2012 Survey Results and Key Learnings and Next Steps

It has been a special pleasure for me to watch World Pulse grow over the last few years. The 2012 survey highlights lots of encouraging, good information concerning how, who and why people use this platform.

My understanding the dynamics of the 'Expanding Middle' and the Bottom Billion have grown as I have spent time on this platform over the last year as I was fortunate enough to have been employed by the State Department as a Franklin Fellow. I was quite impressed by how seriously State was encouraging its staff to understand and utilize new media, changing the ways it is able to assist the grass roots.

I believe the World Pulse decision to Increase Leadership and Engagement Opportunities is important. I would like to become an active supporter of the new Community Leadership Program. During my research with State related to the New Silk Road expanding the movement of people and goods across borders, the good works of the Aga Khan Foundation in the tri-border regions of Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan provided lots of good examples of helping grassroots leadership grow in partnership with local government and donor organizations. The importance of local voices, working cooperatively with local governments, identifying projects and priorities was underlined.