The Beneblog is a weblog by Benetech CEO Jim Fruchterman, on issues and ideas that affect the application of technology to unmet social needs.

Posted 05/05/2008:
Aurolab

Part of the systematic Aravind Hospital approach is manufacturing its own supplied through its Aurolab social enterprise affiliate.

I was able to visit the new manufacturing facility just outside Madurai. David Green calls the approach forensic ...


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Benetech and CMP Release Miradi Conservation Software

April 18, 2008, Palo Alto, CA — Benetech and the Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP) have released Miradi, a user-friendly software program that allows nature conservation practitioners to design, manage, monitor, and learn from their projects to more effectively meet their conservation goals. Miradi 2.0 is the first public release of this software that was created as a joint venture between Benetech and CMP, a consortium of global conservation organizations committed to improving the practice of conservation. Miradi was beta tested by over 600 users in over 80 countries prior to the 2.0 public release. Read the Miradi 2.0 press release for more information.

Benetech Cited In New York Times Social Enterprise Story

April 14, 2008, Palo Alto, CA — Benetech has been cited in a New York Times story about "hybrid" technology organizations that are defining a path between the nonprofit world and traditional for-profit ventures. Benetech CEO Jim Fruchterman provides the lead quote for the article entitled, "When Tech Innovation Has a Social Mission," which appears in the Technology section of the newspaper. The story also appeared in the International Herald Tribune and on the Slashdot web sit. "There is a lot of discussion taking place right now about a whole new organization form around social enterprise," said Fruchterman in the article. "Many of these efforts can make money; they will just never make enough to provide venture capital rates of return."

eSchool News Covers Bookshare.org Text Reader

April 4, 2008, Palo Alto, CA — eSchool News has covered the recent partnership between Benetech's Bookshare.org service and Don Johnston to provide qualified print disabled students with a free text reader to access electronic books from the Bookshare.org library. Entitled, "Free Text Reader to Help Print-Disabled Students," the story notes that the Read:OutLoud Bookshare.org Edition Text Reader will serve an estimated 1 to 3 percent of the total K-12 student population-specifically, those who receive special-education services and who are unable to read standard print materials owing to physical limitations.

HRDAG Included In Science News Report on Humanitarian Statistics

March 29, 2008, Palo Alto, CA — Dr. Patrick Ball and Romesh Silva of Benetech's Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG) are included in a Science News story about statistical tools that help guide responses to human rights crises. The report, entitled "Humanitarian Statistics," describes HRDAG's analysis of deaths during the Indonesian occupation of Timor-Leste from 1974-1999. HRDAG's analysis for the Commision for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation concluded that the country suffered more than 100,000 deaths beyond what would have been expected in peacetime and that this rate of mortality was not driven by direct violence but rather famine-related deaths.

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