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I've never played soccer with a ball made of trash but I'm sure that this ball would be seen as better by any child comparing it to a ball made of trash. Sure

I've never played soccer with a ball made of trash but I'm sure that this ball would be seen as better by any child comparing it to a ball made of trash. Sure first world quality soccer balls aren't necessary for children to have fun, but there is nothing wrong with an intelligent entrepreneur making them available to third world children. If we all spent more time on projects like this instead of the next Twitter, or designing new weapons the world would arguably end up a better place.

DanBC 14y ago
> but there is nothing wrong with an intelligent entrepreneur making them available to third world children. Unless money is diverted from more useful projects to buying balls? I don't have enough information to say. Personally, I think this is a good project.
- NathanKP 14y ago
  Unless money is diverted from more useful projects to buying balls? Fair enough. If this project siphoned off money that would have been used to provide food or medical aid then it could be seen as a waste. But it sounds like there is a mix of corporate sponsors providing money and a One Laptop Per Child style "buy two, get one" program for the general public.
  - stevesearer 14y ago
    I also think that this durable ball is actually a savings as it will last many lifetimes of previously donated inflatable balls.
  - Gregorein 14y ago
    Fair? I don't think so: the "waste" is providing the money for food, instead of teaching them how to farm their own food, teaching them where and how to build good well. And the most important (so I think) – Giving them their original African seeds instead of our weaker and GMOded one It's like giving them a fish instead of a fishing pole… If we will provide them food, they'll grow even more dependent on us :/ Is that fair?
    - hosh 14y ago
      Yes, there are things lower down on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs that should be addressed. However, it is not the only thing. I grew up in an international community in the US, playing street soccer with people from different nationalities. We didn't play with trash. But I can tell you first-hand, being able to bond with other kids (of different ages) and having fun is very important. Is it as important as teaching children how to farm their own food? It is very difficult to learn when you are not having fun. Children -- even adults -- learn best from play. I don't see the harm in having something that brings the neighborhood kids together. There's also a big myth that people of the Third World don't know how to farm, don't know how to feed themselves. In the past, NGOs have brought in modern farming technologies that ultimately devastated the local environment and the ability for the communities to feed themselves. It's been a big problem, it isn't just about those "lazy" and "ignorant" Third World farmers who don't know how to farm and feed themselves. Projects like the Open Source Ecology are much better suited for ... "teaching them how to farm their own food", and they need people. If you're concerned about this one entrepreneur and want to do something about it, see what you can contribute to OSE.
  - iamdave 14y ago
    One could make the (admittedly flimsy) argument that a proper ball could reduce injuries caused from improvising balls from refuse, and lessen the need these kids might have for medical attention resulting from which.
nicpottier 14y ago
" If we all spent more time on projects like this instead of the next Twitter, or designing new weapons the world would arguably end up a better place." This is an all too common attitude and one I used to share before spending time in the developing world. The plain fact though is that it is wrong. Doing something is not always better than doing nothing. As a matter of fact a great many things, perhaps even most, interventions do more harm than good. I'd recommend starting off reading "White Man's Burden" if you are interested in the topic. For a more fun example, google "one million t-shirts for africa"
slykat 14y ago
What's wrong with trying to build a Twitter? Twitter was instrumental to communication during the Arab Spring. In general, it has served as a very nimble and functional communication medium that has, in some cases, surpassed the speed and breath of news networks for covering events in real time. Open and powerful platforms like Facebook and Twitter aren't just outlets for wasting your time, but can be used in meaningful and impactful ways. The game is far from over - we still need people to build products like Twitter .
- rowanseymour 14y ago
  Exactly! You'd be amazed at how many people use Twitter here in Rwanda - practically everyone in the government from the president, to the ministers are all on there, and if you've got a question you can tweet them. The main telecoms company also enable people to tweet via SMS. People need to stop thinking of the developing world as a simple place with simple problems.

DanBC 14y ago

> but there is nothing wrong with an intelligent entrepreneur making them available to third world children. Unless money is diverted from more useful projects to buying balls? I don't have enough information to say. Personally, I think this is a good project.

NathanKP 14y ago
Unless money is diverted from more useful projects to buying balls? Fair enough. If this project siphoned off money that would have been used to provide food or medical aid then it could be seen as a waste. But it sounds like there is a mix of corporate sponsors providing money and a One Laptop Per Child style "buy two, get one" program for the general public.
- stevesearer 14y ago
  I also think that this durable ball is actually a savings as it will last many lifetimes of previously donated inflatable balls.
- Gregorein 14y ago
  Fair? I don't think so: the "waste" is providing the money for food, instead of teaching them how to farm their own food, teaching them where and how to build good well. And the most important (so I think) – Giving them their original African seeds instead of our weaker and GMOded one It's like giving them a fish instead of a fishing pole… If we will provide them food, they'll grow even more dependent on us :/ Is that fair?
  - hosh 14y ago
    Yes, there are things lower down on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs that should be addressed. However, it is not the only thing. I grew up in an international community in the US, playing street soccer with people from different nationalities. We didn't play with trash. But I can tell you first-hand, being able to bond with other kids (of different ages) and having fun is very important. Is it as important as teaching children how to farm their own food? It is very difficult to learn when you are not having fun. Children -- even adults -- learn best from play. I don't see the harm in having something that brings the neighborhood kids together. There's also a big myth that people of the Third World don't know how to farm, don't know how to feed themselves. In the past, NGOs have brought in modern farming technologies that ultimately devastated the local environment and the ability for the communities to feed themselves. It's been a big problem, it isn't just about those "lazy" and "ignorant" Third World farmers who don't know how to farm and feed themselves. Projects like the Open Source Ecology are much better suited for ... "teaching them how to farm their own food", and they need people. If you're concerned about this one entrepreneur and want to do something about it, see what you can contribute to OSE.
- iamdave 14y ago
  One could make the (admittedly flimsy) argument that a proper ball could reduce injuries caused from improvising balls from refuse, and lessen the need these kids might have for medical attention resulting from which.

nicpottier 14y ago

" If we all spent more time on projects like this instead of the next Twitter, or designing new weapons the world would arguably end up a better place." This is an all too common attitude and one I used to share before spending time in the developing world. The plain fact though is that it is wrong. Doing something is not always better than doing nothing. As a matter of fact a great many things, perhaps even most, interventions do more harm than good. I'd recommend starting off reading "White Man's Burden" if you are interested in the topic. For a more fun example, google "one million t-shirts for africa"

slykat 14y ago

What's wrong with trying to build a Twitter? Twitter was instrumental to communication during the Arab Spring. In general, it has served as a very nimble and functional communication medium that has, in some cases, surpassed the speed and breath of news networks for covering events in real time. Open and powerful platforms like Facebook and Twitter aren't just outlets for wasting your time, but can be used in meaningful and impactful ways. The game is far from over - we still need people to build products like Twitter .

rowanseymour 14y ago
Exactly! You'd be amazed at how many people use Twitter here in Rwanda - practically everyone in the government from the president, to the ministers are all on there, and if you've got a question you can tweet them. The main telecoms company also enable people to tweet via SMS. People need to stop thinking of the developing world as a simple place with simple problems.