Fifteen youth-led projects that use the Internet to bring the world
closer to reaching the United Nations Millennium Development Goals were
recognized last month and named winners of the awards.
The competition involves people under the age of 30 who are actively
engaged in making the world a better place through digital and mobile
content, ranging from interactive Web sites, smartphone applications
and online gaming.
“While many leaders of the world fight the banking and economic crisis,
young people fight the everyday crises in their communities and show
that the Millennium Development Goals must be acted on concretely,”
Peter A. Bruck, chairman of the Austrian-based World Summit Award, said
in a press release.
This year, there were more than 600 entries from more than 100
countries that underwent a three-round adjudication process by a panel
of 20 jurors with expertise in the realm of youth engagement, new media
and social entrepreneurship.
There were five main categories in which the contestants competed, and
there were three winners from each category. Austrian duo Andreas Jakl
and Gerald Madlmayr won an award in the Fight Poverty, Hunger &
Disease! category. Their project, called Mobile Doctor, is a mobile
application that assists people in developing countries to instantly
find nearby hospitals or medical assistance.
A winner in the education category, Alternatives: Finding New
Possibilities for Youth, is a Nepal-based interactive website run by a
group of young social entrepreneurs aiming to empower Nepalese youth to
bring change to the country. Its has so far put on training sessions in
leadership, tourism and media for the youth in rural areas.
In the category dedicated to empowering women, Gholamzadeh Hamid Reza,
a 27-year-old Iranian man, came up with an online magazine titled
Dokhtiran: e-Magazine on Women’s Rights. Iran has received much
international criticism for its treatment of women; the objective of
the e-magazine is to inform women of their basic rights and to
critically discuss judicial, cultural, political and educational rules
affecting their lives.
The US-based smartphone application 'The Extraordinaries' won an award in
the cultural creation category for promoting the culture of
volunteering. Founded by Jacob Colker and Ben Rigby, the crowd-sourcing
application allows smartphone users to spend a few minutes
micro-volunteering. So far, they have been able to help immigrants
improve their English, translate subtitles for human rights videos and
help Cornell University collect data on urban birds.
In the going green category, three Dutch youths were recognized for
their online computer game called “The Guardian of Eden.” The game is
about a boy tasked with restoring the natural balance of the earth, and
aims to educate children about environmental responsibility.
Bruck said, “The winning projects show how the world can be made a
better place when the Millennium Development Goals do not remain just a
government or a distant UN agenda.”
List of Winners
Fight Poverty, Hunger & Disease!
“Lil’ MDGs: Kids Making Changes,” Dylan Mahalingam
www.lilmdgs.org
“Remote Patient Monitoring System with Focus on Antenatal Care,” Ajay Kumar Tanwani
http://rpms.nexginrc.org
“Mobile Doctor,”
Andreas Jakl, Gerald Madlmayr, Austria
www.symbianresources.com/projects/mobiledoc.php
Education for All!
“Everything on HIV and AIDS in Iran,” Morteza Mishir Sinaei, Iran
www.iranhivaids.com
“Alternatives: Finding New Possibilities for Youth,” Sanjeev Raj Neupane, Nepal
www.alternatives.com.np
“Voices of Africa for Sustainable Development,” Crystal Kigoni, Kenya
www.voicesofafrica.org
Power 2 Women!
“Dokhtiran: e-Magazine on Women’s Rights,” Gholamzadeh Hamid Reza, Iran www.dokhtiran.com
“The Sisters 4 Peace Network,” Sejal Hathi, USA
www.sisters4peace.net
“Empower Women and Meet Millennium Challenges,” George Onyango, Kenya
www.sidarec.org
Create Your Culture!
“Roots & Routes TV,” Aileen Wessely, Germany
www.rootsnroutes.tv
“Savvy Chavvy,” Christy McAleese, Britain
www.savvychavvy.com
“The Extraordinaries,” Jacob Colker, USA
www.beextra.org
Go Green!
“Sewer Tourism,” Andrew Mutua, Kenya
www.nariobits.com/students
“Greenlighted,” Vladimir Dubovskiy, USA
www.greenlighted.com
“Guardian of Eden,” Ricardo Quirante Martinez, Netherlands
www.guardianofeden.nl
