Cyber begging or crowd sourcing?
I love Twitter and other Social Media platforms because they allow me to connect, collaborate and keep in touch with all manner of people from all over the world. I also learn a great deal from others, but it would appear that I am not alone, even Nick Clegg British Deputy Prime Minister has been at it, it being CrowdSourcing
IDA HORNER
I recently came across Paul Smith’s story, a man that decided to travel half way across the world by relying on the generosity of people or precisely his Twitter followers. You can read about how he got on here . I was so intrigued by his success that I decided to put this to the test myself.
My challenge is to get to Uganda for the Millenium Villages Conference using @British-Airways miles donated by folk on twitter
What is the Millenium Village conference?
Back in September the great and good gathered in New York to review the Millennium development goals but my twitter buddy and fellow Ugandan @tmsruge was not amused by the fact that African voices were missing at such an event. He was so angry that he decided to call his own conference and take it Masindi a town in north Western Uganda and place the microphone right in the hands of folk on the ground. I like other folk following @tmsruge on twitter were so excited by this that we couldn’t wait to get our hands dirty to bring this together.
I had just written a blog posing the question WHAT CAN WE AS AFRICANS DO FOR OURSELVES WITHOUT AID FROM THE WEST and a key element of that discussion was that we need to reclaim the microphone from the likes of Bono so I was going to get to Uganda for this conference come rain or shine!
All was well until I lost one of my clients (they run out of money) suddenly a trip that was affordable was out of my reach and I don’t know any corporations that would sponsor me, I decided to try out “cyber begging” or as some would call it “crowdsourcing” to see what would happen here is what my tweet says
Looking for @British_Airways airmiles, do you know anyone that would be happy to donate theirs? pls rt #cyberbegging
I have not heard a response as yet but it is early days!or is it? the conference is on 27th November 2010!
This retweet from my buddy @tmsruge who decided to add his own version of a hashtag had me in stitches
RT @Ethnicsupplies: Looking for @British_Airways airmiles, do you know anyone that would be happy to donate theirs? #Africanscyberbegging
My British Airways Air miles Account is 29688427 and I need to raise 50000 air miles.
I will provide an update of how I can get on so drop by!
In the mean time if you have had success with what I am trying to do kindly share your tips
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ida Horner and Saif Siddiqui, Sophie Brown. Sophie Brown said: Gdluck Ida! RT @EthnicSupplies Cyber begging or crowd sourcing?: can you help me get to Uganda on 27 November 2010? http://bit.ly/9zp8lE [...]
Sorry I had to laugh at #africanscyberbegging. It tickled me, as to me you do so much for Africa, the women, the people and raise awareness on lots of aspects. Sadly I don’t have any airmiles since we started to shop in the Co-op.
Sorry I had to laugh at #africanscyberbegging. It tickled me, as to me you do so much for Africa, the women, the people and raise awareness on lots of aspects. Sadly I don’t have any airmiles since we started to shop in the Co-op.
Yes that had me in stitches too:-) Having written this I learned that British Airways charges folk to transfer their Air Miles to someone else and the starting fee is £30 which is a lot of money, my Air Miles balance means I have to top £420 with nearly £250 of that being taxes if you can believe it!
Pray for me as that is equally important!
Will do
Is it worth asking BA if they would wave their fees?
I would certainly give it a try nothing ventured… I was speechless as I watched last Weeks Watch Dog, a man who had to shell out £1580 for his BA ticket because his travel agent had one letter wrong in his surname!
Good luck with the appeal Ida. SO worthwhile.
Many thanks Lynn
I do hope you make it, Ida. Unfortunately I can’t donate miles to you from Russia, or I would.
And hope you enjoy the conference too.
Thank you Irina
[...] Ida blogged about it and the African community have rallied and tried to help her, they even have their own hash tag (which came about as a bit of humour in a tough situation). It’s #AfricanCyberBegging. Her request is here – Airmiles to Africa [...]
Good luck Ida!
Thank you Mark
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