What Most Excites Me About Web 2.0

The most exciting part of Web 2.0 is its ease of accessing to people around the world in the matter of a stroke on the key board, at the minimum cost, and attaining so much information within a short period of time. With these tools, solving women’s problems became far easy. For example, through Web 2.0 allowed me to create a shelter program for battered women and children in Nigeria on my own within three-month-period in Japan. First, I downloaded photos and stories from the Internet. From these, I created newsletters, web site and brochures, and increased membership via personal contacts, email, and Facebook. I started sending journals by email and informed about the violence and abuse committed upon women and children in Nigeria. Readers are shocked about the incidents in Nigeria and asked many questions. In order to answer their questions, I had to search for answers. I looked for activists, writers or researchers in Nigeria, who may be able to answer difficult questions and fill the Japanese readers’ curiosities. It did not take long to find those individuals fitting and qualified to answer on line.

It is empowering for me to get to know writers and activists with similar interest at the World Pulse. After going through Blogs and search engines, I ran into their posts and opinions, and saw where their minds were and the levels of writing skills. I sent them my journals and links to my web site by email, and they accepted my offer to work together immediately.

If there was no Web 2.0, I am very sure it would not be an easy task. For example, if there was no Web 2.0, I would not ask Mr. and Mrs. Mitsunaga who live next door and engage in agriculture, to tell me what they think of the issues of violence against women in Nigeria. I would have to go to libraries, research institutes, schools and universities in order to find qualified individuals. Finding qualified individuals with credibility, passions, professions, and availability takes more time and efforts. If I found them, I would be calling and making appointments with them at their convenient time, and driving to the appointed place to meet with them at the appointed time in persons. It would be impossible if they were located outside the country unless I had disposable income. What is more important, though I must ask permissions to use their ideas for my journals. They may say yes or no or they may give difficult time by asking me to come back again. Perhaps all this process would take about 1 year in order to find individuals exactly fitting to answer questions raised by the readers of the journal.

You do not need to explain much to prove the point of benefit in having Web 2.0. Without a doubt, it is far better to have Web 2.0 than not having it. There is no need to make cumbersome appointments. You are free from all the stress associated with going to appointments, arranging trip, paying for transportations, dressing up, giving gifts or recommendation letters. Web 2.0 made it far faster, cheaper and easier. Even those with illness or physical challenges, having no time or those in isolated islands can do the same. Having Web 2.0 equals to having all requirements helping women advance themselves in the world.