Aid Program: the concept

Why coding for charity?

I remember it as clearly as if it was yesterday. It was 2003, the statue of Saddam Hussain had toppled in Baghdad. And I was sat at home, waiting to be recalled to work in the Middle East. The words of Lord Ashdown rang in my ears.

It's what happens after the last bullet is fired that matters.

At that point, I knew that I had to do something with the talents I possessed. I might not be able to assist in all places where there is conflict. But there had to be somewhere where I could make a difference by doing more than sending money.

As an award-winning educator, whose interactive multimedia work is used in literally hundreds of schools on a daily basis, I had an idea of what I could do, but the vision of how and when I could implement it have taken longer to work out.

Over the next few years, I plan to work on the following phases for this project:

Phase 1: Coding for Charity

Some time in early 2007, I shall release the first of a series of small collections of educational software. There will be no price tag - but users will be encouraged to make a donation.

Phase 2: Partners in the Field

I shall be looking for small, educational ventures where a cash windfall would make a significant difference, particularly through curriculum enrichment and access to communications technologies. I plan to donate to and promote these groups through the AidProgram project.

Phase 3: Partners at Home

I plan to extend the AidProgram range of software and curriculum resources to include work by other like-minded educators. The means of distribution may widen to include number of educational partners in different areas of the world.

Phase 4: Partners as Colleagues

At this point I will be looking for educators who feel that the principles of the AidProgram project could best be worked out through a network of international community schools.

I anticipate a five-year timeline for the four phases. Regular updates can be expected as the project progresses.