Blog

Effective development happens when financial capital and social capital are combined appropriately. Financial capital is needed, obviously, for things that need to be bought. But there are things that can't be bought. Social capital provides those things that can't be bought - reputation, trust, local knowledge and networks, fluency in local languages, understanding of (and being part of) local culture, vision based on insights about local opportunities and challenges. The disconnect Sadly, but understandably, there is often a disconnect between financial capital and social capital. The disconnect can be particularly challenging if the financial capital and the social capital are...

Starting point - Dadamac and I are inextricably entwined. If there had not been a Pamela McLean there would not have been a Dadamac. Questions: The question is If I (or circumstance) separated Pamela McLean from Dadamac what would remain? Sub questions are: Would there be a Dadamac without me? (I hope so, but I want to ensure so) Does it matter? Does Dadamac have any value to anyone other than to me? Is it anything more than an absorbing and extravagant hobby that has taken over my life? Would there be a "me" without Dadamac? (Given how much it...

" I came, I saw...." John reports on a conference in Istanbul. My attendance at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Istanbul has clarified for me what this event is all about. There were abundant opportunities to learn. The first interesting fact about the IGF is that it is not a decision-making body. So why should any government pay attention to it? The fact that its decisions are not binding on any stakeholder, seem to be its biggest selling point as governments can chose from its discussions what is most relevant for them. The IGF outcome document is a reference...

Dadamac Connect believes in doing things in the public domain as much as possible. So here goes with my personal "Connections" update - in no particular order. It will be what comes to mind first (knowing that some good stuff will get left out and that I don't have time to put in live links). #dadamac Nikki and I are working on making our ideas about Dadamac Connect become real. See our tweets #dadamac for odds and ends of progress - not just for Dadamac Connect but for Dadamac Foundation (which I connect with on a deep level - it's...

John writes: Taking the reality of rural Kafanchan across the world The Fantsuam Foundation team that attends national and global events always has to justify and clarify its presence and participation at these events. Whether we are in Lagos, Abuja, Melbourne, Johannesburg or London we carry in our head the realities of a different world and sometimes we struggle to make sense of that world outside our rural constituency in BayanLoco, Kafanchan. When Comfort attends the ‘Bottom of the Pyramid global forum’ in Singapore, or Teresa is invited to an experts’ consultation on children and teenager's rights in Africa to...