Last month I interviewed Siegfried Woldhek, the founder and CEO of NABUUR for the NetSquared Podcast. NABUUR was one of the Featured Projects at the NetSquared Conference in May 2007. You can read a transcript of the interview below, and hear NABUUR's 5-minute pitch at the Conference here.

Siegfried Woldhek: Hi, I'm Siegfried Woldhek, and I'm the founder and CEO of NABUUR. NABUUR is an old Dutch word that means "neighbor." And it's chosen, that name, because we can now act as neighbors in the global village and help each other out, as neighbors do if they live together in a physical place.

NABUUR makes it possible for villages all around the world to get direct help from people that live elsewhere, far away or nearby, to solve local problems through the Internet. And the strange thing is, the wonderful thing is, that it actually works.

Liveblogging from the social impact track of feedback session 2.

• feedback
  
  • Micha Sifry (Personal Democracy Forum, Sunlight Foundation)
  • Diana Scarce (Monitor Institute)
  • Alexandra Samuel (Social Signal)
• projects
  
  • Genocide Intervention Network
  • Nabuur
  • Global Women's Leadership Network
  • Social Source Commons
    

Hi, Evonne Heyning here liveblogging from the Tech Innovation room at N2Y2 for the last session of Tuesday's event.  During the break we had a great discussion on participation in these sessions; for those of us who are in the audience there have been many questions on the backchannel on how the audience can be more effective participants in this process.  Billy @ TechSoup and Jean ~NurtureGirl~ Russell had some great comments on ways that VCs, foundations, busiensses, nonprofits and technology gurus can come together to add value to these discussions.

Please note that we are liveblogging here; not every word is here but I'll get as much as possible along the way. 

I feel privileged to enjoy another NetSquared rollercoaster ride of fun for good! I'm joining Siegfried Woldhek of NABUUR, and together with our champions and cheerleaders Kristine Mucher and Michael Brown, we're looking forward to see you join the global neighbor network: a little bit of your time and talents can help change the lifes of many people!

And since the network is the message in this day and age... I'll be in San Francisco for a few more days (until the weekend), and to cite another source of inspiration, I'd love to meet friends I know and friends I haven't met yet. Saturday night is the designated party time... get in touch, 'cause I'm not sure yet where :-) (hey, you could get a free stay in the kewlest part of Amsterdam)

The weeks leading up to the NetSquared Conference went by in a second. It was just answering Billy's questions, and a few more questions, and a workshop with our Local Representatives from Uganda, Congo, Kenya, Uganda, Nepal en India, and a board meeting and now I am packing for California.
I can't tell you how much we're looking forward to the Conference. NABUUR needs your support to get to the next level.
Safe travel to you all and see you in a few days.

NABUUR is so excited and touched to be selected as one of the 21 featured projects! Not only because of the honour, but also because this means that developers, consulting firms, and other organizational supporters will help accelerate NABUUR to the next level. In other words, a tremendous and needed boost for the participating Local Communities and Neighbours. Thank you so much for giving your vote and confidence. We will work hard to make you proud.