A model for world-changing is emerging…

1- We’ve witnessed the success of our project in Uganda with young visionary, Clovis Ategeka, who has been changing the world, largely due to his ability to access the internet, and thus Vision Force, Zaadz, etc.

2 – The school we visited in Ngong Kenya has no internet access, and it has been difficult to follow up with the students there, who were so inspired by the Vision Force work, and wanted to continue to develop themselves as visionaries and entrepreneurs. The plan they created when we were there was to start an internet cafe there on campus, and since then they’ve received several new computers… but still have no internet access.

3 – Morris Thuku, a Kenyan visionary, who started an institute of technology for street kids in a small village outside of Nairobe has a vision to raise youth and communities throughout Africa from poverty by training them in computer repair, maintenance, etc. Most all African homes do not have computers yet, so his students are positioning themselves for wealth… but Morris lacks the kind of funding that has come so easily to Clovis through his access to a global community.

Clovis has a vision of spreading Vision Cafes throughout Africa, as a way of connecting people to the global community and all of the resources and opportunities that come with it. The internet creates opportunities to raise funding, make money, save money, get educated, find business partners, collaborate with a global community, etc. But the beauty of this vision doesn’t stop with the advantages of internet access. Clovis sees these cafes as a way to educate and train people to be visionaries, leaders and entrepreneurs. Both the tribal and colonial culture contexts are very authoritarian and lacking in entrepreneurial and visionary concepts and conversations.

Clovis sees his Vision Cafes bringing everything the internet has to offer, as well as everything the west has to offer regarding entrepreneurship and advanced ways of thinking as a conscious being and visionary.

The bottleneck is internet access. In East Africa it’s outrageously expensive, and so at first glance it does not seem feasible to spread these Vision Cafes throughout Africa. But there is a bigger vision here, that once seen could easily inspire many organizations and individuals to invest their time and resources in the cause. Clovis, through his Vision Cafe in Kampala, is not merely providing jobs and adding value to the community. He is in essence, “creating creators.” It is one thing to fish, it’s another to teach someone how to fish–and quite another thing to teach someone how to be a visionary entrepreneur and create a business… or better yet, teach someone how to be a visionary entrepreneur who teaches others how to do the same. That’s what Clovis is up to. He wants to train others to train others, and thus open up all of Africa to unimaginable opportunity.

Democracy and capitalism are very new in many parts of Africa, and still only a dream in others. In Kenya, when I visited last year, I could feel an energy in the air… people were actively engaged in politics, not resigned and cynical as so many of us seem to be in the West. Kenya only gained freedom from Britain about 40 years ago through a violent revolution. Everything is still new, everything is possible. And the youth… so many told me they were going to be president one day. Yet, the colonial and tribal cultures there silence the youth in many respects. There seemed to be a consensus among Kenyans 40 and under that they’d never be listened to until they were at least 45 years old. This, even though so many Kenyans are known for their oratory skills (so many we met spoke like Senator Obama, whose father was Kenyan–or even more eloquently). The youth we met were incredibly bright, incredibly spirited, well-spoken and authentic. The only things that seemed to be missing for these young leaders to have the power to bring their visions into reality was 1) lack of access to technology, and 2) lack of entrepreneurial/visionary contexts.

Enter Clovis and his Vision Cafes, where he not only connects the youth to the world wibe web, but he liberates them from the conditioning which keeps them silent. The Vision Force concepts and work are incredibly powerful in this regard. Vision Force technology was not created from within the context of existing structures, and thus does not teach people how to be successful within the system. No, it encourages and empowers independent, creative thought, entrepreneurial thought. It’s most powerful for those willing to step outside the existing structures and create something new. It’s very liberating and refreshing for many who’ve grown up inside the heavily authoritarian cultural contexts in Africa. Perhaps this is why some come from 6 hours away to attend Clovis’ Vision Force workshops. Clovis is not just bringing hope, he’s bringing vision and everything that comes with it.

Kampala is ready. Kenya is ready. Could these Vision Cafes be an idea whose time has come?

How will we find the funds and resources to bring these internet learning centers into existence? Well, just ask Clovis, who through investing himself in the Vision Force 101 program, has been able to articulate his stand and his vision in such a way that he’s inspiring people from around the world to collaborate with him. One man, Michael Blomsterberg, and fellow Zaadzster (member of the Zaadz community), was so inspired that he has organized a trip for 12 to Kampala this summer, and plans to bring 10-20 computers for Clovis’ Vision Cafe. Other Zaadzsters and friends of Michael’s have joined in, and are doing what they can to support Clovis and his vision.

We at Vision Force along with generous Zaadz members have just recently raised $3,400 to get Clovis’ Vision Cafe wired with high-speed internet access. Some 80+ people from around the world were inspired to contribute. Others have purchased and sent Visionary Mind packages to Clovis. And the story goes on…

Vision Cafes throughout the 3rd world… supporting One Million Visionaries just like Clovis… can we really change the world? Do we even have a glimpse of how quickly we could create a world that really works for everyone? Organizations and individuals alike are already stepping forward to join forces in manifesting this vision. It’s not a Vision Force thing. It’s much bigger than that. It’s simply time.

We wish to acknowledge and thank every single person and organization that has chosen to stand with and for Clovis and all our African visionary friends. This is just the beginning! Together we really can create a future where all people are honored as creative, conscious beings… a world where we’re free inside and outside to live powerfully, and where it’s just natural to do so… a world where our best efforts go to collaborate creating a world that works for all, rather than fighting to enforce our individual views on others…

What do Bill Gates, Michael Dell and Richard Branson have in common (other than billions of Ben Franklins)?

The answer is here, and we’ve uploaded a 60-minute podcast (audio recording) of a conversation between Vision Force founder, Michael Skye and a special guest, who has fascinating new insights into entrepreneurship. If you’re an entrepreneur or wish to be, this audio is invaluable–and it’s free. Enjoy!

Recently through Zaadz, we’ve raised nearly $3,400 for Clovis, our young Ugandan visionary friend. He’s using the funding to install high-speed internet access at his Vision Cafe, where he’s connecting his fellow Ugandan’s to the world wide web, and teaching them what’ he’s learned from Vision Force about being a visionary, a leader and an entrepreneur.

There are some exciting new developments in what’s next for Clovis, so stay tuned.

Clovis’ story sparked the One Million Visionaries campaign here at VisionForce, where we’re now asking, “What if we could empower one million visionaries like Clovis around the world–as fast as possible, and for as little money as possible?” The next chapter in that story happens March 21-25 at the special boot camp we organized for 30 inspiring change agents from around the world. The application process is over, the event is full, and they’re 3 weeks away from arriving here in Austin.

I’m writing this post as I’m on a 4 or 5-way conference call with visionaries in Austin and Kenya, who are collaborating to start technology training academies in Kenya. We met so many visionary Kenyans last summer, who are up to great things, but who are difficult to reach due to technological barriers. Tools such as Skype are empowering visionaries around the world to connect and collaborate in ways never before possible.

My Kenyan friend on the call right now, Morris Thuku, upon returning to Kenya after receiving an education here in the U.S., decided to build an academy to teach street kids in the village where he grew up. Morris is a visionary with an indominatable spirit. He’s teaching his young people about information technology and giving them the skills that will allow them to make a better life for themselves and even create wealth in their community. His vision is to bring such training to youth throughout Africa. I hope to hold an audio interview with him in the near future and make it available here.

Our young Vision Force friends in Uganda have been able to attract and gain the support of a global community on Zaadz, and have raised thousands of dollars over the past few months for their projects. Morris, however, has very little exposure, as he must travel an hour just to access the Internet. Our emerging One Million Visionaries campaign will give us a way to unite and empower all of these visionaries from around the world. That campaign, of course, is being kick-started at our upcoming boot camp in March, where a constellation of visionaries from around the world will gather to evolve themselves in ways that will facilitate evolution in the communities they serve.

Yesterday, I attended this event here in Austin, where we watched the widely acclaimed documentary, Favela Rising, about a young social revolutionary who responds to his brother’s murder, gang warfare and police corruption by starting a drum group, called AfroReggae, for the purpose of uniting everyone in his favela.

FAVELA RISING documents a man and a movement, a city divided and a favela (Brazilian squatter settlement) united. Haunted by the murders of his family and many of his friends, Anderson Sá is a former drug-trafficker who turns social revolutionary in Rio de Janeiro’s most feared slum. Through hip-hop music, the rhythms of the street, and Afro-Brazilian dance he rallies his community to counteract the violent oppression enforced by teenage drug armies and sustained by corrupt police.
At the dawn of liberation, just as collective mobility is overcoming all odds and Anderson’s grassroots Afro Reggae movement is at the height of its success, a tragic accident threatens to silence the movement forever.

After the inspiring film, Anderson Sá answered questions about his life through a translator. Young Austin social revolutionaries listened to this man, and some asked how they might effect change the way Sá has. One was a local, conscious hip hop artist, named Gator, who I’d seen last summer performing at the National Hip Hop Political Convention. I spoke briefly with both Sá and Gator, and left inspired to find more such social revolutionaries. These are people who are working in the trenches to bring about positive change through non-violent, inspiring means. These are the kind of people we’re welcoming to attend our upcoming boot camp, which for the first time ever is a gift to such agents of change.

30 VISIONARIES INVITED TO ATTEND PIONEERING 4-DAY LEADERSHIP INTENSIVE IN AUSTIN, TX – APPLICATION PROCESS NOW OPEN FOR LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEADERS

Austin-based Vision Force Academy to immerse participants in leading-edge human development curriculum for ‘creating a future that works for everyone.’

AUSTIN, TX FEB 1, 2007 — On January 8 at a meeting organized by FLOW, an Austin-based non-profit dedicated to “liberating the entrepreneurial spirit for good,” a small group of local leaders gathered to discuss Austin’s emerging role as a leader in entrepreneurship and social innovation. Leaders of several next-generation entrepreneurship initiatives proposed ways they could individually or collectively foster awareness of entrepreneurship in Austin.

In this spirit, The Vision Force Academy, founded by long-time Austin resident Michael Skye, aims to contribute to entrepreneurial initiative and innovation on March 21-25 when it hosts its semi-annual Vision Force Boot Camp. Local and global leaders committed to making a profound difference in the world are currently submitting their applications to participate in this leading-edge human development curriculum.

One such leader is Audrey Parker, an Austin resident who, when recounting her Vision Force Boot Camp experience, said, “My fundamental assumptions and beliefs about what is possible for myself, humanity, and the future of the planet were completely shattered–in the best and most inspiring way possible.” Since the event, Ms. Parker, like many others, has broken new ground: she was trained recently by Al Gore to deliver Inconvenient Truth presentations in Austin and around the country.

Another, Michael Strong, visionary educator and FLOW co-founder echoes Ms. Parker’s enthusiasm about Vision Force and the Vision Force Boot Camp. “I see Michael Skye’s work as a key to liberating each individual’s unique genius so that we all may fulfill our potential in alignment with our deepest ideals,” Strong says.

Inspired in part by the vision that emerged from the January 8th meeting, Mr. Skye has, for the first time ever, decided to offer the Vision Force Boot Camp without the standard $2,500 admittance fee. “I’m inspired to collaborate with other visionary leaders and to join a global movement of people dedicated to serving humanity by pursuing their unique vision. We’ve removed the financial barrier so that all impassioned individuals, regardless of economic status, can attend the Boot Camp,” explains Skye.

Mr. Skye says that the ideal Vision Force Boot Camp participant has “already decided to become ‘part of the solution’–regardless of sector or vocation. The only ‘must’ is a deep commitment to creating a better future.”

Applications are due no later than February 15, 2007. Participants will pay the cost of food and lodging only. To download an application and for more information, please visit http://www.visionforce.com/blog/?page_id=148

Contact: Michael Skye
Phone: 1-877-844-6667 x777
Web: www.VisionForce.com

For the priner version, download the pdf version.

In the summer of 2006, Clovis Ategeka, downloaded our Vision Force 101 program. His story begins here. Fast forward 6 months and Clovis has rented space for his Vision Cafe. Now the workshops and classes he leads can be held indoors, and his students who are learning to be visionaries and entrepreneurs can connect to a global community through the internet… But first, they need to secure internet access. Currently internet service is monopolized by two companies and is quite difficult to come by. It takes a substantial investment to secure internet access for his cafe. $3,400 will do it, and we’ll provide his cost breakdown and business plan upon request. Start helping Clovis get his cafe wired by making a contribution through this secure funding opion: ChipIn:

On behalf of Clovis and all his students, we thank you!