Sedo and DotAsia - Doing What They Did Not Have to Do.
by Chuck Kisselburg
ICANNWiki.org
In the last two decades I have had the privilege of traveling outside of the US. Being one who appreciates architecture I am well aware of the typical architecture one finds here in the States. Yes, there are architectural gems, but when I head to Europe or India I am blown away by the architectural details that abound. In other words, attention to detail seems to be more the norm than what you find here in the US. True, I am looking at VERY OLD architecture versus new, but what keeps coming to mind, hence my appreciation for architectural detail, is the simple thought of “This was something they did not have to do.” In other words, did builders HAVE to add such levels of detail to their architectural creations? No. It was something they did not have to do. When looking at the majority of the architecture here in the US, not only is the style “something they did not have to do”, it is more like, “they didn’t even attempt!” With that said, from my travels I have truly come to appreciate what people did not have to do, but did. For me this line of thinking extends beyond architecture. It extends to not only what organizations do, but what people do as well.
With that said I can’t help but apply the same thinking to the ICANNWiki community. What is it people, or organizations do that they don’t have to do? Two organizations stand out to me for things they have done that they did not have to do. The two organizations are Sedo and DotAsia.
Sedo has created a separate initiative known as “Sedo Cares”. It is through “Sedo Cares” that Sedo is able to give back to humanity. This initially started with programs internal to Sedo where employees, through donations, could reach out to those less fortunate. Last year the “Sedo Cares” program, through an internal Sedo drive, provided donations to “SOS Children’s Villages” whereby orphans in Europe would have gifts over the holiday season. Sedo has extended this program so that through normal business a portion of the business proceeds can be attributed to initiatives driven by Sedo Cares. Why thread this program in with normal business efforts? It’s a way to increase the amount of funds that could be going to charity. In the latest program a portion of the proceeds from certain levels of transactions closed will be sent to CHF International for establishing a well for safe drinking water for the village of Dhabardulel, Ethiopia. While this specific program will come to a close “Sedo Cares” will continue to, through programs, find ways of contributing proceeds back to those in need. This is something Sedo did not have to do, but did.
The other organization I see taking “the extra step” is DotAsia. Before DotAsia was given the green light to operate as a fully functional registry, they formed the three basic points that form DotAsia’s mission. Out of the three items one is fully devoted to giving back to the DotAsia community. To be specific this specific portion of their mission states:
“To contribute proceeds in socio-technological advancement initiatives relevant to the Pan-Asia and Asia Pacific Internet community.”
While DotAsia has been busy launching its business, it has already put its money where its mouth is by establishing “Relief .Asia” in providing technological relief to those affected by the typhoon that hit Myanmar as well as the quake that hit China’s Sichuan province.
More steps will be taken to further develop DotAsia’s process for giving back. More information for how DotAsia targets funds for community efforts can be found by reading, “DotAsia – Giving Back to the Community”.
So again, whether it is Sedo through its Sedo Cares initiative or DotAsia holding to its mission of giving back, I can’t help but think that this is something they did not have to do.
When you think about the general ICANN “community”, it is a global community with many connections at various levels around the globe. How can we utilize our connections and various riches to help give back to those in need?
Because both Sedo and DotAsia have taken the steps many have not taken, I hope we, in the ICANN community, can look at these two examples of what we can all do to help towards global betterment.
3 comments September 2nd, 2008