tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53228515937147356712024-03-13T05:18:54.225-07:00Rework the worldRework the World is a global initiative that seeks to mobilize young people around the efforts that drive sustainability and create green jobs, from advancing solar energy East Africa and India, to water security and forest conservation in Brazil.Karin Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04617366344938634436noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-63510174238820655642010-06-04T05:58:00.002-07:002010-06-04T06:03:09.200-07:00Where to Find UsIt's Friday and Rework the World is well underway! The blog has gone quiet because we are busy running around to the many different sessions and discussions happening around Leksand and Ejendals Arena. However, you can get all of the latest news and information (including live video!) using the following resources:<br /><ul><li>Rework the World Community: <a href="http://www.reworktheworld.com/">www.reworktheworld.com</a></li><li>Twitter: <a href="http://www.twitter.com/reworktheworld">www.twitter.com/reworktheworld</a> (Hashtag: #ReworkTW)</li><li>Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/reworktheworld">www.facebook.com/reworktheworld</a></li></ul><p>Enjoy!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-84973020357467552472010-06-01T14:13:00.000-07:002010-06-01T14:13:27.182-07:00Rework the World Starts Wednesday!<div>Rework the World kicks off on Wednesday, June 2, 2010. Over 1500 participants will gather in beautiful Leksand, Sweden to listen, learn, and collaborate over the next 5 days. The Project Team has been hard at work putting the final touches on the event, volunteers have been in training, and nature guides have arrived. Now it's time to welcome the participants! We can't wait to get started! <br />
<p>A sneak peek of the arena floor in an early construction phase:<br />
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rYPP7XfXwUk/TAVz9OO7vPI/AAAAAAAAAm8/rvZKrERiLG4/s1600/Arena+Set+Up.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477912017396022514" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_rYPP7XfXwUk/TAVz9OO7vPI/AAAAAAAAAm8/rvZKrERiLG4/s320/Arena+Set+Up.jpg" /></a> The book with all of the information to make the most of Rework the World:</p><br />
<p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rYPP7XfXwUk/TAVz8uAaTHI/AAAAAAAAAm0/UN7MdwDPdWM/s1600/Survival+Guide.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477912008745176178" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rYPP7XfXwUk/TAVz8uAaTHI/AAAAAAAAAm0/UN7MdwDPdWM/s320/Survival+Guide.jpg" /></a><br />
The Dala Horse welcomes participants outside of the Ejandals Arena in Leksand:<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rYPP7XfXwUk/TAVz8hgafNI/AAAAAAAAAms/pcMNJQdF-34/s1600/dala+horse.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477912005389745362" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_rYPP7XfXwUk/TAVz8hgafNI/AAAAAAAAAms/pcMNJQdF-34/s320/dala+horse.jpg" /></a> </p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-16218931018159562472010-05-26T10:38:00.001-07:002010-05-26T10:43:43.497-07:00Building the Green Teams Movement at Rework the World<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cemmanuel%5CLOKALA%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5Cemmanuel%5CLOKALA%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_editdata.mso" rel="Edit-Time-Data"></link><o:smarttagtype name="PersonName" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="City" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.do" name="OLE_LINK2"></a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.do" name="OLE_LINK1"><b><span style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri;">As we close in on the days to the Rework the World Summit<st1:personname w:st="on">,</st1:personname> I would like to share a little about the Green Teams Vision that we are building. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9ijYG7t2b-Q/S_1cQgeqCPI/AAAAAAAAACo/fxVKLVYJmVE/s1600/Green+Africa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="116" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9ijYG7t2b-Q/S_1cQgeqCPI/AAAAAAAAACo/fxVKLVYJmVE/s200/Green+Africa.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri;">But before that<st1:personname w:st="on">,</st1:personname> It is intriguing and exciting to know that w</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri;">e have over 120 Nationalities of over 1500 delegates confirmed<st1:personname w:st="on">,</st1:personname> half of which are under 35<st1:personname w:st="on">,</st1:personname> and over 40 percent are women. This year<st1:personname w:st="on">,</st1:personname> several hundreds are young entrepreneurs who are bringing their projects for us all to discuss. Their voices – and those of other young participants – add knowledge<st1:personname w:st="on">,</st1:personname> perspectives<st1:personname w:st="on">,</st1:personname> spirit and understanding of issues that is missing in the usual conference env</span><span style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri;">we will be introducing at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Summit</st1:city></st1:place>. I am hoping that all of you can have a buy in so that we can co-create this together in your respective countries.</span><span style="color: #006600;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri;">The World is facing a serious global Challenge that needs to be addressed urgently. There has been missing Links between solutions to the Global Problems and Realities to the Populations that are affected most. This is what the Green Teams Movement for <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place> seeks to address. By investing in value chains that will address our youth unemployment situation in <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place><st1:personname w:st="on">,</st1:personname> we will not only; </span><span style="color: #006600;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><ol start="1" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #006600;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Better the Livelihoods to the suffering communities</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #006600;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Create Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment to the massive population</span><o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="color: #006600;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Create High Dividends for Investors in form of Funds from the business solutions model in the vision</span><o:p></o:p></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri;">The Green Teams Movement will simply initiate Local Business Solutions to resolving Global Ecological Problems. As you prepare to come to the <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Summit</st1:place></st1:city>. I just wanted to take a moment to welcome you and invite you to join me as we roll out the new vision for buy in and ownership at local level and address various challenges that youth face together. </span><span style="color: #006600;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri;">If all young people could come together and change the world? I have a strong conviction the Green Teams Vision is part of the Reworking the various dynamics that come with the complexities of addressing the systemic problem that has continually affected humanity. We all know the problems<st1:personname w:st="on">,</st1:personname> we have had attempts to resolving the problems but the problems have not been resolved yet. This is our (youth) chance to give a stab at the problem using local solutions that will create opportunities for the youth through real empowerment building local communities. See you at the summit during the plenary session on Friday 4th June 2010 at 10.00Am at the Arena.</span><br />
<span style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri;">Meanwhile joing the forces here:</span><span style="color: #006600;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span>http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=105737886129249&v=photos#!/group.php?gid=124947050868208&ref=ts</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: #006600; font-family: Calibri;">Emmanuel</span><span style="color: #006600;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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</div>EDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09570198374368661750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-60000515382812250442010-05-08T13:35:00.000-07:002010-05-09T03:01:13.875-07:00The Replication Models from Kenya at Rework the WorldDear Good People,<br />
The Preparations for the Rework the World Summit are coming out very well. I look forward to meeting with innovators, thinkers, doers and financiers in taking the replications to the next level. Through YES Kenya, a multi-stakeholder network of young people and partners, we will be presenting a unique distribution model that investors and producers of innovative life changing products can use to have a market in the communities. After several intensive thinking sessions, we have developed a working model, piloted it and now it has a proven record that it is possible to use unemployed youth in communities, belonging to youth groups to create a distribution network across the country. This model is generic and can be used for any products. The aim is to make sure that we create opportunities for the thousands of youth members in the communities.<br />
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<object width="400" height="250"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NmDpqQeSgo4&hl=sv_SE&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NmDpqQeSgo4&hl=sv_SE&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="250"></embed></object><br />
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<b>In reworking the world,</b> this will be our contribution. We expect sustainable partnerships. The different components of the model include <br />
1. Identification and enrolment of Youth groups<br />
2. Screening and interviews with youth entrepreneurs<br />
3. Development of Skills based training modules fitting various products for distribution<br />
4. Identifying the markets and providing researched data.<br />
5. Piloting of the projects with the replication models and Scaling up to wider geographic area. <br />
<br />
We know that majority of the youth lack the start up capital to do business, we provide the skills and the social collateral and link up with Micro Finance Institutions willing to finance the project where the products need heavy investments.<br />
<br />
Some of the products we are piloting currently are<br />
<b>1) Entrepreneurship 101<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmDpqQeSgo4"></a></b> - Develop a High end Youth Business Training Curriculum<br />
YES Kenya network is working to develop a locally designed entrepreneurship training curriculum. The curriculum will help create markets and unleash entrepreneurship in the grass root areas of Kenya by helping young people to identify business opportunities, prepare their business plans and compete for the best ideas. <br />
<br />
YES Kenya has finalized a public survey to identify needs on entrepreneurship development among youth that will aid in developing the curriculum. The project will help young people identify business opportunities, prepare their business plans and compete for the best ideas through training, incubation, coaching and scale up. The program will integrate financial linkages for small scale risk capital, start up funding and innovative business development services for youth entrepreneurs to start their businesses.<br />
<b>2) Young Solar Entrepreneurship Project</b><br />
<br />
YES Kenya is currently carrying out a Young Solar Entrepreneurship Project that seeks to extinguish 1 million Kerosene Lamps in Communities in Kenya. The first pilot was launched in March of 2010 in Kitui West Constituency where two schools have benefited from the Large Scale Community Solar Panels Installations. Over 1000 community members will benefit from its entrepreneurship component. Over 30 Young and Women Entrepreneurs are also geared to set up distribution networks through the Energy Kiosks that will be established in the community. The second pilot will be established in Western and Nyanza Provinces with replication expected in all the 8 provinces. <br />
<b><br />
3. Eco Charcoal Production</b><br />
Eco Charcoal Production from dry agricultural biomass, this charcoal is generally cheaper than wood charcoal and does not produce Carbon Dioxide and it is very safe and clean. The Markets are amazingly huge since trees are very expensive and it is illegal to log down trees. We are thus contributing to environmental safety.<br />
There are more Pilots that will be rolled out soon once we find financing for them. This include the following;<br />
<b><br />
1. Renewable Energy</b><br />
<br />
• Creating sustainable alternative energy sources for agro-based industries. <br />
• Designing and installing small power plants for institutions.<br />
• Maintaining renewable energy systems and selling and installing small home solar systems/panels.<br />
• Manufacturing solar lanterns for fishing activities during the night and renewable energy based ICTs to enhance access to income generation opportunities.<br />
• Installing and maintaining solar-powered community facilities in rural areas.<br />
<br />
<b>2. On-farm and off-farm</b><br />
<br />
• Exploring agriculture extension services for bringing micro credit to help set up small enterprises, provide business development services.<br />
• Working with rural banks (where they exist), micro credit institutions and cooperatives, and youth groups to set up agricultural credit schemes to help young people acquire livestock, equipment and other productive assets of their own.<br />
• Developing community based entrepreneurial/enterprise development-based education programs for young women in rural areas through vocational training, integrating elements of micro-entrepreneurship in the curriculum <br />
<b><br />
3. Water and Sanitation</b><br />
<br />
• Developing rain water-harvesting methods for communities to secure supplies and manage their own systems.<br />
• Building and maintaining low cost toilets in the rural areas and tackle the sanitation needs of the people in the villages.<br />
• Building and maintaining hand pumps to provide water supply to rural communities.<br />
• Developing effective on-farm water technologies.<br />
<br />
<b>4. Information Communication Technology </b><br />
<br />
• Developing “Youth in Business Centers” to help young men and women explore credit options and financial management programs and assist in marketing, product development and access to a wide array of books, manuals, videos and other materials related to starting and maintaining a small business.<br />
• Developing web-based services such as website development assistance, e-marketing, and distance learning and on-line business development programs.<br />
• Supporting agriculture though ICT tools.<br />
Our Focus at the Rework the World is to profile the work of YES Kenya and its potential to create millions of jobs for youth in communities in East Africa and thus contributing towards creating the next 2 billion jobs for the world’s youth through the following itemized focus.<br />
• Designing a concrete youth social entrepreneurship replication model for support and implementation in East Africa that will benefit thousands of youth through entrepreneurship trainings and skills transfer. <br />
• We are targeting strategic linkages with networks which will lead to partnerships that will enhance YES Kenya’s idea generator for piloting and replication<br />
Rework the World offers an amazing opportunity for us to meet and exchange ideas, present concrete plans and create lasting partnerships that will help us create sustainable livelihoods for the youth. <br />
<b>We need your support and Help</b><br />
…All good ideas are pipe-dreams if not backed by committed leadership and investment – we are seeking yours. We need your help to move the Youth Entrepreneurship Agenda to the next level to our shared passion for generating youth employment to the resources that can make it happen. We have identified promising sectors for employment generation; discovered quantifiable, innovative and practical solutions; and overseen the development of a national-wide youth network of over 8000 members that provide the perfect vehicle for unleashing the talents and energies of youth to create sustainable social enterprises. With your active involvement we can make a world of difference in the lives of thousands of youth in un reached communities in Africa.<br />
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We welcome you to meet us, talk with us and work together to change the World.<br />
<br />
<b>The Team</b><br />
Country Coordinator – Emmanuel Dennis – emmanuel@yesweb.org, emmanuel@yeskenya.org <br />
Programs Manager – Linda Wamalwa – lwamalwa@gmail.com, linda@yeskenya.org<br />
Projects Outreach Manager – Rachel Wariko – rwariko@gmail.com, rachel@yeskenya.orgEDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09570198374368661750noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-51048122339317194772010-04-21T00:50:00.000-07:002010-04-22T10:59:08.266-07:00Ideas on the future of energyAs an American, it's been exciting to learn about the new ways in which Tällberg is connecting ideas on the future of energy. I come from the Pacific Northwest where the issue of where to get electricity was addressed long ago chiefly through the installation of hydro-electric dams. Woodie Guthrie wrote some great songs celebrating the completion and success of these large-scale projects that prepared my home for the 20th century.<br />
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<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vLZOKshJPs">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vLZOKshJPs</a> (I dare you to listen to this twice and not get the song stuck in your head)<br />
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Tallberg, though, has some people coming to talk about energy in the 21rst century, and the concepts are quite intriguing. Instead of huge, expensive government projects and grids, there may be small "mini-grids" where users can both take out power and put it back in. Instead of energy coming from a few large sources, instead it may come from thousands of small sources using renewable energy. Just as a sample of some of what may be coming, check these projects out:<br />
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<a href="http://cleanstar-trust.groups.reworktheworld.com/en/summary/">Decentralised sustainable energy production leverage mobile phone towers, CleanStar Fund</a>CleanStar Fund, India, led by a group of young entrepreneurs in India and the UK, is partnering with the Confederation of Indian Industry, DESI Power, the Government of India, and mobile phone companies to design and implement viable models for decentralised sustainable energy production that leverage mobile towers as “anchor customers” for supplying rural energy services.<br />
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Training Barefoot Solar Engineers, Barefoot CollegeBarefoot College runs a training program for rural unemployed youth and women to become solar engineers and to manufacture solar kits - kits that are already used by 100,000 people in rural India. The program is now replicated in Ethiopia and Afghanistan. <br />
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Living in the US, it's easy to feel like you are locked into a debate between either sacrificing personal comforts for a greener lifestyle or continuing dirty, wasteful energy habits without limit. The truth is that it isn't nearly that simple, and things are changing fast. I encourage my American friends to check out different ways energy will change, and look at how you, too, might rework the world.M. Talbotthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00070645378049955921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-1247973494401716172010-03-04T05:36:00.000-08:002010-03-04T07:36:10.354-08:00Water is Life<div>Its only a few weeks to World Water Day 22 March. In the conference Rework The World we have 5 main themes one of them is WATER, and I thought I would present some of the water projects here.</div><div><br /></div><div>Over 1 billion people all over the world lack safe drinking water and over 2.6 billion have no access to basic sanitation facilities. One part of the problem is the lack of adequate business models for efficient water services. If we create distribution systems for water and also implement sustainable sanitation solutions and waste handling these systems can provide enormous new employment possibilities.</div><div><br /></div><div>These fantastic projects and many more will come to Leksand on the 2nd to the 5th June to Rework The World.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_odd-mx9zJGU/S4-_Yl_i6uI/AAAAAAAAACs/G66UFdpQVSU/s1600-h/safewater%3F.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 189px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_odd-mx9zJGU/S4-_Yl_i6uI/AAAAAAAAACs/G66UFdpQVSU/s320/safewater%3F.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5444780903750626018" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Sometimes you can see the difference between good water and bad water.<br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Which glass would you drink from?</span></span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:georgia;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The picture is from </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-family:Georgia, serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><i><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbg_photos/2419471868/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.flickr.com/photos/mbg_photos/2419471868/</span></a></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><br /></span></b></i></span></span></i></span></div><div><b>A global campaign to build awareness on sanitation and commercialize sanitation products</b></div><div><i><b>Jack Sim, World Toilet Organization</b></i></div><div>The 2.5 billion people without access to proper sanitation cannot be solved by charity alone. Now the World Toilet Organisation is building the market infrastructure for an efficient sanitation marketplace. The opportunity for economy of scale here is massive. The World Toilet Organisation is setting up a SaniShop franchising system, where training from how to determine local demand, starting & operating a SaniShop, promotion, installation, maintenance and a full menu of choices of products and services bundled with financing options. The ability as neutral party to convene and unite the whole global sanitation community to collaborate is unprecedented. As partner of USAID's WaterShed project, the World Toilet Organisation started the sanitation marketing program which proves very successful. Now is the moment to scale. The goal is to have complete the SaniShop franchise manual and field test it within next 12 months. To roll-out SaniShop franchises in all of Mekong region in Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma ( about 30 SaniShops in 2011). Scale to 300 SaniShop world-wide in 2012. And let the geometrical progression continue by "power of 10" each year, meaning: 3000 in 2013, 30,000 in 2014, etc. Decentralized and globally self-sustainable model will include micro-manufacturing, micro-cosignment, micro-financing, non-interest tontine system, import of more intelligent parts from centralized design and manufacturing centers. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Selling small, simple sanitation solutions</b></div><div><b><i>Karin Ruiz, Peepoople</i></b></div><div>Today 2,6 billion people have no access to basic sanitation facilities. This affects both the society and the individual through the contamination of fresh water and ground water. Peepoople has re-thought the problem and by using a bottom up approach created a simple viable solution that will be able to reach the most poor. The Peepoo is a self-sanitising single-use biodegradable toilet bag and it puts the users needs first. It also opens up several opportunities for services systems to establish themselves. After use the Peepoo bag offers a value as fertilizer which enables collection and reuse systems to arise, informally or formally, privately or publicly, small scale or large scale. With one million people using the Peepoo toilet in 2015, there will be some 1000 employment opportunities for distribution and collection services.</div><div>Selling small, simple sanitation solutions: <a href="http://www.peepoople.com/">Peepoople.com</a> </div><div><br /></div><div><b>Water for All Always</b></div><div><i><b>Vijay Chaturvedi, Development Alternatives</b></i></div><div>In cooperation with Arghyam Trust, Development Alternatives initiated a project to increase water security in Bundelkhand, India, by involving the community in developing and delivering solutions. The management of water supplies has had a focus on conservation and on community management. Women and young people in the village have been trained to deliver and install 'Jal-TARA' water purification systems (Slow Sand Filtration technique, developed by DA) in the villages to purify bacterial contamination which is the main problem in the region. The impact of the initiative can be seen in how thewomen from these villages are now enjoying the freedom from drudgery and diverting their efforts for productive employment such as food processing or poultry rearing, to raise their income levels. In these villages, village committees are responsible for collecting payments by users of the water supplied and consumed and use water meters to keep track of excessive consumption. In certain villages the water delivery enterprises are set up by the community while in others it is set up by an individual entrepreneur. So far, the initiative has been implemented in 10 villages, generating various employment opportunities. Development Alternatives estimates that with an investment of 10Million USD over the next 5 years, the initiative has the capacity to create more than 1000 enterprises and 300 jobs in approximately 100 villages.</div><div>Water for All Always: community driven water security solutions: Development Alternatives (<a href="http://www.devalt.org/">devalt.org</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:georgia;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><i><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><br /></span></b></i></span></span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-16795802989770101182010-02-03T01:43:00.000-08:002010-03-04T06:15:08.596-08:00The unemployment debate we need in Sweden<strong>Part 2: The way forward</strong><br /><br />There is an alternative more pragmatic way forward that recognizes the limits of government programmes to create jobs, and instead tries to capture the political momentum in the employment debate to address the strategic long-term challenges that governments interventions do have the power to influence.<br /><br />The first of these is social exclusion. This is a very real concern, with 5000 people under 30 permanently leaving the labour force every year, and with 10% of high school students having such poor educational record to be considered “at risk”. Social exclusion is related to employment. But the inability of groups ”at risk” to get a job is more a consequence of broader social and educational failures, than the result of unemployment. In simplified terms: it is not the inability to get a job that is the problem, it is the sense of exclusion that makes you stop looking for one. If this is recognised, new policy instruments, new actors and a new tools can be brough in to address the challenge. Furthermore, the business of social integration - alternative education, afterschool activities, etc - is in itself an emerging sector with large employment potential which must be encouraged.<br /><br />The second question is the sustainability-imperative. We are facing a structural transformation of our economy of a dimension hitherto unseen in peacetime. But so far politics has failed to build anything even resembling adequate political support for the interventions required. And unless it can be shown that sustainability policies could be the way to provide the employment of the future, the support for change is certain to stay elusive.<br /><br />Since employment is so central to people’s lives, that debate will always have the political centre stage. This puts a particular responsibility on politicians and interest groups to help frame the debate so that it also addresses long-term strategic issues. Politicians need to tell new stories that help voters see unfamiliar challenges in familiar terms. So far this is not happening, unfortunately.Carl Mossfeldthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16562380331386239978noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-14980608779333559942010-02-03T01:27:00.000-08:002010-02-03T01:42:43.290-08:00The unemployment debate we need in Sweden<strong>Part 1: The Problem</strong><br /><br />Yet again, the election campaign ahead will be fought over jobs. With an unemployment rate approaching 10% this would always be the case. Unfortunately, the debate is already getting stuck in yesterday’s ideological conflicts, rather than pragmatically addressing the strategic issues of tomorrow. This failure to renew the debate matters, because how we tell stories matter. We are now losing an opportunity to use the political momentum around unemployment to address the two most important long-term challenges to Swedish society: social cohesion and sustainability. Rather than populistically promising to ”create jobs”, the parties should instead argue over how to prevent groups at risk from falling into long-term exclusion, and how to stimulate long-term job growth that will meet the sustainability demands of tomorrow.<br /><br />The problem with the current debate is this: what voters ask for is not really in the power of governments to give. There is very little evidence that, so called, “labour market policies” - eg. employment protection, tax incentives, job matching schemes, etc - impact aggregate employment figures. In short, jobs are not “created” as the result of government policies, at least not in the quantities and time frame relevant to elections. But the debate is framed in those terms because it serves the ideological interest of groups like the main Labour Union and the Swedish Association of Enterprise. Their interest is not really unemployment numbers as such, but rather how much of the problem their members should pay for.<br /><br />This of course is not to say that labour market policies don’t matter. They do, but not by affecting aggregate unemployment numbers. They provide crucial support to people who have lost their job (eg. unemployment benefits); they help redistribute the burden of unemployment between young and old (employment protection legislation); in the best of instances they help instil hope and meaning in the life of young people who may otherwise fall into crime and deprivation (eg. coaching and training schemes). Labour market policies do not however “create jobs”.<br /><br />There is, in other words, a mismatch in the debate between policy instruments used and purported results, which is generally a recipe for not achieving much in any area at all.Carl Mossfeldthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16562380331386239978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-60895709169786884472010-01-22T06:51:00.000-08:002010-01-22T07:18:16.599-08:00Per Aspera Ad Astra –Through difficulties to the starsIt is almost dizzying to try and imagine what innovation and renewal could bring about as we tackle the challenges of today's complex societal crisis. This is not a time for the timid and the discouraged. It’s the time for bold visionary power.<br /><br />We are convinced that we are well on the way into history's largest ever societal reconstruction project. In forty years, nine billion people need to be supplied with education, energy, food, housing, culture, transport, entertainment and rights /justice. They must live in a dynamic balance with nature. They place their hopes in technological innovation and in our ability to "Rework the World".<br /><br />We have done this before, rebuilt society, but without the absolute requirement for renewal demanded by our current converging crises.<br /><br />Our time is far better able to plan and manage innovation and change. If governments and companies can manage the crisis well, the shift will go fast and it will reach all humanity.<br /><br />The three converging crises, whose solutions will change the world, must at the same time<br />• terminate the ongoing destabilization of ecosystems<br />• provide additional 1-1.5 billion people place in value-added work<br />• permanent economic growth and financial stability<br /><br />We must not put a bridle on creativity and innovation. Right now new solutions are flowing from labs and creative design centers. New battery technology for renewable energy and electric automobiles; offshore wind farms with back-up wave power, windmills that draw water from arid air; a rapidly diversifying solar industry on the verge of exponential growth, from roof panels to massive desert-scale installations; harnessed photosynthesis for hydrogen home power plants; smart grid software and hardware; new sustainable closed-loop energy and waste systems in urban designs; new medical technologies; new farming methods.<br /><br />Globalization accelerated in order to create higher productivity and growth. The Internet has released the new arenas of value creation and growth. Future ecological efficiency and stability in economic productivity will stimulate a different technological base for growth than that which led to ecological destruction. The good news is that this is already well underway.<br /><br />To rework the world need not take more than 25 years. Growth that renews the ecosystem's capacity and puts billions more into work and welfare is what the world needs.<br /><br />The world has become interdependent. Our identity and consciousness are evolving, from being simply Swedes or Indians, to being mutually dependent; and that in everything we do, we humans depend on the laws of nature.<br /><br />These are the emerging patterns in the scenarios of the future. The problems that the old development gave birth to can only be solved by a new development. The paradox is that the problems created by the world are the drivers of the new world.<br /><br />In June 2010 Tällberg Foundation gathers two thousand entrepreneurs from all parts of the world and many walks of life to create a vision to unleash the forces to build anew: Rework the World. In 2005 the Tällberg Foundation foresaw that the main scenario for the following few years would be bleak for the environment and economic development. Now, as these crises have pushed their way into our consciousness, change too will come, change that can take us through the difficulties to the stars.Bo Ekmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03188430160933337580noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-84139754518969545012009-12-22T02:15:00.000-08:002009-12-22T02:17:31.066-08:00The policy discussions at the summit<p>The global unemployment crises immediately and urgently calls out for a powerful response. The consequences of up to a billion unemployed and disenchanted youth in the world is unimaginable, in the north as well as in the south. Moral imperatives mandate urgent action, as does the need for social stability<br /><br />We are facing an immediate social crises. This unfolds against the backdrop of an equally urgent but more long-term imperative: the required structural shift of our global economy towards ecological sustainability. Furthermore, it does so at a time when the financial crisis has already streched national accounts to historic levels and where the level of risk in the global financial and monetary system is extreme.<br /><br />This situation poses very serious challenges for policy makers. The prospects of handling these in a piecemeal way are not promising. Instead, we need policy instruments that allow us to get to the logic of the present system responsible for generating the various imbalances.<br /><br />Therefore, just as the summit takes its starting points in tangible ventures which carry within them answers to multiple challenges, the task of the policy discussions is to look for the policy frameworks and governance models that can solve multiple challenges, and help the emerging models on display translate into systems impact.<br /><br />In other words: given the financial environment, what actions available today could simultaneously address the employment crises and support the emergence of a new kind of value creation?<br /><br />The discussions will proceed form documented cases of promising policies in this area, documented and discussed in a Tällberg policy paper to be presented in the spring of 2010.<br /><br />The expected outcome of the policy discussion is the general principles for a holistic global jobs programme, designed to respond to the confluence of social, financial and ecological crises - in terms of governance structure, finanical mechanisms and implementational strategy.</p>Carl Mossfeldthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16562380331386239978noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-75424417724090435852009-12-08T14:08:00.000-08:002009-12-08T14:17:12.520-08:00Changemakers in MoldovaMost of the world is now focusing on the COP15 developments. Meanwhile, in Moldova, a small country between Romania and Ukraine, where little attention is given to climate change or global negotiations, an important step on the road to sustainable solutions and environmental improvements was taken this Saturday.<br /><br />In the capital Chisinau, 200 participants took part in the first nation-wide gathering of its kind, to strengthen entrepreneurship and development of small enterprises throughout the country. A much needed effort in a country that has long ranked as <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/3038982.stm">Europe’s poorest</a>. Its agricultural industry – once its pride – is almost collapsed, and today a quarter of its population is working abroad (often illegally). Adding to that, the country is squeezed between the borders of EU and the almost-nextdoor neighbor Russia, with whom Moldova has frosty relations but is totally dependent on for its energy supply.<br /><br />If change in a sustainable direction is to take place around the world, part of the solution lies in the entrepreneurial initiatives that are about creating brighter and more reliable futures in places such as the countryside of Moldova. If that is to happen, there need to be crowds of creative and confident entrepreneurs in the country. The need is evident, and the potential is great. These future entrepreneurs are the ones to start solar energy generation facilities to allow for secure, cheap and climate friendly energy; to start ecological farming of premium vegetables to be sold in Europe; and to open up the IT service centers of the future.<br /><br />The meeting, that was held to launch the first Moldovan <a href="http://www.youthemployment.md/">platform</a> to support sustainable youth employment, provided a possibility for the 100+ participating entrepreneurs to learn about concrete possibilities for financing, incubator support and networking opportunities. Among the presenters were representatives from banks and financial institutions. They made it clear that lack of money is not Moldova's greatest problem. Funding programs in the ranges of EUR 100 million were presented. But the links between the funds and the entrepreneurs are not there, the models of the big institutions are not accessible for the small businesses. Maybe the presentations and discussions that day took a small step towards bridging that gap.<br /><br />Maybe links between resources and entrepreneurs were also made by the fact that the Prime Minister, Vlad Filat, participated and explicitly offered support and asked for feedback to help make improvement in the legal frameworks –he participated together with ministers and vice ministers of finance and youth. The government is young. The Prime Minister has been in office only two months, and is eager to quickly achieve real change in a direction “towards Europe”. I hope they will.<br /><br />This event was put together not by the government, not by an international organization. It was organized by a young serial entrepreneur and change-maker. Igor Casapu is in the restaurant business – and at the age of 27 he has already successfully bought, built and sold at least three cafés. He has also built an impressive network of 140 young entrepreneurs around the country, supporting them with necessary connections, advice and training. Revenues from his restaurants are making this work possible. When institutional funding is slow, his business income makes it possible to achieve change quickly. That is a social entrepreneurship model that is worth copying – for quick change in the right direction.Karin Brucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04617366344938634436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-37877545615147448892009-11-26T04:40:00.001-08:002009-11-26T04:48:38.657-08:00Project 390: Young People the focus of IKEA and Young Foundation'Damaged but recoverable' young people are helped into Ikea jobs by Project 390, reports Chrisanthi Giotis of <a href="http://www.socialenterpriselive.com/section/news/damaged-recoverable-young-people-helped-ikea-jobs-project-390">Social Enterprise Live</a><br /><br /><div>A social enterprise born out of a corporate social responsibility programme in multinational furniture company Ikea has just received backing from the Young Foundation. Youth charity the <a href="http://www.vinetrust.org/">Vine Trust</a> has run a work experience scheme with Ikea in Wales since 2006. That scheme has expanded to other stores and has provided 300 young people from tough backgrounds with work experience while being supported by a team of youth workers.</div><div> 30% of the young people have gone on to gain full-time work with Ikea thorough the scheme.</div><div><br /><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/Sw54h-cUxWI/AAAAAAAAALs/YvJi-q_tpHo/s200/IKEA.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408392727611360610" />As of last week the project also received the support of the <a href="http://www.youngfoundation.org/">Young Foundation</a>. The plan is that the programme will break off from the youth charity and become its own self-sustaining social enterprise spin-off called Project 390. (The figures 390 make up the internal code used by Ikea to describe furniture that has been damaged but is recoverable.)<br /><br />Project 390 will compete with commercial organisations that provide staff to the furniture company. It plans to expand to many more UK Ikea stores and eventually other large companies.<br /><br />Young Foundation director Geoff Mulgan said: 'The answer to Britain's growing youth unemployment crisis lies with social enterprises like Project 390.<br /><br />'We have invested in Project 390 because it shows that with some innovative thinking and corporate responsibility we can provide unemployed young people with their first rung on the jobs ladder.'<br /><br />Project 390 has received £30,000 from the Young Foundation's <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.learninglaunchpad.org">Learning Launchpad programme</a>: £5,000 as a grant and also £25,000 in quasi-equity - that money will be recovered by the Young Foundation through Project 390 revenue when it becomes self-sufficient. The social enterprise will predominantly work with ex-offenders, care leavers and teenagers with serious barriers to employment.<br /><br />The Learning Launchpad announced another £80,000-worth of funding to three other social enterprises working with young people last week. These were Space Unlimited, a Scottish creative consultancy staffed by teenagers, women's leadership project Ignite, and Social Links, which helps young unemployed people with social networking skills get jobs in creative businesses in East London. The next round of applications closes on 8 January 2010.</div><div><br /></div><div>The Young Foundation is a parter of the 5th Global YES Summit, <a href="http://www.reworktheworld.org">Rework the World</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-14644307647887446742009-11-20T00:41:00.001-08:002010-01-08T10:15:35.288-08:00Rework India - exceeding expectations<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/SwZnWuqu5zI/AAAAAAAAALc/hVHYcFO_vOE/s1600/IMG_0353.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/SwZnWuqu5zI/AAAAAAAAALc/hVHYcFO_vOE/s200/IMG_0353.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406122042886907698" /></a><span><span>I've just come back from Delhi, India, where 120 leaders came together for an exciting Rework India meeting at the India Habitat Center, a key milestone in the run up to the 5th Global YES Summit, <a href="http://www.reworktheworld.org/">Rework the World</a>, in Sweden in 2010.</span></span><div><br /></div><div><span><span>A broad spectrum of partners have it a real flavour of cross-sector action: the <a href="http://www.cii.in/">Confederation of Indian Industries</a>, the <a href="http://www.rural.nic.in/">Ministry of Rural Development</a> of India, <a href="http://www.yesbank.in/">YES Bank Ltd.</a>, <a href="http://www.newventuresindia.org/nvi/newdesign/index.jsp">New Ventures India</a>, the <a href="http://www.drishtee.com/">Dishtree Foundation</a>.</span></span></div><div><br /><div><span><span>The highlights: 1. the diversity of participants, 2. the frank dialogue between real government decision-makers, social and environmental entrepreneurs, youth leaders and investors; and 3. the center-stage focus on creating an investment marketplace, from participating banks to venture capital funds, angel investor networks and foundations, all of which gave the meeting a real edge around planning the scaling up of some of India's most promising social innovations. </span></span></div><div><span><span> </span></span></div><div><span><span>Among the participants:</span></span></div><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/SwZnEzYzyFI/AAAAAAAAALU/Q8YUnAAHE8o/s200/IMG_0350.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406121734916261970" /><div><ul><li>Arvind Mayaram, Secretary & Financial Advisor, <a href="http://www.rural.nic.in/">Ministry of Rural Development</a> of India</li><li>Bunker Roy, Founder, founder of the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.barefootcollege.org">Barefoot College</a></li><li>Arun Kumar, President of <a href="http://www.devalt.org/">Development Alternatives</a></li><li>Caroline Howe, Board Member, <a href="http://www.iycn.in/">Indian Youth Climate Change Network</a>, and Director of <a href="http://www.indiaclimatesolutions.com/">Climate Solutions</a> </li><li>Uma Swaminathan, Director of the <a href="http://www.sewa.org/">Self Employed Women's Association (SEWA)</a>, </li><li>Meera Shenoy, ED, Employment Generation Mission, Govt. of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad</li></ul><span><span>A forum of investors and an 'investor game' provided some adrenaline for the afternoon. Here real investors competed (with fake money) to deliver cutting-edge investment strategies, responding to the proposals developed collaboratively by participants during the meeting. The Investors included: </span></span></div><div><ul><li>Sanjoy Sanyal, Country Director of <a href="http://www.newventuresindia.org/nvi/newdesign/index.jsp">New Ventures India</a>, a partner of Rework the World, who acted as convener of a broad investor network<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/SwZoe1U-NjI/AAAAAAAAALk/7izXoy7-jfE/s200/IMG_0346.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5406123281625265714" /></li><li>Paul Basil, Founder and CEO, <a href="http://www.villgro.org/">Villgro </a></li><li>Padmaja Ruparel, President, <a href="http://www.indianangelnetwork.com/">Indian Angel Network </a></li><li>Karan Gupta, Promoter, Breathe Ventures</li><li>Rita Soni, Country Head- Responsible Banking, <a href="http://www.yesbank.in/">YES Bank Ltd.</a></li><li>Vinod Kala, Director, <a href="http://www.emergent-ventures.com/">Emergent Ventures India</a></li><li>Sohini Bhattacharya, Director, South Asia Partnerships, <a href="http://www.ashoka.org/">Ashoka </a></li></ul></div><div>Many thanks to the YES team in India, PK Joseph and Shuchi Smita for their fantastic work in pulling the meeting together, and for their work going forward. Please contact the <a href="http://www.yesweb.org/">YES India</a> team if you want to know more about this meeting and what ideas are being taken forward towards 2010.</div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-7927066282079062022009-10-30T08:17:00.000-07:002009-10-30T08:55:29.725-07:00YES Peru advocates for youth green jobs!<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kMl69vWVcqs/SusI-Z021hI/AAAAAAAAABs/bzn4gXfAp9A/s1600-h/IMG_8701.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kMl69vWVcqs/SusI-Z021hI/AAAAAAAAABs/bzn4gXfAp9A/s400/IMG_8701.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398418446511166994" /></a><br /><br />The RTW Peru team is working very hard to advance the green agenda for youth jobs. VIDA –the host agency for YES Peru- is coordinating a network to make this possible. The interest in the environment sector is getting to the employment agenda. Still, we find it is challenging to link “green jobs” with the workers rights and the decent work agenda. <br /><br />We are using two radio programs to promote Rework The World, the 5th Global YES Summit in 2010. We are organizing planning meetings with the support of institutions and leaders like Congressman Falla Lamadrid, the GEA Group, JARC, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, CCSA, the Global Village Energy Partnership (GVEP International) and FREDEMAR. More than 100 people from diverse organizations have so far been involved in building towards Sweden 2010 and the Latin American regional meetings this and next year. <br /><br />We have already identified some 40 green projects in 4 fields: renewable energy, forest, urban waste and Ecoturism. We see these are key areas where Peru can develop new opportunities for youth green jobs and we’ll seek to mobilize the government and investors to support these projects. Towards the end of November the top 5 initiatives in each area will be showcased in the Peruvian Parliament. <br />We will showcase these projects on this blog soon, but you can follow the Peruvian process at: http://greenjobsperu.wordpress.com/DANCE AND LIFEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632328844795579542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-63049593645623255142009-10-29T14:30:00.000-07:002009-10-29T15:12:03.072-07:00Do you know?...<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><img src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_kMl69vWVcqs/SuoS7dg82NI/AAAAAAAAABk/WS6ATmmBqbE/s400/Forest.jpg" style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 60px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5398147916101376210" /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Some of the </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">most</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> critical </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Green Jobs </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">are to be found in the energy, mining, agricultural, construction and transportation sectors. These sectors has made an important impact in helping to cut the consumption of energy, raw materials and water through high-efficiency strategies designed to ‘de-carbonize’ the economy, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, to minimize waste, pollution, to protect and restore the ecosystems. The lessening of the impact of the human footprint on the environment arising out of Green Jobs which is generally thought to be gradual. Different jobs contribute to the process to different degrees.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Remember! </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Green jobs</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> are the forms of employment that are mindful of the importance of minimizing the impact of the particular activity on the environment... What Green Jobs seek to do, is to reduce environmental fallout to levels that are regarded as sustainable as far as possible, to repair environmental damage. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div>DANCE AND LIFEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632328844795579542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-14894525816506962272009-10-29T08:07:00.000-07:002009-10-29T08:07:54.988-07:00"Rework" The Practical Solution to Youth Unemployment and Poverty alleviation<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type"></meta><meta content="Word.Document" name="ProgId"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Generator"></meta><meta content="Microsoft Word 11" name="Originator"></meta><link href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml" rel="File-List"></link><o:smarttagtype name="country-region" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><o:smarttagtype name="place" namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"></o:smarttagtype><style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">The Rework Process is very critical in focusing the world to start tasking and stop talking. YES <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Kenya</st1:place></st1:country-region> seeks to create over 2000 Solar Entrepreneurship Opportunities. The Problem of unemployment continues to bedevil our continent. If this project pulls through, it promises to be the next anchor for a revolution to create green jobs for many Youth in <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place>. Created on the premise of extinguishing 1 million kerosene lamps in rural Africa, the project is ambitious and at the same time realistic to the challenges that <st1:place w:st="on">Africa</st1:place> faces today.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Rework process will be the benchmark to create the partnerships that will see different players to focus on how young people can engage constructively on creating opportunities at community level. We look forward to partnerships that will see and follow up to get involved in this project.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Renewable energy will be part of this process as well on how young people can create eco charcoal and save the nvironement.<o:p></o:p><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Emmanuel Dennis<o:p></o:p><br />
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EDhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09570198374368661750noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-16665316880822512822009-10-29T07:23:00.001-07:002009-10-29T07:26:16.458-07:00Rework & The Green Jobs InitiativeA key input to the Rework the World initiative is the international <a href="http://www.ilo.org/integration/themes/greenjobs/lang--en/index.htm">Green Jobs Initiative</a> --a joint initiative by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Employers Organization (IOE) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), which has been launched to assess, analyze and promote the creation of decent jobs as a consequence of the needed environmental policies. <div><br /></div><div>It supports a concerted effort by governments, employers and trade unions to promote environmentally sustainable jobs and development in a climate-challenged world. Work under the Green Jobs Initiative so far has focused on collecting evidence and different examples of green jobs creation, resulting in a major comprehensive study on the impact of an emerging green economy on the world of work.<br /><br />UNEP, ILO, IOE and ITUC are planning a second phase of the Green Jobs Initiative. The project will move from information gathering and analysis in the green jobs report to assistance in policy formulation and implementation through active macro-economic and sectoral assessment of potential green jobs creation.<br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-73627830129581234382009-10-28T09:45:00.001-07:002009-10-28T09:56:11.894-07:00TechnoServe joins Rework to advance youth 'green' entrepreneurship<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 57px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/Suh2PrdVyrI/AAAAAAAAALM/R7vcsH9q0E0/s200/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397694165139442354" /><span><span><a href="http://www.technoserve.org">TechnoServe</a>--the leading organisation providing business solutions to poverty--has joined Rework to create synergies between the initiative and its work on the ground.<br /><br /></span></span><div><span><span>TechnoServe is a recognized leader and innovator of business solutions to poverty. Through 40 years of work it has empowered the success of entrepreneurial men and women who − with the right business model, skills, network, financial services and access to markets – can build sustainable businesses that generate income, opportunity and economic growth for their families, their communities and their countries. </span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>In 2008, TechnoServe assisted businesses generated $149 million in revenues, and bought $64 million from almost 200,000 low income suppliers. TechnoServe has been supporting entrepreneurship and enterprise development in Kenya and East Africa for decades. It has a successful business plan competition model for identifying and nurturing high potential entrepreneurs, provision of aftercare to launch their businesses and building local business service provider capacity to build the ecosystems required to support their scalability.</span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span><span>The skills and assets that TechnoServe brings to Rework the World include: </span></span></div><div><div><ul style="margin-top:0cm" type="disc"><li>Dedicated support infrastructure on the ground and a network of leading private and public sector partners dedicated to Kenyan enterprise development </li><li>Proven results in design and implementation of East African youth entrepreneurship and enterprise programs, including young women-focused programs </li><li>An integrated approach to small and medium enterprise development, built around a plan competitions, with a strong focus on follow practical entrepreneurship training </li><li>Strengthening local Business Development Services (BDS) providers to sustain and scale small enterprise growth.</li> </ul> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-53102940124735901992009-10-26T21:32:00.000-07:002009-10-26T21:51:50.631-07:00Granja Porcon in Peru: an agro - tourist experience<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kMl69vWVcqs/SuZ4RtqmD9I/AAAAAAAAABU/WR1Pawn_1j8/s1600-h/porcon.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kMl69vWVcqs/SuZ4RtqmD9I/AAAAAAAAABU/WR1Pawn_1j8/s320/porcon.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397133449161478098" /></a><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 102, 0); -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Rural cooperative offering an agro-tourism program in </span><a href="http://www.go2peru.com/cajamarca_travel_guide.htm" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#000000;">Cajamarca</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">'s northern highlands, including farming and animal husbandry. These activities include sowing and harvesting potatoes and other roots and garden vegetables, seed selection and soil preparation. It also features cow-milking by hand, selection of breeding stock, visit to a plant nursery and participation in the pine wood rehabilitation and management program, which carries out a very successful project. it is a mini-zoo with animals of regional fauna. It is also possible to go on country walks or simply relax and enjoy the peacefulness and tranquility of the beautiful scenery surrounding the community.</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br />The inhabitants of the Granja Porcón farm offer an agro-tourist program where visitors can take part in a series of farming activities such as planting and milking cows by hand, live side-by-side with members of the community, giving them a window into their lifestyle, traditions and daily activities. The stay will also enable visitors to take part in festivals and rituals in addition to daily farm chores. It is a unique chance to swap living experiences in a balanced relationship with nature. </span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The most important part of this initiative is the 10,000 hectare forest area. The trees here are not indigenous but were planted for their value in the paper and furniture industries.Nonetheless, this is an effort in the direction of reforestation. Thanks to this, local farmers are getting new incomes improving their economies. </span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Segoe UI';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfqZ0w4U8dI&feature=related">Watch the video in Spanish</a></b></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Segoe UI';font-size:100%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" white-space: pre;font-size:12px;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#336600;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" -webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px;font-size:medium;"><br /></span></span></div></div>DANCE AND LIFEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11632328844795579542noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-80185913804667236252009-10-19T01:53:00.001-07:002009-10-28T09:44:36.718-07:00The International Labour Organisation partners Rework<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/Suh0f5phxoI/AAAAAAAAAK8/fYR7NV2Aehk/s1600-h/ilo.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 158px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/Suh0f5phxoI/AAAAAAAAAK8/fYR7NV2Aehk/s200/ilo.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5397692244803307138" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/Suhz6nCEYRI/AAAAAAAAAK0/l-0iFrx2TmI/s1600-h/ilo.jpg"></a><span><span><br /></span></span><div><span><span>The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has become a strategic partner of Rework the World. </span></span><div><br /></div><div><span><span>In this capacity, the ILO will bring its experience and networks on employment policy in 183 countries, and specifically leverage its work on ILO's:</span></span></div><div><ul><li>The Youth Employment Programme and experience with the youth entrepreneurship agenda;</li><li>The Green Jobs Initiative and networks focused on greening the economy;</li><li>The Sustainable Enterprise Programme and technical cooperation resources with large scale outreach. </li></ul>As a strategic partner, the ILO will also convene its constituents to the 5th YES Global Summit, including governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations in 183 member States who can take Rework's goals and agenda forward.<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:14.0pt;mso-line-height-rule:exactly;mso-pagination:none;mso-layout-grid-align:none;text-autospace:none"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language:EN-US;mso-fareast-language:EN-USfont-family:Arial;font-size:11.0pt;"><o:p><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:Helvetica, serif;font-size:17px;"> </span></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment--> </div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-43211048181092979792009-10-19T01:16:00.001-07:002009-10-19T01:21:43.152-07:00SEED initiative joins Rework to push for youth green jobsThe <a href="http://www.seedinit.org/">SEED initiative</a>, an international sustainability prize hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) jointly with UNDP and the World Conservation Union (IUCN), has joined Rework the World to connect leading entrepreneurs in areas such as energy, agriculture and water to the youth green jobs agenda.<br /><br /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 217px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_pU5zoZZkN10/StwhSQ_yCnI/AAAAAAAAAKs/I9t_i5nSLGQ/s320/awards-2009-2.gif" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394223051366861426" />The main goals of the SEED Initiative are to build support for social and environmental entrepreneurs, to integrate them into the green economy, and to promote their role as contributors to the wider development process.<br /><br />Through a competition, SEED every year selects the most promising start-up social and environmental entrepreneurs around the globe and provides them with tailored capacity building packages to meet their most urgent needs, to grow their networks, and to heighten their profiles, so helping them to consolidate and scale up. <div><br /></div><div>Through this partnership, SEED will work with its entrepreneurs to explore how to accelerate the youth employment components as a driver of their scaling strategies. SEED's aim is to encourage the growth of micro and medium sized enterprises to contribute to shape a green economy.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-38009705098418612182009-10-16T03:25:00.000-07:002009-10-16T03:36:40.739-07:00Join REWORK THE WORLD -500 Million Young People Will Look For Work In The Next 10 YearsWe all face the common challenge – to rework the world as we see it today.<br /><br />The path to a global sustainable society must be built by creating sustainable business, jobs and living. The journey starts with what matters most to us as individuals - our jobs and every day security in our local community.<br /><br />Our goal is to mobilize young people to demonstrate their green ideas and to involve existing business and capital to create new companies and new jobs.<br /><br />Our challenge is put global and local issues in the same picture. Both the global and the local perspectives must be concrete and easy to understand.<br /><br />We need practical and doable ways to deal with these issues.<br /><br />This is why we need to Rework the World!<br /><br />/Ulla-Britt Fräjdin-Hellqvist - Team Rework the world<br /><i><span style="font-family:Calibri;font-size:85%;color:#1f497d;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: rgb(31, 73, 125); font-style: italic; font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i>Team Reworkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06211806138101817750noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5322851593714735671.post-65480501950467129482009-10-14T06:29:00.000-07:002009-10-14T06:33:21.799-07:00African Demographics vs. Green Economy: What Future for Youth?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; "><div>One African in two is a child. The Economist recently illustrated how Africa’s <a href="http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14302837">baby bonanza</a> threatens the continent with meltdown. It reports, for example, that forests in Kenya have shrunk by at least 60% since 1990, mainly because more people are cutting down trees for fuel; doubting whether Kenya’s government will have the strength to save the forests on which Nairobi depends for water and hydroelectric power.</div><p></p><div>A country’s risk of conflict rises four percentage points for every one-point increase in the youth population, according to the Norwegian demographer, <a href="http://www.norway.org/culture/lectures/urdal+prio.htm">Henrik Urdal</a>. If young people do not get jobs or find productive paths for their lives, they may turn to violence. So, argues The Economist, Africa’s population pyramids, which are wide at childhood and adolescence (see graph) may be more promising than Italy’s, but are also more ‘combustible’. In some African cities, where the rate of unemployment is 70%, people are recruited to militias for a day’s wage. Kenyan politicians and businessmen were accused in last year’s elections of paying young men to turn parts of the country into war zones.</div><div><p><img class="alignleft size-full wp-image-4586" title="cfb8021" src="http://www.volans.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/cfb8021.gif" alt="" width="399" height="234" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 15px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 15px; " /></p><div><p>The links between population, the way we produce and consume energy, and the fragility of the natural resource base is at the heart of the problem. But there are also solutions. Innovation can play a key role in cutting through this gordian knot, and is the main goal of the work that the <a href="http://www.volans.com/pathways">Pathways to Scale</a> Program is doing with the <a href="http://www.tallbergfoundation.org">Tallberg Foundation</a>. Just like mobile phone companies could leapfrog development from the crumbling state-owned telecoms, new business models emerging in renewable energies such as wind and solar power, biofuel cookers and rainwater tanks offer similar potential.</p><p>In Tanzania, 300 hectares of forests a day are lost to the production coal for cooking, which sustains rural livelihoods. Joint Environmental Techniques (JET), an organization associated to Rework, is promoting a way of producing charcoal briquettes with agricultural waste, which burn longer and are cheaper than coal in the market, providing sustainable livelihoods to poor rural families. Rework aims to convene the clusters of actors that can help JET, among other businesses, scale up the impact of its model on youth employment, faster. Their potential is to change the equation between the demand for energy and the depletion of natural resources, while generating the much needed ‘green’ youth employment.</p><p>The transition to a ‘green economy’ will remain a distant promise if young people, which are already the majority of the population in many developing countries, don’t find a way of getting involved. Our partners, such as the <a href="http://www.ilo.org">International Labour Organization (ILO)</a> and <a href="http://www.technoserve.org">TechnoServe</a>, are joining the initiative to push this agenda in their respective spaces, whether by creating enabling business environments for these initiatives and accelerating skills building on the ground or by advancing the necessary global public policies, investment opportunities and coordination. Much more remains to be done, not least by putting the challenge of creating youth green employment high on the development agenda.</p></div></div></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0