Move forward to the third day on duty in SOS

Since I know I will have a chance to pass the evaluation of MOFA program supporting senior Taiwan NGO leaders to have internship abroad, I am quite excited and really wanna grap the chance and go for it. Even it is quite funny that last time Mulyadi Pasaribu of OIC asked my "do I need to have an internship at my age ?", I am very happy to keep on learning at my age. :P

What I am impressed on SOS'work is that they're really good at using Web 2.0 applications Blogger, Facebook and twitter to outreach the public, from which foundraise and support field work of rainforest and orangutan conservation in Sumatra.

Due to my discussion with Helen, I will organize some major parts of the tasks, including literature review of SOS newspapers and publications, research topics on comparison of foundrasing and CSR models with particular case study of companies and NGOs between UK and Taiwan and program planning for events.

You could take look at aforementioned parts in details below or click on this Google Docs link.

Local movement for the future

It's almost 2 weeks I have been staying in Taiwan, many places I have been visit and had a lot of workshops that I have been follow. Meinong, Kaohsiung, Nanchuan, Neiwan, Hsinchu. The places are beautiful and very memorable. What can I conclude from this trip is that I see the strong local community spirit in maintaining what now exists and has been held, even if it is possible to make the current situation better.

Spirit of Meinong and Kaoshung youth movement

Many of the issues that deserve to be the basis why the local people so concerned with the conditions that exist now. Dam construction plan in Meinong and Bi Ling because of water crisis issue, the changing pattern of rural life because the demands of the economy, and culture change in rural communities that always go side by side with changes in the name of development.

It's not a minor issue to deal with, the expansion of development in all sectors seem to have to look for common ground, must find a point of balance in which development could walk without having to beat one of them. Luckily, Taiwanese communities have strong local community such as MPA and Atayal groups and other indigenous communities, who continue to work vigorously to open the eyes of the Taiwan government about the great impact that would arise if industrialization eroded the local potentials blindly, forgetting that what now exists is borrowing from future generations.

We owe to their future

It's amazing to see the strengths and efforts of local communities in protecting their assets, develop the understanding that the indigenous people of Taiwan are also entitled for what they protect and what they have so far. In a macro context, local communities movement in Meinong and other places, really is not solely to their interests, but for the sake of future generations in Taiwan.

I strongly believe that the damage that will occur in certain areas will have an impact not only to the local community, but Taiwan as a whole, because that is the law of nature. People in big cities in Taiwan, should be able to see this as a threat that can suppress the identity of Taiwan.

"Sometimes we just realized when it was too late"

Hsinchu, October, 1st, 2010.

As an intern, my encounter to SOS UK Headquarter

NGO Leaders' Forum's realm not limited in Taiwan but also a BCUA woman retreat from Taiwan to UK for bridging up cooperation and learning the expertise of foundrasing and communication and outreach from SOS, the headquarter of our partner OIC.

Arriving in UK late night on 26 Sept, spending 2 days to explore survival ways including transportation and communication with Taiwan in Oxford, I finally had an encounter with SOS crews on 29 Sept. The office inside of the historical Old Music Hall, located in Cowley Road, shared space on 2nd flood with NGOs like COIN and Echo, is a lovely and comfortable place for me to stay.

There are four members in the office. Helen Buckland who is the SOS UK Director always smiles and has the patience to listen and exchanges ideas with me. Claire is the new editor and journalist of the SOS newspaper JungleVine only for 2 months with abundant experience in NGO field. Bruce is the only male member for 8 years old and follows us everywhere we go. As the fourth member, I have discussed with Helen my tasks hoping to meet mutual needs of SOS and my organization BCUA, also witnessed many interesting coming events and look forward to start my study and research topics about foundrasing and CSR here.

The SOS Office is inside of the historical Old Music Hall and beside it is the George & Delila's Cafe (G & D) which is the best place for me to enjoy free Wifi, handmade ice cream and pizza bagel.






Bruce lies on a personal pad, and behind him is his panda friend.









Helen, Clair and me have lunch together in Cape of Good Hope in Cowley Road.









30 Sept is a sunshine day to take pictures. This beautiful Cathedral is located in the corner of SOS office








This is the East Oxford Community Center broadcasting many social activities like dance or fitness sports for people to join.








Greek, Indian, Chinese, Cambodia, Thailand, Sri Lanka shops even a Lan Kwai Fong (蘭桂坊) here makes Cowley Road more multi ethical and cultural than other area I have been in Oxford. The grocery store with colourful painting wall attracts walking people's eyes.

Short Brief Introduction Sumatra Sustainable Support (SSS-Pundi Sumatra)

Why bother with frogs crossing the roads?

Some have not yet realised that frogs are important to human beings. Frogs eat insects, some of which are serious pests in some regions. Frogs are also part of the ecosystem which means that whatever happens to them will affect other animals and even us in different ways. We are all connected in the web of life.

Based on this understanding, The Society of Wilderness in Hsinchu County initiated to mobilise local community volunteers to rescue frogs crossing the roads in Neiwan river. These frogs started mating for breeding from September to November each year and thus local volunteers make efforts to prevent the frogs being run over by motorists by stopping motorists to slow down their speed and catch some frogs barred by river wall built by local county government. After they catch the frogs, volunteers release them into the river ad allow the frogs to roam freely in river ecosystem and lay their eggs for breeding. This cause has been underway for some years and education programme in local schools to promote the importance of frog protection from extinction have been underway administered by the Society of Wilderness in Hsinchu county. In the future, it was suggested by NGO Leader Forum, sponsored by Research and Development Center for Community Learning (RDCCL) at NCCU, who visited the project site, that frog crossing signs need to be built in road areas used by frogs to cross t the river. More campaign at national level is also encouraged to bring the cause more widely in Taiwan.

Every creature have a reason to live and therein has an important role to sustain the ecosystem. Efforts by Society of Wilderness to save the frogs from further harmful road incident contribute greatly to promote viable ecosystem that is currently affected by global climate change. We deeply hope this effort will inspire all younger generations to be more concerned about our environment and everyone in the community regardless their age and nationality hold the responsibility to practice positive behaviours that benefit the environment and the ecosystems. Lets do it now or we lose our nature!

NCTU Workshop-Services Learning for Youth

“This session would continue in the future and I appreciated the people who help us” Cung-Yu Wu, President of National Chiao Tung University, in opening ceremony of National Chiao Tung University (09/28).

The learning process for youth was established through youth voluntary groups. The volunteers work in the relevant country. In Indonesia, the volunteer groups namely I-DO and E-Mate. I-DO volunteer group was focusing in rain forest and orangutan conservation in Gunung Leuser National Park. Beside, E-Mate volunteer group was focusing on rural education through ICT in Aceh province. The other youth volunteers are NTHU Volunteer group in Ghana. They are focusing in whole-system design and collaboration.

Both of the volunteer groups were promoting ecotourism, open sources, digital devices for conservation and renewable energy, ecology protection education. While, they also held blogger and internet activity, improving learning and teaching, orphan care, fair trade forum and other positives.

“We providing information and knowledge of computer and internet, recording the preparation of local traditional festival, improving the life of local resident and promoting health concept, introducing new business IT model, collaborating with local to find out the knowledge and resources for live” said NTHU Volunteer group.

Regarding Panut Hadisiswoyo (Founding Director OIC), Okta Setiawan (Air Putih Foundation) and Kiearen Ryan (Sacred Hear College-Belize), the volunteer groups were learning a new innovation in digital and conservation learning for local and international communities, bridging and leverage more partnership. Also, they were improving in communication way in rural area, especially for the poor.

This a good model through active collaborative action with partners in each country. “But, how we share each other, how we learn together” Joy Tang, Founding Director of One Village Foundation asked. The other question came from Director of the Service-Learning, NCTU, Chi-Kaung Pai. “What can we do next? Do we keep share the information or what?”

Hsinchu River Tour, September 27 2010

http://wiki.fcu.org.tw/index.php/NLF10:Hsinchu_river_tour