Thank you David for a nice write up on what the WDI team did in 2006 for LemonAid Fund's 2006 Annual Report. Making simple solutions a reality.

Yea -- GOOD NEWS !!!

interesting link nmw pos disc 38

Nancy, thank you for starting a new thread. I am going to toss out a new idea. I propose that we focus primarily on the water issue, and education relating to the benefits of clean water. I think that it might help us move forward if we narrow our focus. What do others think?

I think that is a good idea -- perhaps this thread could be used as a "general" thread, and then individual topics could be discussed on individual threads (perhaps reporting back here and/or asking for support WRT individual topics).

norbert said:

I think that is a good idea -- perhaps this thread could be used as a "general" thread, and then individual topics could be discussed on individual threads

I agree. I hope you don't mind, Phyllis, but I've just started one. Would you like to add to it?

David Bale said:

norbert said:

I think that is a good idea -- perhaps this thread could be used as a "general" thread, and then individual topics could be discussed on individual threads

I agree. I hope you don't mind, Phyllis, but I've just started one. Would you like to add to it?

David,

where is it? (there are still only 2 discussions here -- did you start a new discussion in another group?)

Norbert you can type faster than I can think. LOL!

I've just finished it and it is here:

The discussion thread on education related to the benefits of clean water

Now Norbert maybe you can take your magic and make tags or actually bring posts from the the first thread to the new one. For instance their was a great comment about educating people who get new wells on the benefits of clearn water or just having a well will not stop WDI...and other great comments.

Nancy, there are many ways to transport whatever you find interesting or whatever from the old thread to this one. The simplest one (using the omidyar.net software) is the "view only rated" option.

For example, to view only comments with a minimum feedback rating of 20 points, click on this link:

http://www.omidyar.net/group/wdi /news/0/?min_score=20

You can change the number after the "=" sign to include more or less comments.

That is the simplest method I can think of -- but it's not the only method.

However, I do not wish to start a long discussion here about "alternative" methods, so I'll just leave it at that. I hope that is helpful to you.

:) nmw

I got an email from Peace and Cooperation organization http://www.peaceandcooperation.o rg/english/index.html in Spain asking about Rural Health Group as LemonAid Fund is a funder. I think you all would be in a much better position to answer their questions than me.

Dear Nancy Peddle

I write from madrid-based NGO "Paz y Cooperacion" (peace and cooperation). We are trying to develop a parthership with Uganda NGO "Rural Health Care Foundation" to find a donor to one of their project. in order to do so, we really need a lot of information. I hope you can help us sending as much material (about the place, the foundation, their activities and so on) as you can.

you can write to: - PyC e-mail adress: pazycooperacion@hotmail.com

if you need some information about PyC, please have a look to its web-site: www.peaceandcooperation.org

sincerely Dr. Alessandro Bartoloni

I can take what you all right and e-mail him back. Thanks, Nancy

Thanks, Nancy. They also sent me an e-mail and I already responded. I am happy about that for RHCF.

Any solutions that anyone has run across that fit this defintion? -

"successful examples of individuals in developing countries pooling resources to provide a social service that provides unique benefits for those who created the program and contributes value to the overall community"

If so, could you also post them add to this discussion. Thanks!

I just thought this would be a good review.

Perhaps we could use the clip Marissa has posted as a basis for discussing some of the key ideas it contains. And how we might fomulate more clearly our own purpose as a group here in relation to these ideas.

Yes, such discussion -- perhaps also in tandem with building a workspace -- sounds like a very good idea.

I would like to make a plug here for two very good friends of mine who are building applications to help people WRT decisions and/or collaborative work -- namely: Ted Ernst and Brandon Sanders (see http://consensuspolling.org/ ).

I think it would be great if the WDI group could try out what Brandon and Ted are building. I do not know where that project is at the moment, but my gut feeling is that this is an opportunity for the WDI group.

Norbert pointed me here. Thanks for the plug! I have not read any of the prior discussion so have no idea what the group actually needs in terms of decision-making.

Current state: The process is a human one, not a technological one. We are not currently building technology to support the process, but it can be done on any wiki, including in o/net workspaces. It's been done on o/net before. I'd be happy to help you get it set up. Unfortunately I'm not able to shepard the process at this point. I could check in from time to time if needed.

I can also point you to a place where the process is being actively used right now, where they're attempting to make a big decision in a week or so.

I can also point you to a place where the process is being actively used right now, where they're attempting to make a big decision in a week or so.

Thanks, Ted. That might usefully illustrate the process to us.

Action and Updates on WDI - clean water for the world

I am happy to see that our water group is back on track in terms of positive communications regarding our cause. I also appreciate the research, consultations and creative brainstorms regarding our project. I highly encourage you all to review the Youtubes that Marissa posted. These are excellent summaries and good for us all to understand so we do not go in the direction of solutions that have consistently not worked in the past. We need to move forward with the solutions that will ensure that clean water gets to the people who need it.

Here is a summary of what we have done so far. Please add what else you have done so far for our project so we can value and acknowledge your actions.

1. A hard-working collaborative group - Linda, Willy, David, Phyllis and Liz - was jumpstarted in 2006 and the group worked diligently together to create a proposal for fund-raising for 5 "water NPOs" after much research. Thanks to Omidyar.Net our donated funds were matched to support these NPOs.
2. The Stop WDI team created a website StopWDI.Net thanks to Marissa who spent time and money for this. This is in the process of revision and updating. John Powers kindly created a wiki. The team collaborates with Nancy Peddle - Lemonaid Fund - who kindly served as fiscal agent for RHCF and Practical Action.
3. Doug Lark, Linda Nowakowski and Liz went to Uganda to help set up the first water purifier in the Mubende District. While in Mubende, the team immersed with the community liaisoning with both the formal and informal leaders of the community. We did side trips to do medical mission work with people with AIDS who were isolated and visited briefly with orphaned children of those who died from AIDS. The team met with the district head of the local government regarding the need for clean water and purifiers, and then also met up with the Ministry of Water in Kampala.
4. While in Gulu, Doug, Linda, Liz, Dickson did educational presentations on StopWDI addressing both problems and solutions for the first Omidyar.Net Conference in Uganda. We also did a needs assessment and visited with th IDP in Gulu. And after that more medical missions were done in Kampala at the Dick Medical Center seeing patients back to back.
5. During Marissa's reflective times, she worked hard learning to organize and edit videos and created YOUtubes to share and raise awareness about the the Uganda experience.
6. The team continued to research about different solutions and discussing what may be the best to pursue.
7. Phyllis tossed out the idea of creating her NPO. Phyllis can talk more about what she has in mind regarding this and is presently thinking more about a group to fund-raise rather than an NPO, at least for now.
8. Liz continued consistent communications and ongoing contact with the 3 NPOs to facilitate and cultivate their interconnectedness. And it is great to know that the three NPOs are collaborating quite well. A laptop was sent and donated to be under Dr. Ssenoga's care to help with further communications and utilizing online resources for the RHCF.
9. Marissa and Liz continue to actively network and raise awareness about our water project. There has been a borehole donor who contacted Liz and he is now also in contact with Dr. Ssenoga of RHCF. RHCF will be sending some of their own water technicians to Kabire to help with the borehole donation there.
10. Marissa researched and now has a new wiki for the "clean water for the world" cause and gathered more information for raising awareness and collaborations. She is hoping that this wiki will be used for those who want to collaborate on the action aspect of our work. She went ahead and created a powerpoint presentation which she will put in discs which will be given to those who need it and for them to copy it for others. People can revise, edit and update as they want. It is meant to be shared. Marissa created this because she wanted to have material to present to various groups here to recruit people to help uplift our cause.

Let me stop here for now as there are many more.

I also propose that we all start afresh as a team with a new name " Clean Water for the World". We need lots of positive energy and dedication to uplift our cause steadily. Thanks and love to all.

All I've done is to change the formatting a little. You can click on "edit" and change whatever you like.

same deal: just click edit:

Norbert, aren't you confusing what's good for workspaces with what's good for discussion threads.

Liz has done a great job in listing or summarising where the team has got to. That's a good use of a discussion thread. Working on developing some of these themes by editing and updating might be better done in workspaces when your re-formatting would work fine.

In fact, I would suggest, if you didn't mind, Norbert, that it would be better to copy your last post to a workspace and to delete your previous post altogether. In that way the continuity between Liz's 15 points would be preserved.

To follow up on Liz Ssenoga's request for educational materials-

"* How to live with clean water and protect it.

• How are Waterborne Diahorrial illnesses are caused.
• How are Waterborne Diahorrial illnesses prevented.
• What is clean water?"

This would be a presentation for the people to encourage them to drink the clean water. I suggested showing pictures of the bacteria in the water, what kind of disease it causes,and symptoms, etc. I've downloaded some pictures, and explanations from the WHO site- Liz Ssenoga liked the idea.

Some more thoughts. I believe that every great collaborative team grows and is organic. Some team members may now be more focused on other causes, some may be very busy with their own lives and some may be putting action to their creative ideas to educate and raise awareness. This is also a good time to consolidate a thread to re-group our team and solidify the momentum that this cause is taking. (Like the Canton and Mubende "Love Train" momentum which are actually connected as one).;)

I encourage us to all focus on one thread for now like we did when we started our team so we can meld our ideas. Too many threads are confusing people and somewhat difficult to follow. We can simplify. Then we can branch off to do tasks as needed. Thanks to all.