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  • Tiffany von Emmel 9:36 am on September 2, 2011 Permalink  

    Why do we dreamfish? 

    Hi friends, I am appealing to you for connection.

    A Dreamfish member asked me yesterday, “what is Dreamfish? Why are we doing this? Why did you start Dreamfish?”, And I realized I had been disconnecting and not sharing my love, in the exhaustive scramble of finding resources to keep us going. So, I want to stop that behavior. Breathe. Reach out to you. And tell you why Dreamfish matters to me.

    What makes my heart sing is people, coming to life. Developing growthful environments where people empower themselves to do their dreams. Moving from isolated experiences of self to passionate “yes, i can!” use of self. Dreamfish facilitates growth through connection – this is the heartbeat of Dreamfish.

    Dreamfish is, day-by-day, developing a new model of micro-enterprise development, peer-to-peer development. We’re addressing fundamental problems that traditional models of micro-enterprise development have had for decades. In a micro-enterprise development program (one not involving loans of money), an NGO/nonprofit or government serves adults in local low-income communities who are starting up small businesses with entrepreneurship training, skill development training workshops and mentorship. The challenges are that while local programs help a small number of adults move out of poverty and get businesses going, the cost of service per person is high, the models don’t scale easily up to serve lots of people, and short-term programs don’t provide long-term support.

    But, what drove me to starting Dreamfish is experiencing people’s suffering – People who don’t fit inside a box determined by institutions, giving up on themselves, their dreams, in order to survive. And forget what it feels like to thrive. If for example, you are a senior professional who can’t find a consulting project, the micro-enterprise development model wasn’t designed to serve you. If you are starting a new kind of organization, no go. If you are young, live in a developing country and your lifework is in fuzzy exploration, tough going. Isolated and disconnected, we don’t grow.

    Dreamfish’s aim is to connect us up to generate our own development practices in community. Connected, we free up the brilliant abundant value among us. Connected, we become aware and choiceful with the tons of creativity and skills among us.

    One of my biggest personal challenges is that I disconnect when I am in pain, tired, and in fear. But, really, I know the thing to do is to connect. Maybe you can relate? Many of us are working on personal dreams, ie startups, finding jobs, and such, and have trouble finding time to help others. Yet, if we all show up and serve as support systems for each other, we can each go much farther! Disconnection is vicious cycle. But, so is connection! When we feel inspired and energized in our community, we connect more. So, I am connecting now with you.

    Connection is the first step.

    Here are a few ways to help connect:

    • Get involved in our community tech campaign. Watch video to see our play, share and donate – http://www.indiegogo.com/Dreamfish-Community-Tech
    • September 11, 11-5pm – Hackathon, Barbeque and Music- For ticket to Nairobi event: Contact Shiku and RSVP with MPesa to 350 Ksh to 0705 185 020 (or come to global meetup in chat)
    • Dreamfish Membership – your lifetime membership makes a huge difference. Truly. You can purchase in campaign or with M-Pesa to 0705 185 020
    • Serve as a developer, entrepreneur coach, educator, facilitator, mentor or in Dreamfish leadership and development – contact me.

    Thank you, I appreciate your attention and care.

    Tiff

     

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  • Tiffany von Emmel 8:15 am on September 2, 2011 Permalink  

    Kicking off with a Dance 

    Join me in kicking off our new project, Dreamfish Community Tech. Not only is the project building technology for peer-to-peer development to empower the world’s underserved entrepreneurs, the project also empowers Kenyan youth to develop as successful web professionals.

    To tell you about the project, we made this fun video. You’ll see a campy skit about “what is Dreamfish?”, an experience of peer-to-peer development, in which two young professionals work together on a client project supported by their peer group. Then the group rocks out in a shimmy and shake!

    Dreamfish Tech Dance from Dreamfish on Vimeo.

    The project team includes youth web developers and designers, recently graduating from Nairobits, a training program for youth from Nairobi settlements, working alongside senior professionals that want to make a difference. To facilitate, Grant Bowman, open source community leader, will serve as Dreamfish’s first Technologist-in-Residence and travel from San Francisco Bay, California to Dreamfish Place Nairobi to manage the project team from September through November.

    While working on the project, the youth are also receiving training and mentorship from Dreamfishers in professional communication, consulting skills, software development, collaboration and eco-product design. Thank you to Bernard Owuor, software developer, Polly Bodegener, adult educator, Susaneve Oguya, CTO of MFarm, and Jenny, recycled art product designer, for volunteering as trainers.

    Your help matters!
    Our big challenge is that our youth are living in rough conditions in Nairobi settlements and need tools to work with. Your financial contributions will provide food, water, better housing, laptops and mentorship to support this empowering project. Any size gift makes a meaningful difference. Learn more.

    As a thank you, contributors receive cool perks, donated by Dreamfish members – a free iPad, a weekend in a California guesthouse near the beach, hand-made cups, and more. Check out the perks.

    Come to the party
    Tonight, September 2nd, 11am-5pm, Caffe La Scala, Walnut Creek, California, US

    September 11th,11am-5pm, Hackathon, barbeque and dance at Dreamfish Place Nairobi, Kenya – Contact Shiku to RSVP and MPesa 350Ksh to +254.705.185.020

    If you are a developer or designer and might want to help out, terrific! Please let Grant or me know.
    @grantbow
    @tiffanyvonemmel

     

  • Tiffany von Emmel 6:41 am on April 5, 2011 Permalink  

    Our first team booking! 

    The vision of Dreamfish Place Nairobi is to support connection to self, each other and the environment as a ground for collaboration. Starting May 1st, teams will be able to sign up for a limited number of monthly team passes, providing everything a team needs to focus on their projects – team labs, three meals a day, an inspiring environment in nature, a community and even rooms for sleep. Even while we are still moving in, calls are coming in daily to ask about availability.

    We are all excited about our first team staying with us. Our first project team to book for a week will be from bfz, a German training organization that develops international collaboration projects. The team is working on a large water project in Africa. We are thrilled that Sabine Sibler, the project coordinator, will be living at Dreamfish Place as a long-term resident. During the team’s visit, they will rent our Samburu Guesthouse and Maasai Suite, take transportation with Stephen Nduati, and meals by Chef Cosmas. To support focused team work, they will have access to one of our group labs for the week.

    To give you an idea of the social impact of a team stay, with a $1000 USD spent at Dreamfish Place, a team stay for a week will immediately impact about 50 people’s lives. Proceeds support onsite staff and interns from low-income communities, and residencies by artists and technologists, contributing to the global cooperative. Twenty percent of proceeds for the Samburu house rental will go to a Samburu women eco-entrepreneurship project, enabling women to empower themselves and raise the quality of life for children.

     

    • Bud 9:39 am on May 3, 2011 Permalink | Reply

      I’m inspired and grateful to know and love you.

      • Tiffany von Emmel 10:08 pm on May 3, 2011 Permalink | Reply

        Bud, I am deeply grateful for your love and support. Your give so much in your belief in me, your financial support and your creativity. You have helped to make my dreams and the dreams of many youth and women on the margins come to life. Love you so much, Tiff

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