtual money. However, I felt uncomfortable writing on this subject as I couldn't see any benefit to it which would make a blog post relevant to EVOKE. Having thought a little more on the subject, I now see things a little differently.<br/><br/>EVOKE aside, my main online hobby is the virtual world of Second Life. It is where my EVOKE agent name and photograph come from (I actually found EVOKE through a recommendation made by a friend on Second Life!). I could go on and on about the benefits of Second Life and set right some of the misconceptions surrounding it (mostly thanks to the mass media) and probably will, but for now I would like to talk about the financial side.<br/><br/>Second Life has its own virtual economy, which is based upon its currency, the Linden dollar. While Second Life is free to play, many of the activities in-world require some kind of monetary input. Second Life money can be earned much in the same ways as money in 'real life', or alternatively can be exchanged from a variety of real currencies.<br/><br/>A growing number of users in Second Life (predominantly those who have been using the game for a long time) are now setting up and running virtual businesses using the platform. These can take a myriad of forms; virtual real estate, entertainment, advertising and content creation being among the main ones. The most successful of these make enough of a profit to make a living.<br/><br/>
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<br/><br/>Kasi Nafus's Pixel Dolls is still one of the most successful content creation businesses in Second Life. There are many other examples I can name, many of which have attracted real-world sponsorship, especially in the entertainment sector. But while the opportunities for personal entrepreneurship are many, altruistic possibilities are perhaps not as apparent.<br/><br/>Unlike many other online 'games', Second Life is a community-based platform which reflects rather than distracts from the real-world. By that I mean it has infinite possibilities for the betterment of people's real lives. There are many projects which could demonstrate the financial power of the communities of Second Life, but by far the most successful of these is Second Life Relay for Life.<br/><br/>
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<br/><br/>Overseen by the American Cancer Society and run by volunteers, the yearly campaign runs alongside the real-world relay. While people form teams and create 'camp grounds' for their teams in the 'real' relay, so do teams in Second Life. Hundreds of volunteers work on 'virtual' camp grounds and simulation designs to promote the work of the charity and encourage donations. The main event also includes live music performances and other events which mirror real life events and bring together communities from across the world.<br/><br/>
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<br/> <font size="1">(Eight minutes into this second video, you can see part of 'RFL The Shire' - the simulation I created based upon the works of J. R. R. Tolkien and cartographer Karen Wynn Fonstad, who published several Middle-earth maps and herself succumbed to cancer. The build included a stage and a full-size Bag End.)</font><br/><br/>While the main fundraising event happens in July, other fundraising events happen throughout the year, such as the Clothing Fair and Home and Garden Expo, just two events in which virtual content creators sell their work with 100% of the proceeds going to the charity.<br/><br/>In 2009, the Second Life Relay For Life campaign raised US$274,000 in total.WWD2020 EVOKE report: Carrying life in your handstag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-11:4871302:BlogPost:886282010-04-11T09:08:07.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
<span style="font-weight: bold;">22/03/2020 - World Water Day 2020 EVOKE report</span><br></br><br></br>There have been some really innovative projects for WWD in the past ten years. The public have been engaged, inspired and influenced so much by what they have seen of the water-related issues which our dedicated social entrepreneurs have brought to the fore. Together we have built millions of wells in Africa and India and improved the sanitation of millions more. As water issues became more prevalent…
<span style="font-weight: bold;">22/03/2020 - World Water Day 2020 EVOKE report</span><br/><br/>There have been some really innovative projects for WWD in the past ten years. The public have been engaged, inspired and influenced so much by what they have seen of the water-related issues which our dedicated social entrepreneurs have brought to the fore. Together we have built millions of wells in Africa and India and improved the sanitation of millions more. As water issues became more prevalent in Europe, America and the Far East, he governments of the developed world one by one rallied to our cause.<br/><br/>This year, the British monarch declared 22nd March a public holiday. It was a recognition that we have longed for and to finally achieve it is extremely satisfying. However, with a greater audience comes more responsibility; this year I and my team were chosen to organise the festivities.<br/><br/>Thousands of people throng the streets. Down one large and open avenue lies the water exhibition, which brings many entrepreneurs together to show their projects and inventions to the public. There is so much inspiration here. One gentleman flew here from his native country Rwanda to join us. He looks excited and a little overwhelmed; and no wonder - it is the first time anyone in his family has left Africa. He is proudly sharing his invention with the crowd; a simple hand-held water filtration device which has changed the lives of far more than are gathered here. Projects like his are bringing Africa out of poverty at an alarming rate.<br/><br/>Here and there among the showcase units are market stalls; tarpaulins in blue, green, grey and every shade in between flutter brightly in the breeze. They are selling merchandise; many of the entrepreneurs are selling their wares, a myriad of toys, books, clothes and other paraphernalia. Judging from the faces of the children, painted with waterdrops and ocean waves, somewhere there is a face-painting kiosk. Of course, the profits from all this commercialism are being ploughed back into our cause. <br/><br/>As if to prove my point, the colourful Ashoka tent stands proudly in the centre of the exhibition area. If we were to peek inside, the plasma screens would show us the proceeds of last year's events. Last year's fundraising from Britain alone could have watered an entire Indian province... and most probably did.<br/><br/>Later on today and tonight will be the two highlights; shortly, the water marathon will begin. The best sprinters (and assorted others!) will follow a designated course through the city. However, this is no true marathon; the difference being the length of the course. It is a commemorative length - six kilometers. It's hard to believe now, but ten years ago a citizen of Africa and Asia travelled this distance to find water. <br/><br/>Not anymore.<br/><br/>Tonight, the skies will be lit up with fireworks. I can't help but think of this as a metaphor for what we have achieved.<br/>EVOKE@Kiva Update: Steaming ahead!tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-09:4871302:BlogPost:871692010-04-09T18:30:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="7">EVOKE@Kiva</font><br></br><a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/evokekiva-update-im-turning">Issue #1</a> | Issue #2<br></br></div>
<br></br>Welcome to the second newsletter for <a href="http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke">EVOKE agents</a> acting through the microfinance web site <a href="http://www.kiva.org">Kiva</a>. If you are
interested in microloans and/or already a member of Kiva, hopefully the following information will be of interest…
<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="7">EVOKE@Kiva</font><br/><a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/evokekiva-update-im-turning">Issue #1</a> | Issue #2<br/></div>
<br/>Welcome to the second newsletter for <a href="http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke">EVOKE agents</a> acting through the microfinance web site <a href="http://www.kiva.org">Kiva</a>. If you are
interested in microloans and/or already a member of Kiva, hopefully the following information will be of interest to you.<br/><hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><font size="4">About Our Team</font><br/><br/>Wow! In just one week, our team has come from nowhere to being 29 in number. I've been inspired and encouraged by everyone taking part in this project - thank you so much!<br/><br/><div style="text-align: center;">* <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/PeggieScott">Peggie</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/floatstone">Floatstone</a> * Sam * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/BjarneFich">Bjarne</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/DouglasDICicco">Douglas</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/CharlesFiertz">Charles</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/JoaoCarrapa">João</a> * Bryan * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi">Riko</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/MikeMatessa">Mike</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/Elastika">Elastika</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/VictorUdoewa">Victor</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/SarahShawTatoun">Sarah</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/PatricioBuenrostroGilhuys">Patricio</a> * Mark * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/KathNing">Kath</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/JoshJudkins">Josh</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/AlbertoCottica">Alberto</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/Cynawynn">Cynawynn</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/ninmah">ninmah</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/PJE">PJE</a> * Michael * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RichardEscobedoBonilla">Richard</a> * <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/ben323">Ben</a> * Alice * Joseph * Michelle * Carol * kevin *<br/></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="1">(If I haven't linked your profile here please send me a message to tell me your name here on Kiva! <br/>I have had computer issues and lost records of some links, apologies.)<br/></font></div>
<br/>If you haven't yet made a loan on Kiva and would like to know more about microfinance and our team, please visit the team page at When making a loan, please make sure to select 'Urgent EVOKE' as the team you wish your loan to count towards!<br/><hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><font size="4">Loan News</font><br/><br/>So far we have made 19 loans and loaned $550 to small businesses and individuals from Cambodia to Afghanistan! Twelve of these have now been fully-funded. At this point I must mention our powerhouse agent Peggie Scott in Liberia who has so far made nine loans for our team and is unfortunately currently ill. Get well soon!<br/><br/>These are just some of the loans we have made as a team!<br/><br/><a href="../../profile/PeggieScott">Peggie</a> loaned to the <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/189687">Plumbkor Community Group</a> in Monrovia, Liberia, who will use the loan to buy wooden planks for the team leader Momo's small timber business. <a href="../../profile/AlbertoCottica">Alberto</a> chose to champion the arts with his loan to <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/191020">Mame Diarra Samb</a> in Senegal, who requested this loan to buy art for her stall. <br/><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 281px; height: 211px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234192012?profile=original" alt=""/> <img style="width: 278px; height: 209px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234192081?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
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<a href="../../profile/PJE">PJE</a> decided to make a loan to the <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/191059">Restaurant 315 Group</a> in Afghanistan to buy sewing materials for their tailoring business, and <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/188647">Nann Roeurng's Group</a> from Cambodia will receive a loan from <a href="../../profile/RichardEscobedoBonilla">Richard</a> towards buying a cow and piglets. <a href="../../../profile/ninmah">ninmah</a> chose to make a loan to <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/191029">Soukeye Ndiaye</a> from Senegal, who will use the loan to buy fruit and equipment for her fruit juice stall (see blog round-up!).<br/><br/><a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/Elastika">Elastika</a> made a loan to <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/188567">Jesús Julián García Gutiérrez</a> in Guatemala to purchase a computer to use in his job as a teacher. Both Peggie and <a href="../../profile/Cynawynn">Cynawynn</a> chose the <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/189907">Ebenezer #3 Group</a> in Liberia to buy apples for team leader Standly Warjolo's fruit stall (see blog round-up!).<br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 254px; height: 193px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234192402?profile=original" alt=""/> <img style="width: 103px; height: 192px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234192426?profile=original" alt=""/> <img style="width: 107px; height: 191px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234192605?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<a href="../../profile/SarahShawTatoun">Sarah</a>'s loan went to <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/190616">Leng Ran</a> in Cambodia to buy raw materials to make cement jars for sale, and <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/188226">Pamela Awino Ahambo</a> from Kenya received a loan from <a href="../../profile/KathNing">Kath</a> to increase stock for her clothing boutique.<br/><hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><font size="4">Blog Round-up</font><br/> <br/> Our agents have been busy documenting their work on Kiva!<br/> <br/> <a href="../../profile/floatstone">Floatstone</a> has been <a href="../blogs/kiva-answers-to-the-dragon">trying to make direct contact</a> with the local teams in the countries our entrepreneurs are from, as part of the Dragon Search, and <a href="../blogs/evokekiva-membershipis">encouraging more agents to join</a>.<br/> <br/> <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/Elastika">Elastika</a> had a tax return and <a href="../blogs/ive-become-a-kiva-lender">decided to loan it</a> to four entrepreneurs in Nicaragua, Kenya, Rwanda and Nigeria.<br/> <br/> <a href="../../profile/ninmah">ninmah</a> joined our team and <a href="../blogs/i-joined-evokekiva">made her first loan</a> to Soukeye Ndiaye, a fruit juice seller in Senegal.<br/> <br/> <a href="../../profile/Cynawynn">Cynawynn</a> decided to <a href="../blogs/evokekiva-act5">donate for the first time</a> on Kiva for the ACT5 mission.<br/><br/><a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/MikeMatessa">Mike</a> wrote about <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/kiva-prossy-namutebi-guzibwa">his recent donation</a> to Prossy Namutebi Guzibwa in Uganda (see below!).<br/> <br/> Please write about your experiences and loans on Kiva! Tag them with "EVOKE@Kiva" and I will feature your blog post in the next newsletter :)<hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><font size="4">Featured Loans</font><br/><br/>Our featured loans this week were chosen by our team members. These still need to be fully-funded so please loan to these if you are trying to choose among the thousands of entrepreneurs on Kiva :)<br/> <br/><div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 286px; height: 177px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234193532?profile=original" alt=""/></div>
<div style="text-align: left;"><font size="2"><a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/191041">Prossy Namutebi Guzibwa</a> from Uganda is requesting a loan to buy stock for her retail business. (requested by Mike)</font></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 284px; height: 213px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234193695?profile=original" alt=""/> <img style="width: 283px; height: 213px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234193792?profile=original" alt=""/></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><font size="2">The <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/190935">Black Survivals Group</a> in Liberia requests a loan to buy goods to grow its leader Saidu Sesay's business into a general store. The <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/190938">Perry Unity Group</a>, also in Liberia, is requesting a similar loan to buy stock for Boimah Perry's retail business. (both requested by Peggie)</font></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 281px; height: 227px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234193977?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/> <img style="width: 280px; height: 229px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234194092?profile=original" alt=""/></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><font size="2"><a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/190382">Abraham Brown</a> in Monrovia, Liberia has requested a loan to buy phone charge cards to sell in his growing business. (requested by Peggie)</font><br/><font size="2"><a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/186207">Alassane Wane</a> in Senegal is requesting a loan to repair one of his two taxis. (requested by Peggie)</font></div>
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<p style="text-align: center;"></p>
<hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><font size="2">Urgent EVOKE@Kiva: <a href="http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke">http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke</a><br/>Read the last newsletter (#1) <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/evokekiva-update-im-turning">here</a>.</font> <br/><hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/>EVOKE@Kiva Update: I'm turning into a Kiva addict!tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-03:4871302:BlogPost:786792010-04-03T13:00:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="7">EVOKE@Kiva</font><br></br>Issue #1 | <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/evokekiva-update-steaming">Issue #2</a><br></br></div>
<br></br>Since starting a <a href="http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke">lender team for EVOKE agents</a> on microloan web site <a href="http://www.kiva.org">Kiva</a>, I've been quite busy researching into the microloan project. If you are interested in microloans and/or already a member of Kiva, hopefully the…
<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="7">EVOKE@Kiva</font><br/>Issue #1 | <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/evokekiva-update-steaming">Issue #2</a><br/></div>
<br/>Since starting a <a href="http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke">lender team for EVOKE agents</a> on microloan web site <a href="http://www.kiva.org">Kiva</a>, I've been quite busy researching into the microloan project. If you are interested in microloans and/or already a member of Kiva, hopefully the following information will be of interest to you.<br/><hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><font size="4">About Our Team</font><br/><br/>So far we have five members of our lender team at Kiva and I would like to thank everyone who has signed up as a team member. I really hope that together we can make some real change by investing into developing economies.<br/><br/>If you make a loan on Kiva, please make sure to select 'Urgent EVOKE' as the team you wish your loan to count towards! Please also blog your loan on Urgent EVOKE to spread the word. If you would like to, use the tag "EVOKE@Kiva".<br/><hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><font size="4">Team News</font><br/><br/>The first loans from our team have already been made on Kiva!<br/><br/>I chose <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/190659">Edward B. Sesay's Group</a> in Makeni, Sierra Leone.<br/><br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234190975?profile=original" alt=""/></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="1">Photo from <a href="http://www.kiva.org">Kiva.org</a></font><br/></div>
<br/>Mr. Sesay is the spokesperson of a group of teachers at a primary school in Mabonkani village. The school was founded in 1972 by the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone and currently has eight teachers and 318 pupils from Mabonkani and the surrounding villages. The loan will go to pay for school fees for children, furniture, plots of land, house-building materials and investments. As I write the loan has been fully-funded and I will post when I receive any news.<br/><hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><font size="4">Featured Loan</font><br/><br/>I would like to put forward a recommendation for anyone on EVOKE who is interested in making a loan and hasn't done so yet.<br/><br/><p style="text-align: center;"><img style="width: 494px; height: 299px;" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2234213706?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" alt=""/></p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><font size="1">Photo from <a href="http://www.kiva.org/">Kiva.org</a></font><br/></font></div>
<p style="text-align: left;"><font size="2"><br/></font></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><font size="2">The <a href="http://www.kiva.org/lend/190775">Creciendo En Fe 1,2 Group</a> is requesting a loan for the purchase of medicine supplies. Its leader Maria runs a pharmacy in the slums of Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic. In this area crime is a serious issue and supplies of running water and electricity are unreliable. Maria lives in a simple structure here with her partner and child. The loan will be invested in the purchase of medicines for colds, fever and diarrhoea, and Maria hopes to use the profits towards buying her own home.</font></p>
<hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/>Urgent EVOKE@Kiva: <a href="http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke">http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke</a>Toilet 'malls' in Kenya!tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-03:4871302:BlogPost:786182010-04-03T11:37:56.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
While researching I discovered an African organisation called <a href="http://www.ecotact.org/">Ecotact</a>, one of Ashoka's partners. This project won a $200,000 prize in 2009 in the <a href="http://sanitationupdates.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/global-water-challenge-innovative-watersanitation-solutions/">Changemakers/Global Water Challenge Contest</a> for its work in Nairobi, Kenya. Ecotact works in both urban and rural situations to solve water and sanitation issues.<br></br><br></br>Ecotact's unique…
While researching I discovered an African organisation called <a href="http://www.ecotact.org/">Ecotact</a>, one of Ashoka's partners. This project won a $200,000 prize in 2009 in the <a href="http://sanitationupdates.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/global-water-challenge-innovative-watersanitation-solutions/">Changemakers/Global Water Challenge Contest</a> for its work in Nairobi, Kenya. Ecotact works in both urban and rural situations to solve water and sanitation issues.<br/><br/>Ecotact's unique project is the Ikotoilet, which means "There is a toilet". The Ikotoilet is more that just a toilet - it is a toilet <span style="font-style: italic;">mall</span>. Rather than hiding toilets away from the public view, Ikotoilets stand out on the street, providing a whole range of services as well as a toilet, including showers, laundry, electronic money transfer, shoe-shine services, newsagents... even barber shops. <br/><br/>Ikotoilets are being installed in public city spaces where they are popular meeting places, as well as in schools. They are also being provided as important centres of sanitation to slums.<br/><br/>
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<br/><br/>The Ikotoilet was devised by an architect called David Kuria, who saw a market for the Ikotoilet in city centres without adequately accessible and safe public toilet facilities. Before the Ikotoilet, toilet facilities were centres of "drug dealing, and very insecure, where you could be vandalized and everything emptied from your pocket."<br/><br/>His idea is proving very popular. Far from just improving sanitation, the Ikotoilets provide a boost in employment, help to conserve natural resources and increase awareness among the public of the importance of sanitation and the environment, which in turn is affecting local policies regarding water and sanitation.<br/><br/>There are now plans to trial the Ikotoilet in Tanzania and Uganda, and into rural areas. The project has attracted government support and Ecotact has even developed a youth franchise model to encourage young sanitation entrepreneurs.<br/><br/><hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><br/>Brief update - Previously, I <a href="../blogs/the-sweet-smell-of-inspiration">reported</a> about Gram Vikas, a company in Orissa, Eastern India, who work to provide clean water, sanitation and electricity to the poorest people in India. I was encouraged to discover that the 'help people to help themselves' style of aid Gram Vikas adopts is working so well that the company now funds thriving schools in the area.<br/>How many steps do you take to get clean water?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-03:4871302:BlogPost:786212010-04-03T11:30:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
It is an unfortunate human trait that after a while, we become so totally accustomed to something which initially shocked us that we are totally desensitized to it.<br></br><br></br>The water crisis is a problem we've
heard about so much through the media. Are we telling ourselves we know so much about water that we are forgetting about how big this issue really is? What we need is shock tactics. Here are some that I've discovered while researching for this mission*.<br></br><br></br><font size="3">Lack of…</font>
It is an unfortunate human trait that after a while, we become so totally accustomed to something which initially shocked us that we are totally desensitized to it.<br/><br/>The water crisis is a problem we've
heard about so much through the media. Are we telling ourselves we know so much about water that we are forgetting about how big this issue really is? What we need is shock tactics. Here are some that I've discovered while researching for this mission*.<br/><br/><font size="3">Lack of clean water claims more lives than any war claims with guns.<br/><br/></font><font size="3">2.6 BILLION people lack access to basic sanitation.</font><br/><font size="3"><br/>84% of water-related deaths are of children under 14 years old.<br/><br/><font size="2">One that particularly struck a chord with me was,</font><br/><br/>At the Sinai school in Tanzania, children walk over 8000 steps to and from the nearest well.<br/><font size="2"><br/>How many steps do YOU have to take to get clean water? Go and count them, right now.<br/><br/>Imagine
being a 14 year old child again. Imagine being in Tanzania. Imagine taking 8000 steps in the burning hot weather of East Africa, half of this carrying a cheap plastic barrel on your head. Imagine how you would feel if, for some reason, you dropped your barrel on the way home. In the heat, the ground would soak up half the water before you even had a chance to pick up the barrel. Trace your steps back to the well.<br/><br/>Back to reality. So, how many steps did you take? For me, it was 0 - I have a glass sitting on the table next to me.<br/><br/>We really take so much for granted.<br/><br/><font size="1">*Research for the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSRPiaB6sGs">Bethlehem Public Library Teen Film Fest</a></font></font></font>Kiva... an EVOKE group?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-04-02:4871302:BlogPost:773922010-04-02T10:53:04.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
I just joined Kiva.org today! I also found my first borrower, a lady in Nicaragua<br />
who needs help with getting her daughter to university.<br></br><br></br>Although I'd think Kiva is well-known here already, I was a little surprised to discover that I couldn't find our own lender group on Kiva, and no mentions of one being started here on EVOKE. So, I took it upon myself to start one, which you can find here :- …<br></br><br></br>
I just joined Kiva.org today! I also found my first borrower, a lady in Nicaragua<br />
who needs help with getting her daughter to university.<br/><br/>Although I'd think Kiva is well-known here already, I was a little surprised to discover that I couldn't find our own lender group on Kiva, and no mentions of one being started here on EVOKE. So, I took it upon myself to start one, which you can find here :- <br/><br/><a href="http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke">http://www.kiva.org/team/urgent_evoke</a><br/><br/>If you are on Kiva.org already please join!!! If you are not, please consider it. Kiva is a Microloan scheme which relies on 'lenders' in developed countries, who rather than donating to the poor, loan funds to people in various countries to give them the chance to succeed in their small businesses and support their families in a myriad of ways.<br/><br/>The smallest amount you can loan to someone is $25 (around £16 in GBP), and this would make a perfect response to any ACT2, ACT4 or ACT5 missions you are struggling to fulfill. If you're new to Kiva please read their terms and conditions when signing up.<br/><br/>I hope that opening this group doesn't cause any problems with the owners/admin of EVOKE - if there is a problem please let me know and I'll transfer 'captainhood' over to a more suitable person.<br/>The Year of the Rattag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-31:4871302:BlogPost:749682010-03-31T19:38:07.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
25th January 2020<br></br><br></br>Today is the first day of the Lunar Calendar. That makes it the first day of the Chinese New Year celebrations, and because today also happens to be a Saturday, the streets of Chinatown are full with people. It's a special year for me, because today is also the first year of the 12 year cycle, the Year of the Rat. I happen to be a Rat in the Chinese zodiac; this is my year.<br></br><br></br>Today's celebrations don't look so different from the celebrations ten years ago. The…
25th January 2020<br/><br/>Today is the first day of the Lunar Calendar. That makes it the first day of the Chinese New Year celebrations, and because today also happens to be a Saturday, the streets of Chinatown are full with people. It's a special year for me, because today is also the first year of the 12 year cycle, the Year of the Rat. I happen to be a Rat in the Chinese zodiac; this is my year.<br/><br/>Today's celebrations don't look so different from the celebrations ten years ago. The lion dancers still weave their way through the streets accompanied by the sound of drums. Tempting smells still waft across the streets from the many stalls, selling dumplings, noodles and cheap prawn crackers. The same types of food; but then the Chinese have been selling them for hundreds of years. The native Brits still buy them. Perhaps there are more stalls than there once were. But what has really changed, however, is the equipment the snacks are being prepared in.<br/><br/>Rather than being powered by gas (which is in even shorter supply than ever), the cookers, friers, hotplates and various other machinery are now powered by electric. The dumplings on one stall are being cooked in pans atop hotplates, which are connected to a solar panel power generator above the stalls. This particular form of the technology, perfect for multiple cooking appliances, was invented in Shanghai. Now the temperature of the UK is of a more favourable nature in January, solar power is becoming a much bigger part of life.<br/><br/>The big exhibition stage of ten years ago has been replaced with two smaller stages. Petrol is another substance in short supply and high in price; so the stages here have been towed into position by electric vans produced locally at the big Nissan plant in the next city, which produced its first electric car ten years ago. A very rare sight back then, vehicle charge points can be clearly seen dotting the streets and at the stations which used to sell petrol. The glinting panels lining the rooves of these cleaner and more pleasant-smelling electric stations, originally a trial and then a supplement to the national supply, now power them completely.<br/><br/>Up above the crowds, the electric stations aren't the only buildings powered by solar. If I could fly above them, I would see the city's rooves twinkle like stars, far outshining the colourful costumes of the dancers and revellers thronging the streets below.<br/>An idea for the Admins?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-31:4871302:BlogPost:745682010-03-31T14:17:04.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
I've noticed that a lot of people are sending mails to everyone on their friends lists simply to notify them that they've written a new blog post. It's quite annoying, but in a way I can see why people see this is necessary to spread the information in a blog post they've written.<br></br><br></br>E-mail notification seems a bit too messy to me, when you have a large number of friends. I've just checked my e-mail account and there are 287 mails in there from the last two days. I know you can switch…
I've noticed that a lot of people are sending mails to everyone on their friends lists simply to notify them that they've written a new blog post. It's quite annoying, but in a way I can see why people see this is necessary to spread the information in a blog post they've written.<br/><br/>E-mail notification seems a bit too messy to me, when you have a large number of friends. I've just checked my e-mail account and there are 287 mails in there from the last two days. I know you can switch notifications off on threads but, maybe it's not the most efficient way of dealing with this?<br/><br/>Please forgive my ignorance if there is already some form of this in place or in progress.<br/><br/>I'm wondering if it would be possible to have instead of notifications some kind of 'friends feed' as an area on the web site which would tell you in list or form format when a friend makes a new post or comments.<br/>Aaargh, my laptop's overheating!tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-31:4871302:BlogPost:745192010-03-31T13:30:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
A few years ago I was a student at university, in the design school. Though as students we had access to quite a large number of the PCs, Macs and other computer equipment that we needed to complete our assignments. However, laptops were a necessity for the majority of people on our course due to the need to carry around large amounts of digital information.<br></br><br></br>Though the UK is a northern country and the university is both close to the coast and near the river which splits the city in…
A few years ago I was a student at university, in the design school. Though as students we had access to quite a large number of the PCs, Macs and other computer equipment that we needed to complete our assignments. However, laptops were a necessity for the majority of people on our course due to the need to carry around large amounts of digital information.<br/><br/>Though the UK is a northern country and the university is both close to the coast and near the river which splits the city in half, the building in which our classes and seminars were held always overheated during the summer months. All the windows were open, the heating was switched off.<br/><br/>The reason why can be illustrated in the daily frustrations of one of my fellow students. She owned a bigger and more powerful laptop than me, but it was also older. The cooling fan didn't work properly. This meant that her laptop overheated frequently. She tried everything imaginable to keep the temperature of her laptop down, including raising it above the desk, alternating work surfaces, even holding it up to the ceiling fan and the open window.<br/><br/>Laptops emit an awful amount of heat. Most of the time as in the above illustration the heat produced is considered a negative by-product. I know that there are now several brands of '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laptop_cooler">laptop cooler</a>' which range from basic raised stands which allow the air to circulate beneath the laptop to external fans built into the cooler itself. No doubt there will be more developments into improving the efficiency of these products. However, the more sophisticated brands of cooler require a power source in themselves to work which personally I find counterproductive. Electric laptop coolers are, in my opinion, among the most inefficient computer accessories on the planet.<br/><br/>The heat produced by a laptop could be used in several positive ways which bear thinking about. Bearing in mind that these would in no way prolong the use time of a laptop, which is perhaps the only benefit electric laptop coolers really have.<br/><br/>The first of which is a favourite of students everywhere. Placed on the knees, a laptop is an extremely effective personal heater.<br/><br/>Secondly, given the right support and using the most effective materials for the job, the heat could be used to keep meals warm for busy students and workers. A laptop stand or even a table could be built to support the laptop as the person works. A compartment underneath could be carefully designed to siphon off steam and moisture build-up produced by the food (which would damage the laptop) while drawing heat energy from the laptop to maintain a steady temperature. The walls of the compartment would use thermosk-style principles to contain this heat without damaging the computer itself. Without the laptop, this compartment could also be used to keep cold food chilled. Like a solar panel, energy drawn but not used immediately could even be used to keep the laptop itself cool.<br/><br/>Thirdly, electric laptop coolers could be designed to be more energy efficient by being more integral with the laptop itself. Rather than having a setup where BOTH the laptop and the cooler run via mains electricity or battery power (or that the cooler is connected to the laptop for this purpose), the cooler and laptop could be symbiotic. In that I mean, the cooler could be designed to draw its energy from the heat the laptop produces, and in turn power the laptop's battery. If this could be done successfully, you could have a laptop <span style="font-style: italic;">which would require no outside power source to run</span>.<br/><br/>A prospect I find very exciting, given my <a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/this-guy-is-a-true-inspiration">previous post</a> about Alfred Sirleaf in Liberia... I'm sure he would LOVE one of these.<br/>The sweet smell of inspirationtag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-31:4871302:BlogPost:743682010-03-31T11:30:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
The challenge I'm tackling today is to find a 'power player'... quite literally. I love the first part of missions on EVOKE because they seem to focus in on finding the very source of inspiration. Inspiration to me is the real fuel that's powering our EVOKE community. It's where the ideas are coming from as well as the hunger to think them up. It's also by far the easiest of the three types of mission because there are so many inspirational people out there to write about!<br></br><br></br>For my…
The challenge I'm tackling today is to find a 'power player'... quite literally. I love the first part of missions on EVOKE because they seem to focus in on finding the very source of inspiration. Inspiration to me is the real fuel that's powering our EVOKE community. It's where the ideas are coming from as well as the hunger to think them up. It's also by far the easiest of the three types of mission because there are so many inspirational people out there to write about!<br/><br/>For my answer to this mission I would like to offer the following video.<br/>
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<br/><br/>Joe Madiath is a social entrepreneur in Orissa, Eastern India. Orissa, which celebrates its provincial independence tomorrow on 1st April (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odisha_Day"><span style="font-style: italic;">Utkal Divas</span></a>), is the country's poorest state. Many of its people do not have access to clean water, adequate sanitation or electricity. This is something Joe Madiath has made his goal in life to change. His company, Gram Vikas, is dedicated to help rural communities of the indigenous Adivasi people in three important ways; <br/><ol>
<li>To build separate bathroom facilities for every family in each village;</li>
<li>To build wells in each village so no one has to leave the village to fetch fresh water;</li>
<li>To connect each village to an electricity grid.<br/></li>
</ol>
As so many agents here on EVOKE have pointed out, quite rightly, telling people what they need then forcing it on them is not the way forward in solving their problems. The Adivasi are a people who have lived in Orissa for thousands of years. They have a culture and a way of life of their own. Their people do not need to be schooled in how to run a successful community. They do not need to be spoonfed by those richer than them.<br/><br/>It is Madiath's approach which is innovative. He approaches the people of the Adivasi as <span style="font-style: italic;">equals</span> and offers them solutions to their problems in these three areas as a business venture. The people pay for the bathroom facilities, wells and electricity <span style="font-style: italic;">themselves</span>. They even build the facilities <span style="font-style: italic;">themselves</span>.<br/><br/>It's a project which is clearly working. Two years ago when this video was filmed, Gram Vikas had helped to build 30,000 toilets in Orissa. The number is no doubt much higher in 2010.<br/><br/>The obstacles stacked against Madiath are formidable. The lack of support and apathy of politicians reluctant to bring about necessary change. The sheer task of operating in a state where 95% of the population have no access to clean water.<br/><br/>Are these unsurmountable obstacles? Madiath doesn't look like the kind of person who will give up. He looks like the kind of person who will laugh in the face of adversity, because he puts his focus where his heart is.<br/><br/><font size="3">"It is more than water and sanitation, it is human dignity. I hope by [2017] this element of human dignity we are able to embed in the minds of the people; but more than that, the policy makers, the politicians, the beaurocracies - they will understand that it is not handing out facilities that is required but giving the people a feeling of dignity."</font> - Joe Madiath in an interview with <span style="font-style: italic;">Global X</span> in 2007. Watch the rest of the interview <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YchLdAwuxqQ">here</a>.<br/>A future?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-30:4871302:BlogPost:736542010-03-30T22:00:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
Imagine, if you will, just one eventuality out of millions.<br></br><br></br>July 2020<br></br><br></br>It's mid-summer in England and the BBC weather programme is forecasting yet another scorching weekend. This is followed by a government announcement: the presenter reminds viewers that the sun shelter time begins at 11:24am and ends at 2:07pm. The streets are silent, and the glaring heat reflects from the off-white sun screens fixed to every window. Here and there the signs of a household unable to pay for…
Imagine, if you will, just one eventuality out of millions.<br/><br/>July 2020<br/><br/>It's mid-summer in England and the BBC weather programme is forecasting yet another scorching weekend. This is followed by a government announcement: the presenter reminds viewers that the sun shelter time begins at 11:24am and ends at 2:07pm. The streets are silent, and the glaring heat reflects from the off-white sun screens fixed to every window. Here and there the signs of a household unable to pay for the screens is marked by the presence of heavy, cheerfully-patterened curtains, which are bleached almost white by the heat and pressed against the windows with cheap solarfoam boards.<br/><br/>A few minutes later, a loudspeaker echoes the advice of the smiling presenter across the neighbourhood. The hubbub of noise dies as people hurry indoors and the last screens slide shut into place. A yelp echoes loudly off the concrete - somewhere, a child has stepped onto the ground with an exposed foot. Third-degree burns are now common enough to be a source of pride in school playgrounds.<br/><br/>The next few hours are the domain of teams of the White Angels. NHS personnel, dressed in specially-designed cooler suits, roam the streets searching for people overcome by the heat. Normally their rounds involve heatstroke, lesser burns and unlucky citizens hiding in the rapidly-disappearing shadows. Occasionally they find something much more sinister; a homeless person with fourth-degree burns covering most of their body. Most of these don't survive.<br/><br/>Nearing the (scientifically-calculated) peak of noon, even the White Angels retreat into the safety of the medical centres.<br/><br/>It's about now that the entire nation sits down to eat.<br/><br/>Just about everything on this family's table has been frozen. Especially the meat and fish products, which by government guidelines were bought two days ago. Today's dinner includes freshwater cod; a luxury - this family is well-off. Fish is a rare commodity now that the majority of the sealife has been driven deeper and further out into the sea. The father produces the cod proudly from the oven, and the mother tries to persuade their 3 year old daughter to try some. She is having none of this strange white meat, to her parents' chagrin.<br/><br/>The older child, an 8 year old boy, is currently at school. He is sitting at a table in the school's great hall. Strangely enough, the generous helping of vegetables is not putting him off his dinner. This is mainly because he helped to grow them in the school's sprawling greenhouses, which cover roughly half of what used to be the playing field (the grass now a dull dirty yellow). With his vegetables he has semi-battery produced chicken (deep-frozen in the school's underground larder), fruit juice and a banana dessert, made with bananas from the plantation just a few miles away.<br/><br/>1:15pm approaches and the children return to their lessons. The White Angels emerge into the sunshine once more to resume their rounds.<br/><br/>Thankfully, no one died today.<br/>This guy is a TRUE inspiration!tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-29:4871302:BlogPost:718172010-03-29T21:05:41.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
I just found <a href="http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5390100,00.html">this article</a> about Liberian Alfred Sirleaf - the 'Blackboard Blogger' - who has found a very inventive way to distribute news in his home country, where many people can't afford to buy newspapers, a TV or go on the internet. His idea really impressed me.<br></br><br></br>His project is called <span style="font-style: italic;">Daily Talk</span>. Every morning before the rush hour he writes news on blackboards fixed to his…
I just found <a href="http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5390100,00.html">this article</a> about Liberian Alfred Sirleaf - the 'Blackboard Blogger' - who has found a very inventive way to distribute news in his home country, where many people can't afford to buy newspapers, a TV or go on the internet. His idea really impressed me.<br/><br/>His project is called <span style="font-style: italic;">Daily Talk</span>. Every morning before the rush hour he writes news on blackboards fixed to his shack in the city centre of Liberia's capital, Monrovia. Dressing up in a shirt and tie despite the hot weather, he receives news from his contacts all over Liberia via portable radio. Occasionally he receives photographs on his mobile phone which he prints out at the internet cafe next door and sticks up next to his articles. He reports on anything of interest to the people, from areas not even covered by a newspaper.<br/><br/>Sirleaf doesn't charge for this 'street newspaper' service. He sometimes accepts donations and receives phone cards and taxi rides from grateful customers. He does odd jobs to earn a living for himself and his wife and two daughters, but finds this a struggle. However, he has never given up or lost sight of how important <span style="font-style: italic;">Daily Talk</span> is to his fellow countrymen and women, in a country still struggling to its feet after 14 years of civil war, rampant poverty and illiteracy. Sirleaf dreams of owning a van with screens mounted onto the back, which he could drive around the country to remote areas to deliver his news.<br/><br/>I'm amazed at how he does so much with so little and against so many obstacles, and at his unbreakable spirit.<br/>Bothering the "higher-ups"tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-29:4871302:BlogPost:711282010-03-29T15:03:49.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
ACT2 has provided quite a difficult challenge to me, which I consider a good thing. There are so many good ideas floating about in people's evidence posts that I felt I had to bring something <span style="font-style: italic;">new</span> to the table. I want to thank everyone who has made suggestions and offered their help to me in this.<br></br><br></br>I am glad to say I have found my evidence! My answer to this mission is to write the following letter to my MP, alerting them to the fact this is an…
ACT2 has provided quite a difficult challenge to me, which I consider a good thing. There are so many good ideas floating about in people's evidence posts that I felt I had to bring something <span style="font-style: italic;">new</span> to the table. I want to thank everyone who has made suggestions and offered their help to me in this.<br/><br/>I am glad to say I have found my evidence! My answer to this mission is to write the following letter to my MP, alerting them to the fact this is an issue that needs addressing and encouraging them to do something about it. It's my hope to get this issue into parliament and make some big changes which will positively affect as many people as possible.<br/><br/><hr style="width: 100%; height: 2px;"/><br/>Dear [MP's name],<br/><br/>As a member of your constituency I would like to bring an important issue to your attention. I am also a member of the online game Urgent Evoke (<a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com">http://www.urgentevoke.com</a>), which is a community driven by the need to raise awareness for, envision and put into practice real solutions to the world's biggest problems.<br/><br/>One of the issues raised on the Urgent Evoke web site is that of food security. The web site states that food security "isn't about providing temporary help or a single meal. It's about creating local, sustainable food systems -- in every
village, town, city and nation on Earth."<br/><br/>Though we live in a developed country and access to food is not as widespread or imminent a problem as it is on the African continent, food security is still an issue locally. In the UK and in our city each year we rely more heavily on remote food sources so far beyond our control. We import our fruit, rice and so many other foods from abroad. Families consume factory-produced foods which are fattening and unhealthy - "obesity rates among adults in the North East are the highest in England, according to new statistics." (<a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2009/02/26/north-east-is-leading-obesity-shame-table-61634-23013367/">JournalLive</a> Feb 26 2009)<br/><br/>I am aware of the Change4Life scheme which seeks to educate on the benefits of making the right food and lifestyle choices. However, I think that there is also a growing need to educate and encourage people in our city to grow their own food. Home-grown food is healthier, cheaper, less wasteful, makes less of an impact on the environment, provides exercise and can even be used to bring communities together.<br/><br/>Climate change and overpopulation of the Earth are just two of the very real problems we will face in the future. Should something happen to the food sources we rely on, we will be left with
communities without the knowledge and skills to feed themselves. Promoting home-grown food now will provide a good future for future generations and proactively help to avert food shortages.<br/><br/>I urge you to bring this issue to the House of Commons and work to encourage the people of our city and the country to act.<br/><br/>Yours sincerely,<br/>[My Name]<br/>Click to give!tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-29:4871302:BlogPost:709502010-03-29T13:36:30.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
Sarah Hickox had this amazing idea in her blog post (<a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/click-to-give">http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/click-to-give</a>) which featured web sites which give food to the hungry with one click. <br></br><br></br>As this is Sarah's idea I'm not using this as my own evidence for ACT2, but I thought it would be useful to have a post with as many similar 'click to give daily' web sites donating to worldwide causes as I could find, as a quick-click…
Sarah Hickox had this amazing idea in her blog post (<a href="http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/click-to-give">http://www.urgentevoke.com/profiles/blogs/click-to-give</a>) which featured web sites which give food to the hungry with one click. <br/><br/>As this is Sarah's idea I'm not using this as my own evidence for ACT2, but I thought it would be useful to have a post with as many similar 'click to give daily' web sites donating to worldwide causes as I could find, as a quick-click list. This is a reference for myself and anyone else who might find it useful.<br/><br/>If you know of any I've missed please add them in comments!<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold;">Poverty, Healthcare and Hunger</span><br/><br/>The Hunger Site - <a href="http://www.thehungersite.com/">http://www.thehungersite.com/</a><br/>Click to donate a cup of food<br/><br/>FreeRice - <a href="http://www.freerice.com/">http://www.freerice.com/</a><br/>A word game which donates grains of rice<br/><br/>Solve Poverty - <a href="http://solvepoverty.com/">http://solvepoverty.com/</a><br/>Click to fund sustainable ventures to combat worldwide poverty<br/><br/>Hunger Fighters - <a href="http://www.hungerfighters.com/">http://www.hungerfighters.com/</a><br/>Click to donate food<br/><br/>Pajacyk - <a href="http://www.pajacyk.pl/">http://www.pajacyk.pl/</a><br/>Click to feed the hungry in Poland<br/><br/>Por Los Chicos - <a href="http://www.porloschicos.com/servlet/PorLosChicos/?comando=donar&lang=english">http://www.porloschicos.com</a><br/>Click to feed hungry children in Argentinia<br/><br/>Give a Minute - <a href="http://www.giveaminute.org/">http://www.giveaminute.org/</a><br/>Click to pay for a minute's healthcare for patients at the Tarahumara Children's Hospital<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold;">Environment</span><br/><br/>Land Care Niagara - <a href="http://www.landcareniagara.com/">http://www.landcareniagara.com/</a><br/>Click to help plant a tree<br/><br/>The Rainforest Site - <a href="http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/">http://www.therainforestsite.com/clickToGive/</a><br/>Click to fund habitat protection schemes<br/><br/>Die Waldseite - <a href="http://www.diewaldseite.de/">http://www.diewaldseite.de/</a><br/>Click to prevent deforestation<br/><br/>EcologyFund - <a href="http://www.ecologyfund.com/ecology/_ecology.html">http://www.ecologyfund.com/ecology/_ecology.html</a><br/>Several clicks to protect the South American rainforests, reduce CO2, protect endangered species etc<br/><br/>There's also a whole blog dedicated to this very subject which is worth checking out - <a href="http://www.freemicroloan.com/">http://www.freemicroloan.com/</a>. If you comment, 10 cents is donated to the Microloan scheme.<br/>What is this game for?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-26:4871302:BlogPost:656712010-03-26T16:30:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
I am not pointing any fingers here. It's only day two here for me and I'm still finding my way around and learning a great deal. However, I've already noticed that a few folks seem to be treating this whole thing like one big popularity contest. Doesn't that completely miss the point? <br></br><br></br>I thought EVOKE was about learning how to better the world and helping and encouraging others in a community to do the same, not stroking your own ego. The points system will become utterly meaningless…
I am not pointing any fingers here. It's only day two here for me and I'm still finding my way around and learning a great deal. However, I've already noticed that a few folks seem to be treating this whole thing like one big popularity contest. Doesn't that completely miss the point? <br/><br/>I thought EVOKE was about learning how to better the world and helping and encouraging others in a community to do the same, not stroking your own ego. The points system will become utterly meaningless if the game is just about getting as many as possible in the quickest time with the least amount of effort. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought they were meant to be rewards and had to be earned, not amassed.<br/><br/>I mean, what exactly is this game for?<br/>ACT2: Aaaargh....tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-26:4871302:BlogPost:653552010-03-26T13:47:11.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
ACT2's mission is to,<br/><h1>Increase the food security of at least one person in your community.</h1>
The ideas on the objective page sound really good, but I'm not sure how any of them would apply to me. I can think of ideas that would benefit myself but not others. I need to think of something challenging but possible.<br/><br/>Any ideas?<br/><br/>
ACT2's mission is to,<br/><h1>Increase the food security of at least one person in your community.</h1>
The ideas on the objective page sound really good, but I'm not sure how any of them would apply to me. I can think of ideas that would benefit myself but not others. I need to think of something challenging but possible.<br/><br/>Any ideas?<br/><br/>Do the priviledged even have a Food Security problem?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-26:4871302:BlogPost:651602010-03-26T11:00:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
A local food security crisis?<br></br><br></br>If I lived in a developing country, this would be only too easy to answer. Taking a look at the global hunger map is sobering enough.<br></br><br></br>But locally? I'm very lucky to live in such a priviledged country. Searching my city and 'food' brings up a multitude of links to restaurants, supermarkets, takeaways, business registrations, even courses; all things you would expect to find in a big city in the UK. We clearly have *lots* of food. Is there really…
A local food security crisis?<br/><br/>If I lived in a developing country, this would be only too easy to answer. Taking a look at the global hunger map is sobering enough.<br/><br/>But locally? I'm very lucky to live in such a priviledged country. Searching my city and 'food' brings up a multitude of links to restaurants, supermarkets, takeaways, business registrations, even courses; all things you would expect to find in a big city in the UK. We clearly have *lots* of food. Is there really much need to ponder this issue in regards to my locality?<br/><br/>I notice that one of the food security goals is to "promote good nutrition and health". This perhaps hits a little more closer to home.<br/><br/>Being overweight myself, I'm all too aware of one of the most serious problems facing the developed world. Researching the subject, I wasn't surprised to discover that, "obesity rates among adults in the North East are the highest in England, according to new statistics." (<a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.journallive.co.uk/north-east-news/todays-news/2009/02/26/north-east-is-leading-obesity-shame-table-61634-23013367/">JournalLive</a> Feb 26 2009)<br/><br/>I have to swallow my pride and admit we do have a problem. Almost 10% of all adults in my region are obese. I struggle with my weight, and it's an ongoing personal issue for me which is a source of shame and desperation. I know so many others in my region face the same problem. The article goes on to report that, "the information comes a day after research showed a rising tide of obesity in the UK was fuelling an increase in cases of diabetes."<br/><br/>So the answer to the question 'what is the problem?' is obesity. The next questions are 'why?' and 'how to tackle it?'. Common sense tells me that there are two areas that need to be addressed.<br/><br/>Firstly, diet. In 2002 the BBC reported that, "evidence suggests youngsters could be making themselves "pre-ill" with a diet dependent on junk food ... More than two thirds of pre-school children are fed an unhealthy diet of white bread, chips and sweets. A quarter of them are over-weight and 5% are not getting enough vitamin D." (<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/uk/2015792.stm"><span style="font-style: italic;">BBC</span></a> May 30 2002)<br/><br/>Secondly, lifestyle. Some of the figures quoted in the above articles suggest that if the situation continues unchecked we will be looking at a country where over half of the population is obese. The second factor causing it appears to be lack of exercise; which to me is self-explanatory. I know all too well that my problem rests mostly with this (for one reason or another) rather than my diet, which is quite healthy.<br/><br/>I've personally received the "conventional advice" that 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day is needed to maintain a healthy lifestyle. TIME goes further in saying, "what has become increasingly clear, however, is that the conventionally accepted advice ... is probably insufficient to spur any real change in a person's body weight." (<span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1827342,00.html">TIME</a></span> Jul 28 2008)<br/><br/>The Department of Health launched a national campaign in January 2009 called Change4Life. Its aim is to kick-start, "a lifestyle revolution to help every family eat better and be more active." (JournalLive) The web site - <a href="http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/">http://www.nhs.uk/change4life/</a> - is non-threatening and positive in its advice to visitors and provides real, useful information on how to make changes in personal lifestyle.<br/><br/>I myself have benefited from a local council scheme which offers free membership to all of the city's gyms, together with a tailored programme and helpful staff. In two months I managed to lose almost a stone in weight, which has been permanent and resulted in a long-lasting increase in confidence. It's clear to me that schemes like these are working; they just need to reach out and involve more people.Shadowing : Xue Xinrantag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-25:4871302:BlogPost:639362010-03-25T20:06:22.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
EVOKE is proving to be quite a challenge! The first part of this mission was hard enough, but the second is even more difficult.<br></br><br></br>Just how do you pick one person from the millions who are out there making a real difference?<br></br><br></br>I went back to basics and started with where I find my inspiration: literature. My mind almost immediately jumped to the perfect person for shadowing; Xue Xinran.<br></br><br></br>Xinran is an author and journalist originally from Beijing in North China, who has…
EVOKE is proving to be quite a challenge! The first part of this mission was hard enough, but the second is even more difficult.<br/><br/>Just how do you pick one person from the millions who are out there making a real difference?<br/><br/>I went back to basics and started with where I find my inspiration: literature. My mind almost immediately jumped to the perfect person for shadowing; Xue Xinran.<br/><br/>Xinran is an author and journalist originally from Beijing in North China, who has written several books about the Chinese based upon her personal experiences.<br/><br/>As a journalist working for Radio Nanjing Xinran discovered and brought to light the stories of ordinary women in her groundbreaking and controversial radio programme, <span style="font-style: italic;">Words on the Night Breeze</span>. Any female listener could contact Xinran with a letter or phone call and share her story with the entire country. They did - in their thousands. Xinran shared the amazing stories that came to light in her first book, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Good Women of China</span>, which will always be one of my favourites.<br/><br/>Xinran also founded the charity <span style="font-style: italic;">Mother's Bridge of Love</span> to help British families with adopted Chinese children to understand the culture their children have come from - <a href="http://www.mothersbridge.org/">http://www.mothersbridge.org/</a>.<br/><br/>What inspires me so much about Xinran is her sheer determination to make voices heard that wouldn't be so otherwise, especially in a country which has yet so far to go before it can be called truly open.<br/><br/>I was overjoyed to discover Xinran has a blog - <a href="http://www.xinranbooks.co.uk/blog/">http://www.xinranbooks.co.uk/blog/</a> - which I will be following.<br/> <a href="http://www.xinranbooks.co.uk/blog/"></a>Learn from those you serve?tag:www.urgentevoke.com,2010-03-25:4871302:BlogPost:637802010-03-25T18:30:00.000ZRiko Kamachihttp://www.urgentevoke.com/profile/RikoKamachi
My chosen secret: "keep learning from your customers."<br></br><br></br>Having recently started my dream job as a library assistant, I felt from the very start the pressure to be the source of an endless amount of information. If someone asked me a question, they would expect me to give a satisfying answer to it with the least amount of delay. This was and still is scary for me; being so new to the career and the workplaces I am in. <br></br><br></br>I'm beginning to accept that I can't know how best to…
My chosen secret: "keep learning from your customers."<br/><br/>Having recently started my dream job as a library assistant, I felt from the very start the pressure to be the source of an endless amount of information. If someone asked me a question, they would expect me to give a satisfying answer to it with the least amount of delay. This was and still is scary for me; being so new to the career and the workplaces I am in. <br/><br/>I'm beginning to accept that I can't know how best to provide a service for every person who approaches me. <br/><br/>It is my first instinct to respond to questions with the first available answer, and if I have no idea how to answer a query the temptation to panic is very real. I feel a failure if I can't quickly give a customer the answers they need from my own experience. This feeling doubles if I have to then turn to a more experienced colleague for help, especially if the answer is something simple. I feel like a burden to my colleagues.<br/><br/>Maybe the change needs to be in how I approach myself. <br/><br/>If the work I do only involved providing quickfire answers suitable for every problem, my job could be done by a machine (cheaper and quicker?). However it is not. My job could be done by someone much more experienced. However, it is not. So, there must be some worth in me, in the potential I bring, the new viewpoint I bring.<br/><br/>Maybe the change needs to be in how I approach every person.<br/><br/>I am not all-knowing. I can't separate myself from the people I serve! Every barrier I put up between myself and a customer only frames my inexperience. No one loves the one who knows all the answers, because if they know all the answers... why would they listen to you? What could they learn from you? Even if I knew all the answers like a machine I might be answering a question, but not necessarily fulfilling the job. There's no growth there, no learning, and I need these so badly at this point in my life.<br/><br/>Things I need to put into practice:<br/><br/>1. Listen to my customers. I am there to serve them but they can help me grow (if I left them!).<br/>2. Understand my customers. I am not above them, I am not below them, I am their equal.<br/>3. Experience takes time; and there's no substitute for it.<br/>