Written by Kristine Pearson
Make It Right Foundation panel discussion on the reconstruction of the Ninth Ward
One of the most engaging speakers at Clinton Global Initiative was Dierdre Taylor, who is a Make It Right Homeowner in the Ninth Ward in New Orleans. Brad Pitt who was quite humble, spoke about how shocked he had been months after Hurricane Katrina and how little had been done by the government. So he and others founded the Make it Right Foundation to build green, clean and affordable homes using the most efficient technologies and building construction and, Diedre, a hospice worker and single mother of two, was one of the first home owners.
Dierdre held her own on stage with Brad Pitt and President Clinton sharing her joy of living in a modern, solarized house which she owns and pays a mortgage of $400 pm and a monthly electricity bill of $50. Her daughter no longer suffers asthma as she did in their house that was washed away. She had everyone laughing as she described her dual commode flush toilet with two moons – one a half moon and one a full moon. Dierdre left it to the audience to figure out what that meant.
Written by Kristine Pearson:
Infrastructure panel session moderated by John Podesta
Every session at the Clinton Global Initiative continues to be a stimulating round table discussion or a panel session with outstanding speakers on addressing key global challenges.
This morning’s plenary was a business panel that included Kofi Annan and various speakers. One speaker was Cisco CEO John Chambers. Chambers stated that four years ago, he never could have imagined the speed at which social marketing has taken hold and to the extent that Cisco uses it. Another speaker on the panel was GE CEO, Jeffrey Immelt. He noted that in Angola road signs are in Mandarin and that it is the Chinese in Africa who are using a new business model and using it forcefully.
The panel also featured spunky Swede Ingrid Munro, who spoke about her life’s work with beggars called, Jamii Bora, which in response to the government’s total lack of service delivery, has become a self-sufficient landowning community outside of Nairobi. The marvelous Partner’s in Health Founder, Paul Farmer, spoke of the challenges of operating in Haiti for over 25 years with limited infrastructure.
I found the Bosnian President Haris Silajdzic fascinating. I usually spend my time listening and learning as much as I can about Africa, however I realised how much I had forgotten about the Balkans conflict in the 90s. He spoke eloquently and passionately about trying to reconstruct a society which was attacked by fascists for its multi-culturalism. He stated the conflict wasn’t about poverty or empty pockets, but empty hearts.
CEO of Kristine Pearson with former President Bill Clinton, announcing Lifeline Energy commitment
Written by Kristine Pearson
Former President Bill Clinton opened today’s session on Investing in Girls and Women by stating “Women perform 66 percent of the world’s work, and produce 50 percent of the food, yet earn only 10 percent of the income and own 1 percent of the property.” He continued to say “Whether the issue is improving education in the developing world, or fighting global climate change, or addressing nearly any other challenge we face, empowering women is a critical part of the equation.”
Shortly after President Clinton’s opening, we had the opportunity to announce our commitment to distribute self-powered Lifeline radios and new clean energy Lifelights to poor women and girls in Rwanda, which will directly benefit 20,000 people. The Lifelights will enable women to extend their business hours and the radios will enable the women and girls to access health, literacy, and practical skills, as well as agricultural advice.
Investing in Women and Girls panel
The session was moderated by Diane Sawyer and featured Robert B. Zoellick, President of The World Bank Group, Zainab Salbi, founder and CEO of Women for Women International, Rex Tillerson, Chairman and CEO of Exxon Mobil and Lloyd C. Blankfein, Chairman and CEO of The Goldman Sachs Group.
Lifeline Energy has been chosen as a featured organization at this week’s meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative.
Watch our CEO Kristine Pearson live with former President Bill Clinton and ABC host Diane Sawyer at 9am EST/2pm GMT http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/webcast
You can also get the latest updates by following or twitter.com/FreeplayFound or twitter.com/ClintonTweet
President Obama at CGI
Former US President Bill Clinton Opening CGI
Written by Kristine Pearson
What a thrilling opening session when President Obama joined former President Clinton at the Clinton Global Initiative! I’ve seen President Clinton speak many times, but this is the first time that I’d seen President Obama in person. I thought his words spoke to everyone reminding us of the beauty of service,” that anyone can do it and everyone should try.” In the 1,000 strong audience were more than 60 current and former heads of state, business leaders, civil society leaders, philanthropists, and celebrities included Matt Damon, Barbra Streisand, Ben Stiller and Goldie Hawn.
Earth Times — Clinton Global Initiative highlights Freeplay Foundation as a featured humanitarian organisation. Click on the following link to read the press release featured on the Earth Times website:
Earth Times Press Release
Clinton Global Initiative Technology Panel
Written by Kristine Pearson
Activities for the non-profits started early at CGI with a workshop aimed at IT advances and NGO executives. Sponsored by Microsoft and Ashoka, we heard various presentations and IT perspectives of specialists from large non-profits. Peppered with statistics, is clear, almost mind-numbing, really, how technology is profoundly impacting how we operate as well as end-users in the developing world are creating new uses for technology. Like if MySpace were a country it would be the 5th most populous in the world! As usual, no one mentioned radio, or even television as technology or learning tools – it was principally the Internet and cell phone. Also, there was no mention of how these devices are powered, which is where our opportunity lies. I walked away feeling that I’d learned new ideas and approaches — my time was well spent!
Clinton Global Initiative highlights Lifeline Energy (formally Freeplay Foundation) as featured humanitarian organisation. Click on the following link to read the press release featured on the Reuters website:
Reuters Press Release
Clinton Global Initiative
Highlights Freeplay Foundation
As Featured Humanitarian Organization
New York, September 21, 2009…. Freeplay Foundation announced today that it has been chosen as a featured organization at this week’s meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative. The Foundation has pledged its intent to integrate the award-winning Freeplay Lifeline radio and new clean energy Lifelight into a program benefiting 20,000 extremely poor women and girls across Rwanda.
Rural women and girls will gain reliable, on-demand access to radio and Internet information and renewable lighting via solar-powered and wind-up Lifeline radios and Lifelights. Participants will be able to access health, literacy and economic development information, as well as agricultural advice and practical life skills information. LED Lifelights provide both focused task illumination and ambient area light. The women and girls will be able to undertake after-dark small businesses such as weaving and beading, and they can study and walk safely at night.
The Honorable James Kimonyo, Republic of Rwanda Ambassador to the United States, champions Freeplay Foundation’s commitment to action.
“Freeplay Foundation is a proven NGO in Rwanda and I fully support their pledge,” said the Ambassador. “Children breathe in toxic fumes and damage their eyes when they study to kerosene lamps and candles. Light is needed in every situation after seven o’clock, and our students will never become properly educated if they can only study under these unhealthy conditions.”
To read the rest of the News Release, please visit our Media Centre.
CEO Kristine Pearson is attending the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in New York City from 22-25 September 2009. This prestigious forum brings together world leaders, proven NGOs, prominent individuals and private sector decision-makers to take action on critical global challenges. Our Commitment to Action is to provide 20,000 rural women and girls in Rwanda with clean energy Lifelights and Lifeline radios. Interested females will sign up to participate in the nationwide project and will use their Lifelights to extend the hours of their small businesses or to start up new ones. More than 1,300 radio listening groups will be created to discuss important educational, health and agriculture information to help improve their lives.
His Excellency James Kimonyo, the Rwandan Ambassador to the US, is a strong supporter of our CGI Commitment. “No matter how far-reaching our Government’s efforts to promote education extend, our children will not become educated with only a few hours of reading each week,” said the Ambassador. “The ability to read and study after nightfall is the key to success in the classroom.”
Thousands of non-profits vie for an invitation to CGI and we are honoured to be among a handful of organisations that received a complementary invitation, allowing us to forego the $20,000 attendance fee.
Our long-standing project partners CARE International in Rwanda, Fair Children Youth Foundation, Institute of Research and Dialogue for Peace, Trust and Care and Radio Salus will be partnering with us on this important initiative.
