GSON

May 16 2008 ∞
VT Box nr 1 shipped to Bunabumali It took much longer than I anticipated when I came up with the VT box idea, but now finaly the first box is on it´s way. I am now turning this into monthly recurring service and building a simple order process and a fundraising project. When I am finished you´ll be able to track your Box via Twitter on your mobile phone. It will include online shipping services from most major couriers and automaticaly calculate the lowest shipping charges from a donor country into a selection of African countries.We are now working on a set up whereby goods are shiped from one location matching the travel schedule ot the local contacts, to reduce travel/distribution costs. We are using dopplr to to track peoples travel schedules, so we know at any point in time whos’s traveling where and could take a shipment to the next detination.Bunabumali is the first destination in Africa.The first VT box was send to Norman’s Postal Box at makerere University. My goal is to deliver direct to the Bunabumali General store. This will take some time, but there’s no reason why you would have to wait for Norman to run up to Bunabumali. VilageTalk will be providing the store with BunaConnect, an online villagepumpMeet friends Fill in your shoppinglist The pump acts as :Effectively we’re setting up a modern equivalent of the Pony ExpressPony Express stations were placed at intervals of about 10 miles (16 km) along the route roughly the maximum distance a horse can travel at full gallop. The rider changed to a fresh horse at each station, taking only the mail pouch (called a mochila, Spanish (from Basque) for “pouch”) with him. The Mochila was thrown over the saddle and held in place by the weight of the rider sitting on it. Each corner had a cantina, or pocket. Bundles of mail were placed in these cantinas, which were padlocked for safety. The mochila could hold 20 pounds (10 kg) of mail.The VT box I mailed today held 10 KG, as that’s the limit I can send for €55.00 per shipment.The challenge now is to set up distribuiton points between Kampala, where the main VT box arrives and Bunabumali containing smaller parcels per comunity on the route, preordered via mobile phone/twitter. I guess DHL and other companies have this set up allready, so all we need to do is match their network with our the VT community. We now have 2 opions….Use existing distribution networks, which means high charges and profit into Western companies pockets.Set up the VillageTalk Pony Express run your own show and turn it into a real business, using the latest free internet technolgy. Every dollar/euro you don’t have to pay is a contribution towards profit!

VT Box nr 1 shipped to Bunabumali

It took much longer than I anticipated when I came up with the VT box idea, but now finaly the first box is on it´s way. I am now turning this into monthly recurring service and building a simple order process and a fundraising project.

  • When I am finished you´ll be able to track your Box via Twitter on your mobile phone.
  • It will include online shipping services from most major couriers and automaticaly calculate the lowest shipping charges from a donor country into a selection of African countries.
  • We are now working on a set up whereby goods are shiped from one location matching the travel schedule ot the local contacts, to reduce travel/distribution costs.
  • We are using dopplr to to track peoples travel schedules, so we know at any point in time whos’s traveling where and could take a shipment to the next detination.

Bunabumali is the first destination in Africa.
The first VT box was send to Norman’s Postal Box at makerere University. My goal is to deliver direct to the Bunabumali General store. This will take some time, but there’s no reason why you would have to wait for Norman to run up to Bunabumali. VilageTalk will be providing the store with BunaConnect, an online villagepump

  • Meet friends
  • Fill in your shoppinglist

The pump acts as :

Effectively we’re setting up a modern equivalent of the Pony Express

Pony Express stations were placed at intervals of about 10 miles (16 km) along the route roughly the maximum distance a horse can travel at full gallop.

The rider changed to a fresh horse at each station, taking only the mail pouch (called a mochila, Spanish (from Basque) for “pouch”) with him.

The Mochila was thrown over the saddle and held in place by the weight of the rider sitting on it.

Each corner had a cantina, or pocket. Bundles of mail were placed in these cantinas, which were padlocked for safety.

The mochila could hold 20 pounds (10 kg) of mail.

The VT box I mailed today held 10 KG, as that’s the limit I can send for €55.00 per shipment.

The challenge now is to set up distribuiton points between Kampala, where the main VT box arrives and Bunabumali containing smaller parcels per comunity on the route, preordered via mobile phone/twitter. I guess DHL and other companies have this set up allready, so all we need to do is match their network with our the VT community.

We now have 2 opions….

  1. Use existing distribution networks, which means high charges and profit into Western companies pockets.
  2. Set up the VillageTalk Pony Express run your own show and turn it into a real business, using the latest free internet technolgy. Every dollar/euro you don’t have to pay is a contribution towards profit!

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