Making the difference...

Making the difference with small little things…

I want to share with all of you something that happened last week. Some months ago, I was pointed to work as a translator as part of my involvement with Ashoka, in a visit that Hewlett Packard representatives where going to have to Sara’s Diestro work, she is one of our fellows at Ashoka. www.ashoka.org

I had the opportunity during that visit to understand a bit more on the HP perspective about e-inclusion and the way they see the corporate sector having a key role into this. Sara’s work is related to educating young people and children who do not have access to the public education scheme. Sara realized that through Sports (especially soccer) children could be engaged into education focusing in values, sports and arts her model has been recognized internationally. Now she was lunching a new concept in terms of employability through technology for these children. And here it is where HP US got interested in, and they contacted Global Giving www.globalgiving.org and they recommended Ashoka and Sara’s work.

Interpreting back and forth is kind of challenging, I have to admit. Especially since both parts are exploring opportunities for the first time. They want to make sure their ideas are well understood, and the sense of responsibility for an accurate translation is bigger, so there I was doing the job, having an on field experience, sensing the real needs of the Peruvian society, contributing in a way to make sure messages are delivered in the right way to both sides. A full day, lots of new experiences, information and very excited about the possibilities of cooperation outlined. David Marcek, whose father was Czech and that helped to break the ice, works for HP US and Lueny who works for HP Latin America, they were both really clear when stating this was only an exploring visit they could not promise anything. http://www.hp.com/e-inclusion/en/

At the end, there is a draft project where we are trying to involve Universidad de Lima, too, since HP works closely with them here in Lima.  Things were moving a bit slow, until last week Sara got a huge surprised Lueny and Daniel managed to send her 5 HP PCs and a multitasking printer as the first stage of the implementation and cooperation with Sara’s project!
I was more than happy, first because Sara and her project are very promising! And secondly because I was able to contribute during this time after the visit and making sure the communication between Sara and Daniel was kept and trying to maintain the links for the cooperation, in a way I contributed for this to happen. I made some difference in the daily life of these people in the outside neighbours of Lima.
Dan and Lueny will be back to Lima the last week of November, they will visit Sara’s work and I am looking forward to be with them again!! (