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Launching China-Burma Border Report Launching China-Burma Border Report
Ever since Digital Democracy began working with Burmese populations we have believed that it is essential to have a completely comprehensive understanding of the country and the challenges it faces. This means going beyond the well-understood populations living on the border with Thailand to understand conditions on the ground inside Burma and along all of it’s international borders. Read more…
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Project Einstein Haiti Report & The Earthquake Project Einstein Haiti Report & The Earthquake
On January 12th, a devastating earthquake shook Haiti. We had a team of people on the ground working with young Haitians. Thankfully they all survived, but what was life like before and what can it be like after? Today we’re proudly publishing our report from the research they were conducting, looking at the economic livelihoods of young people in the country. Read more…
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DdTv Episode 10: Earthquake in Haiti DdTv Episode 10: Earthquake in Haiti
In early January 2010 we partnered with Tufts University’s Center for Emerging Market Enterprises (CEME) to conduct research and a photography training with young adults in Haiti. Researchers Chrissy Martin and Joshua Haynes, using the Project Einstein curriculum, worked with young adults ages 18-24 to explore - through the use of digital photography - how these youth view money and finance in their society. Read more…
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Indonesian Journalists Visit Our Office Indonesian Journalists Visit Our Office
Today we had the pleasure of hosting five journalists from Indonesia at the Digital Democracy office. Although none of us on staff speak Indonesian and none of their English was particularly strong, we managed to communicate through 2 translators who had a portable translator toolkit that connected the group via wired headsets. While it looked a bit funny, it certainly was a huge help and allowed us to get into a fascinating conversation ranging from similarities between their country and Thailand, to the meaning of democracy. Read more…
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Reimagining Learning with the Roebling Platform Reimagining Learning with the Roebling Platform
What is education in the 21st century? How do we prepare kids for the future when our teachers are unprepared? And what about the underserved children living on the margins of society, whether the tens of thousands of newly resettled refugees from Burma, Somalia and Iraq, or youth from districts that spend more money on the prison system than schools. Read more…
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Stories from Project Einstein South Africa featured on Telegraph 21 Stories from Project Einstein South Africa featured on Telegraph 21
In October 2008, Mark and Emily did a digital storytelling photography project with youth living in shelters in Pretoria, South Africa. During the course of the five-day training the 13 young people learned how to use digital cameras and flip video, and how to critique and edit their own photos. They traveled throughout the city, and with these new skills, were able to capture the surroundings from their own point of view. During the training, the participants were interviewed about topics ranging from their daily trip to school, their hopes and dreams for the future, and the experience of growing up in South Africa after Apartheid. Read more…
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DdTv Episode 9: Handheld Human Rights DdTv Episode 9: Handheld Human Rights
While in Northern Thailand, Mark and Emily meet with Digital Democracy’s partner The All Burma IT Students’ Union (ABITSU) to set up equipment and train ABITSU’s core staff, as well as members of other human rights groups working along the border, in the uses and features of Handheld Human Rights (HHR) for its initial launch. HHR enables organizations to communicate securely through the use of mobile phones, and to make human rights data accessible and actionable. ABITSU, an organization that teaches the next generation of young leaders critical IT skills to be effective leaders in the 21st Century, also runs a school and technical support for human rights organizations working along the border. While working with ABITSU, Mark and Emily hear a powerful personal story from one of the organization’s head trainers - his determination at any cost, to do this important and necessary work. Read more…
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Extraordinary work for Haiti and Digital Democracy iPhone app Extraordinary work for Haiti and Digital Democracy iPhone app
One of the things that drives us is being able to highlight exciting ways people are using technology to make the world a better place. Today, we’re excited to highlight the Extraordinairies - a social enterprise using technology to help people micro-volunteer their time. Through their iPhone app or website, people can volunteer just minutes of their time to helping non-profits and community organizations with tasks. Read more…
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Reflections on Project Einstein: Haiti - personal story of earthquake survivor Reflections on Project Einstein: Haiti - personal story of earthquake survivor
Last weekend, just a few days before a devastating earthquake hit Haiti, Digital Democracy partnered with students from Tufts University’s Fletcher School on Project Einstein: Haiti. We are thrilled to report not only that trainers Chrissy Martin and Joshua Haynes returned to Boston safely, but all the young participants of Project Einstein survived the earthquake, as they are located in mountainous areas outside of Port-au-Prince that were less badly hit. However, they are sure to face difficult times in the period ahead, as refugees from Port-au-Prince come to their areas. Watch Chrissy’s testimony, above, to learn more about Project Einstein: Haiti and the youth with whom they worked. Read more…
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Support Ongoing Haiti Earthquake Response Efforts Support Ongoing Haiti Earthquake Response Efforts
Breaking news: The Ushahidi SMS shortcode for Haiti is now up and running “… a sort of 911 for Haiti, based on SMS messages.” Report your location and emergency needs by sending a FREE text to 4636 on Digicel in Haiti. Not on the island?There are many ways you can help. We have been blown away by the collaboration going on in the tech community. Here are some ways to contribute: Read more…