Thursday, May 15, 2008

The takes us to whole new worlds

Many organizations especially Registered Non Profits have a centralized structure of management and control, I think this is primarily due to the fact they have stringent reporting procedures related to tax receipting and accountability back to government. These model tends to keep process and control central and creativity on the edge or out all together. Bicycles for Humanity, is not an NGO, Non Government Organization, it works closely with NGO's for tax receipting , but it is a movement , a collective group scattered across the globe who simply believe that a bicycle can make a difference. There is really no infrastructure or management in the middle, only a website and a group of caring volunteers, the odd email from me and a lot of minds thinking about where this is going. As such, we are light, free and there is a totally creative flow from all in the movement and not from just the top. As a movement the incredible people who step forward and join the B4H family are free to take it in whatever direction they feel makes sense to tell the story, build their teams and raise the funds needed. B4H gives all a portal to share knowledge, tell that story and help partner communities here with communities in Africa. It might sound simply, it might look like we are disorganized, but the effect on Humanity and the value created for helping others, all I can say is wow, wow, wow, the creative energy and incredible talent that is unleashed for the betterment of all is simply mind blowing.

Last week, I received an email from Matt in Australia who is establishing a B4H chapter there. To tell the story, he had his 5 year old daughter draw images of what she thought we did and he then animated it so that it could be uploaded to YouTube and other video sites, to be able to be passed around or move virally as they say in the Web 2.0 world. In all my years in business and in being a part of B4H, I have never seen anything that more clearly tells the story of what we do and why we do it. It blew me away as it has many who have seen it. It's a bit large to sent to a large group, but it is available on our website, www.bicycles-for-humanity.org top right under Updates, Animation by a 5 year old.

Sometimes the task of telling the story seems hard, we a all wonder if anyone gets what we do, or why we do it or if any one cares at all. Then a 5 year old tells the story through her eyes and wow, wow, wow. If we were a centralized NGO in Canada this story would never have been told, but as a movement the energy flow to Australia touched Matt and his daughter, giving us the best visual yet of what we collectively all are doing in the B4H family globally.

Hope you enjoy the animation,

Humanity Rocks

Pat

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Through the eyes of a 5 year old

As a movement one never knows what will happen next and what people do, simply blows me away. I think that not knowing is the most fun of all and opening email every day is a special treat. yesterday, I received an email from Matt in Australia. his daughter had drawn some pictures of what we do and he developed them into an animation. That animation is available under updates, have a look, it is simply outstanding. We sometimes make it very difficult to explain to others what we do and how it works and the benefits of a program. Simple is better and this animation says it all.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

That Special Feeling

It's been 2 weeks since I last wrote anything on our blog, but a lot has happened in that time. Colorado sent their first container to Namibia The grade 5 class of Scott Slater, last week collected a container of bikes, loaded them and with the help of Norco delivered an incredible amount of spare parts to Namibia in addition to bikes. This week, Kelowna and whistler will load containers. It's funny, but for me every day is an adventure and I would not trade one minute of the journey for anything. I am simply blown away by the spirit and energy of hundreds within the B4H family and every day, I'm inspired more and humbled by what so many do. Seb in Ottawa and her team with new partnerships, Steve and the team in Thunder Bay and their efforts with students, Tom, north of Edmonton taking on an incredible challenge in a rural area and making a go of it. I can go on and on, but the character of an organization is defined by it's people and what they believe and their enthusiasm to help others a world away in Namibia and soon Uganda.

Being grassroots has it's issue's , but they are small in comparison to the energies and enthusiasm that is released by people who care and care for others. Not being a registered non profit, we sometimes struggle for finding partners to help with tax receipting, but this only makes us stronger and leads to further creativity and partnering for the good of all. I'm not sure what we are, maybe a movement, certainly a caring global group who is focused on helping many in Africa. Whatever it is, it is magic and it is infectious and it sure keeps me going to try harder.

At times it is very emotional and touch to keep going, but when I see what so many have done, and are doing, I'm simply blown away and in awe. Maybe I'm old, maybe I'm rambling on and a bit crazy, but there is a feeling one gets when one is around something special and I thought I would just take a moment and thank everyone for all they have done and for giving us all a chance to feel something special.