While minuscule compared to Robert Mugabe’s large scale ‘clean up’ of the slums in Harare, I couldn’t help but be shocked as I walked down the small side street behind Freetown’s National Stadium and found nothing but the smashed remains of the dozen or so small stalls that lined the street.

Amidst the piles of rubble several young men sat, dejected, imploring me for help. They explained that they had indeed been warned that their shops would be torn down but had been unable to act on the notice as they had neither the capital nor an alternate location to rebuild. To say that these shops employed dozens of young men and woman might be a stretch – but they themselves admit that these informal jobs are the difference between an honest living and a life of crime.

Now, I admit, there is credence to the police’s actions, and their desire to clean up what was both an eyesore and a health risk. However, to tear down the offending kiosks without providing an alternative is incomprehensible; this in a country where only 65,000 of over 5.6 million inhabitants have a salaried job. The rest, like these young men, rely on petty trading to get by.

Given the overwhelming unemployment that grips Sierra Leone, estimated at 70%, and its role in the country’s past conflict, youth employment strategies have become the focus for both local and international organizations operating in the country. Ironically these efforts are led by the Ministry of Youth and Sports, conveniently located a stones throw from the offending, and now non-existent, shops and kiosks that provided jobs for two dozen or so young Sierra Leoneans.

Republished from USA Today.
http://blogs.usatoday.com/maney


Bill G and the $100 laptop problem


So I'm sitting with Bill Gates at dinner and he says ...

Actually, I've often wanted to start a barroom conversation that way but feared
sounding like Commander McBragg. "Dear chap, did I ever
tell you about the time I used a tablet PC to stop a charging
rhino just before it gored Bill Gates and
ruined our conversation about global philanthropy?"

Anyway, I really was with Gates at a dinner recently, and I brought up the
topic of Nicholas Negroponte's project - One Laptop Per Child. Negroponte, who founded the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Media Lab, wants to make $100 laptops for the poor in
developing countries. Gates, with as much respect as he ever musters
for something he thinks is dumb, said it was a really bad idea. He
says it would be more effective to disseminate Internet-enabled
cellphones to those regions.

I'd report Gates' exact words, except I wasn't taking notes
because we were at a Morton's steakhouse eating pieces of beef the
size of car tires.

But last week, the Microsoft chairman repeated his argument at
the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland - where the United
Nations endorsed Negroponte's project.

On the face of it, Gates seems to be taking his position only
because that darn $100 laptop doesn't run on Microsoft's Windows
operating system. Negroponte chose a free Linux-based operating
system - and then gored Microsoft by reportedly saying he picked it
not because it's free, but because it's better.

Worse for Microsoft, if tens of millions of Negroponte's
Microsoft-free laptops spread through the Third World, that kind of
product base would lure developers to create more software for the
machines. Major manufacturers such as Sony or Dell might decide to
make better, competing supercheap non-Windows laptops. Soon, people
in the USA, Europe or Japan could be buying versions of Negroponte's
laptop - maybe ones that cost $200 and have a few more features but
still contain no Microsoft software.

Negroponte never intended to start a Microsoft competitor - he
just wanted to help get computers and the Internet to the world's
poor. But spin out the tale of the $100 laptop in a certain way, and
you wind up with Negroponte bringing Microsoft to its knees.

So why wouldn't Gates fight back?

Unless that is not what is happening.

Five years ago, Gates probably would have been thinking only of
Microsoft in any debate about a $100 laptop. But these days, perhaps
he is proposing his ideas for more elevated reasons.

I asked Gates about the $100 laptop because, up until then, the
dinner conversation had been about his philanthropic work in the
developing world - which landed him, along with his wife, Melinda,
and U2 singer Bono - on the cover of Time as Persons of the Year. The
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has spent $9.3 billion on health care
initiatives and other causes in the past six years. Gates has
traveled to places such as India and Africa repeatedly. He has proved
passionate and knowledgeable about helping the remote, isolated poor.

Cellphones are cheap, use little power and are already made by
dozens of companies. A single cell tower could connect a whole town.
Cellphones have Web browsers and text messaging and e-mail - and are
stable, tested technology. They're spreading quickly in a lot of the
developing world.

So, to paraphrase Gates, why start from scratch? Why rely on a
product that's never been mass-produced and could have more bugs than
a rain forest? If the U.N. and governments of nations such as Egypt
and Nigeria want to get technology into poor villagers' hands
quickly, why not focus on cellphones?

It's a commendable point.

So here's a challenge to Gates: Do it.

Negroponte has momentum because he has executed on what seemed
like an audacious plan. He got big-name backers early on, especially
Google, AMD and - as of Tuesday - software company Red Hat. Also on
board is Gates' cohort from the Time cover, Bono. Negroponte told me
a year ago, "This is the first project in my life where I've never
had to worry about money."

He started with an improbable concept and now has a prototype.
Quanta Computer of Taiwan - a contract manufacturer that makes about
one-third of all laptops sold - has signed on to make the $100
laptops. And, most recently, Negroponte got the U.N.'s support.

Gates says that laptops aren't going to do much for the poor if
they can't get on the Internet and that most of the poorest regions
don't have Internet connections. But there might be answers to that,
too - with Wi-Fi and microwave or satellite connections. Lockheed
Martin is working on geostationary blimps that could act as a
wireless Internet tower serving a large area.

Negroponte is off and running, while Gates so far is mostly
conceptualizing. But I'm willing to give Gates the benefit of the
doubt. I want to believe he really wants to solve these big problems
- and that his next move will be to dive full-throttle into making
his competing cellphone proposition real.

The outcome could only be good - to have two forces like
Negroponte and Gates in an arms race to produce technology that could
transform the lives of hundreds of millions of the world's poorest
people.

Some experts worry that Gates is maneuvering to make sure
Negroponte's project gets hung up in industry politics. That would be
horrible and counter to Gates' philanthropic ambitions. Here's to
hoping -- no, having faith -- that he fights this battle in a way
worthy of a Person of the Year.




Kevin Maney

Emerging from 10 years of an absolutely brutal civil war things have been looking up in Sierra Leone since the official cessation of violence in 2002. Elections later that year saw Alhaji Tejan Kabbah stake claim to a Presidency he has held on and off since 1996. But with a new round of national elections set for 2007 things are certainly heating up. Charles Margai, a former member of the ruling SLPP, a party founded by his father Sir Milton Margai, recently split from the party to form the People's Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC). He is widely seen as the biggest challenge to the ruling parties success in 2007. And interestingly he was placed under arrest yesterday morning. With over 18 months to go before the next elections things are definitely heating up here in Salone. What remains to be seen is in which direction these politics go - one can only hope that the country has learned from the violence that once engulfed it and choses dialogues as opposed to conflict. The situation will also be a large test for the local police forces who, with the impeding withdrawal of UNAMSIL, will take over security primacy for the country.

Nothing like politics to stir the pot!

I’ve done a lot of things in the past but never did I think I would be producing a concert on behalf of the United Nations.A month ago I was approached by my colleagues here at UNAMSIL to help organize a youth presence at the War Don Don Peace Festival, a celebration of the country’s sustained peace and progress. Initially planned as an international event featuring stars such as Youssou N’Dour and Travis, finances and some insurance issues led to the redefinition of the concept to focus, rightfully so, on local talent.

The title of the event coincides with the words of President Tejan Kabbah who, in January 2002, announced that “War Don Don, Peace don Com,” the war is over, peace has come. And after more than a decade of outright brutal civil war, peace is indeed something to celebrate. The event also marks a transition in the country’s history as the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL), here since 1999, prepares to officially withdraw from the country. At one time UNAMSIL was the largest peacekeeping force in the world with over 17,000 troops but with the consolidation of peace and a much needed focus on development the last of troops will leave the country by 31 December 2005.

As the event date approached, my responsibilities on the project grew to encompass some attempts at securing sponsorship and eventually negotiations and contact with the artists and production companies as well as the actual production of the event. While we had initially targeted a select list of 6 key Sierra Leonean performers, we eventually expanded the list to include a wide range of musical talents, allowing for established artists and newcomers to share the stage. While their names may not be familiar outside of Salone, their music is definitely worth finding. Defining it, however, is pretty difficult. In their own words it is not reggae, not hip hop, not soca – it’s a very unique Salone sound. While Sierra Leone’s biggest music star, Emmerson, was out of the country the show didn’t miss a beat with the country’s best such as K’Man, Daddy Saj, Jungle Leaders, Succulent and Extra O playing to an estimated audience of over 20,000.

They were joined by United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador Aja. The Barbadian reggae and spoken word poet had toured the country in 2003 and was so shocked by what he saw that he promised to return to help the country in its path to peace. “This is a defining moment in the history of Sierra Leone," Aja said. "All of the artists are one family. I want us to go out there and tell the world Sierra Leone is on a new path."
While I had hoped the event would draw closer to 30 or 35,000 I can’t complain as since the event I’ve been repeatedly stopped in the streets by people telling me how great of a time they had. The artists and performers were fantastic, extremely flexible despite the schedule running over an hour long. And while we struggled mightily to raise the required funds for the concert, some last minute contributions by some generous sponsors means we’ll be cutting a cheque for over $25,000 to the United Nations Development Programme for poverty reduction programmes.

Thus while the event and associated workload weren’t in my original plans, it was a fantastic opportunity to get engaged in the Sierra Leonean music scene. Music is a key medium for expression. These young artists speak frankly about what has happened, and what is happening in their country. Be it the war, peace, poverty or corruption their music speaks to the reality of life in the world’s second poorest country. But within that reality lies an optimism and a confidence that makes me want to believe that things will indeed change. I can only hope that this event, and TIGs association with it, will have played a role in pushing that change forward.

Hanging out with iEARN Sierra Leone at the War Don Don Music Festival. iEARN performed two songs at the event in preparation for their album launch on December 9th.