PayITFwd: Paying it forward through Smart Acts.
Are you retiree who trains unemployed women in the community on alternative livelihood or maybe one of the college students who help instill in low-performing grade school pupils the love of reading and learning or maybe a group of athletes who holds sports clinics for street children?
Smart Communications together with the CDO Bloggers, Inc is looking for individuals and groups doing extraordinarily deeds and making a positive difference through their community based projects that provide knowledge and skills in any way.
These smart acts of kindness can go even further with payITfwd – the new initiative of Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) that aims to enable through technology ongoing efforts that foster learning. Smart will payITfwd by giving away 5 tablets, Smart Bro load worth P3,000, Smart Bro pocket wi-fi, and cash prize worth P50,000 to twenty teams with the best projects.
About PayITFwd
PayITfwd is the new program of Smart Communications, Inc. that aims to enable the spread of social good acts or ‘smart acts’ using technology (or Information Technology).It is also a social development initiative that aims to enable nation building by increasing access to technology (device + connectivity).
The goal is to support, promote, expand, enhance, reward and enable social good efforts that foster LEARNING through technology.
Technology not only increases access to learning but enables these smart acts to spread its benefits to more communities thus keeping the ‘good’ going.
How can you be part of Smart’s PayITFwd?
Submit your project here in video format showing everyone your project, its impact and the use of technology in your further expanding and fueling your project.
CDO Bloggers is a proud partner/organizer of Smart Communications #PayITFwd. If you know and individual or a group that made a difference, let us know. Send WOWCDO a message on facebook or give us a tweet @WOWCDO.
Update July 7, 2013:
Last July 2, 2013, 4 amazing group leaders presented their projects to Smart, CDO Bloggers, and the Cagayan de Oro Media. Below are the speakers short bio.
Jerome “Jet” Torres of CDO Street Tutorial Advocacy, Inc.
Website: http://cdostreettutorial.weebly.com
VOLUNTEERISM. The CDO STREET TUTORIAL ADVOCACY is composed of students & professionals, who hold volunteer tutorial activities twice a week at the Magsaysay Park, Divisoria, CDO. Since September 2009, volunteers have been teaching street children Basic Math and English, from 7–8PM.
CDO Street Tutorial Advocacy, Inc., was founded by Jerome Torres in 2009, when one of his friends celebrated his birthday by having a feeding session for street kids. There they saw the opportunity to teach these street children basic arithmetic and reading. Since then, they have invited other volunteers to share their time and knowledge, or sponsors to help them do supplemental feeding.
Rhyan Casiño of Dire Husi Invitiatives, Inc.
Website: http://direhusi.blogspot.com
CULTURAL IDENTITY. Rhyan Casiño is a passionate advocate of cultural heritage. In 2008, he established a youth organization to revive indigenous culture: Dire Husi Initiatives, Inc. He developed a mentoring program for indigenous art, from crafts to music, which became a venue that enabled troubled youth to hone their talent & creativity.
Fostering self-reliance and social responsibility, Rhyan envisions this group to become empowered artists who could compete both in the local and international arts scene. Dire Husi has since won the British Council’s I am a Changemaker grant and become a finalist in the TAYO Awards in 2009. In 2010, Dire Husi was also chosen to represent the youth sector for the National Anti-Poverty Commission.
Esmerna Gabutina of Tinabuan Arts & Crafts
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TinabuanArtsCrafts
WOMEN EMPOWERMENT. Esmerna “Esmer” Gabutina owns Tinabuan Arts and Crafts, a sinamay-making enterprise. In the late 90s, many of the women weavers in Lagonglong lost their jobs after fishermen stopped using abaca nets and opted for plastic ones instead. Seeing their plight Ms. Gabutina organized them, and, through the support of DTI, helped improve their skills not just to weave sinamay cloth, but to make bags, placemats, and accessories out of these.
Now in her 70s, Ms. Gabutina continues her efforts to promote the skills of the women of Lagonglong. Tinabuan has grown to provide a decent living for the women, and is now the One Town One Product (OTOP) project of the municipality. More than just handling a successful enterprise, Ms. Gabutina has brought about change for the women of the municipality of Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental.
Kris Gebe of Kuya Fish Campaign
Website: http://kuyafishcampaign.wordpress.com/projects
COMMUNITY. Kuya Fish Campaign (“KFC”) is an empowered youth community that had its roots after Tropical Storm Sendong left Cagayan de Oro in a state of calamity. Japanese student Issey Tanaka saw the opportunity to help CDO and quickly organized an international volunteer campaign.
Since then KFC has gone from giving donations to educating kids & building houses. Its projects include workshops to empower children, the latest one being “Tambol sa Kaugmaon” [Tambol Para sa Kinabukasan], a Book and Bag Drive in support of the Badjao Community and St. John Elementary School. Now a more sustainable advocacy, KFC aims to become a catalyst for community building, giving hope to the marginalized sectors of society, especially children.
Entries must be submitted in video format showing an overview of the project, its impact to the recipient community, and how technology can enable the project or further spread its benefits.
Smart will be selecting the best 20 entries in a two-round selection process that will run from May 21 up to July 31, and August 16 to October 31 this year. Entries will be judged based on the impact of the project in the community, its novelty and proposed use of technology. Voting of best entries via social media will also have bearing on the final score of entries.
Each of the selected social good advocates, 10 for each round, will receive a technology package comprising five tablets, 1 Smart Bro Pocket Wi-Fi, Smart Bro load worth P3,000.00, and a cash prize of P50,000. source: Smart PR