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Technology at the Margins – Social Innovators and Innovations
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Posted by Akhtar Badshah
Senior Director, Global Community Affairs
Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director, Global Community Affairs
Can technology be used to create positive social change, and if so, how? This was the focus of a talk I gave recently to a class on Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Columbia University. The class discussion was very illuminating and thought provoking.
As you might expect, I answered the above question in the affirmative. But I also argued that nonprofits and social innovators sometimes view technology with trepidation. It can be seen as disruptive, and there is much hesitation to fully embrace the power of technology-based innovation. Although most everyone recognizes that information and communication technology (ICT) has transformed the lives of people in developed societies, some are skeptical as to whether it holds the same potential for people living in the poorer regions of our planet.
But what if ICT were even more affordable, relevant and accessible? What impact would that have on further reducing poverty and improving lives? What innovation is required? What partnerships need to be forged? How can the diffusion of innovations be sped up? What‘s the role of multi-national corporations, non-governmental organizations, governments and, most importantly, individual social entrepreneurs?
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Changing the World, One Community at a Time
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Posted by Akhtar Badshah
Senior Director, Global Community Affairs
Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director, Global Community Affairs
We’ve been extremely pleased and inspired by the tremendous response to our online competition, 7 Ways to Change the World, which we launched last October along with Microsoft Windows 7. The competition asked people to share their ideas on how personal computers can help nonprofit organizations make a greater impact in their communities. More than 130 videos were submitted by local and national nonprofits, each providing a creative and heartwarming demonstration of the power of the PC to help change the world.
With so many excellent entries, it was incredibly difficult to choose just 7 winners, each of whom received a new PC running Windows 7 and a $7,000 grant to help implement their ideas:
- American Red Cross-Dallas Area Chapter produced a humorous video demonstrating how the snap, shake and sticky features of Windows 7 could help the organization be even more effective in fulfilling its vital responsibilities for disaster relief, fire response, and service to military families.
- The Bremerton, Washington, branch of Boys and Girls Clubs of South Puget Sound produced a winning video that introduc ed Windows 7 as a new club member and demonstrated how it would enhance club programs, helping the organization overcome budgetary challenges in a tough economy.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of the Peninsula, in the San Francisco Bay Area, runs after-school programs that help young people succeed and stay in school, but “Without the necessary technology, we’re having a hard time keeping kids engaged as they age,” says Associate Unit Director Peter Pheap. The clubs’ video shows a student using his computer in 7 imaginative ways to improve and get involved in his community.
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