7. Provide skills, not just finished technologie (Amy Smith)

Provide Skills, Share Knowledge, not Just Finished technology

Amy Smith is completely right.

I am currently looking to get involved in a project just outside Lima, working with the local community volunarily teaching both English and my Business knowledge from experience and my degree to others. Not for myself, but because I believe sharing knowledge with people who want themselves to work to get themselves out of the poverty trap or a life less wealthy than our own need to be aided to gain the skills to be able to leave the countries they are either trapped in by having something to offer other countries or business skills they need to succeed, to make not just a one year better living experience but a platform to grow, but a life long improvement in life.

To prove what she is saying works and can change the world there are already a number of organisations set up teaching for free communities a beautiful example the young man in India aged 16 who after going to school himself teaches freely the rest of the community unable to even afford or children stuck currently by their parents and lack of choice in child labour what he has learnt at school. Maths, Science, English, Writing and Reading. He does so without a real building to teach but with the local community eager to learn many of these children stuck in child labour over the day come to his cla**** and lectures. In this case he is not providing them technology, but he is providing them skills driving them to want to learn, develop and one day themselves move out of the poverty trap they live and innovate to support themselves. Providing skills, teaching and knowledge in general often triggers stimulus to continue growth. Supporting skill development therefore, bringing even the smallest skill to the poorest person, even if it is to fish that little better with a better bait, can increase the person's livelihood and make them determined to understand business economics better to gain as much as possible from his new found skill and competitive advantage.

Teaching, sharing knowledge and micro financing in which money is not just loaned but specialised mentors are allocated to support the fund have proved to be successful to grow people, communities and their independence in living a better life.

Intel has provided a number of countries with technologies in a project giving computer access to locals, and bringing class-mate computers to children, but even they knew just giving finished product was not going to make the difference. They sent along trainers who could train people to understand and the skills to fully utilise the technology. They have donated over 100,000PCs to the developing world, and with their Intel Teach Program taught over 4million teachers in 40+ countries how to integrate technology and computer skills into the classroom. Connecting people to the internet is another essential technology to help build education and skills. Intel are trialling Wi-Max in over 300 Locations to try and provide internet for all, but still further teaching locations are needed to help people understand waht to do with them.

There was a brilliant program about China and teaching the elderly about the internet and computers. Watching people grow skills is amazing. Teach someone a skill you possess and you will see it is better than just having done it for them. You have then not added to their life for just that moment, but sustained the help and built a future.