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NetSquared enables social benefit organizations to leverage the tools of the social web.
PulseWire: Connecting women to transform our world.
Challenges Entered:
We envision PulseWire as an electrifying new tool with the power to unleash the transformative potential of women’s and girl’s voices ─ at a time when empowering women is recognized as the most effective way to solve global problems.
"Even though we do not all have computers, we can get on the Internet. But you must tell us where to go to find information and help. I can assure you — we African women are waiting for such things. If you bring PulseWire to us today, we will use it the very same day."
- Martha N., a Congolese social worker at a surgical fistula clinic for women survivors of sexual violence, Goma, D.R.C.
“Women’s voices are gold for the world.†– Jensine Larsen, PulseWire Founder
PulseWire is an interactive media website that offers women worldwide ─ including those just coming online via cyber cafes or cell phones in remote and impoverished regions ─ the power to speak for themselves to the world, access critical resources and share sustainable solutions.
We envision PulseWire as an electrifying new tool with the power to unleash the transformative potential of women’s and girl’s voices ─ at a time when empowering women is recognized as the most effective way to solve global problems.
Our strategy for social impact is four-fold:
1. We start with a "tipping point" philosophy by targeting thousands of grassroots leaders and NGOs with online access who are empowering their communities. PulseWire acts as a media partner to directly channel the stories, needs and solutions of the women they serve to receptive global audiences.
2. We apply the latest field-tested advances in communications technology and sustainability and present them in an accessible and appealing way to women on the ground. Services include: digital mapping, bulletin-board, easy blogging, instant translation, e-microcredit, mobile communication, community toolkits.
3. We forge business partnerships to channel technology (phones, laptops) to activate key groups for South-South/North-South networking.
4. We develop community-defined success indicators to evaluate how PulseWire’s services help users tackle HIV/AIDS, poverty, human rights, education and trafficking.
WHAT WE NEED:
Pulsewire seeks:
a) Visionary funding partners: multiyear (3) private and/or foundation seed funding
b) Technology and business partners to help adapt and disseminate technology specifically for women: security, digital mapping, telephony software; language localization; and hardware (telephones, computers) and training.
c) Airline and shipping partners; air miles.
d) Equipment: LCD projector.
e) A brilliant and professional video short producer.
f) Women coders (php, Drupal) to augment our awesome team.
Location
Portland, OR
United States
See map: Google Maps
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PulseWire is the kind of
PulseWire is the kind of project that boggles the mind with the possibilities involved. Connecting women in order to fundamentally alter our world for the better is the kind of goal whose time has come. With the transformative possibilities of the Internet and other technologies to bring together multiple viewpoints, the PulseWire project promises to increase the global role of women in shaping our society. For too long the world has been run as a profit and loss institution with little thought given to those disadvantaged in such a winner take all set up. It is my hope that given support, and resources (and your vote!) that PulseWire can be the communication tool of choice for women and men all around the world who are interested in social justice and gender equality. Please support this innovative, hopeful and beautifully presented project.
I truly believe ...
HI all,
I wanted to add a personal comment to the project description for PulseWire because I truly believe that the mission and features of the project and web portal could dramatically change women's lives by putting needed resources and tools into their hands. As someone who has been working in the field of AIDS for over 20 years, and someone who co-founded a project in Rwanda helping to deliver free HIV treatment to women survivors of genocide and rape, I have had my ear very close to the ground for years. I believe we need a tool that accelerates the delivery of info and services, but that does this by letting women at the grassroots and frontlines of their struggles, like AIDS in Rwanda, tell us what they are doing, want and need, and how they think we can best support their efforts. I think PulseWire can do this. We have worked very hard very quickly to put some great thinking into this project, and I think it has the potential to be an amazing tool for empowering women and NGOs to fight global problems like AIDS, but also to transform what we believe is possible in the arena of new technology.
AC
Anne-christine d'Adesky
Executive co-Director, WE-ACTx
www.we-actx.org
& Director of Global Advocacy, PulseWire portal
www.pulsewire.com
(415)648-1728 ofc \ (415) 690-6199 cell
Innovative & Necessary
As someone who travels throughout Africa working with women who create products to be sold in the "north" I can attest first hand that the woen of the "south" need every tool and opportunity they can get to lift themselves out of poverty. These women are not looking for someone to give them a way out/up, they just need some resources to do it for themselves. I hope PulseWire will grow to become one of the leading tools in this fight.