- What is Students Rebuild?
- Where is the money going?
- How is the webcast different from the live interactive videoconference?
- What type of technology do I need to participate in the IVCs?
- How can my school participate in IVCs without the required equipment?
- How do i participate in a webcast?
Japan (Poster)
- Is there a limit on the number of posters I may purchase?
- How will the proceeds be used?
- How will the posters be packaged and shipped?
- Is there an option to have the poster mounted and framed?
- I don't live in the US–how can I get a poster?
- What if I still have unanswered questions?
Haiti
- How much money does it cost to build a school in Haiti?
- What materials will you use to make them earthquake-resistant?
- When do you expect to begin construction?
- What are some creative ways other schools are raising money?
- How can we get the word out about our fundraising efforts?
1. What is Students Rebuild?
Students Rebuild is a non-profit organization that mobilizes young people worldwide to connect, learn and take action on critical global issues.
Our goal is to activate our greatest creative resource—students—to catalyze powerful change. Working together, we identify the need, create the challenge and forge strong partnerships. Then, we provide the tools and support to ensure our collective efforts are sustainable—now and into the future. Join us today to galvanize support for humanitarian crises in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo through "One Million Bones," our currently open challenge.
2. Where is the money going?
For our current open challenge, 100% of the money raised will support CARE's work to improve livelihoods and advance educational opportunities for young people in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo. CARE is well-positioned in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of Congo, with experienced staff and longstanding linkages to affected communities. They also have the capacity to enact change, working in coordination with regional and in-country humanitarian teams, to undertake both short-term emergency interventions and longer-term recovery programming. They have already reached more than 1.3 million people to date. Learn more about CARE.
3. How is the webcast different from the live interactive videoconference?
IVCs is a two-way interactive dialogue whereas the webcast is generally a one-way feed
- First things first – Skype, Google Video Chat and iChat use different protocols that are not as robust; nor are they compatible with our multi-point videoconferencing capabilities and therefore, WILL NOT work. Please check with your Tech Department to see if you have videoconferencing (VC) technology.
- Three questions you must ask your School Tech Specialists:
- Do we have the three components necessary to make GNG programs work - a videoconferencing unit, a TV/Monitor/Projector, and an internet connection to a network?
- Does our VC unit follow the H.323 protocol? H.323 essentially means that it is a videoconferencing unit that uses IP (Internet Protocol), which is what GNG uses to make VCs possible.
- Is our bandwidth a minimum of 384 kbps? Kbps (kilobits per second) is in reference to the internet speed and will determine the quality of image and audio.
- If you can answer yes to all three, you are set to go! Please register for your IVC program here. If you do not have the technology required, please click here.
5. How can my school participate in IVCs without the required equipment?
There are several options you can go about to purchase videoconference (VC) equipment.
- The two important details you must remember are that it needs to have a H.323 protocol and you will need a minimum of 384 Kbps. GNG uses Polycom VC units, the leading brand in VC technology, which provides trusty and reliable equipment. Other VC brands with H.323 compatibility are Tandberg/Cisco or Sony.
- If you choose not to purchase VC equipment, and would like to rent a room, check with your local universities to see if you can use their facility. If you are interested in renting a “public room” in your area, you can find a room through a third-party company such as Affinity VideoNet. Also, many Kinkos’ centers have the technology.
- There are desktop solutions such as Vidyo, Eluminate, etc., that you may wish to use, but there are additional fees involved.
6. How do i participate in a webcast?
To ensure you or your school has access to the webcast, follow the simple steps below PRIOR to the program date.
- VISIT USTREAM.TV at anytime to watch and chat with any broadcast.
- CREATE A USER NAME. To participate in the live-chat function during the webcast, you must create a user name (guest name)
- You can do this by typing: /nick <enter nickname> in the chat room. This will create your login name and password for the chat room. Example: /nick Michael
- Don't forget to save your login information for the broadcast.
- If you see and hear the broadcast of your choice, visit http://studentsrebuild.org/webcast on our webcast dates!
- If you can’t visit our site during the test webcast, please contact your school tech- they will have to configure the firewalls.
Japan (Poster)
1. Is there a limit on the number of posters I may purchase?
Yes, 25 per person. Please e-mail info@studentsrebuild.org to inquire about larger orders.
2. How will the proceeds be used?
All of the funds raised through the sale of posters will benefit Architecture for Humanity's rebuilding efforts in Japan.
3. How will the posters be packaged and shipped?
The posters will be carefully rolled into a tube and sent by UPS.
4. Is there an option to have the poster mounted and framed?
Unfortunatetely no, but they'll be easy to have framed in your hometown.
5. I don't live in the US-how can I get a poster?
International shipping rates for posters this large are high–we're offiering to send individual posters for $175 (price includes the poster), and there's an international Paypal button on the Poster Page. However If you're looking for a better way, we are too. Send us a message if you're interested in having an art gallery near you receive and distribute a bulk poster shipment. Think of it as a Crane CSA–cornucopia for the eyes!
6. What if I still have unanswered questions?
Please e-mail info@studentsrebuild.org
Haiti Schools
1. How much money does it cost to build a school in Haiti?
A six-room school in Haiti, including administration facilities, bathroom facilities and cooking facilities, is estimated to cost $250,000. (A 50 square meter classroom supporting 40 students is estimated at $25,000 for basic–while comfortable and safe–construction.) Please note this figure depends on any number of fluctuating variables, including materials, transportation and site terrain, to name a few.
(Note: Yearly expenditures on a student attending school in Haiti ranges from $10 in public schools (which are historically notoriously under funded), to $400 in the best private schools–the average yearly expenditure on a student in US public school is around $9400 according to the USDOE.
2. What materials will you use to make them earthquake-resistant?
The sideways forces of earthquakes (and hurricanes) turn rectangular walls into contorted trapezoids. To prevent this, we brace or incorporate solid/paneled (or "sheer") parts to each wall. Half of the length of each wall must be protected in this way, and the other half can be used for apertures (windows and doors).
The most accessible construction material in Haiti is concrete block, which can certainly form earthquake-proof buildings. Concrete structures failed in the earthquake for several reasons, including the typically poorly policed proportions and quality of ingredients used in the concrete. It's tempting, for instance, to use limestone as aggregate in concrete mixes due to its abundance, although it's a very weak stone. Many such decisions are often made out of necessity.
To ensure the proper strength of a concrete block building, then, the concrete must be well made, steel reinforced, well placed, and all parts of the building well secured to each other and to the foundation. Architecture for Humanity has outlined safe construction techniques for block masonry buildings in their Rebuilding 101 manual, available for download on the Open Architecture Network.
Architecture for Humanity is also exploring a kit-of-parts approach to school construction that may prove to be more expedient and replicable. The kit would include a frame, possibly metal (tubesteel), either braced or filled with sheer panels (framed and coated plywood). However, these materials are less available in Haiti, if available at all, and we're still researching how to supply them!
3. When do you expect to begin construction?
Construction for permanent schools has begun–the privately-funded Ceverine school retrofit being managed by Architecture for Humanity was completed in February, 2011, while the first two of the Round 1 grant recipients break ground. The following two Round 1 schools will break ground towards the end of winter 2011. Up-to-date statuses on all the Students Rebuild supported schools are featured on the Designs in Progress page.
4. What are some creative ways other schools are raising money?
You'll find lots of creative fundraising ideas on our site. Click on The Challenge tab and scroll down to Fundraising Tips. Students Rebuild also gets reports from events that become Success Stories on the website.
Students Rebuild teams are taking initiative to document their events and share them with the broader effort. Students Rebuild's Photo Gallery exhibits images compiled by the Students Rebuild Haiti Flickr group–membership to Flickr is free and a great way to share photos of team efforts to the group and other Students Rebuild teams.
5. How can we get the word out about our fundraising efforts?
Students Rebuild has a Toolkit of various resources to publicize events, including a factsheet and videos, downloadable posters and logos and fundraising and media coverage tips. After an event has been planned, be sure to tell the folks at Students Rebuild–send a blurb, a poster, photos or a quote–and your event will be featured on the Events page, as well as on the Home page. When the events complete, be sure to write about it for Students Rebuild–it's a success story and can inspire other teams!