A project on Omidyar that I found interesting and realistic is called "Grocery Village." It involves addressing a social issue, uses technology, and is profit driven. Although, it doesn't seem like the thread has been active lately.

In summary, from what I understand, Groccery Village is trying to make food accessible, available, and affordable for people living in inner city areas. The social issue that it addresses seems to be health/hunger. The technology that the project uses is the internet and with "two patent-pending software and methodology platforms, the GroceryVillage solution provides this radically underserved market with 1) an internet-based food order, fulfillment and community-based delivery system that grants inner-city consumers local access to their dietary needs and 2) a micro-financed based payment solution that enables every participant to establish a credit record with each purchase." In terms of money, I think that the creator, Kendall Callahan, is trying to sell this system/idea to groccery vendors. Thus, profit will come from the sales of the system.

In relationship to our projects, I liked how the author included numbers in his projection for success. For example, the author states that "Through food benefit outreach efforts, the value of this statistically constant market could reach an annual value of US$1.9 billion in less than five years; this projection is supported by documented growth rates of up to 80% in several major metropolitan areas that have conducted benefit outreach campaigns." Though, the numbers weren't cited/ maybe inaccurate, it sounds very convincing that the proposed system has a large market.

Here is a more detailed description (Executive Summary) if you are more interested in learning about it:

http://www.omidyar.net/group/up/ ws/GroceryVillage%20Executive%20 Summary/

http://www.omidyar.net/group/foo dchain/ws/tmfi___tiered_micro_fi nancing_investment/?searchterm=s ociety%20tech%20money

This seems very interesting, its a tiered microfinancing project that will operate much like the Grammeen system except there is no central bank, but individuals who are willing to loan out small amounts with the promise of interest revenue in the future when they are repaid.

Their main idea is to market to countries where interest rates are ridiculously high so that those people would rather borrow from an individual who charges perhaps only 5%-7% interest versus the 20%-30% the borrower might face from their own commercial bank.

The idea seems very straightforward as it aims to have just normal everyday people participating but I do have questions regarding how will they guarantee repayment and enforcement issues if the borrower can be continents away from the lender.

What I found was the Global Lives project which is a online video encyclopedia of human life experiences. A unique video installation that can be set up by anyone anywhere on the planet. A collaboration of filmmakers, architects, photographers, artists, programmers and designers from around the world. And they have "Social software" that allows for comments to be made on each video piece, tagging, ratings, user blogs. I think this is an amazing idea, it has the power to communicate the success and difficulties of life around the world, possibly bringing awareness of social issues around the world to the forefront of public awareness. You can find more at: http://www.omidyar.net/group/glo ballives/news/2/

Good find Chen Ni. Yeah, it's a lot like Kiva.org (which we found after we built out the germ of a concept), except there is a little interest to the lenders and lower interest to the borrowers than traditional microfinance. Outside the legal banking in the US (probably...one would need to get really creative), but worth chatting about.

I am going to write abou the weeing-beyond-sight challenge. It explores the social issue of blindness, but is no trying to solve the problem, it is trying to create an understanding through an experience. All you need is the money for a camera an a blindfold to make yourself blind. You then go out and experience the world as a blind person, taking pictures when you notice something. I think it that it is a really cool idea. I know that unlike the class no one is trying to make money off the venture, but the venture is completely sustainable without money. I have always been fascinated by the loss of sight and have always wondered what it would be like. How does this solve the problem, it solves it by creating an understanding of it. One of the problems with social issues is the lack of understanding about them and the frustration that creates.

Scott Croker said:

I am going to write abou the weeing-beyond-sight challenge. It explores the social issue of blindness, but is no trying to solve the problem, it is trying to create an understanding through an experience. All you need is the money for a camera an a blindfold to make yourself blind. You then go out and experience the world as a blind person, taking pictures when you notice something. I think it that it is a really cool idea. I know that unlike the class no one is trying to make money off the venture, but the venture is completely sustainable without money. I have always been fascinated by the loss of sight and have always wondered what it would be like. How does this solve the problem, it solves it by creating an understanding of it. One of the problems with social issues is the lack of understanding about them and the frustration that creates.

This sounds like a simple and intriguing idea my only question is, you take a picture when you notice something. But by the fact that you are "blind" could cause some trouble. I know your hearing is perfectly fine when blind folded but you really can't capture sound on film. The same goes for tactile experiences and every other type of sensory experience.

Well, I'm gonna go look for this on omidyar.net, but as someone kinda mentioned kiva.org is a great website. It has people from all over the world who have ideas for businesses, etc. You can help contribute to the money they need by paypal: it's through a loan so you can get your money back. Everyone should check it out!

Yay, I found one! This is a general idea about how to help eradicate poverty in Africa. It talks about giving huge loans out to people in Africa with business propositions. Link: http://www.omidyar.net/group/foo dchain/news/207/

Samantha,

You'll find more about the possibilities of large scale collaborative funding here on the Open Capital group. This model is now being appraised in a UN Habitat program, for instance.

http://www.gltn.net/en/tools-/12 .html

Otherwise, there's a lot going on in Britain where we reckon to have 50,000 registered social enterprises, though this includes conventional nonprofit and cooperative models. You may find the Community Interest Company model more of an enterprise concept.

http://www.socialenterprise.org. uk/

http://www.socialenterprise.org. uk/Page.aspx?SP=1626

I tend to avoid the expression social enterprise nowadays, preferring social purpose business for the like of the CIC model.

I found a photography program for blind students on omidyar. The social issue it is dealing with is empowering blind people by giving them the ability to take pictures and express themselves in ways they were not able to do before. The photos that they take are really good and have been complied into a book. Economically, the book is being sold and proceeds go back to the program to be continued with more students. This is a really creative idea that will affect the photographers and the people in their lives.

http://www.omidyar.net/group/sou ndshadows/

honestly Im having a hard time exploring omidyar.. i dont know where you guys are finding these issues

I found a project that o.net plans to help fund some of the members of its community who have vauluable non-profit organizations. The goal is to distribute 5,000 dollars to nine different non-profit groups. It is called the Q4 funding project.

The link is: http://www.omidyar.net/group/fp0 6/?searchterm=projects

This discussion I found on Omidyar.net is not specifically directed at one specific.Instead it is kind of an overview of the many issues that pertain to social entrepreneurs trying to start their potential projects. I thought that this thread might be helpful in many of our classes project teams trying to come up with ideas for their project.

Here is the link: http://www.omidyar.net/group/foo dchain/news/102/?searchterm=soci al%20issues

I have found this workspace that covers many different projects that are going on throughout the Omidayar.net community and some of which we have discussed in class. The workspace is called PATCH (Personal Action To Change).PATCH provides links to many different social issues that are currently taking place throughout the world. It also provides the information needed for people to go about helping cure these various issues. Many of which were simple yet great ideas.

Here is the link:http://www.omidyar.net/group/patch/ws/index/#give-of-yourself-literally

One of my links provided in this workspace was the Carbon emissions calculator.

Here is the link:http://www.carbonfootprint.com/USA/calculator.html

Jeff Santiago said:

honestly Im having a hard time exploring omidyar.. i dont know where you guys are finding these issues

I found it very useful to use the footprints links that are on the left side of the Omidayer.net website. They provide a lot of great links to subjects that are similar to the ones we are working on in class.

Collaborative Children's Project Network it's a collection of projects for childrens in developing world. These projects focus on education, and provide basic needs of children orphaned by the AIDS virus

http://www.omidyar.net/group/chi ldren/ws/index/

http://www.omidyar.net/user/u284 289309/news/14/

this was a brief article about a woman that wanted to collect money in order for a soup kitchen sort of thing to be established in Mongolia. she also mentions how the people there are also much like the farmers we were talking about, in that they were moving away inot the cities and therefore losing soem of their traditions and culture. the picture at the end tugs at the heart strings.

Charlotte Nordstrom said:

I found a photography program for blind students on omidyar. The social issue it is dealing with is empowering blind people by giving them the ability to take pictures and express themselves in ways they were not able to do before. The photos that they take are really good and have been complied into a book. Economically, the book is being sold and proceeds go back to the program to be continued with more students. This is a really creative idea that will affect the photographers and the people in their lives.

http://www.omidyar.net/group/sou ndshadows/

I myself was having a hard time finding other things on O-net, but when I came across this post I went and checked it out. This is really cool how they take photographs by asking questions and listening to sound shadows. One of the things that makes it really weird is how the blind people will never get a chance to see the exposures...what kind of psychological reward do they get? Is it that they get other people to tell them how good their photos are? I mean, how else will they be able to appreciate what they've done???

So there's a couple of micro finance organizations that we already know about, there is another one that I just found who's aim is to help those companies that are already out there to do even better!

How do they do it, you may ask? Well, they intend to resolve several issues that they currently perceive to be hindering the efforts of micro finance organizations. These issues include the building up and "fortification" of infrastructure, and removing capital and capacity restraints.

Here's the link: http://www.omidyar.net/group/mic rofinance/

I found this workspace on Omidayar.net to be very interesting. One of the posters created a workspace where it contains all relevant news on current social issues going on around the world. One of the most interesting bits of info on this web site was a list of the 30 most charitable celebrities and sports figures. Bill Gates made the top of the list. Here is a link to the workspace if you guys want to check it out. http://www.omidyar.net/user/u746 967553/news/

Here's a group that focuses on discussing how to improve the lives and secure the rights of orphaned/abandoned children in eastern Europe. It reflects the class in a lot of ways, being that is facilitates discussion for a specific topic and perhaps leads to solving it.

http://www.omidyar.net/user/u161 158646/news/6/

I found this really interesting group that makes kits to spread awarness. I just thought it be interesting to put somthing not too big or money involving that people do. This project forms groups of people and children, and they make tiles and then swap them with others or make miurals out of them. This is all to spread awarness on AIDs. I just thought it was something really nice for people to get involved with...its very proactive. I was just a little bit confused on the details of it all, like how it exactly it works and how they are getting the financial support, but all together it seems like a nice thing to do for the community.

http://www.omidyar.net/group/pea cetiles/news/44/

I really liked this group and what they are doing. This is an organization dedicated to exporting crafts (pots, plates, etc) from Uganda to other countries. I just thought it was a really good idea. They help spread awarness, help council people in Uganda who are suffering from the 20 year war and at the same time making money,(at least enough to survive) by exporting goods. I really think this kind of project works..and i would have loved to have done something similar for our class project.

*they have a workspace, but i felt like this link below to their other website was more informative, check it out.

http://lifeinafrica.com/

Daniel Janulaitis said:

What I found was the Global Lives project which is a online video encyclopedia of human life experiences. A unique video installation that can be set up by anyone anywhere on the planet. A collaboration of filmmakers, architects, photographers, artists, programmers and designers from around the world. And they have "Social software" that allows for comments to be made on each video piece, tagging, ratings, user blogs. I think this is an amazing idea, it has the power to communicate the success and difficulties of life around the world, possibly bringing awareness of social issues around the world to the forefront of public awareness. You can find more at: http://www.omidyar.net/group/glo ballives/news/2/

I really liked this...i dont know if i see it going somewhee to big, but i like the fact that there are progams out there intergrading people and trying to get them to communicate. I really feel like this is the kind of stuff we need to do so we can all prgress as a whole

Here is a place where i found this guy how is walking 16000+ miles with a sign above his head that reads "LOVE LIFE." he wants to remind people to love themselves and cherish your life. it was brought on by his son committing suicide in early adulthood. i feel it is a very strong message and wanted to share it with you:

http://www.omidyar.net/user/u941 599235/news/3/?e=newcomment&e=fp&e=ufp&page=1#