About Us - Changes at SolvePoverty in 2008

For 8 years since its launch at Oxford University by Princess Anne, (with Opportunity International), YOU and SolvePoverty.com, have helped raise funds for social entrepreneurs and other internet-connected projects across the world.

By clicking the ‘Freely Donate‘ button on the front page, over 10,000,000 times to-date, you have helped release funds from our sponsors that have been allocated to a number of Poverty Alleviation projects across the world ranging from Micro-Finance programs, creation of telecentres and the provision of scholarships via our ongoing relationship with the Global e-Inclusion Movement and their primary sponsor UNISYS.

Although we are no longer formally involved with Opportunity International we continue to be inspired by their work and methodology. Opportunity International is a global leader of microfinance and social enterprise development, and recently celebrated their 35th anniversary.

The ultimate aim of this website is to stimulate strong flows of solidarity and resources (i.e., funds, knowledge, experience, employment.) between rich and poor areas of the world, with a focus on educational and employment projects.

SolvePoverty.com has been funded over the last 8 years by a range of sponsors and private funders and is made possible with a dedicated team of volunteer managers. Much of the recent programming has been undertaken by the Philippines social outsourcing group - www.letIThelp.org

Past Sponsors and Supporters:

To become a sponsor please contact us

A New Foundation - SolvePoverty.com

As part of our long term plan, it is our intention in 08, to create a new Foundation in Australia called SolvePoverty.com.

As well as continuing to ‘click and donate freely’ you can now safely and easily ‘Socially Outsource’ web work and a host of remote jobs to telecentres and other entrepreneurial businesses in developing nations via our employment marketplace.

“Help us become the ‘eBay of social outsourcing’.” The types of jobs you can outsource to a telecentre with a social misson include:

-Online Marketers
-Search Engine Optimization Staff
-Pay-Per-Click managers
-Web 2.0 Marketers
-Link Builders
-Directory Posters
-Article Submitters
-Web Developers
-Web Designers
-Graphic Designers
-Photoshop Designers
-Video Editors
-Virtual Assistants
-Speed Typists
-Data Entry Experts
-Online Secretaries
-Researchers
-Travel Planners
-Personal Online Organizers
-Transcriptionists
-Customer Support
-Project Managers
-System Administrator
-Knowledge Process Workers
-Business Administration Workers
-Financial and Accounting Staff
-Legal Assistants

When you ’socially outsource’ you have the satisfaction of knowing you are helping employ young people in developing communities whilst getting a professional job done that is managed by our team here in Australia!

SolvePoverty.com and OrphanIT - History

2000 - SolvePoverty.com launched at Oxford University by Princess Anne.
2001 - Built 1st Pilot ICT ‘GLOW’ Telecentre school in Manila, PI. 4 groups trained.
2002 - OrphanIT.com launched as youth powered web development service.
2003 - Partner with Global eInclusion Movement on SolvePoverty.com Click Fund.
2004 - 100+ small web development jobs completed in 12 countries - work ongoing.
2005 - SolvePoverty.com begins programming on open source software for telecentres.
2006 - OrphanIT helps create Youth Social Entrepreneurship Initiative (YSEI).
2007- OrphanIT launch of YSEI mentor program.
2007- Partner with OutsourcingTo.uS and PageOneRankings.com.au to develop social outsourcing.
2008 - Launch of Open Source, Social Outsourcing Platform to assist telecentres create employment.
2008 - Now over 1000 ICT jobs created by SolvePoverty.com’s Social Outsourcing work.

The new SolvePoverty.com Foundation will manage all of our programs underway including….

OrphanIT Mentorship Programs.

OrphanIT was created in 2002 to help locate and provide social outsourcing jobs to the graduates of the Philippines 1st Telecentre called GLOW which SolvePoverty helped fund. The GLOW Telecentre (Global Learning Opportunities on the Web) was integrated into our microfinance partners CCT in 2005.

Founded in 1992, the Center for Community Transformation began as an informal network of development practitioners who believed that development strategies could best be achieved by enriching the spirituality of a person. CCT ministers to micro-entrepreneurs, service workers, itinerant vendors, orphans, and abandoned children in urban poor communities.

CCT Mission Statement: Changing Lives, Strengthening Families and Transforming Communities

YSEI - Youth venture capital fund - Youth Social Entrepreneurship Fund.

As well as all the millions of clicks you have contributed, your support has also helped TRN in Thailand, MITRA in India and the OrphanIT team create the 1st grant fund for youth entrepreneurs called The Youth Social Entrepreneurship Initiative (YSEI).

Supported by The Swiss Development Corporation, Microsoft and The Global Knowledge Partnership, YSEI is a high-engagement social venture program for emerging young social entrepreneurs in developing countries. Launched in 2007 and funding 7 youth entrepreneurship projects across Asia, YSEI is now entering its second year and will fund up to 15 programs across the region in 2008.

YSEI is supported by the following organisations.

letIThelp.org - Social Outsourcing in The Philippines.

The LetIThelp.org Foundation - Cagayan De Oro, Philippines.

www.letIThelp.org - True to the mission of social enterprises which is “bridging social opportunity into sustainable reality innovatively, effectively and efficiently,”

LetIThelp.org goes in line with this to help selected and deserving fresh graduates in Mindanao find the right opportunities in their chosen field of profession.

There is a balance needed in the IT industry in the Philippines at this point.

Initially, there is the increase of IT outsourcing jobs being directed to the country, however, there is a need of a ready pool of trained and experienced IT professionals to continually sustain the industry and manpower needs.

Mobile Telecenters Philippines - eTrike Program.

MobileTelecenters.com takes internet and telecommunications to Philippines schools and villages
in self-contained, wireless enabled, mobile telecentres built on the famous national mode of transport - the three wheeled motorcycle called a Trike.

In the urban regions of Manila’s metropolis, 5 young Filipinos are building the country’s first mobile, self-contained, wireless telecentre. The students are all graduates of the Philippines 1st telecenter, GLOW, which launched in 2000. They have designed a new and innovative approach of delivering ICT learning combined with a sustainable model, to communities that typically have no access to these services.

XayanIT.com Web development Services

XayanIt.com Aims to develop:
- Localized ICT training curriculum.
- Provide HR Development to Dhaka Unis Computer Science & Engineering students.
- Provide ICT products and services for domestic and international clients.

Long Term Objectives
- Enable sustainable employment for Bangladeshi youth in ICT
- Catalyze a measurable snowball effect
- To be the benchmark for ICT and corporate responsibility in Bangladesh

Mission For Our Beneficiaries
– To enable skilled youth to create self funding, fully sustainable ICT employment in Bangladesh.

Mission For Our Customers
– To be the premier provider of localized ICT content and relevant ICT products and services in Bangladesh.

Goals
- Youth Employment in Bangladesh.
- Benchmark, leader, and model corporate citizenship for Bangladesh ICT sector.
- ICT sector growth and measurable macro economic and social development.
- Transferability

XayanIT was started by a Dhaka University Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) Professor and an American business school graduate. In its initial phases, XayanIT is working with the 250 students of the CSE department. The start-up phase costs were offset by a contract for ICT managed services with an international client.

XayanIT works with skilled youth interested in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) careers. It coordinates Human Resource Development (HRD) which uses relevant ICT training, certifications, internships, R&D projects, and field work to develop students into skilled and employable individuals. It manages HRD by working closely with organizations that have a stake in education analyzes existing curricula and assesses curriculum needs. Businesses, NGOs, and universities are key partners in making the internships, field studies, R&D projects, and relevant training curricula possible.

XayanIT is built upon using these skilled youth as entry level employees for providing the company’s web/software products and services. In its initial phases, XayanIT is focused on creating localized educational turnkey solutions for the education sector and web design and development for domestic and international clients.

XayanIT’s success leverages its strong connections with educational institutions, businesses, NGO, and individual mentor networks in Bangladesh, Australia, and the United States.

Our Inspiration

The inspiration for our programs has come from the pioneering and highly successful micro enterprise development model of David and Carol Bussau and Microfinance organisation - Opportunity International Australia.

In 2000 we were fortunate to be able to engage with David, Denis Perry, Andrew Tyndale and a number of the Opportunity International team on the deployment of a 3 year pilot telecentre program called GLOW Learning Centres. This team also helped create SolvePoverty.com

This GLOW project created the Philippines first ICT Telecentre for disadvantaged youth in Ermita, Manila with CMED partners CCT.

Although we are no longer involved with Opportunity International we continue to be inspired by their work and methodology. Opportunity International is a global leader of microfinance and enterprise development, and in 2006 they celebrated their 35th anniversary.

Founders - Simon Healy and Denis Perry

Simon Healy is a specialist in web development, online marketing and remote services, having worked with leading Australian and international corporations, aid organisations and educational institutions in the field since 1993. Simon is currently Managing Director of OutsourcingTo.uS an Australian outsourcing company, specialising in supplying full-time web developers, online marketers, project managers, programmers, graphic designers and content writers. Simon is the founder of SolvePoverty.com, GLOW Telecentre (3 year pilot telecentre in PI), The Youth Social Entrepreneurship Initiative (co-founder) and OrphanIT.

He has recently exited the education firm he founded in 1999 - www.Hyperstudy.com and it’s media agency - EdMedia to pursue social and commercial outsourcing opportunities through SolvePoverty.com, OutsourcingTo.uS and PageOneRankings.com.au.

Denis Perry - Denis redefined Opportunity International Australia from a recipient agency to a fully contributing Resource Development Agency within the OI Network and developed a long term, multi year CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) relationships with a number of multi national corporations including BHP Billiton and Leighton Holdings.

Denis has also been involved in the following activities:

-Hosting public profile events with the Presidents of World Bank and Asian Development Banks.
-Developed consulting activities (Philippines, Indonesia PNG) earning substantial fee income.
-Established computer literacy (Web based education) initiatives to end trans-generational poverty.
-Initiated micro finance among the Aboriginal community in Australia.
-Initiated new country initiatives for Opportunity International (East Timor, PNG, P R China).
-Identified majority of funding for OI China.
-Commenced new developmental role to establish OI in Asia - Hong Kong
-Trustee and CEO Kingdom Resources Trust / Ltd (1990 – 1996). Christchurch, NZ.
(Developed this domestic micro finance institution into the provision of financial counselling, lending and job placement. Established Train the Trainer programs, computerised accounting and loan management systems. Developed & Trained Christian Financial Counsellors as volunteers.)
-United Bank (1989 - 1990). Christchurch New Zealand.
Securitisation and Management Information Systems for corporate lending division.
-Marac Finance /NZI Finance/NZI Bank (1983-1989). Christchurch New Zealand
-Regional Manager-Investments, Regional Corporate Banking
-Copenhagen Reinsurance 1976 – 1983.
-Manager, General Underwriting, Sydney (1982).
-Manager for Victoria. Melbourne 1976 – 1982 - Analysed viability of Insurance Coy clients
-National Insurance, Sedgwicks 1970 –1976. Auckland, New Zealand.
-Director Bible College of New Zealand, Christchurch Branch (1992-1995)
-Director Tear Fund New Zealand, Auckland (1993-1995)

SolvePoverty Team - People and companies involved in the creation, ongoing management and growth of the SolvePoverty.com network include:

Boysie Sabino: (OrphanIT Board). CEO of Philippines Alay-Buhay Foundation
Miller Lagunzad: (OrphanIT Board). Telco specialist. Original GLOW teacher/mentor.
Miss Feri Lumampao: (OrphanIT Board). Executive Director of the APPROTECH Asia
Dale Pillars: COO OutsourcingTo.uS. Interactive media producer
Peter Young: Social entrepreneur with 35 years experience mentoring in Australia & abroad.
Owen Matheson: Business development & marketing consultancy.
Rod Hearps: Managing Director EdMedia and ICEF Partner.
Paul Ferris and Carolyne Thomas: Web architects.
Simon Shearer: Programmer, internet and mobile application engineer.
Jon Rodrigues: Youth entrepreneur, off-line ICT project manager.
Stephanie Caragos: CEO of Syntactics Philippines web development company.