Read the statements and decide whether each one is TRUE or FALSE.Turning Ideas into Reality
A The Internet has a huge influence on the lives of those who use it. It empowers people by enabling the global exchange of knowledge and information. However, many rural communities around the world still live in areas with little to no Internet access. As a result, they are largely cut off. An entrepreneur named Ken Banks found a solution to this problem by using his expertise in mobile technology.
A SIMPLE SOLUTION TO A BIG PROBLEM
B While working in South Africa in 2003 and 2004, Banks saw that there were many organizations that were trying to help local communities. Since many villages didn't have Internet access, communication was a big challenge. Banks noticed, however, that many villagers had cell phones.
C Banks had an idea. He created some computer software called FrontlineSMS, which allows users to send information from computers without using the Internet. Users install the software on a computer. Then they connect the computer to a cell phone. To send information, users select the people they want to send it to. The cell phone sends the information to groups of people as a text message. Individuals can then reply on their own cell phones, creating a two-way messaging system between phone users and the computer.
D FrontlineSMS is free and can work almost anywhere in the world. In Malawi, a rural healthcare program uses it to contact patients. As a result, health workers no longer have to visit patients' homes to update medical records or pass along important information. The software has also been used to monitor elections in Nigeria and to help disaster relief efforts in Haiti. Today, it is used in more than 70 nations.
CREATING A SUCCESSFUL PRODUCT
E FrontlineSMS is a good example of taking an idea and making it a reality. So what should you do if you have an idea for making the world a better place? Banks offers the following advice:
F Don't immediately try to get money - most donors want to see that you have a good idea first. "Donors don't tend to respond so well to people who just reach for money without actually showing they can do something," Banks explains. So start by researching your idea or product thoroughly. Do people really need it? To find out if you have a good idea, go into the community and talk to people.
G Once you have a workable idea, promote it. Use all the social media tools that you can: Start a Facebook group, use Twitter, or create a website. Start a blog and write about what you're doing. Connect online with other people who are working in the same field as you. The more you post, the easier it will be for search engines to find you.
H If you have a good idea, and you've gotten your message out, people will notice you. Now is the time to try to get funding. Your social networks are a good place to start raising money. Waiting until you have gotten this far shows potential donors that you have initiative, Banks says. It also shows that you are committed.
I We're currently living in the best time to create a product that can reach millions of people. More and more entrepreneurs are developing and promoting products that have the potential to solve the world's greatest challenges. All you need is an idea. As Banks puts it, "Innovation … is about someone standing in a rural village somewhere and suddenly realizing, 'If I did this … that could happen.'"
16. The Internet has a huge global impact, but not everyone has access to it.
17. People in villages where Banks worked had cell phones, but no Internet connection.
18. FrontlineSMS sends information to cell phones, but it cannot receive information back.
19. Paragraph D says that FrontlineSMS only works in Africa.
20. Ken Banks believes you should promote an idea on social media before asking for money.
21. Search engines are more likely to recognize ideas that appear online frequently.
22. Ken Banks thinks that entrepreneurs need expert research, development, and funding before starting to create a new product.
