Blog Action Day: Poverty and the Internet

JOINING BLOGSPOT/BLOGGER'S annual blog action day is a privilege where I could share my time in a small, simple and different way thru my website. The theme is a pressing issue and much more requires attention than war or anything else. It is beyond war between guns and missiles, or armies and extremists but it is a war against hunger and deprivation from basic needs in life.

Awareness and access to information is instrumental in reducing or alleviating POVERTY around the world. Worldwide web (www) or the internet is a powerful tool to disseminate information and assistance for society that needs urgent attention. Access to right organisations and individuals are vital to properly address the problem and somehow facilitate immediate action with avaiable resources. Thus, combating and alleviating poverty is a big challenge particularly for a developing nation to ensuring every citizen has direct and sustainable access to basic services, especially food, shelter and education.

Utilising google and yahoo search engines, there are numerous interesting links that discuss POVERTY. From various press releases to private and public initiatives/programmes, from images to videos, and of course from blogs to blogs! There is so much information on-line that provides the spectrum of POVERTY. As my simple gesture of my contribution on blog action day is to highlights some of them and briefly reflects each of these links.

Defining Poverty. Wikipedia defines poverty as "deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life, including food, clothing, shelter and safe drinking water, and may also include the deprivation of opportunities to learn, to obtain better employment to escape poverty, and/or to enjoy the respect of fellow citizens". It is interesting to note that access to "clean and potable" drinking water and "better" jobs are other aspects to be addressed in poverty alleviation.

Causes of Poverty. The site has relevant posts and links that explains the main causes of poverty, including shocking facts and figures to show the extent of this global problem. Poverty is being tagged with politics, corruption, degradation of the environment, ethics, and land ownerships.

Spectrum of Poverty. Poverty is a worldwide threat which this site explains the range or gamut of it: hunger and diseases (AIDS, TB, diarrhea, and measles). According to UN, almost 25,000 people die every day of hunger or hunger-related causes which brings to a ratio of 1 person = every three and a half seconds, and mostly children die.

Speaking of children, there were three tragic events happened last year in my home country, the Philippines when two young boys and a girl (in different locations) decided to end up their lives due to poverty. It was really sad to hear their stories which inspired one of my Multiply contacts/friends to write his own reflection. It is worth reading it and I do believe that Roland sincerely voiced his concern about the role of the youths of today and how poverty affects their hopes and dreams becomes a reality.

Roland's, ROPE OR HOPE reminds us of the challenges that poverty brings to the next generation, and as he finally says, "Imagine if the youth of today are living with all their hopes...if they are reached out and are all groomed to be the next generation of leaders ... if such imagination comes to reality... I couldn’t even imagine how perfect the future of our nation would be!

So many images flooded in the internet which vividly show the extent of the damage that poverty brings to the people and community, and will continue to affect more lives in the years to come if this is not given utmost attention especially by our current world leaders. Some of these revealing faces of poverty posted in Flickr on Global Poverty (Note: The images below were taken from CARF's photostream)



Finally, I do love videos and thru Youtube, I was able to browse some of the interesting clips that convey that Poverty is in Motion!


(Note: This is the link for last year's Blogger's Action Day)

Scholarships and Grants for Postgraduate Studies

Almost 10 years ago, when internet/worldwideweb is not popular, long distance communication is a luxury. During those times, it was only available for organisations and individuals that have the technical and financial capabilities to set-up an on-line communication system. I had my first internet chat in 1993 when I was employed in Bangkok. It was an exciting experience to communicate with someone overseas - a free long distance telecommunicaiton.

Internet plays an important role in promoting postgraduate education through various academic and funding institutions worldwide. Traditionally, application for further studies abroad is being administered by state/government agencies in cooperation with embassies or foreign organisations; and mostly offered to government servants/employees as part of incentives in government service. Application processing is a little bit slow since submissions are done by post/courier or fax.But now it changed dramatically wherein everyone could directly apply for funds on-line.

A very good example is my current PhD programme where I was accepted in 2005 and funded to conduct a research on mixed-use development and urban regeneration. I got the information from an email and a link directed to the institution that offers the financial support for 3 years.

What Im driving at here is the opportunity to be a student again by applying for various funding institutions. A link is provided below for the list of potential donors and sponsors who could provide the resources to build up your future career in the chosen field of specilisation.

POTENTIAL FUNDS FOR FURTHER STUDIES WORLDWIDE

In particular, please visit these links as well for regular posting of funding opportunities.

University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia

Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Bangkok, Thailand

University of Ulster, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom

Reminder: If you did not succeed in your first application, try again and dont be disappointed. It is hardwork and determination to succeed at the end. Good luck!

Architect Daniel Libeskind at the launching of the Uni of Ulster's Real Estate Initiative

LAST NIGHT WAS THE LAUNCHING EVENT Of the Real Estate Initiative of my university at the Waterfront Hall (Belfast). It was a well-attended occasion where Daniel Libeskind, a well-known international architect was the guest lecturer.

The University of Ulster spearheaded this Initiative project through the Faculty of Art, Design and the Built Environment where I am currently pursuing my PhD in Engineering.

Just to give you a brief background, this Initiative aims to "bring key stakeholders in the built environment in Ireland together to drive forward world class research and to assist public sector policy decision making". This project is modelled from Harvard University of Graduate School of Design's effort to foster collaborations between research and teaching in real estate investment, urban development and design.

It was a rare opportunity to listen from a prestigious and well-awarded architect who happens to design and build iconic structures worldwide, including the on-going redevelopment of the former location of the Twin Towers in New York. It was a delight for the audience especially for young practitioners in architecture and design, and even to civil engineers like me to be informed of Libeskind's future vision of redeveloping towns and cities. Different forms and angles, different materials and mix of uses somehow pose major challenges and compromises on the part of the various stakeholders. Looking at those designs presented during the lecture, I was smiling and thinking that Libeskind's ideas make civil engineers' tasks more challenging!

On the other hand, his concept is also related to my piece of PhD research which I started two years ago which brings sustainability in redeveloping towns and cities through mixed-use development - rebuilding these brownfield areas into dynamic, profitable, liveable and less polluted neighbourhoods.

Details of Libeskind's master plan for the former site of the World Trade Centre or the present location of Ground Zero can be viewed at: Daniel Libeskind

The photos above show the slide presentation of some of the stunning projects of Libeskind, while the photos below shows Libeskind himself talking to one the PhD students of the university, while Prof Adair (one of my research supervisors and the Dean of the Faculty) attentively listening.