Videomaker Fellows
In the developing world, 70% of the poorest people live in remote, hard-to-reach areas. Far away from the urban hub, they don’t know many of the things that we take for granted. They don’t know that boiling water can prevent dysentery. They don’t know how good hygiene can help prevent the spread of disease. They don’t know the modern agricultural methods that could help them grow the crops they need to feed their families and stave off famine.
Think about it. By sharing just a little knowledge, we have the chance to drastically improve the lives of people living in the poorest part of the world. It’s so simple. Why hasn’t it been done?
The simple answer is that it’s not as easy as you’d think. Wouldn’t it be great if we had an army of teachers, activists, experts and doctors who could go to these remote villages to bring education to the people? But there’s a snag. The people who possess the knowledge that is so desperately needed can’t make the trek; these areas are too remote, too isolated, for them to relocate and make them their homes. Even the most dedicated teachers have difficulty affording an extended stay in these rural areas, and it’s not long before they have to return home to the city. The occasional lecture by a visiting teacher can help, but we all know from school that hearing a lesson one time isn’t enough. People need to be able to access the information they need anytime.
But there is a way to get this life-saving information to the people who need it.
OMPT gives apprentice teachers recorded video lessons, so that they can better educate their students in every rural school house and meeting hall. We record video lessons by teachers and experts, explaining important health, hygiene, and agriculture issues, so that impoverished rural people can learn the information they need to build a better life for themselves.
OMPT uses hand-held Pico projectors to disseminate this information. In underprivileged parts of the world where most people live without electricity, only the very elite could enjoy the benefits of video technology. However, these hearty projectors are designed to function in field conditions. They can be charged by solar panels, automobile cigarette lighters, alligator clips on a scooter motor, or even hand-cranked generators – making them the perfect tool to disseminate information in areas not wired for electricity.
To accomplish this, OMPT needs your help. OMPT fellows work around the world to help bring life-saving information to where it’s needed most. If you have a little bit of video knowledge and lot of heart, you can help us build a future where no one suffers from a preventable disease or has to go hungry when more productive farming methods exist. Together, we can use video to make a real difference in the world.
