hand holding

Reuben Solanky b 09.06.09

Harnessing the power of Business for Development Impact

I'm sitting at my computer waiting for a live feed to start about Business access to markets. You bored?

Not me. I've been attending this very exciting series called Harnessing the Power of Business for Development Impact". It has been addressing the hard questions of the role of business in development.

Increasingly, the work that I am involved in revolves around those that are seeking to help. All too frequently I hear the words: "is there anyone that can help?" or "does anyone out there need this kind of help?"

Just this past week alone, I've spoke with some very large brands about similar questions just rephrased as "Market Access" or "Partnering Options".

Collaboration is often a difficult concept where the language is competition. This series has really allowed businesses to be honest and not just churn out success stories but genuinely add to the debate.

surviving the slums again

last month i was in hong kong.

last month i took part in slum survivor again. 24 hours. simple conditions. forced relocation. family separation. rebels. land mines. refugees camps. border crossings. family reunion. dodgy trinket salesman. building your shacks. standing up to soldiers. finding business opportunities and so on.

it only lasted 24 hours. it was hard going but there's something extraordinary about it.

good friday walk

happy birthday son

i've been wiping away the tears.

i'm not really a crying man, but this story since the first time i was told it has always brought a welling to my eyes.

it's oscar wilde's the happy prince. i first had it read to me by mr robinson, my primary school head teacher in a school assembly. i remember the strong feelings of this swallow that stuck with the prince to the bitter end.

in fact wilde has a tendency to bring some level of tears to me. a month ago i was reading caleb "the selfish giant" and that too is an awesome story.

it is caleb's 3rd birthday today and we've had a party and some games. it has been great fun and i'm grateful for these quieter times with him. over the past 3 years i've come to enjoy the bedtime story with him. we've made up stories and read some great ones... as i reflect back on his, and our, past three years i'm grateful for these stories that have inspired us... and for the gift of children... especially my firstborn, caleb.

happy birthday tiger :)

Davos: a day of rest

sledging. sledging. sledging.... oh yeah :)

Davos: the media says

For a cool article read this

Davos: day 5: A refugee story:

Fleeing from Mozambique to South Africa. Then to Portugal. Then to Switzerland. Eventually in Davos.

Years later the children come. They grow up. They go to school.

This grown up “child” walks in to the simulation we’re running here.

He says at the end: “my mother was a refugee. I never knew what it was like to run away until now.”

An official said that there are 3 mediums to educate. The first is presentation. The second storytelling. Lastly, experience.

Davos: Day 4

There’s a debate going on about the Refugee Run. Some are appalled at the idea of such an event for the world’s elite to be tourists into such a removed world. Others have applauded its audacity to bring a far removed world to the elite.

The jury is out.

I guess in some way I feel like I need to be an apologist for it as I’m so involved. But I’m actually glad that there is debate.

There’s some good points that are argued on each side.

I have been to two refugee camps in my life. Tasovcici in Bosnia, 2002, and recently, last year, to Al Bass in Lebanon. Both times I was struck by the number of people and communities within, this dense population confined to a small area. The families in small homes. Designed to be temporary, but well past their expiry date surviving due to reinforcement.

Also very strikingly was the sense of the “everyday”. People trying to get from ‘a’ to ‘b’. To and from school. Getting their car fixed. Popping to the corner store. There was simply everyday things going on.

I guess what I’m getting at is I had expectations. I expected to feel sorry for these people and I expected to see need head on. I wanted an “experience”. However, it really wasn’t like this. It was rather a case where I just saw people. I spoke with them. I shook their hands, played with their children, kicked a ball around, spoke to them about life inside. Everyone had an opinion. Everyone also had a solution too. We spoke just like I would with my friends down the pub. It was nice to share our time, our space it was just nice to kick back talking about football or some benign topic.

Life as a refugee is different. Life as a CEO is different. Life as a celebrity is different. Surely anyone’s life is different. The criticism that was levied at the simulation was that it dehumanises.

Perhaps it does. Then perhaps it does something else: allow people to see something that they are not familiar with, a chance to simple share their time and space with others.

Like I said the jury is out.

Davos: Day 3

It’s 5.34 as I type this.

I have 26 minutes before I have breakfast and our morning meeting. Then we’re off on a 20 minute car ride through the most beautiful hills to Davos for day 2.

Yesterday I learnt a number of things: the term “climate refugees”, they bomb the potential avalanche areas around here, teenager can be among the most passionate activists around, but the most interesting story I heard, via a UNCHR guy, after they went through the Refugee Run was of two people (one presumably an aid worker and his brother, brought along for the ride, a photographer) who were visiting and photographing an area of former warfare for inspection and observation. As they ventured into this territory they encountered a slight tuft in the dirt. After a little further inspection it turned out to be a mine. They looked up and they had drifted into a mine field. Looking for the border that was relatively nearby they saw the edge and decided they had to head towards it. It was very delicate process. Touch and go all the way. Painstakingly looking, touching, feeling before each step and closely followed with a sigh of relief. Then it started all over. The whole process took 3 days. For a distance that would have taken, presumably, minutes. The incident was so intense that the photographer upon returning to his home country lost all his hair.

And it wasn’t me.

Davos: day 2

My day started at 4.30. I only hit the pillow at midnight this morning. Today it starts.

I haven’t even had breakfast.

Yesterday was relentless. In some ways I feel like the fortunate one that wasn’t around for the grueling construction phase.

But man, does this basement bunker, or the Refugee Run, look good.

Davos: Day 1

All day was spent on the “fine” or “finishing” touches for the Refugee Run.

I was mostly a spare part as my role doesn’t really kick in until tomorrow.

Still there’s a buzz about this place. Maybe it’s just the adrenaline before a performance.

I hear the names banded around and I’m just a lil star struck.

Nearly there.

caleb's favourite joke

caleb has taken a rather fondness to a joke... he tells it to me at every available moment.

it amuses me every time too.

two sausages in a frying pan. one says to the other "gosh, it's a bit hot in here"

the other exclaims, "OH MY GOODNESS A TALKING SAUSAGE!"

he he

greatness is never a given. it must be earned...

my mother said to me: 2 things you must never do. the first, never speak of your wages and second don't speak about politics.

i never was one to listen much.

i can not help but be inspired and touched by the rhetoric of hope that president obama spoke about at his inauguration. it was defining, powerful and meaningful.

i can not help but feel a huge sense of relief that there's a change around the corner.

i can not help but sigh with relief that a change has come and breath with hope that we can start to pick up and start again.

angie, however, brought me back down by saying: "remember, ben... he's just a man. don't pin your hopes on him".

she was right. i remember how, being a child of the 80s, i loathed the government and its campaign of "me" that was pushed and the values of community that were lost. i loathed its dismantling of this country. i loathed the type of people that we were breeding and becoming.

i had great hope when tony blair came in.... i recall sitting with my philosophy lecturers in the hyde park pub drinking and celebrating the "change". one said: "you don't know what this day means to me... it is a triumph" as he downed his peculiar pint of obscure beer.

i also recall the sheer feeling of betrayal when our government chose to go into iraq and cheapen its decision through its attempts at justifying it.

i know president obama isn't the man that i pin my hopes on. he is just a man.

so i wonder am i happy for the change of person in charge or am i happy for the hope that there will be a change in the hearts and minds of the people. it's the latter that excites me.

the jury is out and so it should be. the wheels are turning, the expectation is growing and the burden of hope sits with president obama right now.

still.... what a speech

davos#2: the refugee run

As mentioned in a previous post that we are joining with a team that is running a refugee simulation experience at Davos next week.

Here are a few more details re the event:

http://www.grforum.org/pages_new.php/Refugee-Run-Simulation/611/1/388/

http://www.crossroads.org.hk/our-news/crossroads2019-refugee-run-being-offered-to-world

"that is sick"

... were my thoughts when caleb re-produced his meal all over me this evening for the second time.

gms video

here's a video that some volunteers made about the give me shelter campaign back in 2007...

gh explained

version 1.0 was about goods (see the video beneath)



version 2.0 (the current iteration) is about resources (goods, human resources (or services/competency), freight and funding)

version 3.0 (coming very soon) will be about partnerships

the vision & heart remain the same
.

Davos

all i know about davos is: world economic forum's annual gathering, bono, the UN, angelina jolie, bill gates, skiing and bono.

in 11 days time i'm heading over there. my purpose: to help/encourage and guide participants and parties of a refugee experience, that we're collaborating in, seek solutions/partnering opportunities for development needs across the humanitarian landscape.

looking forward to learning more about bono :)