Making something fun changes everything

When I speak to people about Zoogeez they often draw comparisons to other initiatives like epals which is a pen pals for kids. It is a very well built and successful service that connects schools from all over the world.

check it out here http://www.epals.com

What I have in mind is totally different. I’m after creating something that millions of kids interact with daily for fun that is collaborative in nature. We want to provide super fun things because that’s what kids want. Here’s a great video of what happens when you make something fun (nothing to do with kids and changing the world but still very interesting).

How Can I help?
So if you’re asking yourself, “how can I help?”, here’s what you can do. You can observe and share what your kids really like to do, especially on-line, that seems to stick with them. I’m not looking for anything educational or world changing. I’m going to document this myself and share it you. Feel free to put your stuff in the comments.

Please share, this is important.

Zoogeez on Slideshare

Please watch, then register to this blog. Zoogeez can change the world by connecting kids.

My next post will answer “what can I do to help?”.

Zoogeez has begun

Zoogeez has officially begun in a beautifully simple way: about 30 blank books are now in the wild as the first zoogeez project: a kids book collaboration.

I handed these books to a number of people in NYC and Montreal during recent presentations (140conf meetup and Montreal Podcamp).

The essence of the project is to take blank notebooks and have children fill them with words and pictures, hopefully sharing a personal perspective on something other kids would be interested in. I’m looking for about 15 to 20 pages/book. Topics like:

-my favorite singer
-the yuckiest food i ever ate
-my favorite pet
-my bike
-stinky things
-gross bugs

Feel free to get creative … if you’re kicking off the book, ask your child what they think would be a fun topic. They could write about farts if they want :). Remember, it isn’t about us parents … the only thing that matters is if the kids will want to read this stuff. Even a fictional story that evolves with every child would be awesome.

Each page is a collaboration of two kids … one child draws the picture and the other writes the words. You can start in any order … picture first then words or vice versa. You can also have a child say the words and an adult writes the words (recording your child is a good idea so she can just let the words flow). In this case, the adult really needs to abstain from doing anything other than transcribe … the child’s voice really needs to come out. If you do record your child voice, please make sure you keep the recording … it may become very useful in the future.

The book should get passed from parent to parent while trying to span as great a variety of children as possible.

Each picture and each story should include a by line (that includes the first name, age, location). ex: drawn by Mike H, 9 years old, NYC. Please keep a good record with contact information for the parents of each child.

When at least 15 pages have been completed, please send the book to:

Allan Isfan
11 Brad’s Court
Stittsville, Ontario
Canada K2S 1V2

This is going to be infinitely easier when it can all be done online, although passing the physical book has some advantages too. I fully realize that I’ll probably only get two or three completed books out of the thirty I handed out but this is not about numbers. I think these books will be special and I look forward to seeing them completed. I’m starting one myself.

Cheers,
Allan Isfan

why check out my podcamp montreal session?

Hello,

So maybe you’ve come across this post because you’re at podcamp montreal and you’re wondering what the heck the “Children can change the world” session at 1:30 Sunday.

Can the web skills and passion we are all developing have a bigger impact than we think?

So let me share a few quick thoughts:
-the world is becoming flat again and kids are getting left out: what a shame …. they hold the key
-I’m an optimist with a plan:my family has been pulling together a concept I want to share called Zoogeez
-YOU are so smart: a big part of the presentation will be a discussion so we can learn from each other
-can we do a much better job to help kids get to know their world?
-can we bring kids together online in a safe way?
-if children from around the world can connect to each other, what is the impact as they grow up?

Maybe you’ll be inspired to join our zoogeez story or maybe you’ll be inspired to create your own thing. Drop by and let’s chat about kids, the web and a better world.

Cheers,
Allan

140 conf presentation and PodCamp Montreal

I finally went public with more details around Zoogeez concept in NYC September 16th as a speaker at the 140conf meetup organized by Jeff Pulver (@jeffpulver on twitter). A few people took away some book related actions and became part of the ongoing story. I’m excited to see what comes out of that.

Based on all the people that came by to chat afterwards to show support and offer to help, I’m encouraged that 1) this is not a stupid idea 2) that people will come out of the woodwork to provide support and help make it happen.

I’m presenting Zoogeez at PodCamp Montreal this coming Sunday at 1:30. I’ll be giving away multiple books including “Six Pixels of Separation” by Mitch Joel, “Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism” by Muhammad Yunus (nobel piece prize) and a surprise book.

Following that, please come back here for more instructions to become part of the story.

Cheers,
Allan

Making the world a better place: Zoogeez

While juggling many business initiatives (FaveQuest, My-Quest.tv, Isfan Solutions, Founders and Funders, Startup Club, helping musicians with social media …), and family, it is easy to let some other important things fall by the way side.

I’ve been toying around with the Zoogeez concept for a long time but have yet to start building it. This is about to change and my community is responsible for this. From my wife and children to business people and friends encouraging me because they think it is a good idea. I finally think this is truly possible, so here we go.

I don’t want to spoil the story so if you want to see what this is about, join me at the 140conf meetup in NYC, Wednesday, September 16 or Podcamp Montreal on Sunday, September 20 at 11am (post hangover).

Both events will be very interactive. I’m doing this to get your thoughts and ideas so please come on out and be ready to jump in. Thank YOU!

Before you go, please register to this blog … two simple methods at the top right of. Don’t be afraid 🙂

Cheers,

Allan

Love Will Save the Day

David Usher’s “Love Will Save The Day” remains one my fave songs. I believe that “Love WILL Save the Day” but of course it isn’t enough totally on its own. Love can motivate people to act and THAT is what will save the day.

The question is not whether to do something … but what to do. So many choices.

You may not know this but it often takes nearly one dollar to raise one dollar for charity. The overhead is staggering.

I think in these times, we need to think about contributing to initiatives that multiply everything we do by 10? Huh? What does that mean? It means that every dollar that gets donated turns effectively turns into 10. Not literally but in terms of a final impact. Education, water, connectivity, motivating groups of volunteers, raising money for pennies for each dollar raised …

Since time and funds are limited though, I want to maximize the effort by focusing time and money where my effort will get multiplied many times over. I also don’t want to wait until I’m rich … that’s kinda like waiting till you’re ready to have kids. You’ll never feel ready … a strong desire and a bit of common sense is enough (the kids part takes a bit more of course :).

So I need your help. I would really like to know what organizations you have chosen to work with to lend some help where you think your efforts are multiplied.

Here are some of the organizations I’ve been experimenting with or that I’m about to explore that I believe may have real value:

Kiva.com
Akoha.com
Givemeaning.com
TakingITglobal (www.tigweb.org)
http://www.freethechildren.com
Social Media for Social Change (http://www.sm4sc.com/ next event April 3 in NYC)
http://www.socialvibe.com
Plan Canada (plancanada.ca … trying to make up my mind about this one)

I also like guys like Adam Sherlip (http://hockeyvolunteer.blogspot.com/) that are going to remote areas around the world to teach kids the values of hockey (teamwork …), teaching them English and helping with major chores in the village (ex: checking power system such as solar panels).

Again, I’m not just looking for organizations that are doing good things … I’m looking for a multiplying effect. I would really like to know what you think about some of the organizations on my list. Are some of these not worthy? Note that I’ve left a few out intentionally for you to fill in …. so please share your thoughts.

Cheers,

Allan

zoogeez will helps kids raise $1B dollars

This post is a follow up to my initial submission to slideshare embedded below . This presentation has garnered nearly 7000 views and has been downloaded over 500 times. Not insane by web standards but at least it seems that enough people get it which tells me I’m not totally nuts. If you haven’t seen it, please check it out otherwise what I’m about to describe below won’t make sense.

The premise is simple: “people are more likely to care about people they know.”

Welcome to ZOOGEEZ. My kids came up with the name and the logo.This sets an important precedent: this place is for kids and what we as adults think doesn’t matter (within reason).

So what is Zoogeez? Just a concept for now. But in 2009, it will be:

-an online playground for kids to safely play, create, watch with the mission being kids from around the world working together and getting to know each other

-focus is on fun first and foremost (kids won’t bother otherwise)

What can you do in Zoogeez?

-Play Games: all games are based on team work. imagine playing Tetris where one person is moving the piece side by side and the other is flipping it. Catch is that you can only play with people in other countries

-Create ART: art is created in teams: some post ideas, others draw and yet others colour. every piece is posted only once each step is completed. it should be pretty interesting to see what comes up

-Write Story Books: each chapter is written by a different child, and pictures are created by yet other children. this will be awesome

-Post and watch Movies/Videos

-Post and look at pictures

-Raise money

Let’s stay on the “raise money” piece for a second. I haven’t totally figured this part out yet, but I have an aggressive goal: raise $1B by 2012. Key is to make it very easy for kids to launch their own fund raising campaigns and I’m convinced they’ll do it. I know my kids will. Crazy? That’s 20M kids raising $50 each. That is doable. Bring in corporations to match funds and this is more than achievable.

I know there are lots of things to consider … security, language, scale, kids without computers … but for the time being, suspend your disbelief and decide if this is worth it. I have some innovative ideas to get around most of these problems anyway but can’t do it alone. The key is to pull together and start as this is not actually about the money, it is about fostering a new order that is unifying and supportive.

What do you think? What am I missing or including that is not necessary?

social vibe … very cool

Hey Everyone,

I just discovered socialvibe through a tweet from @robingood. It looks like a simple and smart way to support causes. It is a full social network but also provides you with widgets you can drop in various social networks you belong to. You pick your cause and a sponsor. I’m going to try it out and see how it goes. Give it a try and let me know what you think about this.

Some links with more info:

http://mashable.com/2008/09/26/socialvibe/

http://thevibe.socialvibe.com/

Cheers,

Allan

media that can change the world

One of the key tenets behind my quest to change the world is this: help people connect to each other and in so doing create a web of instant awareness … almost like a nerve that runs across the entire world. When even a tiny pin touches the nerve anywhere in the world, the collective human concience can feel it immediately. My quest is focused on ingraining that mentality as kids grow up and hopefully make this second nature to a new generation. Is it conceivable that such an indirect quest could change the world? I don’t know … at least it can change the world for some people and each of those individuals can virally impact others which could lead to a tipping point.

There are many other indirect methods that are focused simply on awareness using media. One was Pangea Day last may (http://www.pangeaday.org/ ). It focused on film as a method to help people realize we are all the same and hopefully drive us towards empathy. That event changed me and caused me to rethink my entrepreneurial mission. Another was a initiative that involved Peter Gabriel and was focused on getting cameras into the hands of people in areas where major atrocities were taking place so that the reality of the situation could be shared with the world (see video below).

This leads me to the last major initiative focused on photography. James Nachtwey, a photographer, made a TED wish during his presentation in 2007. He wanted assistance to help him use photography in order to create awareness on a global scale . This culminated in a worldwide event taking place across the world that includes showing a series of photographs on large screens in major cities across the world (including Toronto). The website will be launched on October 3rd and we’ll know more. In the meantime, check out the videos below on James Nachtwey. Please let me know what you think can change the world and point me and readers of this blog to major initiatives under way.