On Global Poverty - 2008 & Beyond

Posted from the US

Some interesting statistics:

Recent World Bank Development Indicators (2008) show that roughly half of the world's population (3 billion people) are living on $2.50 US per day - or less.

Some quick thoughts and ideas as to how we can attack this massive problem:

• The growing concept of blending microfinance through mobile phone networks and interfaces.
• A global, cloud-computing based "poverty facebook" - connect the poorest with everyone else - and leverage the power of personal connections and enlarging the personal sphere of those with the money (in sight can no longer be out of mind).
• Global, low-cost/no-cost peer to peer computing and communications networks - access to open-source information and education is cheap, very powerful, and helps to remove the barriers between those who have and those who have-not.
• Leverage the above to create local, sustainable business that can address worldwide market needs - everyone can be a global entrepreneur.

-R