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What is the name of the organization you work for ?

I currently work for the University of the South Pacific (no link, slashdot would kill it).

Most of the ICT4D stuff I did was through VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas). They tend to prefer people with solid industry experience and who have some exposure to cultures other than their own. They recruit throughout Europe, North America and in Kenya, Uganda, India and the Phillippines. In Canada, they recently amalgamated with CUSO. They work in dozens of countries the world over.

There are a ton of organisations seeking talented professionals to do this kind of work. It takes a little time to find the right combination, and some volunteering work is almost always required before you can start contracting your services professionally.

A few good places to start looking:

• The Grameen Foundation - Founded by Nobel Laureate Mohammed Yunus, this micro-finance group does fascinating IT-based work throughout the developing world. Very high standards.
• VSO - One of the best volunteering organisations, in my opinion. They require strong professional skills and experience, and typically provide good in-country support (YMMV from country to country).
• GeekCorps - Founded by Dot Com millionaire Ethan Zuckerman, this group is focused on answering the question of what comes after we've established the basics (e.g. roads, power and water). Interesting work and interesting people.

You give up a lot to do this kind of work, and you need to remember that it's never about you - it's about the people you're working with. But once you stop worrying about career and how to pay for your next Xbox, you'll find the rewards are tremendous.

For my part, just seeing the look in people's eyes when I show them what the Internet can do is enough. Watching them take your work in directions you could never have foreseen is enlightening and humbling. I wouldn't trade this life for the world.

My company is starting to sponsor 1 to 6 months paid breaks to do your regular work for NGO non-profits. For me that would be IT work. Normally if I donate labor it would be habitat for humanity as a worker drone. But do they or others need volunteer IT support?

GeekCorps, my friend. See the world and make yourself useful. In fact, it would make sense to have your company talk to Geekcorps and to organise staff in groups to collaborate on a given project, in order to ensure continuity and ongoing support.

Anyway, they do good work.

Something like Geekcorp would be a great place to look for opportunities.

The fact remains that OLPCNews has not been forthcoming with disclosing the connection between Intel and the blog founder. Burying the association between Intel in obscure link trails that first lead off-site, and then back onsite to a post in a comment section is hardly full disclosure of the fact that Wayan Vota, the founder of the OLPCNews blog was not just "an employee" of Geekcorps, he was the Director.

Here's a quick summary of Geekcorps -- IESC Geekcorps, a $10.5 million portfolio of technology-focused international development programs operating in nine countries, for the International Executive Service Corps. And, "Geekcorps has partnered with Intel Emerging Markets Group in Intels Discover the PC initiative focused on delivering products and technologies that are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of people in emerging markets."

Geekcorps (with Wayan as the Director) was promoting the Intel Classmate PC to developing countries at the same time that Wayan was operating the ostensibly independent "OLPCNews" blog. The Intel Classmate PC is a competitor to the OLPC XO device, and Intel has been accused of using it's market presence to undermine the efforts and goals of the OLPC foundation. The manner in which this association has been hidden may give new meaning to the term, "security through obscurity."

Really? Someone should tell him (from the linked article): "So I wonder if anyone realizes this post is a year old? As in Jan 2007. It was a sad conspiracy theory back then: http://www.bbwindow.com/2006/america/blogging_big_leagues.html And now that I no longer work for Geekcorps, even more out of date and out of touch: http://www.geekcorps.org/2007/09/geekcorps-says-goodbye-to-waya/ Posted-by: Wayan | 12 Jan 2008 17:38:11"

Geekcorps has partnered with Intel Emerging Markets Group in Intel's "Discover the PC" initiative focused on delivering products and technologies that are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of people in emerging markets.
http://www.geekcorps.org/partners/

Still confused?

I'm still confused. According to Geekcorp, Wayan left in Sept 2007. http://www.geekcorps.org/2007/09/geekcorps-says-goodbye-to-waya/

And when I look at the Geekcorps website, I don't see anything about Geekcorp working on any project with Intel: http://www.geekcorps.org/category/programs/

I'm still confused. According to Geekcorp, Wayan left in Sept 2007. http://www.geekcorps.org/2007/09/geekcorps-says-goodbye-to-waya/

And when I look at the Geekcorps website, I don't see anything about Geekcorp working on any project with Intel: http://www.geekcorps.org/category/programs/

Okay, after being forced to dive into the sources by lousy reporting, here is the story:

Christopher Blizzard has posted to his blog that Wayan Vota, a main writer for OLPC news is the director of Geekcorps. That Wayan Vota writes for OLPC news is not a secret (his name is on every post). And a Google search for "Wayan Vota" turns up the Geekcorps result as its third hit.

Now, on Geekcorps' website, of one their technology partners is listed as Intel.

I don't know about you, but that's enough to convince me that the black helicopters are involved! What a conspiracy.

BTW, is this the Digg effect? I notice more and more looney conspiracy stories over there all the time. Maybe it's spreading.

What kind of opportunities are there in organisations like this for someone with Economics and CS degrees and quite a bit of corporate IT experience?

GeekCorps, VSO and CUSO (if you're Canadian) all have pretty good opportunities for IT volunteers. (VSO Canada accepts applications from permament residents of the US and Canada.)

GeekCorps for tech help, Kiva for $$.

http://www.geekcorps.org/
http://www.kiva.org/

"I wrote to them asking where I could send $100 to sponsor the creation of the laptop.. I was automailed a response."

While you're waiting, why not consider supporting other IT-related work that's changing lives in the developing world? Take a look at the GeekCorps, a volunteer sending agency that specialises in short-term volunteer work in the developing world. I find their Mali Project, where they're building a nationwide wireless network for peanuts, especially interesting. I'm on their mailing list, and if I weren't already doing the same kind of work in another part of the developing world, I'd be working for them.

Or you could do what I'm doing and spend a couple of years working as a VSO volunteer. VSO Canada recruits across North America, and VSO international recruits throughout the EU. If you're tied down by other commitments and don't have a couple of years to devote to development, you could think about a short-term stint with BESO, which provides tactical assistance with business and technology skills development.

Young Canadians with nominal IT experience can give a hand too, through the NetCorps programme, operated by the government of Canada through VSO Canada and CUSO. I've worked with a few of them, and they all love what they're doing.

I can say from experience that this kind of work does save lives, and it's incredibly gratifying. In fact, I like the work so much I've extended my contract for an extra two years, and I've decided on a career in international development.

"I wrote to them asking where I could send $100 to sponsor the creation of the laptop.. I was automailed a response."

While you're waiting, why not consider supporting other IT-related work that's changing lives in the developing world? Take a look at the GeekCorps, a volunteer sending agency that specialises in short-term volunteer work in the developing world. I find their Mali Project, where they're building a nationwide wireless network for peanuts, especially interesting. I'm on their mailing list, and if I weren't already doing the same kind of work in another part of the developing world, I'd be working for them.

Or you could do what I'm doing and spend a couple of years working as a VSO volunteer. VSO Canada recruits across North America, and VSO international recruits throughout the EU. If you're tied down by other commitments and don't have a couple of years to devote to development, you could think about a short-term stint with BESO, which provides tactical assistance with business and technology skills development.

Young Canadians with nominal IT experience can give a hand too, through the NetCorps programme, operated by the government of Canada through VSO Canada and CUSO. I've worked with a few of them, and they all love what they're doing.

I can say from experience that this kind of work does save lives, and it's incredibly gratifying. In fact, I like the work so much I've extended my contract for an extra two years, and I've decided on a career in international development.

"is useless without training and mentors."

There is http://www.geekcorps.org/ and maybe an other few, and I am sure if they need training these guys (or others) will recruit some ...

I am actually considering signing up with them, not for the salary for sure (as it is like cost of living) but to do something GOOD ..

I do not know where they are going to put these first, but I am sure some Costa Rican (where I live) schools could use a few here, or just over the border in Panama or Nicaragua ...

I mean if they need people I would improve my spanish a bit and read the manual twice than explain it to a few teachers (if needed with the help of a translator). Damn I would do it just to travel a bit....

Most cell phones are not really sub-$100 devices. Their true cost of a web-enabled phone is often well over $100, but the true cost is hidden somewhere in the 1 to 2 year contract with the provider.

Well, this isn't a sub-$100 device, either, really.

The $100 price point for this device is based on unrealistic volume assumptions, in my opinion -- Ethan notes that it'll likely start off at $130 to $150 'not including any distribution costs, marketing, or any digital content that comes pre-installed on the box' assuming 5 countries sign up for a million laptops each.

IMO those are pretty optimistic prices. Having worked on a low-cost laptop-like device in the past, in our experience we found that the normal fluctuations of the component market can cause the price point to swing wildly.

Having said that, I wish them luck! Being Irish, I can tell you that adoption of high tech really can bring major benefits to a society...

BTW the worldchanging link seems slashdotted -- try Ethan's weblog post here: http://www.ethanzuckerman.com/blog/?p=241 . (and subscribe to his weblog while you're at it -- he regularly posts excellent insights into the meeting point of tech and the developing world. strongly recommended.)

Hell, here's the weblog post to mirror it...

'I took a day off from this years Pop!Tech conference to hang out with some friends in Portland. But before driving from Camden to Portland, I dropped into the Opera House to check email and bumped into Nicholas Negroponte, whod given a talk the day before on his work to produce a laptop that costs less than a hundred dollars.

Negroponte was an advisor to Geekcorps and was extremely helpful to me as we figured out whether the organization would be supported by corporate sponsorship, foundations or government largesse. So he knows about my long-standing interest in technology in the developing world. He asked whether I was interested in coming over to the lab and seeing a demo of the machine, and talking about strategies for deployment.

Hell yeah.

The demo was yesterday afternoon, and while it didnt include a functioning prototype, I learned a great deal more about machine than I have from previous articles, or Negropontes talk at Pop!Tech. He was able to answer a whole set of questions for me, and raise an entire set of new ones, which, I suspect, will take a number of years to answer accurately.

First, the name. Id been calling the project the sub-hundred dollar laptop the acronym of which is the unfortunate SHiL. Negropontes now calling the project OLPC - One Laptop Per Child. It does a better job of defining the project, I think - not taking the bottom out of the consumer laptop market, but providing a learning tool for students around the world.

On to the machine. While the actual prototype is being actively banged on (in preparation for a live, but tethered, demo at WSIS on November 16th), Negroponte keeps a cardboard mockup of the machine on the conference table in his office. Its a clever little thing - I had a hard time putting it down after picking it up. You can see a design close to the prototype I saw on the front page of Design Continuums site - theyre evidently doing the case design for the machine and, actually, pretty far from the design reported on in the AP story about the project.

The mockup I saw was about the size of a large paperback book. Theres a stiff rubber gasket around the edge of the machine, which can double as a stand. The keyboard on the

You guys are just too spoiled. :)

Take a look at what the hardworking boys and girls at GeekCorps are doing and put your skilz where your mouth is!

Geekcorps Mali Heat Sink Contest [top]

3/1/2005 - 6/1/2005 | contest-at-mali.geekcorps.org | Link
Geekcorps Mali has a problem, a hot problem. We are installing computers in many community radio stations across Mali, West Africa home of the famous Timbuktu and the Sahara Desert, and as you might imagine, it's hot.
http://www.geekcorps.org/default.asp?l1i=2&l2i=119 &l3i=453#453
http://www.geekcorps.org

You guys are just too spoiled. :)

Take a look at what the hardworking boys and girls at GeekCorps are doing and put your skilz where your mouth is!

Geekcorps Mali Heat Sink Contest [top]

3/1/2005 - 6/1/2005 | contest-at-mali.geekcorps.org | Link
Geekcorps Mali has a problem, a hot problem. We are installing computers in many community radio stations across Mali, West Africa home of the famous Timbuktu and the Sahara Desert, and as you might imagine, it's hot.
http://www.geekcorps.org/default.asp?l1i=2&l2i=119 &l3i=453#453
http://www.geekcorps.org

I'm currently working for Geekcorps Mali. So I can say they're authentic :) You could donate to Geekcorps (sorry for the asp link, here in Mali proprietary software users are put away in the basement, and we're even developing a free software distro, Kunnafonix...). I'm also setting up a side project: getting more resources in Mali's most spoken language, Bambara. So I came up with the idea to kick start the Bambara Wikipedia, with the help of gadgets you geeks forgot about long time ago (one month ago when you bought your new iPod..) See http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Bambara_Wikipedia_L aunch_Competition (hopefully online right now :)

I'm currently working for Geekcorps Mali. So I can say they're authentic :) You could donate to Geekcorps (sorry for the asp link, here in Mali proprietary software users are put away in the basement, and we're even developing a free software distro, Kunnafonix...). I'm also setting up a side project: getting more resources in Mali's most spoken language, Bambara. So I came up with the idea to kick start the Bambara Wikipedia, with the help of gadgets you geeks forgot about long time ago (one month ago when you bought your new iPod..) See http://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Bambara_Wikipedia_L aunch_Competition (hopefully online right now :)

The only place I've heard of doing this on a large scale is Geekcorps http://www.geekcorps.org/. However serveral users groups (mainly Linux Users Groups) do perform some charity related work.

Maybe get in touch with Geek Corps. They've got a parallel mission and maybe they've delt with this sort of thing.

Alex.

I think you should do something different than just entering college. Like volunteering with the Geek Corps or joining the army for a year or whatever.

I am not a religious person, but I found that religious people that went on a mission for a year or two came back completely changed for the better. So you should do something similar.

The point about college is not so much that it requires extreme intelligence. They make you do all kinds of stupid shit, and if what you said is true the most important thing you will need is discipline.

I learned this the hard way. I am also very intelligent, yet I dropped out of college before finishing my master in physics because I just could not stand it anymore after 15 continuous years of school.

If I had done something different before entering college it would be something completely different. One year of real life experience is worth more than 10 years of school, IMHO. After 15 years of school/high school/college, I was a lonely, constantly depressed alcoholic.

Now after a few years of real life I got a very beautiful girlfriend, a well-paying and interesting job, and my life is really good. I wish I had finished college, but with the self confidence I gained it should not be such a big problem should I decide to try it again.

Of course, Geek Corps have been trying to promote IT development in parts of Africa for several years. I don't think they've gone to Ethiopia, but they have certainly been busy elsewhere.

For such non-profit organizations, Linux and OSS provide a very nice platform.

Note: Geek Corps was founded by a good friend of mine.

-John.

Self Serving Sig: Steampunk | Carbs Rule! | Angela Walker Jewelry

While I admire the fact that you want to go help out the third world (and specifically a university - has the potential for lots of great things there), I think this is one of those things were you need to go through every single part of your plan with a fine toothed comb.

While I've never been to Uganda myself, I did work for the Zambian government for a number of months setting up an IT department at one of their agencies (I've posted to slash about it in the past, feel free to ask specifics though).

A few things to consider:

• DSL is quite likely out of the price range of the university. Where I was working in Lusaka, DSL lines went for $1000USD/month. The best you could do for any reasonable price was ISDN-ish microwave connections and the like. You wouldn't believe the lag.
• The power supply ain't what it is in North America (even with deregulation) - every computer/station will likely have to be connected to a UPS, and these will likely need to be purchased as (I would imagine), they're difficult to get donated.
• What is going to happen when things go wrong - will they have the expertise to fix it, or will the computers just sit there dead? You can't take for granted that they'll be bale to hop onto google and find out what's causing problem x or to get solution y. As much as I think OSS could be great for developing nations, from what I've seen the majority of people who are proposing that they switch over to Linux/OpenOffice/etc.. haven't got any real experience in the third world (much less IT experience). The majority of population in these places haven't had technology permeate their societies the way we have in North America and are consequently much further down the learning curve.

Now all that being said, I don't want to dissuade you from your plan. I just suggest that you talk with people 'in the know.' I'm sure that the good fellows at GeekCorps or TakingITGlobal could point you in the right direction. Good luck!

Having worked with a wide variety of USAF systems, and a somewhat smaller variety of Navy systems, I'm not sure that there's any reason to believe one service has a wider variety of systems than another. (Disclaimer: I wasn't a techie at the time, I was a medic, so I wasn't paying any more than an interested layman's attention to the details.) I'm also not at all sure that either looks better on a resume than the other -- both the AF and the Navy have pretty high-tech reputations. (Army and Marines might be harder to convince people, which really isn't fair, but ...) In any case, yes, the service -- any branch -- will give you all kinds of travel opportunities, some you've never even had nightmares about. Trust me on this.

An interesting kind of step in the opposite direction, especially if you've got a bit of a talent for fundraising, is geekcorps. Actually, in some ways, it's probably pretty similar to being in the service: in a matter of a day or so, you could find yourself whisked away from 21st c. America to someplace just out of the stone age, and you've got to deal with it. But the mission's rather different.

I haven't done it yet, but I am interested in doing it sometime perhaps a few years from now. The stipend is minimal, but you will get to see a part of the world you normally wouldn't.

It will give you an appreciation for the opportunities you have here in this country. You will have a much better perspective on the world and it will make you a better person for it. You will suddenly stop caring so much about having the latest video game system and start volunteering your time and donating to charities. The words "digital divide" take on a whole new meaning...

• GeekCorps for international stuff
• TechCorps for American stuff (maybe just California, I don't remember)
• VolunteerMatch to find all volunteer opportunities around the world, some even virtual over the Internet

Second, figure out what you do best (it sounds like hardware) and find existing local organizations so you can meet like minded people in your area and share ideas/resources. If you don't have anyone doing similar things in your area, check out geekcorps, or ask your local chamber of commerce/rotary club/county outreach program for information about what you can do to help.

Lastly, you should join up with exisiting similar programs if possible. Chances are they've got a lot of the ground work laid already, you'll get to meet and network with people who are trying to help the same way you are, and besides, there's no use re-inventing the wheel.

NGP Software

that said they're looking for programming interns to build a database for Democrats who want to fundraise. Mostly when I hear about tech help needed from anyone doing something social or political, it's pretty small-scale stuff, but these guys look like a big, interesting operation. I assume there are similar orgs. serving other major political parties.

Also, Geekcorps has always looked like a great bunch, if you want to go overseas.

Finally, you mentioned libraries. I volunteered for quite a while just training people to use computers & the internet a few years back. Libraries may be more willing to accept volunteer labor to run community education classes than for stuff like wiring, because the education volunteers aren't giving something with an on-going support cost.

Or, you could always do what I did...decide that programming just doesn't offer the opportunities for volunteer work that you want from your career, and then go to law school (law school being the absolute least pleasant experience under the sun, AFAICT) ;-).

Good Luck.

Slate had a travel diary by a GeekCorps guy in Mongolia- seems they have a similar policy. IMO, a lot of third world countries have fairly unimaginative beauracracies..
He says (and I quote) "what's going wrong with Mongolia's Internet policy. Here's an example: In most parts of the world, the 2.4 ghz portion of the radio spectrum is set aside for unlicensed use by low-power, short-range devices--like Wi-Fi (aka 802.11b) wireless Internet cards and cordless telephones--without government permission. The result has been an astounding explosion in the deployment of wireless Internet connections, from home networks to the T-Mobile hotspot at each of the 17 Starbucks on your block. In Mongolia, however, the regulatory authority has ruled that companies and users must obtain official licenses (and pay costly licensing fees) to use the 2.4 ghz range for any purpose. Even to set up a wireless home network requires government permission and the payment of fees. This policy can best be described as bonkers."

I'd say the more informed and educated your populace is, the better chance you have of having a stable and productive society. The more stable and productive a society, the less chance of extreme groups gaining popularity and sponsoring terrorism.

One way that people become informed and educated is through the Internet. To access the Internet, it takes hardware, software and bandwith. One of these things can be gotten for free; the others become cheaper on a regular basis.

Check out Geek Corps for an example of a group that is taking this theory and running with it. They are trying to bring the Internet to the citizens of the world. I think it's a noble cause. People often argue "give them food, water, etc", and of course they are right. But in the long term you need an educated populace that can be informed about the world about them to have a stable society and to make informed decisions when participating in their country's political processes. In the long run I think "free software" == "real freedom" for places that have oppressive governments.

(I speak only for myself, as always.)

I was a volunteer in 2000 for GeekCorps. And I can affirm most of what this guy was talking about is true. My job was to teach one guy how to code in Perl or PHP in 3 months. No problem, right? Heh.

For one thing the educational system in Ghana is completely based on rhote memorization. In programming you never see the exact same thing twice. Oh, you might see something similar, but never the exact same thing. Well, my Ghanian counterpart would sit there in front of a problem and just blindly try to apply the last thing I taught him. It took a lot of drawn out silences and lots of me sitting on my hands to get him to be a beginner programmer. But this was a success story, a year later he got into an American university for CS. And this year competed in an ACM contest. Wow.

Other things that the article doesn't really go into are aspects of doing business w/o contract law, not getting paid for 4 months, and often work only comes if you're aligned with the political party in vogue at the moment.

And getting a straight business plan or a requirements document out of Ghanians is impossible. These people want to do video conferencing via 14.4k modem, real-time purchases w/o credit cards, and door-to-door shipping when no place has a street address.

but don't get me wrong, best 4 months I ever spent. I'd go back in a second.

If you want to know more about it, check out: Geekhalla.org.

-j

Geeks should definitely get involved and they should do it through GeekCorps since that works through the PeaceCorps and international organizations.

The best answer is in an article I wrote, available here: More than one way to make a difference

You can also find more info about my Peace Corps experience here: Two Years, Two Months

The requirements you listed are spot-on. Note that if you don't have knowledge of Spanish or French, having a science or engineering degree can do just as much to help get you in to the Peace Corps. (Most applicants are liberal arts majors without any technical skills that the Peace Corps needs.)

I could see 3 or 4 months, but 2 years of my life to be a volunteer?

Two years is nothing -- a small fraction of your normal life span -- especially when you consider the impact those two years could have on your life. Think about it: What would you do with those two years in the U.S.? Work a nine-to-five job so you can buy that new computer and a big screen TV? I'd prefer to spend the time traveling the world, making friends, learning a new language, and discovering places I've only seen in National Geographic. But that's just me. If you can only commit three months, try the GeekCorps.

• Geek Corps for doing volunteer IT work in needy countries
• Tech Corps for volunteer IT work for American K-12 schools

Thanks to Slashdot posters for having shown me these links in past discussions! :)

Sounds like a concept similar to this.

Try geek corps or Engineers without borders or if you're Canadian you can apply to Net Corps.

One of my closes friends Jonathan Wong is coming back in a week after a four month stint in Ghana with Geekcorps. He says it is the time of his life and he can't wait to go back. My other friend was there for two months filming a documentary about him for his production company ( shameless plug). John was also recently profiled in a Canadian National business magazine, you can read his Geekcorps profile here.

If I had the time (and no fiancee) I would love to go. :)

If you have tech skills, four months to kill and are looking to make an appreciable impact in the future of a nation, check it out.

So I suggest we all start donating one of our old 486's together with a NIC with BootROM. Since fast internet access is obviously not a problem, you can set up one giant LTSP terminal server and use cheap workstations as 'things'. All in favor?

i think i recall an "ask slashdot" on this. here is the url for geekcorps

www.geekcorps.org

One of the nice things about the Geek Corps is that instead of trying to do it all themselves, they instead concentrate on educating local's and helping local businesses to build an information infrastructure.

In addition, it sounds like it would be a great time because Geekcorp volunteers all live together during their stay.

-Braddock Gaskill

Closer to home is an opportunity to work for your living with an amazing organizaion. While not strictly volunteering, it would definitly be a paycut. Habitat for Humanity does more to promote cross cultural peace than any other organization that I know of. Nothing breaks down barriers more than providing decent living arrangements for total strangers. The Job Opportunities page currently lists these current technical positions:

• 
  
• Youth Programs Coordinator
  PS 1415
  This position is responsible for assisting the Youth Programs Officer in supporting Habitat for Humanity affiliates and campus chapters in developing age-appropriate activities for youth ages 5-16. It involves developing resources and publications related to youth programs, facilitating workshops at Habitat regional conferences, responding to inquiries related to youth, and contributing to HFHI publications. The qualified applicant must have excellent writing and public speaking skills, be self-directed, Microsoft Office familiarity, strong interpersonal skills, experience with the programmatic aspect of a community service organization, and a Bachelorfs degree in a related field.
  
  Reconstruction Volunteers*
  Facilities Management
  Basic Volunteer
  Under the direction of the Property Manager, work with other volunteers in fixing, restoring, and furnishing HFHI housing to the accepted standard set by Operations. Repair corporate buildings as needed. Responsibilities and duties include: understanding safety precautions and utilizing them at all times; repairing broken plumbing fixtures in bathrooms and kitchens; painting houses, both interior and exterior; repairing/installing floors, walls, windows, hanging doors, and mirrors; light construction duties; and working independently to identify or replace defective mechanical equipment. The qualified applicant should have six months of related maintenance or construction experience, have the ability to work with various tools, both power and hand-held, be able to complete assigned duties in a timely manner, be able to work well with others and able to lift 75 lbs regularly.
  
  *At this time, the Americus/Sumter County Affiliate is no longer in need of Construction Volunteers, until further notice. However, we are very much in need of Reconstruction Volunteers.
  
  Application Technician - Habitrak
  PS #184
  Basic Volunteer Position
  This position is responsible for supporting Affiliate information systems that are sanctioned and distributed by HFHI, e.g., Habitrak and International Mortgage Tracking System. This position provides customer service and technical support for all HFHI Affiliates using these products. As well, this position receives questions and requests via phone and e-mail and responds in appropriate manner; tracks problems and recommends temporary workarounds and long-term fixes; works with customers, Program and Project managers to analyze information needs and existing systems; assists in design, implementation and enhancement of new and existing programs; documents all problems, resolutions and procedures per HFHI guidelines; assists in customer training; and maintains and enhances good customer relations. The position is also responsible for participating in the specifications and scheduling of product enhancements, testing and implementation. This position exercises a leadership role in promoting awareness of Affiliate information product needs. Relevant experience in software development, programming, or as a systems/business analyst; expertise in MS Office products, MS Visual Basic, MS Access; and customer service, training experience, and technical proficiency in SQL or major RDBMS preferred. This position performs other related duties as assigned. The qualified applicant will have strong analytical and technical skills and excellent communication and interpersonal skills. As well, the qualified applicant would have a Bachelorfs degree from an accredited institution. A degree in Business or Computer Science preferred. Qualifying experience may be substituted for the Education requirement on a year-for-year basis up to a maximum of two (2) years.
  
  
• #0974 Client Server Analyst Programmer
  Posting Period 11/09/01 - 12/15/01
  Projected hire date 01/07/02 or before
  Position located in Americus, GA.
  This position functions as the primary application support for the International Mortgage Tracking System (IMTS). IMTS is an automated business management application for HFH international affiliates written in Visual Basic using current market tools such as Crystal Reports; ensures efficient information processing, data integrity, and delivery of useful accurate information to the users; Visual Basic programming and development along with clear communication with both technical and business personnel are the key duties for this position along with demonstrating sound knowledge of business processes and systems support requirements. Must have a Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience with at least ten semester hours in any combination of Business, Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Management Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or a related field and three years relevant work experience. Must also have three years experience in information technologies; practical working knowledge of IBM PC computers, MS Office products, and MS NT workstation; programming and systems analysis experience; business analysis and RDBMS experience; practical working experience with MS Access, FileMaker Pro, Crystal Reports, SQL server, Visual Basic and ASP.
  ($31,450)
  
  
• And of course they can always use vulunteers at your local field office. Look them up in your phone book and offer your services.
  
  

I think this also underscores the point that many organizations need your help and have a hard time recruiting people at reduced pay. Check out your favorite organization and see what sort of technical positions they have posted. If you want to gain more than a paycheck out of your work, then they may be able to use you.

Here are some other opportunities offered through the United nations:

United Nations Information Technology Services. From thier website: In his Millennium Report, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan stressed the importance for developing countries to benefit from the opportunities emerging from the digital revolution. He proposed the creation of a global volunteer programme aimed at bridging the digital divide between industrialized and developing countries. UNITeS, the United Nations Information Technology Service, is an initiative that channels the creative energies, skills and solidarity of volunteers around the world to collaborate with people in the South to improve their capacity to make practical use of information and communications technologies (ICT). In key fields like health, education, income generation, gender equity, environment or humanitarian aid, volunteers working under the UNITeS programme are striving to bridge the digital divide, one person at a time. The United Nations Volunteers programme is coordinating this new, UN ICT volunteer initiative.

The United Nations Volunteers offer opportunities locally and abroad.

what about www.geekcorps.org. i am sure this was covered on slashdot a few months back. are we going mad?

You may want to check out GeekCorps. The organization pairs teams of high-tech volunteers with emerging business in developing countries. Currently only operating in Ghana, I am sure they have other projects on the horizon.

http://www.geekcorps.org.

You're on the money with that one. Some things that most (all?) countries in sub-Saharan Africa could use:

• A stable government.
• A stable legal system. Without either of these, you will not be able to have:
• A stable business environment / stable economy. Even with "the foundations of law and democracy" this is difficult to achieve: look at Japan over the last 10 years, and Argentina/Brazil/Mexico over the last 2-5.
• Rid the government of corruption. This helps towards fixing the above.
• Allow the populace to educate, shelter, and feed themselves. This means anything from a handout to a "hand up", depending on which charity/NGO/whatever you are talking to. It doesn't really matter how it gets done as long as it all gets done (education is the big one for the long term, but it can't happen without the other two). None of this can take place in an environment in which the average Joe lives in fear of a) roving bands of thugs and b) government troops.
• Effective measures to prevent the spread of disease. AIDS is a big fear right now. Many children die daily of African sleeping sickness. Malaria is another huge killer. Malaria and one other disease which leads to blindness (blanking on the name right now) are preventable with drugs.
• Note that I haven't mentioned an IT infrastructure yet.
• Electricity? Yeah, right. Lagos, Nigeria will be the world's 3rd largest city by 2015, behind Tokyo and Bombay. The city is growing rapidly and none of the infrastructure can handle it. It is a big deal that certain companies in the city will be provided with 22h/day electricity at some point in the near future! You can't have an IT infrastructure on 22h/day of electricity (and don't expect 22h/day of "uninterrupted" service).
• Don't bother joining the geekcorps if you want to help Africa. Instead get involved with HFH, The Grameen Foundation, The Heifer Project, or any of a number of other fundamental-infrastructure-building organizations. I'm sure geekcorps does great things, but their efforts seem better directed at "second tier" nations that already have basic infrastructure laid and are ready to make the leap into the 20th (yes) century.

I'd look into the GeekCorps if you're really interested. They send teams on 4 month journeys to countries to help develop their network and computer infastructure.

If you are interest in volunteering, check out the Geek Corps. It like the Peace Corps but for the technical able. They are looking for both volunteers and donations.

I have no relationship with Geek Corps but I've always thought it looked like a great idea.