Mediaboss Marketing

In the winter of 2002, nine months before Hanif Qadir unpacked his bag at a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan, a group of men walked into the London MOT testing centre he owned with his brothers. They were collecting money for civilians caught up in the US invasion of Afghanistan; hundreds of children had been orphaned by indiscriminate bombing, the men claimed. Could he help? The appeal resonated with Qadir, who had lost his father when he was seven. He made a donation.

The men returned regularly. Each time, they asked for more money, before gradually changing the subject to Qadirs faith. Eventually they invited him to a meeting at a local house to discuss the war in Afghanistan more freely. I felt they were sincere and genuine, Qadir recalls. At the meeting, the men encouraged Qadir to visit websites that claimed to show photographic evidence of violence against Afghan civilians by western troops.

Qadir browsed hundreds of distressing images, among them scores of orphans, each accompanied by extended captions that described the way in which the childs family had been killed. One girls story has remained with him. The website claimed she had lost 21 members of her family to a stray US missile. The caption explained it had taken locals three days to scrape their remains from the walls of the girls home. The more he saw, the closer Qadir became to the men who were, unbeknown to him, recruiters for al-Qaida.

If someone calls for genocide against Muslims, theyve essentially tattooed a swastika to their forehead online

Qadir grew up in Thornaby-on-Tees, a small town in North Yorkshire. After his father died, he had disengaged from school, leaving at 14 and moving to London. After a few odd jobs, he founded a business with his brothers, buying, repairing and selling cars. By the early 2000s, the business was profitable enough that he was able to donate generously to charitable community causes, a reputation that, he believes, led the recruiters to his door.

The suggestion that Qadir travel to Afghanistan was seeded gently. When a person is radicalised they become suggestible, he tells me. We discussed that, in order to prevent more loss of life, we needed to be prepared to fight. On 2 December 2002, he flew to Islamabad in Pakistan. A few days later, he crossed the border into Afghanistan.

Soon after he arrived at a training camp, Qadir saw a man measuring up children who lived there. I thought they were being tailored for new clothes, he recalls. Then he heard one of the leaders telling the children they would soon be reunited with their dead parents. They were being fitted for suicide vests. I felt sick and angry, he says. I wanted to walk away.

But in the middle of a desert compound patrolled by armed guards, any attempt to defect could be fatal. Qadir was trapped. I knew that if I asked to leave things would end badly. He had to think carefully.

***

In 2002, when Qadir was being radicalised, the internet was not yet ubiquitous. There was no Twitter, no Facebook; websites looking to groom people into supporting extremist causes were obscure. Two decades later, the digital landscape has been transformed. As the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hate Crime wrote last year, the internet has become a key breeding ground for extremism and hate speech emboldened by the increasing ease of dissemination, anonymity and, thanks to outdated legislation, a lack of meaningful consequences.

Perpetrators of terrorist attacks now routinely leave online statements or manifestos to justify their actions, hoping their words might encourage others. The 28-year-old gunman who killed 51 mosque-goers in Christchurch, New Zealand, last year posted a 73-page white nationalist rant to the fringe web forum 8chan and livestreamed the attack on Facebook.

But now, just as Facebook and Twitter have become the prodigious muck-spreaders of our age, a handful of clandestine startups are using technology to stem the flow. Moonshot, whose office is at a secret location in London, is, at five years old, a veteran in this emerging industry. Its premises have the feel of a typical Silicon Valley operation: distressed floorboards, glass-fronted offices, beanbags by an open fireplace, exposed brickwork, a snug for breathers. There are a few clues that the companys business using technology to disrupt violent extremism is different from that of the fitness app developers, social media influencers and virtual reality speculators with whom it shares an aesthetic. The posters are not vintage prints but disquieting infographics revealing, for example, that after 22 people were shot dead in an El Paso Walmart last August, there was an 82% rise in the Google search term how to murder Mexicans. There is also a bomb-proof door.

Cofounder Vidhya Ramalingam set up the EUs first intergovernmental research initiative to investigate far-right terrorism in the aftermath of the 2011 murder of 77 people by Anders Breivik in Norway. She describes Moonshots work as experimental programming. The company employs 50 people, and uses a mixture of software and human judgment to identify individuals on the internet who, like Qadir, appear interested in extremist propaganda. They then attempt to serve them counter-messaging.

The technology uses a database of indicators of risk. An individual is awarded risk points according to their online behaviour. You score one point for showing curiosity about the Ku Klux Klan or National Socialist Movement. Activity that indicates sympathy with a violent movement or ideology (eg Googling white pride worldwide) earns three points, while showing a desire to join, send money to, or commit acts on behalf of a violent extremist group or individual earns six.

Home Office initiatives such as Prevent have traditionally focused on training teachers and other leaders to identify people likely to be drawn to violent extremism within their communities but these methods risk introducing discriminatory practices. In France, for example, there were posters telling people their sons might be at risk of violent extremism if they grow a beard, start speaking Arabic or stop eating baguettes, explains Ross Frenett, Moonshots cofounder. That is obvious bullshit.

By contrast, Frenett says, if someone makes a post glorifying Hitler, or calls for genocide against Muslims, there is a high degree of certainty that they fall into a high-risk category. Theyve essentially tattooed a swastika to their forehead in the online space, he says. So our level of confidence when identifying individuals who are vulnerable to radicalisation is way higher online than it could ever be offline. And it sidesteps some of the discriminatory, stigmatising practices weve seen in an offline setting.

Moonshot, founded in September 2015, is a for-profit company that earns its income from government contracts in the UK, US, Canada, Australia and across western Europe. It does not limit its work to any particular strain of radicalism; in addition to the far-right and jihadism, Moonshots work covers everything from Buddhist extremism in south Asia, to Hindu nationalism and incel terrorism in Canada.

The skill is in finding out what raised a persons interest in extremist ideology. You cant redirect them until you do

At the broadest level, Moonshot runs what it refers to as redirection material advertising that is designed to get in front of extremist material in Googles search results. Google has granted Moonshot dispensation to advertise against banned search terms such as join Isis. If a user clicks on one of Moonshots camouflaged results, they are taken to, for example, a mental health website with relevant downloadable guides and a chat option. (These sites are run by partnered mental health organisations and groups that have experience dealing with gang violence. As Frenett puts it, they have appropriate risk protocols, and connections with law enforcement, should they be required.) So long as the search terms are carefully calibrated (advertising against white power is useless, Frenett explains, as you end up competing with power-tool companies) this can be an effective first contact.

Success is measured in much the same way as any company seeking to advertise on Google, via click conversions. (We pay for advertising just like any commercial advertiser does, Ramalingam says. We dont get special rates. I wish we had a better story on that front.) A key metric is search impression share, which records the amount of time your at-risk audience saw the ad. Weve had campaigns that have run with only 50%, and thats not good enough, Ramalingam says. So we work hard to get that up to 98% where possible. For this reason, as well as mental health practitioners and ex-police officers, Moonshot also employs marketers. Most of our work is analytics, marketing and social work, Frenett says. It just happens to be marketing, analytics and social work related to terrorism.

Occasionally the company will identify an individual who is too high risk for their interventions. Thats where, depending on the country were working in, we refer a user to the police, Frenett says. In Australia, for example, Moonshot identified someone at the top of a network of around 200 at-risk individuals considered so risky we couldnt intervene. A few days later, the local police arrested the man, who was subsequently convicted on terror charges.

There are deeper kinds of intervention. One of Moonshots advertisements for, say, bomb manuals will take the searcher to a WhatsApp chat manned by a specialist trained in deradicalisation techniques. The company may also identify someone on a particular social media platform openly espousing pro-extremist or pro-terrorist views. Then a trained social worker, typically from a charitable partner organisation, contacts that individual via Twitter direct message or Facebook Messenger. Choosing the right person to make this kind of contact, which may be perceived as invasive, is essential. In many cases, the right person is a former extremist someone like Hanif Qadir.

***

When Qadir realised the children in the Afghan training camp were being measured for suicide vests, his first instinct was to exact revenge on the people who had manipulated him. But I only had a knife, no gun, he says. And I knew that I couldnt tell anyone I wanted out.

He stepped outside the gate of the camp to consider his options. There he spotted the driver of a pick-up truck with whom he had talked a few times. The men did not share a first language, but Qadir gambled. He pulled out 50 and waved it at the man, asking if he could hitch a ride to Turkham, on the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. The driver nodded. Qadir climbed into the passenger seat. I didnt even collect my bag, he recalls.

Qadir says he cried during the flight to London. I kept asking myself: What the hell have I done? When he arrived home, he and his brothers attempted to find his recruiters, but they had disappeared; the word was that they had moved to Manchester. Qadir decided he no longer wanted to run the car business and convinced his brothers to sell up. I just wanted to stay at home with my children.

After a period of recuperation, he and his brothers opened a gym in a disused nightclub, which became a place where local youths, many of them young Muslims, would congregate. Wed talk, he says. Id ask them questions about Afghanistan. I saw a lot of anger and questioning. It was clear to me that all it would take is for one person to manipulate them emotionally and they would get straight on a plane to fight. Or maybe they would do something here.

Eager to communicate this to someone in a position of power, Qadir started attending local council meetings. A police inspector, Ian Larnder, took him for a coffee, hoping to better understand why this former mechanic seemed so passionate about the subject. Until then, I had told nobody about what had happened, Qadir recalls. Ian was the first person I opened up to. A week later, Larnder was appointed to the polices national community tension team. He took Qadir with him to speak to forces around the country about his experiences.

Today, with a number of other former extremists, Qadir works with Moonshot, where he provides training for online interventions. The skill is in finding out what has raised a persons interest in extremist ideology, he explains. You cant redirect a person until you understand this. Its no good asking something so broad as: What do you think about what is happening in India? It has to be specific and personable. So instead you might say: Is it permissible to seek revenge for the loss of a loved one?

This sort of broad line of questioning and the fact that an anonymous dialogue might tail off, without scope for any follow-up can seem frustratingly opaque for anyone trying to measure Moonshots success. Its a criticism the company is used to fielding. The struggle with preventive work is that, very often, its unscientific and we have to ask people to take it on trust, Frenett says. Its easy for a military contractor to come in and say, I installed a big, high fence and a man with a gun and that reduced terrorism. Likewise, the army can come along and state: We killed 200 Taliban this week.

But its much harder to say, OK. We invested $1m here and we prevented this much terrorism. Our long-term aim is to start to change that calculation. Then well be able to say: If one dollar in every 100 spent on military hardware went towards targeted, community-focused preventive work it would be better value and probably better for the world.

***

In the corner of a chilly room at the end of a corridor in Cardiff Universitys Glamorgan Building, a flood of racial slurs, misogyny, antisemitism and far-right slogans flows across a PC screen. Imagine you had a crystal ball in which you could watch someone perpetrating every hate crime as it occurred somewhere out there, on the streets, explains Matthew Williams, director of HateLab. Thats what youre looking at here, except the hate is happening online.

While Moonshot and Qadir intervene with individuals who are vulnerable to extremism, HateLabs aim is to provide a more accurate picture of hate speech across the internet. It is, Williams says, the first platform to use AI to detect online hate speech in real time and at scale.

Moonshots ads for, say, bomb manuals take the searcher to a WhatsApp chat manned by a deradicalisation specialist

Online hatred is so commonplace that the majority of incidents go unreported. According to British government data, 1,605 hate crimes occurred online between 2017 and 2018, a 40% increase on the previous year. But the Home Office admits this figure is probably a gross underestimate.

Unlike the police, we dont have to wait for a victim to file a report, Williams says. The program reflects a true indication of the prevalence of online hatred.

It offers a granular indication, too. Williams specifies a date range, then picks from a filter of potential target groups: Jews, homosexuals, women, and so on (misogyny is by far the most prevalent form of hate speech on Twitter, he says). He selects anti-Muslim and a heat map of the UK lights up in red blotches showing geographical hotspots. Elsewhere, it reports the average number of hateful posts per minute and the peak times of day (hate speech, the group has found, is most prevalent during the daily commute, when people read and react to the days news).

A word cloud indicates the most-used anti-Muslim slurs, while a spiderweb visualises a network of perpetrators, identifying the thought leaders who are generating the most retweets, and how they are linked, via online accounts. HateLab gives situational awareness to hate speech on Twitter at any given time, Williams says.

Early last month, HateLab identified three forms of coronavirus-related hate speech: anti-Chinese or Asian; antisemitic, focused on conspiracy theories; and Islamophobic, focused on accusations of profiteering. What we are seeing is a threat to health being weaponised to justify targeting minority groups, no matter how illogical the connections may seem, Williams explains.

(Moonshot has monitored similar rises in hate speech targeting Chinese nationals. The hashtag #ChinaLiedPeopleDied was tweeted 65,895 times in March, while #coronavirustruth, implying that the pandemic is a hoax, was used 77,548 times. The company also picked up tweets showing old videos of Muslim men leaving mosques accompanied by text claiming the footage was filmed during quarantine, a seemingly deliberate attempt to create anti-Muslim sentiment.)

Williams, author of a forthcoming book titled The Science Of Hate, is a professor of criminology at Cardiff, but his interest in the field is not purely academic. In 1998, he travelled to London with friends to celebrate a birthday. At some point during the evening, he stepped out of the gay bar in which the group was drinking. Three young men approached. One asked if Williams had a light. As he handed over his Zippo, the man punched him in the face. Williams returned to his friends but said nothing, fearing that they would want to retaliate. Eventually, one of them noticed blood on his teeth and urged him to report the attack. I said no, Williams recalls. At that time my parents didnt know I was gay. My siblings didnt know, and neither did most people from my town. I didnt want to come out to the police.

But Williams returned to Wales a changed person. Any attack on your identity has a profoundly destabilising effect, he says. I became angry and depressed. I modified my behaviour. I stopped holding my boyfriends hand. I still wont show affection in public. He was not alone in failing to report his attackers; based on the combined 2015/16 to 2017/18 Crime Survey for England and Wales, only 53% of hate crime incidents came to the attention of the police. People are fearful of secondary victimisation, Williams says.

As domestic internet use became more commonplace, Williams noticed the hate speech he encountered on the streets reflected online. The difference was that it was there for everyone to witness. Fellow academics were initially sceptical of his preoccupation with online behaviour, but by 2011 everyone knew hate speech was the key problem of the internet. That year, Williams received a lottery grant of more than half a million pounds to accelerate his research.

Every social media platform represents a torrent of information too deep and wide to sift by hand. Williams and his team began by taking a random sample of 4,000 tweets from a dataset of 200,000. The trove was then handed to four police officers, trained to recognise racial tensions, who each evaluated whether every tweet was discriminatory. If three of the four officers concurred, the tweet was classified as hate speech. Over a four-week period, the officers identified around 600 tweets they deemed discriminatory, data that formed the gold standard by which the AI would test if a message was malignant or benign.

You have to engage and create conversations, but direct them positively allow for grievances to be heard and discussed

On the afternoon of 22 May 2013, when fusilier Lee Rigby was killed by two Islamist converts in Woolwich, London, the software had its first live test. Within 60 minutes of the attack, Williams and his team began harvesting tweets that used the keyword Woolwich. As the software sifted the data, the team was able to examine the drivers and inhibitors of hate speech, and identify accounts spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric. The team found that hate speech peaked for 24-48 hours, and then rapidly fell, while the baseline of online hate remained elevated for several months. Astonishingly, this was one of the first times a link between terror attacks and online hate speech had been demonstrated. And importantly, an increase in localised hate speech both anticipated the attack and, in the aftermath, shadowed it, showing that it might be possible to predict real world attacks.

The data fascinated social scientists, but Williams believed it was more than interesting: it could have a practical application in helping counter these narratives. In 2017, he began a pilot scheme with the national online hate crime hub, which was set up to coordinate reporting into this area. It now uses the HateLab dashboard to gauge ebbs and flows in the targeting of particular groups, as well as nuances in local tensions. This information can then inform operational decisions, helping direct frontline police work.

There are obvious privacy concerns, and HateLab must comply with data protection regulations. The platform depends on the willingness of Twitter to make its data available to third-party applications. (Facebook closed down open access in 2018, so independent organisations cannot screen its posts.) Twitter shares data on the proviso that HateLab does not identify individual accounts via its dashboard. In that sense, we can only provide the 10,000ft view, Williams says. The dashboard can highlight patterns, target groups and geographical hotspots but connecting with individuals is outside its remit.

Meanwhile, Qadir and the other former extremists working alongside Moonshot recognise the power that hate speech can have, and know firsthand that a conversation can steer someone down a more positive path. You can only change people if you can reach them via conversation, he tells me. Violent extremists do this very cleverly, and evidence shows that it works for them, so I based all my programmes on this concept. You have to engage and create conversations, but direct them positively allow for grievances to be heard and discussed.

Since Moonshot was founded, there has been a radical shift in the perception of technologys role when it comes to extremist terrorism. Five years ago, there were still people inside the government who thought tech was for the kids, Frenett says. There was a sense that it was almost amusing that terrorists were on the internet. You dont get that any more. Likewise, five years ago there were some great organisations doing great work on the violent far-right, but again it was almost seen as niche. Thats no longer the case.

See more here:
A threat to health is being weaponised: inside the fight against online hate crime - The Guardian

By Janice MacKay May 1, 2020 1:16pm

The Stratford Perth Centre for Business has launched The Digital Accelerator, by Starter Company Plus.

30 grants totaling $45,000 will be distributed to local entrepreneurs within Stratford and Perth County.

The new program will help small businesses in the City of Stratford, the Town of St Marys and Perth County to create a digital revenue stream that will allow them to navigate the new reality of doing business.

Starter Company Plus will deliver 4 weeks of virtual programing starting May 19 providing entrepreneurs with funding, coaching and peer mentorship to support the use of online, digital, and social marketing tools.

The program will assist with the cost of developing a digital strategy including website builds, digital advertising and email marketing. Business advisors will work one-on-one with the participants to design new business models and outline steps needed to deliver their products and services digitally. Areas of focus will include use of templated websites such as Shopify and Squarespace, email marketing integrations, delivery, e-commerce, cyber security, digital systems, and finding new opportunities in existing skills, products, and services.

Holly Mortimer, Business Advisor stated, By end of the program each participant will have received funds to support their pivot, and long-term mentorship and collaboration opportunities and access to our programming for as long as they need it.

Joani Gerber, CEO of investStratford stated The program delivers the kind of support and training that is desperately needed at this time. It assists and trains business owners overwhelmed with the need to pivot their revenue streams and helps them leverage their grant for greater revenue and business growth.

Applications are open now and available at http://www.stratfordperthbusiness.ca until May 12

Excerpt from:
Perth County businesses offered help to cope with COVID-19 - BlackburnNews.com

See the latest coronavirus updates in Idaho as we work together to separate facts from fear.

BOISE, Idaho (Scroll down for the latest news updates.)

Idaho's number of deaths and cases of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, continue to climb amid a worldwide pandemic.

Saturday, May 2

5:11 p.m. - Idaho surpasses 1,900 confirmed cases

Idaho's battle against COVID-19 continues to show a flattening of the curve of infection as only 17 confirmed cases were announced on Saturday evening. There are now 1,908 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. 1,287 of those cases have recovered and only 200 people were hospitalized.

No new deaths were reported on Saturday, with the statewide total staying at 64.

For testing, Idaho has now tested 29,651 people so far.

Friday, May 1

6:20 p.m. - Another death in Ada County, more than 1,200 have recovered

The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare released the state's latest official numbers on the coronavirus in the Gem State. There are now 1,888 confirmed cases. The state counts 2,035 confirmed or probable cases, including 20 new confirmed or probable cases today. Another COVID-19 death was reported in Ada County; which brings the statewide total to 64 deaths. 1,215 people are presumed to have recovered.

5:10 p.m. -- Northwest Nazarene University making plans to reopen campus in the fall

In a statement shared with the campus community, NNU President Joel Pearsall stated: "Our plans are still being developed, but here's what we know for sure: We plan to return to campus for the fall semester."

Pearsall's full statement is posted here.

4:45 p.m. -- Boise GreenBike to relaunch May 4, offer free rides

Boise GreenBike will relaunch the bike share program on Monday, May 4, after a brief suspension because of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. The bikes were removed from the streets in March and taken to the shop. Every bike was cleaned, given a tune-up, and made ready for service. The system will relaunch with two weeks of free rides for everyone and certain restrictions on use.

As our city and state start to reopen for business we want to be able to provide a healthy and safe transportation alternative, said Boise GreenBike Director Dave Fotsch. We work hard to keep the bikes clean and disinfected, but were asking our riders to do their part as well.

Boise GreenBike will offer unlimited one-hour free rides for two weeks, running through midnight, Monday, May 18.

4:15 p.m. -- Nampa to open all park restrooms, some youth activities on May 4

Nampa Parks and Recreation will be opening park restrooms, some organized youth activities and day camps as of May 4. Beginning Monday, restrooms in city parks will be open during daylight hours and cleaned twice daily.

The City Parks and Recreation Department will also allow youth sport organizations to practice at city park facilities. At this time, games will not be allowed. Park picnic shelters are not reservable for public functions at this time.

Limited youth activities and day camps will be offered that accommodate suggested health guidelines such as physical distancing and diligent hygiene. The Nampa Recreation Center will remain closed to the general public until Stage 2 of Idaho's reopening plan.

Playgrounds at city parks remain closed. City leaders are discussing guidelines and timeline around reopening playgrounds and hope to have an announcement soon.

4:00 p.m. -- College of Idaho to resume in-person classes in the fall

The private liberal arts college, located in Caldwell, will also open on-campus living areas for Fall Semester 2020.

In a letter to the C of I community, co-Presidents Doug Brigham and Jim Everett stated "based on our ongoing consultation with the local healthcare community, our senior administration and trustees, we feel that as long as people adhere to appropriate guidelines, the systems in place can safely handle the cases we experience here in southwest Idaho."

The college is appointing task forces to work directly on the changes required to be ready to open campus for the fall.

"Our plan is to share more specific details with our extended Yote family by the end of May," the Co-Presidents stated in their letter.

The College of Idaho was the first higher education institution in the state to announce its plan to shift exclusively to online classes for the remainder of the spring semester back on March 13th.

The College of Idaho has a web page for all of its COVID-19 communication throughout the pandemic.

3:30 p.m. -- Eagle mayor discusses how city will address staged reopening

Mayor Jason Pierce writes, "first of all, we want to make sure that Eagle residents and businesses can start to feel normal in their community again while feeling safe. Here in Eagle, education is going to be our primary approach. We encourage everyone to follow the path that the governor has laid out, but we do not have the resources to shut down businesses that open before the governor's timeline. First and foremost, we want to make sure that all Eagle businesses are being safe and smart about their reopening plans so that the people who have been laid off or had to close up shop can get back to working and earning a living."

Pierce is urging Eagle business owners to research and establish health and safety plans to protect themselves, their staff, and customers. He also advises business owners to make sure they don't jeopardize their business by breaking any rules they agreed to when accepting federal aid money.

The Eagle City Council has appointed a Business and Workforce Recovery Task Force comprised of members of the local business community.

2:20 p.m. -- Roaring Springs, Wahooz to open this summer

No date has been set for the opening. The management team for the Roaring Springs water park and Wahooz Family Fun Zone has been working to develop a comprehensive plan, which includes wellness checks for guests and employees, social distancing measures, increased cleaning and sanitation and more. Chief marketing officer Tiffany Quillici says officials at Central District Health, Idaho Health & Welfare and the Meridian mayor's office have expressed their approval.

An announcement about opening day will come by mid-May, Quillici said.

1:45 p.m. -- Boise School District announces graduation plans for Class of 2020

Boise School District announced graduation plans for the class of 2020 in an effort to make sure students and families do not miss out on this important milestone.

Graduation/celebrations planned for May:

Graduation caps and gowns will be distributed on Thursday, May 14 and Friday, May 15. Schools will also be distributing diploma covers, and diplomas themselves will be mailed home. High schools will be communicating specifics about this grab and go distribution process. Social distancing guidelines will be followed.

Boise School District is partnering with Idaho Press to produce a virtual graduation celebration. Graduate profiles, speeches and a printed keepsake graduation program with graduate profiles for each high school graduate will be featured/provided.

Socially Distanced "Turn the Tassel/Walk the Stage":

Every high school will celebrate their seniors in person at the school during the last week of school (May 18 through May 22) -- there will be a staggered schedule to minimize the numbers of students at any one time

Students and parents will arrive and remain in their car

As they come up to the "first station," the student's name will be called and he/she will "turn the tassel" while still in their car -- staff/faculty will be outside to celebrate the graduates.

Student and family will get out of car and "walk the stage" -- a set-up where the student will be in cap and gown and can take pictures in front of the school's backdrop

Parent survey regarding in-person late July Graduation/Celebration:

High schools will be sending parents a survey about the possibility of holding in-rson graduations/celebrations the week of July 20th, contingent upon meeting health recommendations from the CDC.

1:27 p.m. -- New emergency grants announced for Idaho childcare businesses

Idaho Gov. Brad Little has announced a new Idaho Child Care Emergency Grant to get childcare business owners the funds they need to reopen.

"As we begin the staged reopening of Idaho and our residents return to their places of work, I want to make sure they have consistent care for their children," Governor Little said. "These grants not only help working parents in Idaho, they also help the owners of these small businesses."

The application period runs Friday through June 30, and the application is available here.

The grants can be awarded to any fulltime childcare operation that is licensed or ICCP certified, as long as they are open and operating during the months for which funding is requested. The grant money can be used for staff wages or hazard pay, cleaning and janitorial expenses; other materials; and general business operations like rent or utilities.

1:08 p.m. -- University of Idaho gets grant to test COVID-19 in breast milk

The University of Idaho is teaming up with the University of Rochester in New York for a national study testing whether coronavirus can be transmitted through breast milk.

The two schools received $315,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to carry out the project. Health officials hope the study will help them better advise breastfeeding mothers who test positive for COVID-19.

"The question is whether the novel coronavirus is in mothers' milk, and whether it can infect infants," said Shelley McGuire, who directs the U of I Margaret Ritchie School of Family and Consumer Sciences. "We just don't have a study yet that can provide a reliable answer. I really hope the virus isn't in milk, but hope doesn't make for good science."

Women who want to volunteer to be part of the project can find more information here.

12:25 p.m. -- Meridian City Hall, some other city facilities to reopen Monday

Meridian city officials have outlined a phased reopening plan, which includes screening for those entering city buildings. Public meetings will continue to be held online "to prevent group congregation."

10:45 a.m. -- Eagle Saturday Market opening day postponed

Due to COVID-19 the Eagle Saturday Market will not be opening on May 2, 2020. While we have been looking forward to the 2020 market season, the health and safety of our community is at the forefront of our mind's day in and day out. When the market reopens, it will look different. Efforts are being taking to implement social distancing guidelines for city employees, vendors and the community to follow. You can order from vendors online.

9:35 a.m. -- Boise will not open the city's municipal pools this summer

Leaders from the City of Boise and the Boise Parks and Recreation Department have made the tough decision to keep all six outdoor pools closed in 2020.

Uncertainty surrounding the continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), public safety, and cost evaluations based on a shortened season all factored into the decision.

The health and safety of our residents is important and this was a very tough call, said Boise Parks and Recreation Director Doug Holloway.

More:
Live coronavirus updates: 64 deaths and 1,908 confirmed cases; nearly 30,000 people tested - KTVB.com

Every day we engage with the some of the worlds leading social entrepreneurs and innovators through the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship community.

The community includes approximately 400 social entrepreneurs and innovators, operating in 190 countries, who have impacted the lives of 622 million people and counting by distributing loans and services, mitigating CO2, improving access to education and energy and driving social inclusion for people with disabilities, the homeless and refugees.

And now, in the COVID-19 pandemic, this community is responding in incredible ways, specifically to the needs of those who governments or the market are unable to account for: the excluded, marginalised and vulnerable populations.

However, the work has been seriously hindered due to the lack of adequate technical support, financial resources and access to partnerships during the crisis.

When we share the unique challenges these social innovators face, the most common question in response is, How can I help them?

Here are five ways to help the World Economic Forum social innovator community, right now and in turn, help the worlds most vulnerable get through the pandemic.

Human Nature is a for-profit business with three social goals: strengthening the Filipino economy, creating a new middle class from the poor and caring for the environment.

Human Nature has produced a truly Filipino brand by formulating and marketing personal and homecare products made with local and natural raw materials and free from harmful chemicals. To support farmers, the company works with community cooperatives and provides training, equipment and a market for high-value crops such as citronella, lemongrass, virgin coconut oil and coco nectar.

2. Improve access to water.

Water For People is a global non-profit working in nine countries in Africa, Latin America and Asia to develop sustainable water and sanitation services. COVID-19 has highlighted the need for easy access to water and sanitation services more than ever before, and yet more than half of the world does not have access to safe sanitation services.

Access to soap and water for handwashing is even more important in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Image: WHO

3. Keep children reading and learning.

COVID-19 has created a global education crisis. More than 1.3 billion children and youth have been impacted by school closures. Distance learning is the best chance children and youth have to mitigate learning losses during this pandemic.

Worldreader uses low-cost technology, such as e-readers and mobile phones, to offer more than 42,000 digital books from over 400 publishers in 43 languages including Kiswahili, Hausa, Afrikaans and English contributing to local heritage and identity. Donate here.

Worldreader uses low-cost technology to provide books to children who need them.

Image: Worldreader

However, millions of children in low-income communities may not have the technological resources to access e-books. This where First Book can play a key role. A non-profit social enterprise, First Book uses market forces to address the systemic barriers to quality education for children in need. First Book provides access to new books and resources for kids who need them most, helping fuel a love of reading and learning. Every $3 donated = one new book (including the cost of shipping) to a child in need. Support them here.

4. Watch football to help the homeless.

Homeless World Cup, a social sports organization established specifically to tackle homelessness and poverty through football and street soccer worldwide, has lifted 1.2 million people out of homelessness and established 74 partner organizations around the globe.

During the pandemic, their work has become even more instrumental as homeless people are one of the groups at greatest risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19. Help Homeless World Cup by donating, fundraising and shopping, and tune in to the virtual Homeless World Cup on 5 July.

5. Text people to ensure their mental health and wellbeing.

Among many global health, economic and societal disruptions, the coronavirus has forced millions to physically isolate. Combine that with extensive news coverage on the pandemic and the unknown future, and it's no surprise anxiety is on the rise.

Crisis Text Line is a free 24/7 text hotline for people in crisis. The service is powered by volunteer crisis counsellors who work remotely, anywhere with a computer and secure internet connection. Crisis counsellors answer texts from people in crisis, calming them with active listening, collaborative problem solving and safety planning. Learn more about how to volunteer as a crisis counsellor, and read this expert guide on how to manage mental health and wellbeing.

Innovative social entrepreneurs are addressing the worlds most serious challenges ranging from illiteracy to girls education and disaster relief. To achieve maximum impact and start to address root causes, they need greater visibility, credibility, access to finance, favourable policy decisions, and in some cases a better understanding of global affairs.

The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is supporting more than 350 late-stage social entrepreneurs. By providing an unparalleled global platform, the Foundations goal is to highlight and expand innovative models of social innovation. It helps strengthen and grow the field of social enterprise by showcasing best-in-class examples, models for replication and cutting-edge research on social innovation.

Our global network of experts, partner institutions, and World Economic Forum constituents and business members are invited to nominate outstanding social entrepreneurs. Get in touch to become a member or partner of the World Economic Forum.

Social innovators, disruptors in the service of others, are in need of your support more than ever before. For more information or to help our social innovator community, get in touch with the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with our Terms of Use.

Written by

Pavitra Raja, Community Specialist, Social Entrepreneurs - Europe and the Americas, World Economic Forum

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

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5 ways to help during the coronavirus pandemic - World Economic Forum

MANILA, Philippines Only 104 of 1,632 local government units (LGUs) met the April 30 deadline for full payout of the P5,000 to P8,000 emergency cash subsidy for low-income families under the Social Amelioration Program (SAP), meant to cushion the economic impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis.

This was according to Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista, citing a tally made on Wednesday.

Irene Dumlao, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) social marketing service officer-in-charge, said that of the 104 LGUs that completed the payout, only 10 were able to do a 100 percent liquidation of the SAP funds they had received from the DSWD and distributed to eligible families in their jurisdictions.

The 10 LGUs, Dumlao said, submitted liquidation data which included disbursement report, SAC (Social Amelioration Card) forms encoded in the Excel matrix we provided.

She identified the 10 LGUs as Adams, Ilocos Norte in Region 1; Pandi and San Miguel both in Bulacan in Region 3; Casiguran, Sorsogon; and San Vicente, Camarines Norte in the Bicol Region; Jordan, Guimaras; Buenavista, Guimaras; and EB Magalona, Negros Occidental in Region 6; and Sulop and Taragona both in Davao del Sur in Region 11.

Bautista earlier said he had decided to allow partial liquidation to facilitate the process of validation and prevent undue delays in the release of the second tranche of the emergency cash subsidy funds for this month.

He stressed the DSWD is standing pat on its position against releasing funds for the second tranche until liquidation of funds distributed in the first tranche is completed.

He said he had allowed partial liquidation, or the submission of early liquidation reports by LGUs, so that the DSWD can start necessary validation. Validation checks, he pointed out, will take no more than 15 days.

Bautista said that as of April 29, the DSWD has distributed P80.8 billion of the SAP funds to 1,515 LGUs.

Overall, more than P50 billion from DSWD had been distributed among 9.4 million SAP beneficiaries in the first tranche, he said in Filipino.

Senior citizen rights advocate Romulo Macalintal said the government should consider clustering or grouping contiguous barangays in big or heavily populated LGUs to smoothen the distribution of SAP.

Barangays with small number of beneficiaries could be merged or grouped with other barangays which have not yet reached the maximum number of beneficiaries they could serve at a given time. Distribution of funds shall be properly scheduled per clustered barangay and should be with full adherence to health protocols versus COVID-19, Macalintal said.

Detained Sen. Leila de Lima said the Duterte administration should stop blaming pasaways or stubborn people who violate quarantine rules for its decision to extend the lockdown.

Dont use the people as your punching bag for your frustrations because of your blunders. Maybe youve forgotten that were going through this Calvary because of you, De Lima said in a statement written in Filipino.

You were the ones who brought in the Chinese Communist Party virus. You didnt act quickly. You belittled and joked about it. And now were all reeling from the COVID-19 and youre now violating human rights, she said.

You paint an image of unruly, disobedient and lawless citizens to justify your lust for martial law the reason some of our ECQ enforcers get the wrong message and see the situation more as a peace-and-order crisis than as a serious health concern, De Lima said.

A House panel, meanwhile, has proposed a recalibration in the implementation of the governments P200-billion SAP.

The Defeat COVID-19 Committee (DCC)s social amelioration cluster has sought changes in rules and procedures of SAP to be able to reach more beneficiaries in the implementation of the second phase of the program this month.

Panel chair and Leyte Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez presented the proposal to the DCC and DSWDs Bautista at a virtual hearing on the implementation of measures to address the crisis.

Gomez said the DSWD should set a uniform P5,000 cash subsidy for qualified families in the National Capital Region and provinces, as compared with the unequal distribution of P8,000 per family in NCR and P5,000 to P6,500 in provinces depending on minimum wage set per region.

This way, the lawmaker stressed that the second phase of SAP will reach over 20 million families as compared with the 18 million families targeted by the program under Republic Act 11469 (Bayanihan to Heal as One Law).

There is enough money for 20 million families and we can also simplify the process, stressed Gomez, also chair of the House committee on disaster management.

The cluster suggested to the DSWD to continue direct distribution of the cash aid among four million beneficiaries of the governments Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), just like in the first phase of SAP.

For the other 16 million poor families not covered by 4Ps, Gomez said the barangays will be required to come up with lists of families living below the 85th income percentile in their respective constituencies to be collated by the local and provincial governments and then submitted to DSWD.

She said their computation showed that around 16 million families are below the threshold.

She said the DSWD may then distribute the cash aid to families in the list, requiring only the ID of the head of the family, signed receipt and photo of recipient.

At the same hearing, Bautista reported to lawmakers that a total of 10,135,634 families have already received cash aid under the SAP.

This represents only about 55 percent of the 18 million target beneficiaries of the program, which was intended to provide financial assistance to poor families while the ECQ is in effect.

The DSWD chief further bared that over P53.8 billion of the P100-billion budget for the first phase of SAP had been distributed to beneficiaries.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases had originally required LGUs to complete the distribution of the first phase of SAP by April 30, but extended the deadline by a week due to challenges in populous localities.

Meanwhile, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) said it is nearing completion of its two programs aimed at providing financial aid to affected workers Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Ating Displaced Workers (TUPAD) and COVID-19 Adjustment Measure Program (CAMP).

DOLE revealed to lawmakers at the same hearing that over P993 million or 87 percent of the P1.146-billion fund for TUPAD had been distributed among 313,700 beneficiaries.

On the other hand, P2.6 billion of the P3.25 billion or 80 percent of CAMP funds had been delivered to 522,855 beneficiaries. - Edu Punay, Paolo Romero

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Only 104 of 1,632 LGUs have completed SAP payout - Philstar.com