TED

I was really glad to get this email from TED about their new TED Fellows program, especially because I saw many friends and tech innovators working in Africa among the first group of 40 TED Fellows. Wonderful things are indeed emerging from Africa! Congratulations, friends!

Intriguingly, there is an open application process to join so anybody between 21-40 years old, even you, can apply!

Here are the TED Fellows working in Africa that I already know and  admire: 

• Bola Olabisi: Founder of Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network; Nigeria/U.K. 
• Erik Hersman: Cofounder of Ushahidi.com -- a site providing online visualization of conflict areas; blogger for Afrigadget.com and White African; organizer, Maker Faire Africa. Kenya/U.S.
• Joshua Wanyama: Founder of Pamoja Media -- the first African online advertising network; founder of African Path -- an African Huffington Post. Kenya/U.S.
• Katrin Verclas: Mobile trends analyst and founder of Mobileactive.org -- a global network of people using mobile technology for social impact. U.S. (not focussed on Africa but mobileactive.org is still very influential in Africa)

And here are the fellows working in Africa that I don't know (yet) but look forward to learning about: 

• Gerry Douglas: Founder of Baobab Health -- an NGO creating eHealth systems to address health care crises in the developing world with particular emphasis on HIV care and treatment. Malawi/U.S.
• Juliana Rotich: Cofounder of Ushahidi.com -- a site providing online visualization of conflict areas; blogger, Environmental Editor of GlobalVoices. Kenya/U.S.
• Patrick Awuah: Founder and President of Ashesi University. Ghana
• Rye Barcott: Marine Corps Captain; Founder of Carolina for Kibera; Student, Harvard Busines School/Harvard Kennedy School. Kenya/U.S.
• Sheila Ochugboju: Operational Director of Global Women Inventors and Innovators Network; science educator. Nigeria/U.K.

I have been a vocal critic of the One Laptop Per Child program over the years, and still am - but am beginning to see that things are turning around for the project and that they are starting to do many things right. I see the "give one get one year two" scheme has ended as of December 26th and it's no longer possible to get the laptops - several of my own neighbors participated and the process was quite smooth. Hopefully this will be extended so the laptops contine to be available worldwide to those who need them, or that it is repeated again next fall. I don't know personally how the laptops are being introduced through projects in Africa and would be glad to hear about it through the Kabissa community. In the meantime, below is a link to a useful Negroponte talk on TED about OLPC in Colombia: 

In a special report from the field, TED follows Nicholas Negroponte to Colombia as he delivers laptops to schoolkids in territory once controlled by guerrillas. His partner? Colombia's Defense Department, who see One Laptop per Child as an investment in regional stability. (Want to help out? OLPC's Give One Get One program runs through Dec. 26.) Watch this talk >>