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March 29, 2006 — Hope all of you are well. I am pleased to announce an exciting opportunity for you to learn from and share information with colleagues around the world AND receive a free digital camera! Our friends at NABUUR.COM have asked that we share the following with you.
At NABUUR.COM, communities in developing countries present their issues and ask for the assistance of online volunteers (Neighbors), much as neighbours in a small neighbourhood do. The issue to be tackled can be anything: digging a well, building a school, setting up an Internet site to market local products, etc. They form a small discussion group to find ways of helping to solve these issues.
What kinds of issues can be solved by using the NABUUR mechanism? In general, all issues that pertain to sustainable development. For example, in Zapotillo, a remote village in Ecuador, Nabuur Neighbours helped to create, stock and train an Internet cafe in 8 months. This all happened via the Internet! On www.nabuur.com you will see issues that range from income generation, education, preserving indigenous culture, fair trade to women empowerment and much more.
At present, 55 Local Communities from 21 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia receive assistance from virtual Neighbours around the world. NABUUR.COM can now expand this service to hundreds of Local Communities in the near future. You might wish to try this new service to enhance the problem-solving capability of your community and to get concrete results on the ground.
The requirements for a Local Community to take part are:
- Community structure, not just loose individuals
- A Local Representative plus back-up, able to spend 2-4 hrs a week on the subject
- Completion of the form to be downloaded from the NABUUR.COM homepage
- Access to the internet, minimally once a week
- A long-term concern as well as a concrete issue to be solved in the next 6 months
NABUUR.COM will then:
- Build a website for the Local Community
- Train the Local Representative
- Find and train a Facilitator who focuses the Neighbours
- Find Neighbours
- Monitor and stimulate the progress
How can you submit your local community? You can apply by filling in the online form. After you have filled in this form and send it to Claudia Schalkx at , and she will contact you to start the application procedure. Please contact Claudia with any questions about this opportunity.
There is no cost to participate, and NABUUR.COM will give digital cameras to the first 30 communities that sign up!
Good luck and do let us know if you participate!
Best regards,
Saima
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