Make Social Change A Reality

The article I read in the Wall Street Journal entitled “Desperate Burmese Labor in Thailand ” made me think a little more about consumer responsibility and the role of civil society in assisting citizens of countries under political turmoil. It is about Burmese workers who cross the Burma-Thailand border to get a job at a factory that will pay them enough to feed their families back home. The conflict situation in Burma primarily because of the junta, and the challenging economic state the Burmese find themselves has caused hordes of people in need, mainly women, to immigrate to neighboring Thailand for work under unwanted circumstances. There are cases where child labor has been documented in factories that work for big multinational corporations. To top of the already strained financial situation of the country, the US has announced new, harder sanctions against the Burmese state. If such sanctions are ordered the Burmese are the first who will be affected by the measures (and not th...

After reading Doing Well by Doing Good an article by Jessica Chen on entrepreneur.com, I couldn’t help but to highlight the work of another individual who – in her own way, advances social causes. It explains another perspective of how entrepreneurs are lighting the way to different business practices like social entrepreneurship where in this case, profits are not the driving force behind success or failure. When serving a community – be it online or in local neighborhood, you should be equally concerned about the impact you’ll have on the community in addition to profits. The practice of a double-bottom line not only drives business but it advances the community by challenging us to do better; asking more questions, collaborating more often, managing your resources more efficiently, all key factors leading up to what you hope will produce great results/outcomes. Here are just a few social entrepreneurs you may find of interest: Bill Gates Bell and Melinda Gates Foundation Oprah ...

Last Friday as I sat on a bench across the street from my job, I couldn’t help but look at the empty playground. I also couldn’t help but watch, what I presumed to be homeless men, walking back and forth with a gaze in their eyes as if they were thinking “where will this shitty life take me today.” No more than ten minutes later was I greeted by a man, perhaps in his early to mid forties, who asked if I was as stressed as he was. “Not at all mister, just real tired” is what I said to him, secretly hoping that he wouldn’t talk anymore so that I could catch a quick nap before heading back to the office. The complete opposite happened! We ended up talking my entire lunch break where I learned about the personal, emotional and financial difficulties he was facing. As a single father raising a three year old son he said to me “life is so hard. Sometimes I wonder how a good person like me could have it so bad at times.” I had no advice for him, so I listened. To my surprise, this man...

Each day I receive my usual subscription email from NYTimes Online. But on Sunday, October 7, 2007, there was an article I read which made me think “what can I do, with the help of other concerned citizens, to solve this problem.” The article is titled “ Rape Epidemic Raises Trauma in Congo ”, http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/07/world/africa/07congo.html?th&emc=th . While this rise in sexual violence against women is unknown, we cannot ignore the effects it has on people not only in Congo but around the world. Dr. Mukwege who works in South Kivu Province states “we don’t know why these rapes are happening, but one thing is clear. They are done to destroy women .” Whether you do or do not believe these rapes are being used as a tool to destroy Congolese women, I think we can all agree with the latter. Rape does destroy women, often times mentally, physically, and emotionally. It destroys all women, victims and spectators. In no way shape or form is it done to uplift or advance ...