Late last month, users of Reddit helped jump-start a donation campaign for an orphanage in Kenya. The full story is here. Longonot Education Initiative, the organization responsible for the Faraja Orphanage, recently asked the popular social news website for ideas on how to keep the users involved outside of donations; as of 1:15 a.m. CST, $97,000 was raised in total, according to LEI’s projects page on its website. Along with the question, user “TheLake” gave updates of the orphanage on the subreddit (or subcategory) that made the orphanage famous.

One of the biggest concerns was about the wooden, insecure wall that surrounded the orphanage; unfortunately, the wall did not deter thugs from coming into the children’s home and attacking a caregiver, Omari.

After the money began pouring in, TheLake and the team of caregivers at Faraja Orphanage set out to plan and erect the wall. After the wall went up, LEI is “working to set Faraja on a path to long-term financial sustainability and support (which encompasses all sorts of things),” TheLake posts. In the same paragraph, he adds the current task at hand is to make sure the children are healthy and attending school, while replacing mattresses on the floor with bunk beds.

In a thank-you newsletter from Longonot, the organization had this to say:

Almost immediately after we began receiving donations, we were able to improve security at the orphanage—hiring a security guard, adding improved locks, etc.  Now, three weeks later, the needed security wall to protect the previously vulnerable orphanage is completed, and the children are as safe and secure as possible thanks to all of you.

The blog on LEI’s website is a way to follow the continuous updates about Faraja Orphanage and other projects, as well as a way to give to the organization either through Paypal or post. You can also see more projects like this being worked on Redditors Without Borders, a subreddit that blossomed from the original call-to-action from TheLake.

A user named “TheLake” posted at 6:30 p.m. CST on Jan. 26, asking Reddit to help raise $2,000. TheLake explained that a caregiver named Omari defended a Kenyan orphanage four nights in a week from burglars:

“After two previous invasions during the week, Omari was relatively certain another would occur. He woke up to the sound of footsteps outside his door, he figured it was his mother taking a few of the boys outside to go to the bathroom. He quickly realized that the footsteps were heavy, and that of more than one person; he then saw a flashlight shine beneath the crack of his door. Being the third time this happened that week, he had already stashed a hammer beside his bed. He grabbed it, and threw it at the first person who entered his room. He hit the person square in the head, and chased the rest out.

The following night, the three thugs returned, presumably to avenge their friend. Omari put up a fight but was outnumbered. The last thing he remembers was being struck in the face by the machete. He has been in and out of the hospital since, yet remains positive and confident that the suspects will one day see justice.”

The money raised, TheLake said, would pay for a concrete fence with barbed wire to surround the orphanage and prevent further incidents. Throughout the night, the user gave updates to fill in others about the orphanage, while giving updates on the donation goal status. The Faraja Orphanage is in Ngong, Kenya, and according to the poster, has “multiple efforts to keep the orphanage sustainable.”  The orphanage has chickens and a garden to feed 35 children between the ages of 2 and 17.

While the initial goal was $2,000, TheLake posted an update: “Over $9,000 and I’m in a state of shock.” The next update showed Reddit users contributing a total of $11,000. Donations continued to pour in through the organization’s website, Longonot Education Initiative, which was upgraded to a Pro account for two years from its host, Weebly. The company also donated $10,000.

As of 3:00 a.m. CST, the total amount of donations coming in so far have totaled over $50,000, and a new photo went up. TheLake says the money will go towards food, supplies, and a hired watchman overnight until the wall is built. At the $44,000 mark, TheLake had this to say: “I cannot believe this. I just came back from the orphanage… Let’s just say many tears were shed, and many hugs were shared.”

Any funds donated to the Longonot Education Initiative through next week will be given directly to the Faraja Orphanage. You can give through Paypal.

Update (6 p.m. CST): The number of total donated money continues to grow. What was $65,000 when this update was originally posted has turned into over $73,000. Due to the overwhelming support towards TheLake and Faraja Orphanage, a subreddit called Redditors Without Borders appeared to help gather volunteers for various projects. TheLake has been updating his most recent post for the past seven hours: “There are currently two armed police officers stationed at the orphanage. They will remain there all night. We will continue to hire them to guard the orphanage during the next few nights until the wall is completed. That being said, tomorrow morning we’re buying the materials!”

Omari is also a civil engineer, according to TheLake, and has begun designing the wall. “When I told them how much we were able to raise, [caregiver] Mama Mora broke down in my arms,” TheLake posted. “She cannot believe it, and she just wants to thank all of you.”

Update (5 a.m. CST): 35 hours after the original post from TheLake, around $80,000 has been raised. Caregiver Mama Mora has taken to documenting expenditures diligently, TheLake says, after doing so at the orphanage for years. She will continue to do so with a record book, keeping accounts of all money spent on not only the wall, but food, supplies, and wages of hired guards.

Regarding the current state of the orphanage, TheLake wrote: “This afternoon we will begin to buy the materials and supplies needed for the wall, and contract a construction crew that will hopefully begin building tomorrow! We are also looking into hiring a guard to watch the home during the day in addition to the two guards at night.”

Reddit users have asked about donating supplies, books, and toys. A library may be put in the home, TheLake says, and the children would be “more than grateful for these things.” The poster says the orphanage can accept these items at this address:

Faraja Childrens Home

P.O. Box 57526 – 00200

Nairobi, Kenya

Feb. 17, 2012: You can read about the newest changes at Faraja Orphanage at this most recent post.

]]> http://alexandrapusateri.wordpress.com/2012/01/27/how-reddit-saved-an-orphanage/feed/ 22 alexandrapusateri Omari Fence at Faraja Orphanage Omari Thanks Reddit Faraja Orphanage Thanks Reddit http://alexandrapusateri.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/occupy-memphis-brief-description/ http://alexandrapusateri.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/occupy-memphis-brief-description/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:18:47 +0000 Alexandra Pusateri http://alexandrapusateri.wordpress.com/2011/10/24/at-first-glance/ ]]> As a journalist, I must maintain ethical integrity by refraining to report on events,  in a hard news or feature way, that I am actively participating in. However, I feel it is a disservice to my colleagues and fellow students to not give at least an overview on what is going on in downtown Memphis. Below is my account, and my opinion, of the events happening at Occupy Memphis. I must reiterate that I am a participant in this movement and I will not report professionally on the events surrounding Occupy Wall Street and other Occupy protests. If I do have published works surrounding this movement, it will be an opinion piece, and therefore, obviously bias.

At first glance, it may not seem like much. Tents counting just below two dozen scattered around Civic Center Plaza in downtown Memphis, a large whiteboard with upcoming events in front of an information booth, and people – a variety of people, for once, it seems – drifting from within an invisible perimeter. We identify as Occupy Memphis, an offshoot of a large and important movement happening worldwide. What once seemed like a group of young, hip New Yorkers protesting against corporate greed has now turned into a large, uncontrollable flame, setting fire to the hearts of those who are angry, oppressed, or sick of it – or all the above.

You may see the Communist Party flag hanging from a canopy tent in the back, but what you may not see first-glance is the young Republican having an in-depth conversation with a hardcore Democrat in his 50s over by the food tent, or the women’s caucus happening in the middle of the grass, or three protesters helping a homeless man set up a tent. Though it may have its internal conflicts of self-marginalization, bickering, or just generally not getting along, for the most part, the process seems to work. And if anything, the passion throughout the camp is palpable.

The camp is filled with different demands. Picture mentally, above each protester’s head, a single reason for why they’re there. One says, “The equity of my home is being altered by spectators who have never stepped foot in or around my neighborhood.” Another says, “My future is in the hands of bank lenders.” Maybe the person standing next to them has this hanging over their head: “My city council does not care about me.”

Though if you ask, each person may have a laundry list of reasons. But there was a trigger point – there was a causation of events and a moment of realization that, yes, you can make a difference in your government outside of voting for the same two parties every four years or less.

That causation has erupted into effect. The leaderless movement has taken those not involved – and sometimes those involved – by surprise. Questions of how exactly this will work often arise, internally and externally. There has always been a Joan of Arc, a leader for warriors going into battle. Having a lack of that leadership role is scary, unheard of.

Revolutionary.

It’s certainly a word with weight. At what point does a movement become perceived as such and not a group filled with college students rallying for a few hours?

This point, this checkpoint, this benchmark has been breached. It has passed with flying colors thus far. And from this point, we as Americans must decide which way to go.

Paige Ellens is the exact type of filmmaker to whom these organizations cater. She is an amateur filmmaker attending Southwest Tennessee Community College, and she loves the creative atmosphere of the city and its accessibility to blossoming artists.

“Filmmakers in Memphis have many opportunities to showcase their work,” Ellens says. “New York City is filled with thousands of struggling artists, musicians, and filmmakers. Just like [Los Angeles]. Memphis has a smaller, more accessible community. I think living here, we actually have a chance of getting our work out there.”

Ellen notes that, although there’s plenty of creative energy in town, the city has no local programs like NewFilmmakers Los Angeles or the Filmmakers Alliance, also in LA, which cater to amateur filmmakers. Both programs allow people to exchange equipment and resource to struggling cinematographers who could be unable to afford their own equipment.

FuelFilm: Memphis is one organization that is trying to change the scene positively for filmmakers like Ellens. 48-Hour Film Launch, an event the organization schedules every year, allows amateurs and pros to come together and make short films. Events like these are organized so struggling novices can work with those in the industry around them to create a project. Participants brainstorm ideas and collectively vote on which ones are best, choosing the top five to create.

The organization also holds events throughout the year for amateur filmmakers, helping them get started and learn from professionals who have been in the business. Programs range from learning how to make a budget, network, and even just get an idea down on paper.

Indie Memphis and the Memphis Film Society work to promote events, like the 48-Hour Film Launch, and the organizations that run them to put Memphis further on the map for filmmaking. The Film Society, in particular, holds social events for actors, directors, producers, and others involved in the industry to meet new people and collaborate.

“I know the Tennessee Arts Commission gives grants,” Ellens says, “but you practically have to be a starving artist to qualify. It’s a twisted cycle. I’m going to school to further myself in life. I can’t afford the necessities it takes to be a filmmaker. You apply for the grant [and] they say, ‘Sorry, you’re a student.’ You’re left with no practice or experience.”

While independent organizations exist to showcase filmmakers such as Indie Memphis and the  Memphis Film Society, Ellens attests to her need for more than just promotion. “With a little bit of help,” she says, “I could jumpstart my art and career.”

Rich Newman, the founder of the Memphis Film Society, moved from Austin, Texas, and found the industry here lacking something.

“I noticed almost immediately that there really wasn’t an ongoing networking organization in town like the Austin Film Society,” he told Live From Memphis last month. “Since networking with the right people is so important to getting new projects up and running, I really wanted to do something that would help Memphis filmmakers in this regard.”

Live From Memphis showcases local films much like Indie Memphis, though it also creates its own in-house projects and holds festivals of its own. It works toward including the independent scene in the city as a community, but like all communities, it has a fair share of issues.

One of the issues the Memphis film scene has, Newman says, is its competitive nature.  “There seems to be a general opinion around town that Memphis has a limited amount of local money to invest in the film scene,” he says, “and, as a result, anything new that comes along is looked at as competition for those dollars. The reality is that the more opportunities and events we have in this town, the more people will pay attention to, involve themselves with, and contribute to local filmmaker organizations.”

As for Ellens, she is optimistic. “I would have already pumped out a few short films by now if I had what I needed,” she says. “But that’ll come in time.”

This article was previously published in February 2011.

Under the cut is the video I took and edited from the event.

Haley Parker was one of the directors at the 48-Hour Film Launch. She wrote “Friends Till The End,” which was entirely created at the Launch. She spoke to me after the event about her directorial début below.

These videos have previously been published.

This paragraph was written for a Media Writing class at the University of Memphis.

While Governor Phil Bredesen presented the “State of the State Address,” students have struggled with the idea of the 12-hour tuition cap that may be instituted next semester at Tennessee colleges, which would charge extra for every hour extra taken, in addition to rising tuition costs. While students might be eager to hear the governor speak about this issue, Dr. Shirley Raines, President of the University of Memphis, is otherwise pleased that he will not speak about the budget until late March. Originally, he planned to cut $900 million from the budget on top of the $500 million cut this past year. “We are hopeful that the federal stimulus bill will be passed and some relief given to higher education and all of state government,” she writes in a mass e-mail to all students, faculty, and staff. “We are hopeful that initiatives in the federal stimulus package will include substantive assistance for students and funding to help offset some of the rising costs of higher education.” The governor, in his speech, recognized that as tuition costs rise, more students are omitting college as an option, which is the exact opposite of what he wants to do. “You often can’t be the biggest, or the richest, but you can still try to be the smartest,” Governor Bredesen said. “Over these next couple of years, let’s figure out how to do that.”

In 2009, Mashable, a leading site in social media news, reported about Griffith University in Australia requiring journalism students to take a class on Twitter education. The article used the Iran elections as an example of emerging news via social media:

University officials cited increasing demand from employers for new hires well-versed in social media, and Twitter’s importance in global events like the Iran elections [in 2009].

The problem is that when this transfers over to universities that aren’t as technologically savvy as Griffith University, these universities end up pushing j-students into becoming article machines, and not necessarily in a good way. Maybe it’s because Twitter is so “new,” even though the popular social network just celebrated its fifth birthday. Maybe it’s because journalism students are trying really, really hard to seem professional — as they should. The economy’s not doing so great, and the journalism industry isn’t immune. However, there is a difference between “professional” and “boring.”

I just don’t think professors are necessarily consciously pushing “professional” Twitter accounts on students to regurgitate links to news stories. I think they mean for journalism students to use Twitter as a form of relaying news: something newsworthy, timely, and interesting. (Remember that, j-students?) But these students are losing all of their personality to these accounts. Don’t you think it’s a little pretentious to assume your followers are only following you and no other news source?

Perhaps some journalism students don’t necessarily get the “point” of Twitter.

What I like about Twitter is knowing that handlebar moustaches are coming back, that Craig Newmark is hanging out at Carmel winery, that Bluegrass still matters in the Bluegrass, and that Robert Scoble is confused about the time change in Israel—and that Scoble is hanging out there with a bunch of other key influencers.

–WebProNews

Paul Bradshaw made a list in early 2009 which showcased “10 Twitter users all journalism students should follow.” The list includes a BBC journalist (@davelee) and a writer for The Guardian (@jemimakiss). I also personally recommend @nickkristof as well, for those interested in war/world journalism. The thing these three have in common? They tweet (post) like real people. They don’t just post links. They don’t just retweet (repost a tweet someone else originally wrote). Sometimes they have thought-provoking posts; sometimes they’re just silly. Personality makes journalism interesting. What are a few reasons why you have a favorite journalist? (All journalism students have at least one, don’t be shy.)

Granted, like I said before: there’s a difference between “professional” and “boring.” Having personality doesn’t mean tweeting in a drunken haze. If you want to look professional, tweet your thoughts in a coherent way. Practice good writing in your tweets. Post a funny thought, and a few hours later, post about a cause you truly believe in. Retweets are OK in small doses. Sometimes it varies, depending on what’s going on.

The University of Memphis just had its first social media class in spring of 2011. Five years after the beginning of Twitter. Seven years after Facebook launched to Harvard students. A year and a half after the Iranian elections. And two years after Griffith University incorporated it into its curriculum. To say that the Memphian university is late to the game would be a bit of an understatement. Through my complaint, however, this class taught my colleagues social media etiquette. How to use it effectively. That it doesn’t really matter what you think is important, but what your viewers and readers think is important. I think it’s a great start.

The more that j-students involve themselves in the process of integrating with their readers or viewers, actually hearing them out and engaging in conversations, the more likely they’ll see the use of social media to journalists. And maybe once they’ve entered that process, they can lighten up a little and enjoy it.

Making flyers and menus are also nice because I get to play around with typography. I love fonts, and my menus definitely show it. (I have also turned into a Helvetica fan.)

Below, I’ve listed my top favorite menus and flyers that I’ve created for various parties and events. Most recent on the left, to the oldest on the right.

Event planning can be stressful for some people, but I, personally, love the stress that comes with it. The idea of people coming together after working so hard is rewarding. Especially when you attend the party yourself and see how people are enjoying it!

Have you ever planned a party or event? How did it go? Tell me about it!