Ask Slashdot: Who's the Doctors Without Borders of Technology? 112
danspalding writes I'm transitioning into full time tech work after 10 years in education. To that end, after years of tooling around with command line and vim, I'm starting a programming bootcamp in early December. I used to think I wanted to go into ed tech. But the more I think about it, the more I just want to contribute to the most important work I can using my new skills — mostly JavaScript (with a strong interest in graph databases). Ideally an organization that does bold, direct humanitarian work for the people who need it most. So where should I apply to work when I finish bootcamp next March? Who's the MSF of the tech world?
Engineers Without Borders (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:3)
Gone to the website, clicked on "ABOUT" and got a 404. Not very convincing about these engineers.
Well then it seems like they need him even more than they thought!
Re: (Score:2)
For those who live in Australia, don't forget WICEN. The US really should have something similar.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:1)
Perhaps you are the man; please, please, have a look at this talk by Hans Rosling: http://www.ted.com/talks/hans_... [ted.com]
If you find it inspiring enough, kindly contact back at georgatos _at_ ewb-luxembourg _dot_ org
I play as the secretary of the board, at EWB Luxembourg organization (other mundane roles included).
Re: (Score:1)
hm... something interesting might be going on with email... in that case, google-plus-me, we are not all that much hidden in cyberspace!
Re: (Score:2)
Someone should fix its "About Us" link since http://www.ewb-international.o... [ewb-international.org] is missing. [grin]
Re: (Score:1)
I don't think I'm going to trust an organization of engineers where every link off the home page is a 404
Nerds Without Borders (Score:1)
Nerds in action: 'Nerds Without Borders' help solve North Carolina's thorny Turtle problem [engadget.com]
Re:Nerds Without Borders (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.nerdswithoutborders.com/
That's not the right website for NWB - that's some kind of tech blog with adverts.
The correct site is: http://nerdswithoutborders.net/ [nerdswithoutborders.net]
Re: (Score:2)
http://www.nerdswithoutborders.com/
That's not the right website for NWB - that's some kind of tech blog with adverts.
The correct site is: http://nerdswithoutborders.net/ [nerdswithoutborders.net]
how does JavaScript work without computers? (Score:3)
I mean in parts of africa where they have no tech and people go hungry and die of diseases we dont have anymore here in the first world
Re: (Score:1)
Good point man - I guess those people don't even have facebook?
I envy them.
Re: (Score:3)
Well, you provide them with a computer, and access to the internet.
They can then search for advice on farming and healthcare, and use the information to feed the people that aren't dying as quickly any more.
Of course, the issue isn't providing the technology, training people how to use it, paying for it or getting value from it. The problem is the corrupt officials that demand kickbacks for letting any of that happen, the religious fuckwits demanding medieval education and the racist cunts outraged that som
Re:how does JavaScript work without computers? (Score:5, Funny)
" The problem is the corrupt officials that demand kickbacks for letting any of that happen, the religious fuckwits demanding medieval education and the racist cunts outraged that someone in another village may be trying to better themselves. [] But that's Africa for you."
Are you SURE that's just Africa? It sounds pretty familiar.
Re: (Score:2)
Are you SURE that's just Africa? It sounds pretty familiar.
The biggest difference is that African corrupted officials are appointed by western powers, while I am not sure who decide about our corrupted officials in western powers
Re: (Score:2)
Of course, the issue isn't providing the technology, training people how to use it, paying for it or getting value from it. The problem is the corrupt officials that demand kickbacks for letting any of that happen, the religious fuckwits demanding medieval education and the racist cunts outraged that someone in another village may be trying to better themselves.
But that's Amerika for you.
FTFY!
America is no longer one nation indivisible any more. Red states have been trying to secede for quite some time now. Only thing stopping it is, some of them realize that it is the taxes paid by the blue states and the large urban pockets that are keeping the red states afloat. So they are threading the needle of "yeah, yeah, it would be great if we could secede" and at the same time sabotaging the secession behind the scenes.
Re: (Score:2)
So you need to solve the issue of electricity, internet access, education to read and write, education to read and write English, and the inapplicability of most modern hints and tips to subsistence farming that goes on in most of sub Saharan Africa, and also local crops.
In most cases, the local farmers know how to get the most out of their land, that isn't the problem - its that getting the most out of their land does fuck all for them, it won't raise them out of poverty, just like it didn't raise their pa
Re: (Score:2)
I can't find the TED talk, sorry, but someone a few years back was putting simple web access terminals into African villages.
Top queries included, "How do I treat cattle with "
Is a UK farming blog describing how best to fleece the EU subsidy system going to help? No. Is an agricultural college describing the latest western machine intensive techniques going to help? no. Are there other farming resources out there? Hell yes.
I agree that change must be wanted. Education and access to information are important
Re: (Score:2)
They can then search for advice on farming and healthcare, and use the information to feed the people that aren't dying as quickly any more.
Farming is a local enterprise. It varies greatly across the planet, based on things like land, local weather conditions, and what's available. They're more likely to get proper info from other farmers who are successful rather than from some 1st-world blog.
And healthcare advice? If there are no doctors available locally, then they won't be able to implement the solution to "You have appendicitis." Or maybe they can learn to remove the appendix by watching some youtube videos? And reading some web pa
Re: (Score:2)
Having access to the 4390 websites telling you how to diagnose appendicitis is a fuck of a lot more useful than having access to a witchdoctor.
See my reply to Richard re: farming.
Re: (Score:2)
If you don't have access to a surgeon and antibiotics, you're no better off than calling a witch doctor.
If a ruptured appendix is left untreated, the condition is fatal. [thefreedictionary.com]
Re: (Score:2)
Still, useful to know whether the 60 mile walk to the hospital dragging your family member behind you is necessary in advance.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Curious. You're acting as though the NHS in the UK doesn't have a website into which you can enter symptoms, and receive guidance on whether a medical professional is required.
Is this a universal panacea? No.
Would you be better off with a mobile phone you can use the ring the hospital? Yes.
Is there benefit to poor rural communities in Africa from access to the internet? Yes.
You seem to disagree. Shrug.
Re: (Score:3)
Mobile phones.
"By the end of 2014, it is forecast that there will be more than 635m mobile subscriptions in sub-Saharan Africa. This is predicted to rise, to about 930m by late 2019, when it is estimated that three in four mobile subscriptions will be internet inclusive. The growth is attributed to the rise of social media, content-rich apps and video content accessed from a new range of smartphones costing less than $50 (£30)" http://www.theguardian.com/wor... [theguardian.com]
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
They might set up things like water purification, introduce technology to make more effective yields from the farms, set up or maintain water pumps, stoves, simple machines, etc....
They also might help develop and implement sustainable infrastructure such as solar, and wind, that can be used in a myriad of devices to help crop production, and even computers that could aid in education, and help stop the spread of diseases through awareness
yo
Tec-Nica (Score:2)
TecNica was one with a focus on Nicaragua and Africa. Sadly they appear to no longer be active.
http://www.tecnicavolunteers.o... [tecnicavolunteers.org]
Check your local community first (Score:4, Informative)
I'm guessing that your local community probably has some needs for your skills, whether its an elementary school, charity organization, adult education program, etc....You'd be surprised how many people are held back by their lack of basic computer skills Slashdotters think they were born with.
I share your same desire to be able to donate my skills to humanitarian organizations in need (I can't build a house with my hands, but I can sure set up networks, workstations, infrastructure, etc), but many people in the world need basic services like toilets a lot more than they need electronics.
Re: Check your local community first (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Go back to school and get a real Bsc. degree in civil engineering. People in undeveloped countries need bridges, roads, clean water, and sewage systems.
Re: (Score:2)
Hey, the US could use some of those things too! http://www.infrastructurerepor... [infrastruc...rtcard.org]
Re: (Score:1)
"Until you've discarded what you are interested and done all that, you've got no ground telling anyone else to do it."
This is not a coherent, complete, or grammatically correct sentence.
Re: Check your local community first (Score:4, Insightful)
I think you might be going about this backwards - find a group who's goals, methods and timelines interest you. Poke around, see if they can use whatever tech skills you have. It probably will be a non tech group - they're the ones that never can get enough money or expertise for everything. Join them and help out. Depending on your interest, skills, time and their needs, you might end up working with several such organizations.
Re: Check your local community first (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Stay home. Seriously. As someone who has spent the last decade working on technology in the developing world, I can tell you that most of what I do is clean up after well meaning people who don't know enough about technology to avoid making simple mistakes, and who know next to nothing about local conditions. I cut my teeth working on the Canadian frontier, and I suggest you do something similar. Don't try to help until you're confident you can.
There's some merit to that. Doctors without Borders is an unusu
Re: (Score:2)
MSF operate outside of any sort of Government backing or support (logistical or security-wise) for the simple reason that they deliberately put themselves into war zones to not only aid civilians, they also (in)advertantly aid the enemy (whoever the enemy-du-jour is). Ergo, legally they are stateless otherwise they would be committing treason.
Re: (Score:1)
Heyya - just a quick tip of the hat - sounds like we got started much the same way. What part of the Canadian frontier you tame? Yukon here, early 90s with a NPO.
Min
Re: (Score:2)
Heyya - just a quick tip of the hat - sounds like we got started much the same way. What part of the Canadian frontier you tame? Yukon here, early 90s with a NPO.
Eastern Arctic, at about the same time. Worked with Jeff Philippe a bit, too. He was operating out of Yellowknife back then. We set up what was at the time the most remote commercial ISP in the world. It was a great lesson in doing more with less, but still operating in a place where the broader context was more or less sane.
The thing that people forget when they're working in developing countries is that you can't take even the smallest things for granted. The movement of goods can resemble Brownian motion
Re: (Score:2)
I did YKnet around the same era then, out of Whitehorse. Set up an 8 line dial up pop in Old Crow, using bound analog sat channels.
I also did a stint down in the Eastern Carribean. I remember the bribes, favors, etc required to get a UPS from the dock to our building, and members of our team blocking off the main drag in town while we used the (borrowed) cargo forklift from the docks to lift the UPS up the side of the building. While we were discussing how to get it in the window the forklift driver disa
Re: (Score:2)
but many people in the world need basic services like toilets a lot more than they need electronics.
You would be surprised. After the earthquake in Haiti one of the main problems ended up being setting up electronic infrastructure for all the other workers coming in rebuilding and treating victims. Everybody send doctors and construction workers, but it became a real mess when noone send computer experts to set up internet and cellphone infrastructure for the doctors, engineers, construction workers and not least thousands of journalists to use.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Geeks without borders (Score:1)
http://gwob.org/
Are you looking for a Career, or a Cause? (Score:5, Informative)
Case in point, I have known several health care professionals (physicians, pharmacists, nurses, etc) who have worked with their corresponding "[X] without borders" groups at times. They were always happy to do it and to have done it, but they always had to go back to their regular jobs afterwards so that they could pay the bills.
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Are you looking for a Career, or a Cause? (Score:4, Insightful)
You're right that I'm looking for a career. Having said that, a non-profit job would be fine. (as long as it paid a living wage for the bay area) (I know)
In other words, forget it.
""The CS degree for the 21st century" So you're going to Hackreactor [hackreactor.com] for training? BwahHaHaHa ...
Become a Software Engineer.
You’ll begin Hack Reactor with a feeling of excitement and anticipation. Twelve weeks later, you’ll follow the footsteps of our trailblazing alumni, taking the methodologies and best practices you perfected at our coding bootcamp to your next job. We’ve built world class software engineering curriculum and programming courses. However, Hack Reactor is, above all else, a world-class learning environment.
Total Tuition
$17,780
There are three types of lies:
1. Lies others tell you
2. Lies you tell others,
3. Lies you tell yourself.
You've been conned (#1). Time to stop conning yourself (#3).
No, you cannot become a "software engineer" in 12 weeks. You'll just be another webmonkey.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
You're right that I'm looking for a career. Having said that, a non-profit job would be fine. (as long as it paid a living wage for the bay area) (I know)
There was a time when a lot of really smart people could get by on the old mantra of "find what you want to do, and the money will follow". That time, unfortunately, is not now. Do something important that helps a lot of people, or live comfortably; you can't do both - at least, not in the first 40-50 years of your life.
I highly recommend you find a job that pays well first. Then find a weekend hobby that allows you to use your skills "for good". I wish I could suggest otherwise but I have seen far
Honest question (Score:2)
Doesn't the FOSS movement fill this need when it comes to programming? Unlike engineers, who may need to go into remote areas in order to help build wells or other pieces of infrastructure that are necessary for survival, most of a programmer's work (though admittedly not all) either can't be done on-site or simply needn't be done on-site. Rather, you're more dependent on the people having reached some minimum threshold already (e.g. have a computer, have an Internet connection, etc.), at which point provid
Human Rights Data Analysis Group (Score:1)
It's the linux missionaries (Score:1)
Two cents from someone who did this. (Score:2)
I did tech work and tech education in two developing countries so here is what think.
You should listen to some of the other posters and get your feet wet to see about volunteering in a disadvantage local community in any tech capacity. The developing world is gonna to be orders of magnitude worse than the first world ghetto in terms of resources and poorly executed or vaporware jobs done by predecessors. Also, most people up to the most high in a developing country are going view any type of computer profe
Check out Benetech (.org) (Score:1)
fairtraderecycling.org (Score:4, Informative)
It's an international group which helps defend falsely accused "geeks of color". Here are two recent examples of FTR projects.
1. Ambassador program flies students and techs overseas to meet and qualify buyers of used tech who people are afraid to sell to based on "ewaste" myths. http://resource-recycling.com/... [resource-recycling.com]
2. Defense and petitions of UK TV repairman and ex-pat Nigerian Joe Benson, imprisoned in UK for "e-waste crime" based on "common knowledge" that 80% of exports of used equipment to Africa are burned in primitive dumps. FairTradeRecycling got the UN to fund actual research of the containerloads in question, which revealed 91% reuse and repair, better than brand new product, and found the African geeks who buy and repair used equipment were earning 6 times average wages (Ghana, Nigeria). http://resource-recycling.com/... [resource-recycling.com]
Disclosure, I'm the founder.
Just go for MSF (Score:2)
http://www.msf.org/work-msf
First, do no harm (Score:2)
MSF addresses severe problems (education shortfall, brain drain) that particularly impact the field of medicine. The problem is specific to medecine because it takes a decade of education to train a single doctor.
There is no equivalent problem in the field of technology, so there is no equivalent organization.
There are already people in developing countries who know how to use JavaScript and would love to apply their skills. And they'll (hopefully) be better at it than you, because they understand the local
Doctors without borders of tech? (Score:2)
I don't know who it is, but I'm morally convinced there's a CSS joke in there somewhere.
Graph databases (Score:1)
Graph databases? Why?
Saving lives with JavaScript? (Score:4, Insightful)
Doctors Without Borders risk their lives giving medical aid to people that are in such dire conditions that "normal" medical people can't or won't work there anymore. They do it without asking the people they treat for any compensation.
How would you put the ability to write JavaScript anywhere in the same ball park? If you want to help out in any way, learn a medical skill and go out in the field with MSF. Don't ride on those heroes names in your arm chair with your covert job seeking advertisement. While you may want to do good, JavaScript can be written anywhere on the planet and used elsewhere. Stopping some four year old kid from bleeding to death because they just got shelled with a "barrel bomb" dropped from a helicopter can't.
This may seem a bit harsh, but my girlfriend works for MSF. She left last Friday to go on a "field trip".
Re: (Score:1)
I work for MSF. True there's nothing in the field for IT people, but there are interesting IT positions in our HQs (Amsterdam, Brussels, Paris, Barcelona and Geneva).
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Hackers For Charity (Score:1)
This all we got? man, time to start something (Score:1)
Nerds Without Grilfriends (Score:2)
Nerds Without Grilfriends
Re: (Score:2)
Hello, guys! I've been working on and now I'm looking for some job in tech. Because Slashdot is a job board, do you guys have any ideas?
Well, as you said, Slashdot is a job board, so just use it: http://slashdot.org/job_board.pl [slashdot.org]
Re: (Score:2)