introductions

Hi, all - I was just told by Stephane that the members/subscribers of  
this list are not visible to us (who are subscribers).  While I find  
this puzzling (and do not understand it at all since we are all  
subscribers and thus should know who else is here in the interest of  
transparency and representation), it seems that it might be time then  
to introduce ourselves so that we have a sense of who is here!

Let me start - I run MobileActive.org, a network of now about 16,000  
people around the world who use mobile tech for social change. We run  
a site at MobileActive.org that contains the most comprehensive user- 
generated inventory of m-development projects, case studies, tools,  
and research; run active discussion lists, and participate in  
collaborative efforts such as the Open Mobile Consortium (http://open-mobile.org 
).

I and a team implement mobile and new media projects in ten countries,  
currently, focused on mobiles in governance and accountability.  We  
also just conducted an inventory of mobile data collection efforts and  
are running a mobile survey in seven countries to assess how to run  
instant flash polls via sms and mobile web about critical areas of  
vulnerability, and are about to embark on a new ambitious project  
focused on human rights.

I have been doing this work since 2005 but have been in tech for  
change in some form or another since 1986 (ugh, long time ago!) and  
have thus a sometimes radically realistic perspective on what tech  
innovations can and can not deliver - even if I am a pragmatic optimist!

I am looking forward to hearing form others here!

Katrin


Katrin Verclas
MobileActive.org
katrin@mobileactive.org

skype/twitter: katrinskaya
(347) 281-7191

A global network of people using mobile technology for social impact
http://mobileactive.org