I have been pondering over this issue for sometime now. It may sound crazy but I believe we can make a positive change. What about making this forum a business entity(maybe) where we can invite advertisers (like Macys, Bestbuy, Barnes & Nobles etc) to post an advertisement wall paper in this forum.
How to achieve this:
1. Web Advertisement rakes in money for establishments like Amazon.com; facebook; Myspace; CNN; Oprah.com etc etc.
2. Companies post a random link or wallpaper (applets) on our page. Any click to this webpages is a small savings to our account (even if you don't buy anything from them). The more "hits" or clicks to these sites the more we get. (a penny is worth a saving). There should be some sort of agreement with the companies or establishments.
3. We will need to control data mining from this companies by instituting a legal framework - memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two parties.
4. We will need to enforce encryption: by allowing users to logon with a username and password to control this forum. I have seen a logon on this page but I do not know how effective it pans out.
Account setup:
1. These companies will send the fees directly into our account. It may look very insignificant at the begining, but trust me this will grow in the long term.
2. We can invest or re-invest the money in a capital fund (in Ghana or anywhere). Members will be are allowed to send money to this accounts at any time. (checks, cellphone payments, allotments etc).
3. This will minimize the stress some people will have to go through. We should remember not to put too much stress on people when it comes to money. People will abandon their good motives or causes because of money. We should be more creative in attracting more revenues.
Events:
1. The Tafo and surrounding areas has a huge student population: from Primary to secondary schools including the non-student population.
a. We can establish an annual or bi-annual marathon competition just to revive the esprit de corps of the community. Participants will pay a small fee to sign up for these events. This will attract lots of people overtime.
b. Collaboration with institutions such as CRIG and St Pauls @ Kukurantumi to set up seminars and lectures for the community.
c. Commuity wide adoption/volunteer programs. ( eg Reading to young kids, show or tell programs) etc
d. Community wide mobile library programs
I believe the more we do for the community the more attention and help will receive.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
Yaw Koranteng 84H4
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Edna Takyi 77-84
Date:
RE: Using our Webpage to raise funds through Advertisement (Marketing Research)
You do have very creative and wonderful ideas but which one of them are you ready lead or initiate? "STAFF" of this association are "working" on voluntary basis and we need more volunteers to move this association forward. Please come on board, we need you.
Most of your ideas are long term. The jubilee is a year from now, 2011, and we need ideas that are short term and can make us some money NOW. Idea like PAYPAL is very great.
Can you imagine telling or asking a student in any of the surrounding schools to pay money to run a marathon? They will laugh at you. Some of them walk miles to go to school anyway. We cannot compare the standards here to those at home at this time. Please don't feel sick when we ask for money to help Opass. That's the only way NOW until we get some of these wonderful ideas initiated and established.
As we all know, Ben created this website on his own and by himself. Please contact him and see where some new ideas can be implemented. In the past we had wanted to give our website a face lit but the cost was too expensive, again we're talking about money.
Dear friends, lets all meet in Connecticut, and during our annual meeting, find ways to move forward. Anyone who has an idea or plan will bring it out but I suggest they bring a "how to" list with it. We can form committees for each idea/plan and move on from there.
You have a blessed day
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Yaw Koranteng
Date:
RE: Using our Webpage to raise funds through Advertisement (Marketing Research)
I stand corrected if you think I am running amok with this issue.
Am just trying to look into the long term and also trying to assist with the near and short term projects. Even though "OPASS@50" is just around the corner, we can only contribute what we have to support the school, then we are back to square one to start all over again. We have to be hard on the school's management to get the ball rolling.
I sincerely applaud all the people involved with the planning and implementation of the school's development. Remember I am not bashing the steering committee, am just contributing my ideas through this forum then we can sort out the good and discard the chaff out of the lot.
The commitee will have to gather all the ideas and forward it to the school. But it is up to the school to implement the ideas, the school management will either say yea or nay. Like it happened to Dr. Sakyi (FranK).
Am I running helter-skelter in this forum? Maybe not
Take care big sis,
Yaw Koranteng
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Ken Awuah
Date:
RE: Using our Webpage to raise funds through Advertisement (Marketing Research)
I find Edna's reaction to Yaw's contribution of ideas to salvage our great OPASS unnecessary. Yaw was just putting out suggestions which he felt could be brained stormed to move the school forward. This does not necessarily give him the mandate to take the lead in their implementation. I think we should all learn to tolerate the flow of ideas in this forum in order to harness meaningful contributions and discussions. Thanks.
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Edna 77-84
Date:
RE: Using our Webpage to raise funds through Advertisement (Marketing Research)
Yaw and I have talked behind the forum scene. I think he has wonderful ideas but with all great ideas, somebody has to take the initiative for it to take off. We are in the process of forming a planning committee for the jubilee which I'm trying so hard to get him on board and have him present some of these Ideas but so far he has not given me the green light.
I'm just trying to antagonize him to see if that will work. I need him on the planning committee. Would you like to come on board Ken?
Yaw we need to talk some more. Call me when you have time.
Have a blessed day.
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Ken Awuah
Date:
RE: Using our Webpage to raise funds through Advertisement (Marketing Research)
