Jackson Snyder, Affordable Training Consultants
Tuesday, May 14, 2006
Greetings! The following text is an update from my first
FocusHaiti “white paper” dated March 1, 2006.
In this memo, I describe what we have accomplished in Phase I of the
project, what Phase II would look like, and how I understand we might become
self-sufficient in 6 – 12 months with some initial funding. Again, I want to thank Phillip Snyder for his
leadership, vision and support of this project.
It has been amazing to me to see what has already been accomplished
through FocusHaiti in just a few months.
I hope you will prayerfully consider keeping the momentum going until we
can become self-sufficient. I believe
that completing FocusHaiti Phase II will make a very strong impression on the commonwealth of
Rev. Jackson Snyder, B.G.S.,
M. Div., D.H.L.
Affordable Training
Consultants
May 14, 2006
FOCUSHAITI AS IT WAS
FocusHaiti was originally
created as an Internet “bulletin board” for those interested in
We received the source code for the
FocusHaiti.org website February 22,
2006. Our initial intention was to
gather to the site various services that were otherwise available on the
Internet but not necessarily easy to find.
Around March 10, we received a grant of approximately $5,000 from GLOW
ministries to explore ways of augmenting the site and raising greater interest
in its use. In the process of bulking it
up, we hoped to discover some services
that members would find worth subscribing to so that the site could eventually
be self-sustaining.
UPGRADE OF FREE SERVICES
The source code received was
of a programming language of which I am not very familiar. After researching, experimenting and
discussing, we decided the quickest way to get the site up was to keep most of
the graphic user interface (GUI) but remove the programs behind it, replacing
the code with HTML and some Java Scripts.
The use of Microsoft FrontPage 2003 for building the current code allows
any talented amateur to take over the management of the site if need be.
NEWS & WEATHER: We wanted
to make
The trick for us was to find
an interface (a digital newsreader) that could be integrated directly into a
website so as to display the news in English on the site. After much searching, we found such a software
device and incorporated it into the site.
So now FocusHaiti displays continuously updating headline news and
weather from a variety of sources, including The Miami Herald, The New
York Times, Voice of America, Associated Press, The Weather Channel, Yahoo
News, etc. In addition, a different
human interest story (about some facet of
ARTICLES AND OPINION:
Articles of interest (with photos) are posted from eclectic sources on the
“Opinion” page. Our hope is to enlist
one of the many volunteers to submit articles, journals or manuscripts for
publishing here. It would also be good
to have an ongoing journal or blog.
Currently we have a human interest story from the Cincinnati Enquirer (used by permission), a testimonial, a how-to
article and a reprint from the Orlando
Sentinel.
MAPS: We have collected a variety of digital maps
of
MEMBERSHIP: There is a comprehensive database of members,
their locations, ministries and contact information, all in alphabetical order
with a digital index. The membership page
(and the whole site) is searchable by a built-in search engine (which is
functional but not yet displayed). The
email addresses of members are posted but protected from spam collectors by not
being “clickable” links. If the agency
has a website, that link is also displayed.
COMPUTER / TECHNICAL: One page is dedicated to technical news from
top sources via RSS / XML feeds. We have
also collected links for the top “freeware” computer fixes – free antivirus
software, spyware removers, registry analyzers and cleaners, and links to
online utilities that help diagnose and correct a computer that has gone
awry. I have already used this page and
its free software to repair a virus-infested computer of a local
LINKS: This page includes government agency links,
free translation services, manuscripts, funding and culture sites links. There is also a good Site Map (link / button
/ page) to easily find every FocusHaiti page.
Links to member agency are displayed on the MEMBER page.
DATA COLLECTION DEVICES: FocusHaiti collects only volunteered
information. There is an interest
survey, an email newsletter opt-in form, a membership form and a feedback form
page. We have been able to provide only
a monthly newsletter so far sent to email addresses that we have and any we
have collected through these pages. We
have partnered with a major data collection company, VerticalResponse, to maintain our contact list, another service
provided free of charge along with a discount for their bulk emailing
services. There is also a page that accepts
donations via check, credit / debit card or online payment to a designated
“account” at GLOW Ministries for the use of FocusHaiti.
SURVEY: We had a very good response to our survey,
and completed surveys are still coming in.
The survey and initial response summary may be accessed by clicking the
“SURVEY” button at www.FocusHaiti.com. Surveys are still coming in on a fairly
regular basis.
UPDATING: Initially, Phillip
Snyder conveyed to me the potential significance of FocusHaiti in unifying the
community. I spent a great deal of time
thinking about what he said, and what might be done with it , and I made some
suggestions of my own, along with the commitment to complete “Phase I,”
described in a previous paper (the “free stuff”), before receiving the site
code in February. I used the initial
grant for equipment, software and 160 hours of labor in completing the work I
have described above. Updating,
enhancing, editing and repairing the site occur nearly daily on a volunteer
basis. (I am the volunteer.)
We spoke about doing the work in phases as
funding came forth for it. We are
pleased with the initial results, and have received affirmation from some of
the members. This feedback as convinced
us that this work should go onward, for the potential is yet far from being
realized. What we have now is a significant platform for further
development with an eye to the future of the nation we have described as
“our little sister.”
WHAT RSS TECHNOLOGY CANNOT DO
Presently, FocusHaiti’s chief
value (for users) is
However, self-perpetuating news feeds cannot
do the following:
o
They cannot
promote FocusHaiti to Search Engines so that the site will be found by a wider
scope of potential users. Internet
spiders, the digital devices that collect data for search engines and the like,
are content-driven. Although there appears to be a lot of content
on FocusHaiti, there is little that spiders can collect since the news feeds from sources not into the website, but into the user’s browser. This means that when web devices like spiders
consume the site, there is little there to report back to the search engines
that sent them; therefore, there is no ranking by the engines. The upshot is that FocusHaiti will have to be
populated with a mass of relevant content
(text) by somebody (a real person) to get the site ranked on search devices plus FocusHaiti will have to be promoted through such means as
meta-optimization, submission, and newsletters / E-zines. Promoting the site to keep it within the focus
of interested persons and continuously relevant, will take time, money and a
high level of expertise.
o
They cannot
complete the initial mission envisioned by the originators; that is, this
content will not promote unity and cooperation among and within the corps of
membership as is. Becoming a catalyst
for activism and human relief will require “intentional ministry,”
administration, knowledge and, in a secular sense, evangelization. These will require continued attention from
FocusHaiti Administrators.
FILE MAINTENANCE
Therefore if funding is made
available to perfect the FocusHaiti site and broadcast its unifying mission,
the following need to be done immediately:
(1) All FocusHaiti members need to be
contacted by telephone; each organization’s record needs to be updated; someone
from each organization needs to be made aware of the new mission; each
organization must be polled. This
initial contact will set up an opportunity for a future contact (a second or
third contact) to ask “What do you think?” and “How can you help?” In addition, we have a database of 300 other
organizations that work in
(2)
FocusHaiti is already a fairly massive block of code. The code, navigation and user interface needs
to be improved, organized and standardized.
The updated records from the phone canvassing must be published
online. The initial work of this will
take an estimate of 160 - 200 man-hours, plus ongoing work.
The site will also have to be optimized for
the wide variety of Internet browsers that are becoming popular – look at the
site in Microsoft Internet Explorer
(for which it was created) then in Mozilla Firefox (a very
popular browser) – you can see very obvious inconsistencies in the GUI. This is an indication of the haste in which
the site was constructed; haste in order to save time and money.
PHASE TWO: DATA SERVICES WORTH
PURCHASING
(1) Leads to Donations:
Every survey response considered “information for funding sources: grants,
loans, agencies, large donors” to be an attractive service. This is information we could research over the next 6 – 9 months then
provide to donors on an ongoing
basis, in the form of a weekly newsletter (this was requested) in conjunction
with a private website page. I spoke with
several organization directors; none knew of any convenient source of such information. But we can track down appropriate leads,
persons and application information to make a private page of high value to members. Furthermore, as a group of 100+ diverse organizations, we potentially have the
drawing power to apply for and win mega-grants
that could be distributed to all members.
(2) Legal Advice: I
spoke with a representative of DeBeaubien, Knight, Simmons, Mantzaris &
Neal (www.dbksmn.com ), a prominent
Once a reputable firm is discovered, a plan
similar to Pre-paid Legal Services could easily be established. (Pre-paid Legal Services www.prepaidlegal.com: for a monthly
fee, one may have access to a variety of free
legal services and an online legal library; then for a reduced fee, more
complicated legal matters may be resolved).
I recently contacted an
acquaintance in the
(3) Information Technology:
The survey also indicated that organizations need a service to promote and mail
their newsletters in digital format to their (or our) opt-in list. (An opt-in list consists of interested
persons who have requested information.)
Currently, we can do this from our home computers with bulk email
engines we already own. However, the
management and file maintenance of email lists takes a huge amount of
time. Still, we could offer the service if
we were willing to spend about $1,000 for more powerful software. On the other hand, several companies offer
full email list maintenance services, like VerticalResponse mentioned above,
for about 12 cents per address per mailing.
(This would not include out labor cost.) We could do the work of
preparing newsletters and emails for submission to VerticalResponse for
something over the price they charge. I
don’t think we could make much on this, but we could certainly offer it and
make some.
Several organizations needed web page
creation and promotion. This we could do
utilizing the text and pictures the organization already has in digital form:
we could easily publish their material on a 1 – 3 page site, adding a data
collection tool (an opt-in form), a “donations” button, and search engine promotion. Also, we could update existing pages on a
more regular or emergency basis and do promotion. This service would take little time and could
be a good source of donations. (We
already have a network of amateur website builders who could help with these
tasks at no charge.)
(4) Miscellaneous Services:
on the site and in weekly email updates, we could include links to affiliate
services and merchandise. Some such
services are very popular (such as Earthlink’s
weekly newsletter – even I click on the links).
These affiliates could be researched and added continually, and the
revenue drops might eventually add up to a steady stream.
These four services could be
available for subscription within six
months. Implementation would call
for:
A full-time
administrator; requirements:
o
moderate
administration and customer relations experience
o
advanced
knowledge of Microsoft FrontPage, including Web Design, RSS and Scripting
technology
o
relationship-building
ability and experience via telephone, written word and personal appearance
o
project-planning
methodology and track record
o
first-hand
knowledge of
o
a network of advisors and volunteers already in place.
Training required that can be completed in
the course of implementation (if not already acquired):
o
search engine
optimization (SEO) methods
o
bulk email
formatting and collection, and legal regulations
o
intermediate
French / Creole
o
rudimentary understanding of Haitian law, government and history.
A part-time
researcher; requirements:
o
excellent
Internet and library access and research skills
o
ability to
abstract complex information and express the summary in at least two of the
following European languages (French, German, English, Italian)
o
aptitude for
legal, international and cultural issues, and cross-cultural connectivity
o
emotional
attachment to the poor and the sense of mission to help
o
it would also be very helpful to have some understanding
of granting, not-for-profit financial accounting or fund raising.
The Bottom Line: I have not had time yet to research how long it would take to be
self-sufficient. However, I am fairly
sure in my “gut” that with the right people working FocusHaiti (we might say
those called to the work), the
organization could be financially viable in 9 to 12 months, perhaps sooner (depending on the
cooperation of like-minded organizations and members).
My opinion is that if we could get $44,000
plus $1,000 for supplies (a total of $45,000), we could not fail to (at very
least) lay the foundation for a relevant,
unique and self-sustaining service to those working in
If we
don’t become self-sustaining in that time for some reason, the improvements
made to the site and the free services we install will still be self-perpetuating and ever available, which include all
the new services (including legal) attained
in Phase II. So nothing will be lost,
yet everything may be gained with an initial investment of $45,000.
Thank you for taking time to read this
entire paper. We pray you will be
brought alive to the opportunity to the same degree that we have attained
through Phase I