Business Overview

Imagine paying $10 per month to light your home with a single kerosene lantern or cooking dinner on a campfire in your kitchen. Amazingly, over half the people in the world do not have access to safe and affordable products to meet their basic needs for these simple tasks like cooking meals, lighting homes, or purifying water. As a result, billions of people suffer from preventable illnesses, deplorable living conditions, and energy poverty. Surprisingly there are hundreds of affordable products that can safely meet people's daily needs, save people money, and conserve the environment. If these appropriate technologies exist then why are billons of people who live at the base of the economic pyramid not using these products? To address this problem, we have established PowerMundo, an innovative marketing, wholesale distribution, and micro-franchise company that connects people living in poverty to a network of sustainable resources. We manage a worldwide distribution network for clean technology products and support local economic development in emerging markets. As a result, we improve people’s lives, create employment opportunities, and conserve natural resources.

Initial Target Market

After reviewing eight Latin American markets (excluding Brazil), PowerMundo identified Peru as one of the largest underserved markets for appropriate technology. In Peru, 9.2 million people use traditional biomass cook stoves and 7.5 million Peruvian’s live without electricity. Worse yet, 20,000 Peruvians die each year due to respiratory infections. Similarly, the two leading causes of death for Peruvian children under the age of 5 (excluding newborns) are from pneumonia and diarrheal diseases. Many of these health problems are directly related to indoor air pollution and poor sanitation. To reverse these startling statistics, PowerMundo is targeting the most economically disadvantaged areas of Peru where millions of people lack access to affordable appropriate technology solutions. Following our success in Peru, we will scale up our operations to reach other Latin American markets and other underserved areas of the globe.

 AfriAfya, North America,a 501 (c) 3 was established to leverage an innovative approach for knowledge management of community driven health and development through Information Communication Technologies (ICT’s). We wish to raise funds to explore the impact and logistics of a community Smartphone library to benefit marginalized post conflict countries in eastern Africa. Helping communities gain access to needed Health and Development information.

Most North Americans don’t realize that more lives will be saved in eastern Africa in the next ten years by effective use of Information Communication Technology (ICTs) disseminating health and development knowledge we already have than by laboratory or medical research. This may not be true in the rest of the world, but it is in rural post conflict eastern Africa.

In the most marginalized and conflict ridden places in the world, the biggest barriers to Community Health and Development are lack of knowledge and a shared community distrust of outside knowledge. We know how to reduce the risk of infectious disease but in many cases Health Knowledge disseminated by Health Workers from outside the community is misinterpreted or rejected.  And so, outside Health Workers distribute treated mosquito netting which is then used for fishing or wedding veils.

We believe social change will come as a result of communities using knowledge because they have been part of the generation process and will feel ownership of the content and the technology by which it is delivered. It is the our responsibility to raise the funds necessary to bring this basic health and development information to those how need it most in post conflict eastern Africa.

By partnering with global consumer electronics companies we can more effectively create a self-sustaining lending program for mobile technology and health and development content. We have already been working closely with the largest global consumer and media research companies in order to develop effective program evaluation studies. Such research will be critical to demonstrate the value of large scale deployment to our consumer electronics partners. 

We are applying for this grant in order to create the structure necessary to 1) raise funds to implement this program and 2) to establish additional corporate partnerships in the consumer electronics field in order to assist in the technology needs of the program.

In the first phase, we wish to raise funds to conduct a pilot which explores the impact and logistics of a community Smartphone library for easier access to needed Health and Development information. Information dissemination and improved health and literacy through the successful lending and return of mobile technology are our measure of success in the first year. 

In the second year, we want to focus on building self sustainability in the program. If community members begin to improve health and create businesses based on mobile technology – such as market price or availability services, our ability to scale this program to national or even global is greatly facilitated. Sustainability, improved health statistics and micro business development are the measures of success in the second year.

Year three, having demonstrated the value of the program to community health, literacy, and micro business development, we will seek to raise investments from social investors and companies to develop a global mobile library system for the worlds marginalized population.

Cell phone usage has become a key part of Egyptian society, with an estimated 45 million mobile phone subscribers in Egypt and almost one million new subscribers added every month.  World Education, Inc. (WEI), an international leader in the design and use of non-formal education with eight years of experience in adult literacy, launched a small mobile phone pilot program that targets adult literacy in Cairo.  This 2007 pilot has shown that the use of mobile phones is a strong motivator for  women who sign up, continue attending classes, and remain in class long enough to pass the final literacy exam.  By mastering simple mobile phone skills such as using contact lists, text messaging, and calculations, learners do not need to rely on spouses, relatives, or friends to phone for them.  Building upon this successful pilot, WEI proposes the “Message Sent” project to use mobile phones to accelerate adult literacy learning.  This project will both develop tested mobile phone curricula for active learning of Arabic language and arithmetic in literacy classes and train adult literacy teachers in its use.  The project is designed with four main components: 1) learning how to use a cell phone; 2) learning the Arabic alphabet; 3) gaining a functional 300 word vocabulary; and 4) acquiring numeracy skills.   In the classroom, students will first learn how to use and read a cell phone, with respect to saving numbers, placing calls and accessing text messages.  They will then be introduced to the Arabic alphabet and numbers through the use of the keypad and tested curricula.  This learning will be built upon with the introduction of 300 vocabulary words relevant to cell phones, including text messaging, saving numbers and using mobile applications, like the calculator.  Finally, dialing numbers and calculator usage will be incorporated as important numeracy learning tools. The repetitive nature of cell phone use and very functional application of cell phone features can increase and ensure literacy retention.  Moreover, the high desire for cell phones as a cultural status symbol increases the drive for students to enroll in courses and retain literacy skills.  The “Message Sent” project is designed both to provide basic cell phone literacy and act as a launching pad for larger literacy efforts in Egypt, particularly among the illiterate female populations. 

 
The CV2399 is a interactive application and website. It is a online log of one's agenda in real time.The website would be very simple.Log on, input the pertinent information.Example:The time, the identification of the person or people that you will be with, tags of the vehicles, make and model of the car, your dates lic number ,first and last name, phone number,cell number, your destination and time that you would be expected to return.If the logger fails to check into the site at a specific time that they noted. The information would be forwarded to contact reference they listed at registration.Unlike any other web site or mobile application.CV2399 gives the emergency contact the who,where, when and why.The idea of having some security in real time, meaning the here and now would keep all parties some what up to par. If they knew they would have to answer up to any foul play. All you need is a software architect who can take the goals and turn that into a functional spec for the site. This would include specs for the framework, back-end data, user interfaces, and messaging. This service would be an overnight International success. No one has done this. This will provide some security for the cyber dater,international traveler ,the student off to the university.The CV2399 can also be incorporated into the office.The corporation that has a large outside sales team. That needs some type of online time management.The target market for endorsements would be sites like My Space and all dating service/chat line, travel agency's,Craig's list,IPhone any or all cell phone manufactures.Proof of creation below
Arthur: Cynthia Dimaria
Intended Outlet:Intellectual property/Online Application
Your CV Number :CV2399
Date and Time :12/13/2008 2:58:53 PM Author Name:cynthia dimaria 
Your IP Address During Registration:66.214.40.208 
Project Title:check point or Safety Net aka Cyber Chaperon CopyRight©2009
Material Form:Concept 
 
 This idea is all about the safety of Generation Text ™( in real time).The target market has no boundaries or territories.The target market blogs,banks,shops,crowd sources ideas,post,text,sms,uploads videos,goes to class,files government reports,pays utilities,meets,dates,chats,sends emails,instant messages.They have their life on public display for the whole world to view. You Tube ,Face Book,My Space.The WWW is a place to  share and show avatars, user names, profiles, hot pictures and videos.A simulated world where one will find dot com sites like E-HARMONY,ADULT FRIEND FINDERS,ALT,MATCH,SUGAR DADDY. These sites are a smorgasbords for anyone and everyone.The Internet is a eclectic potpourri of information from hacking passwords to no deposit casinos.You can enjoy a auction in England while watching a download of AB FAB(shared of course).)In regards to my site the logger calls the shots.If a person has poor intentions they will realize fast,that they will be accountable for any foul play.The marketing is going to make this idea cool .This application has unlimited capabilities it is off the hook and on the fly.Boom its all over the web from forums to chat rooms in seconds.The date and chat lines should  have a form of security for memberships.The tourist would like their family to know their agenda while they visit and travel abroad.The boss wants to see his staff make money and learn some quality control.Time management is a key factor of revenue.Safe date sites  will increase memberships (more revenue)Tourist that come home safe will book again.Travel agencies ,local merchants and restaurants will see happy customers that tip more.The general population will give you their information if you can show a cause or if you can show their friends are doing it.....The mean  ratio of online users  for my application has no  age and no demographic limits.I want this service to be free to general population . I don't like compromising situations without a SAFETY NET or 411.The revenue will come from advertisements . We are a safety site and the first of its kind. I see media attention world wide with the right PR team.Below is a situation that is extreme. Tom Hawks, a 57-year-old retired probation officer let his guard down.It was probably the only time in his life.He gave his personal and professional time to make this world a safer place.He was honest and good.He and his wife were put in a compromising situation.What if he would of said to the three now convicted killers .I need proper idea from each of you. I need tags and vin numbers from each of you.Now watch me log this in my cell phone.Your information will be forwarded to a emergency contact if I am not back at a specific given time.I think at least one of these cold blooded murders would of backed away from the premeditated crime.Things might have been different.At least the victims would of had something on their side.Story below.

 NEWPORT BEACH Police have arrested two more men in the murder of a retired Arizona couple who disappeared while taking prospective buyers of their yacht for a test cruise, authorities said Friday.

 Myron S. Gardner, 41, and Alonso Machain, 21, will be charged in connection with the murder of Tom and Jackie Hawks along with the third suspect, Skylar J. Deleon, who was already in custody, Newport Beach Police Department Sgt. Steve Shulman said at a news conference.

 The three men were scheduled to be arraigned later Friday.
 Machain was arrested on two counts of accessory to commit murder. Gardner was arrested for investigation of two counts of conspiracy to commit murder.

All three men will be charged with two counts of murder with special circumstances, which would make them eligible for the death penalty, Shulman said."We have not located the bodies of the Hawks and will not speculate where they are," he said.

 Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has not announced whether he will seek the death penalty in the case.

 There has been no trace of Tom Hawks, a 57-year-old retired probation officer, and his wife, Jackie, 47, since mid-November, when they sold the cabin cruiser they lived on to Deleon and his wife, Jennifer.
 Ryan Hawks, the older of the couple's two sons, said he was gratified to see developments in the case.
 "I want justice. I want the truth," said Hawks of San Diego. "I want my parents name redeemed in a big way."

 The couple had lived on their boat for about two years and decided to sell it so they could buy a smaller craft and a house in Mexico, Hawks said.
"I know that wherever they are, they are together," he said. "I guess I'm grateful for that."

Gardner, an electrician from Long Beach, was arrested Thursday. Machain, from the Los Angeles area, was arrested Wednesday.
 Deleon, 25, claims he bought the Hawks' 55-foot cabin cruiser, the "Well Deserved," for about $400,000 in cash. Machain told investigators that he was present during the sale of the boat but later recanted the statement, Shulman said.

Authorities did not provide details of Gardner's alleged role.

 Last week, Deputy District Attorney Matt Murphy announced that Deleon was a suspect in the murder of the retired couple from Prescott, Ariz. and another unsolved murder from 2003.
 Deleon, a former electrician and child actor, is the father of two young children and has a previous conviction for burglary.

 "Machain helped Deleon cover the couple's eyes and mouths with duct tape as Jackie Hawks cried, saying she didn't want to die and that she wanted to see her new grandchild. The Hawkses were then taken up to the main cabin one at a time to sign and fingerprint title transfer documents. Jackie Hawks was told that if she cooperated she would be released. "She was shaking uncontrollably," Machain recalled. When it was her husband's turn, Deleon told him that if he tried anything funny he would be struck with a Magnum flashlight. Thomas Hawks responded that he wouldn't try anything, according to Machain.

Once upon a time, we all knew our neighbors.

We knew Daisy, the golden retriever addicted to soggy tennis balls. We knew the saggy sofa in the den, stained by one too many Strawberry Jello spills by the kids. We knew the noise of the lawnmower, the squeek of the garage door or the buzz of the doorbell. We knew just when we'd hear footsteps slogging up the stairway or when the elevator would ping open.

Now. in all too many cases, we only see 'neighborhood' on Sunday nights via Desperate Housewives or via Big Brother.

One of the best things about knowing your neighbors was knowing things like which house has the twins with chicken pox . . . which street has a couple of persistent gushers bubbling up . . . who has been 'down' with the flu or fighting breast cancer . . what new building/development is going on . . is that creek still flowing or drying up . . .

If we all still had BLOCK PARTIES, yes, that remnant of the 50's or 60's or whatever Leave It To Beaver era in which those organic mob-projects occurred, maybe we would have enough information to protect us and each other.

Yes, there are a wide variety of domestic and international public health/service agencies that track disease, safety issues, environmental trends, etc. But there are certainly legions of examples of why perhaps even the most ethical of public or corporate organizations seldom tell the whole or even the most realistic stories.

Which is why we must tap into the power of citizen journalism . . . or Neighbor-Sourcing to complete a realistic picture of health trends of all kinds, from traditional health care issues (including insurance) to environmental and safety. By harvesting glocallogy tools such as mapping, crowdsourcing and even crowdfunding, we may be able to act more quickly on trends, problems -- or opportunities -- as they occur. We need not wait for the government to announce issues long after it is too late to do something.

Our country is facing the Iraq War, the War on Terror, the Drug War, environmental policies, support for Africa, education, and health.

Our congressional representatives are supposed to represent our interest, but are under increasing pressure from lobbyist, corporations, and big money. 

Govit is a website that is inspired to help balance the power, and get your voice heard on the issues.

•  On Govit you can learn about popular legislation, and discuss it
• Vote on legislation and have your vote sent instantly to your representatives
• Compare your votes to your representative and other members
• Connect with other members and rally support for issues

The Community Living Connection (CLiC) addresses the need for accessible day program services for people living with brain injuries in rural areas.  Through both web-based and person-to-person interaction, this high tech - high touch approach to improving independent functioning of survivors of brain injury focuses directly on building cognitive, social, and vocational skill sets that increase quality of life and facilitate greater participation in the home and community environments.

CLiC will address through computer and assistive technology, the challenges inherent in delivering comprehensive brain injury rehabilitation in a rural environment where geography and distance have traditionally limited access.

Our first step is a pilot program to provide computers, internet connection and program facilitation to allow group interaction with web conferencing ability.

Under the direction of the online facilitator, the program will provide structured rehabilitation services such as cognitive rehabilitation, social opportunities, structured goal setting, discussions, education, vocational skills, and to plan for meeting times for participation in community activities.

A full copy of our concept paper is available upon request to:

adminassist@jasonfoundation.org

Our goal is to establish not-for-profit status and a fully interactive social networking platform that users can utilize in identifying, documenting and presenting troubled areas in need of cleanup or habitats in need of restoration.  Additionally, users can creat, organize and manage local clean-up and restoration projects and campaigns.

It works by logging when a phone’s charge is interrupted. So you purchase a cheap phone, give it a sim with a few shillings credit and then plug it into an outlet at your home or office. When the power goes out, or when it comes back (if you're away) it sends a message telling you exactly when the power has come on or gone off.  OhmSMS offers trending as well, so the user can see relations between outages.  Ex. if Wedensdays are particulary bad, you know not to buy a whole lot of perishables on Tuesday.

I believe that we can all benefit from learning how to cook and eat consciously. If you have a healthy recipe, please post it in the comments. We want to empower people to eat healthier and lower the rate of obesity in the U.S. We plan to publish and sell an e-cookbook if there is enough interest. Ingrid and the Holistic Health Club Team at http://yoga.meetup.com/552/