Wanted to forward this to everyone- Mark is doing some amazing work (or at least planning to) in Uruguay and we should definitely recruit his help!<div><br></div><div>Beth<br><br><div style="margin-top: 2em; margin-right: 0pt; margin-bottom: 2em; margin-left: 0pt; " name="sig_050680e344">
---<br>
<strong>Beth Santos</strong><br>
Outreach Coordinator<br>
Waveplace Foundation<br><br>
Tel: +1 610 797 3100 x 44<br>
Fax: +1 610 797 3199<br>
Cell: +1 603 661 1273 <br>
<a href="http://www.waveplace.org">http://www.waveplace.org</a><br></div><div class="gmail_quote">---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>From: <b class="gmail_sendername">Mark Brul</b> <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:markbrul@gmail.com">markbrul@gmail.com</a>></span><br>
Date: Wed, Jul 21, 2010 at 3:12 PM<br>Subject: RE: People working on health content who should really be in touch<br>To: Beth Santos <<a href="mailto:beth@waveplace.org">beth@waveplace.org</a>><br>Cc: <a href="mailto:digna@movimientofoundation.com">digna@movimientofoundation.com</a><br>
<br><br>
<div lang="NL" link="blue" vlink="purple">
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Hi Beth,</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Well, it is a an honor to meet a ‘OLPC rock star’. Me
and my girlfriend Digna are new in this OLPC community and are glad to become
involved in this. We also only recently spotted a living XO in its natural habitat.
We just arrived in Uruguay, after abandoning our lives in Holland for running
our voluntary project for a year. Let me explain a little bit about our project
named Saludame. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">In 2008 I have been working as an intern for a small Uruguayan
company called <a href="http://www.evimed.com.uy/" target="_blank">Evimed</a>. I have been
travelling a lot through rural and remote places, doing interviews and
observational activities with rural physicians. Quite impressive I must say. In
most areas these physicians play a little role in providing health education on
the elementary schools (they do that voluntary, without any formal support or whatsoever),
telling basic things about e.g. sexual relationships, healthy nutrition and
habits or what to do at a dengue epidemic. Primary health prevention. However, this
is said to be too scarce. We want to combine the XO’s, elementary education
and primary health prevention.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Together with my colleague (Elisa Martinez, working for the Ministry
of Health) we put up this plan to develop a health intervention program,
supported by a XO software tool (whatever it might become). Most important is
that the project is designed from a health promotion methodology, whereas the
XO is supporting. My girlfriend and I have been working hard the last year to
erect a Dutch NGO, doing fundraising activities and actually obtaining a grant
from the Dutch Ministry of International Development Work. We are also working
together with Plan Ceibal, who covers some of the development costs for
software engineers of CeibalJAM. Perhaps a bit complex, are you still there? </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D">J</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Well, we are in a starting phase of the project. Next week we
will be visiting the community in departemento Salto, where we will work
together with the community (teachers, physician, nurses, parents and children)
to address the health topic and analyze the causes, problems etc. Based on the
contextual analysis and needs assessment for health education, we will be
developing the educational methodology based on health objectives we are
defining. The XO software, most presumably a game, will form a part in the program.
So, it is not only a game, but the experience/results of playing the game will
be used in the class room (and hopefully beyond) to make the children aware of
the health topic. Eventually we strive for an increased awareness among
children and a slight chance in behavior. Well, one must be ambitious right?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Technology wise we are thinking of using Karma. It is said to be
a good platform for creating interactive content. Christoph and Pablo Flores
(ceibalJAM) have seen it in Nepal, perhaps you are familiar with it? I am
curious, do have experience with Karma and how does it differ (pros and cons)
to Etoys (don’t know it). For your background, I have a master degree in
biomedical engineering. I am not a computer scientist and talk on a level of
requirements. But my colleague in our project, Pablo Moreli of ceibalJAM, is
responsible for the software development. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">The project will last a year, in which we will 1) analyze the
community, the needs and barriers, 2) develop a health intervention program,
parallel to 3) the development of an interactive XO software tool (presumably a
game) that is supported by 4) guidelines and manuals for teachers and children
to finally 5) implement it, run a pilot and do an evaluation. In June 2011 we
will return to Holland, being tired of all the work.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Concluding, we are starting a multidisciplinary project and are
still in a naïve and utopia state of mind to develop something tremendous. Next
week, after our visit to the community, I will update you and tell where we
have landed. </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D">J</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> It is great to share experiences and
ideas. Please tell me more about your current activities for health and the XO.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Hope to stay in touch and good luck with the great efforts. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Best regards, que pases linda!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">Mark Brul</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">E: <a href="mailto:mark@movimientofoundation.com" target="_blank">mark@movimientofoundation.com</a> </span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">M: +598 (0) 98 582 967</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">W: </span></i><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"><a href="http://www.movimientofoundation.com" target="_blank"><span lang="EN-US">www.movimientofoundation.com</span></a></span></i><i><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> <span lang="EN-US"></span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">PS: perhaps we should post this on the Health OLPC list? I just
signed in for it, tell me…? </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D">PS2: I am also working on a second, but smaller project for my
university in Holland. I work there only part-time. We want to connect a
Uruguayan and Dutch elementary school and interchange cultural and health
topics between the two classes. We are thinking of using digital posters with
self-made pictures/movies of the children’s life, house, school (cultural)
and daily nutrition like breakfast, lunch and dinner (health). If you have a
good suggestion of a program that is easy to use for children to make posters on
both the XO (UY) and Windows systems (HOL), but also to send them to each other,
please tell me! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:11.0pt;color:#1F497D"> </span></p>
<div style="border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0cm 0cm 0cm">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt"> <a href="mailto:elizabeth.ann.santos@gmail.com" target="_blank">elizabeth.ann.santos@gmail.com</a>
[mailto:<a href="mailto:elizabeth.ann.santos@gmail.com" target="_blank">elizabeth.ann.santos@gmail.com</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>Beth Santos<br>
<b>Sent:</b> dinsdag 20 juli 2010 15:40<br>
<b>To:</b> Christoph Derndorfer<br>
<b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:markbrul@gmail.com" target="_blank">markbrul@gmail.com</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: People working on health content who should really be in
touch</span></p>
</div><div><div></div><div class="h5">
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Christoph, thanks so much for bringing me to Mark!</p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mark, very nice to meet you. As Christoph said, I'm trying
to get some people together to make public health content on Etoys and other
activities on Sugar for use internationally, though my personal focus is Haiti,
São Tomé e Príncipe, Kenya and Tanzania.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">We're currently making good use of the OLPC Health list, as
we figure that will best keep us in touch with anyone who may have been
inactive in the past but wants to lend a hand now.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">What are you and your girlfriend hoping to work on in
Uruguay?</p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thanks again to you both! Mark, looking forward to being in
touch with you.</p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
</div>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:12.0pt">Beth</p>
<div>
<p class="MsoNormal">On Mon, Jul 19, 2010 at 8:00 PM, Christoph Derndorfer <<a href="mailto:e0425826@student.tuwien.ac.at" target="_blank">e0425826@student.tuwien.ac.at</a>>
wrote:</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Beth,<br>
<br>
I'd like to introduce you to Mark Brul. He and his girlfriend will be<br>
here in Uruguay for a year to develop health-related content for the XO<br>
in collaboration with the folks from ceibalJAM like Pablo Flores. Over<br>
the weekend (when we weren't eating awesome asado) we spent quite a bit<br>
of time talking about this project and I thought that it would be well<br>
worth connecting him with you since you seem to be on top of the ongoing<br>
health-related efforts surrounding OLPC and Waveplace.<br>
<br>
Mark,<br>
<br>
it's no exaggeration to say that Beth is something like a rock star in<br>
the OLPC community and doing awesome work wherever she goes. Currently<br>
she's on São Tomé and Príncipe in the Gulf of Guinea to work on an<br>
orphaned OLPC project she encountered there last year and has since<br>
championed in many ways. In that regard her story is somewhat similar to<br>
what you have been doing in terms of getting funding, setting up an<br>
organization, looking for partners, etc.<br>
<br>
You can follow her progress and thoughts via her blog at<br>
<a href="http://bethstepsup.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">http://bethstepsup.blogspot.com/</a>
or the Waveplace blog at<br>
<a href="http://waveplace.org/news/blog/" target="_blank">http://waveplace.org/news/blog/</a>
(Waveplace is an NGO focused on<br>
high-impact after-school OLPC projects in the Carribean - including<br>
Haiti - and Beth recently became its outreach coordinator).<br>
<br>
She's also led the recently increased activities in terms of health<br>
related efforts around OLPC, I'd suggest you take a look at these notes<br>
from a conference call that was held a month ago:<br>
<a href="http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/health/2010-June/000287.html" target="_blank">http://lists.laptop.org/pipermail/health/2010-June/000287.html</a><br>
<br>
OLPC also has a mailing-list dedicated to health-related topics<br>
(<a href="http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/health" target="_blank">http://lists.laptop.org/listinfo/health</a>)
but looking at Beth's notes<br>
above it seems as though Waveplace has also set up it's own list for<br>
discussions.<br>
<br>
Cheers,<br>
Christoph<br>
<span style="color:#888888"><br>
--<br>
Christoph Derndorfer<br>
co-editor, <a href="http://www.olpcnews.com" target="_blank">www.olpcnews.com</a><br>
e-mail: <a href="mailto:christoph@olpcnews.com" target="_blank">christoph@olpcnews.com</a></span></p>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p>
</div>
</div></div><p><span style="font-size:10.0pt">Geen virus
gevonden in het binnenkomende-bericht.<br>
Gecontroleerd door AVG - <a href="http://www.avg.com" target="_blank">www.avg.com</a><br>
Versie: 9.0.839 / Virusdatabase: 271.1.1/3015 - datum van uitgifte: 07/19/10
03:36:00</span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div><br></div>