Social
networking (ex: "MySpace.com") is all the rage these
days...
Everyone's
got a "Myspace Profile". I think even the Royal
Family has a profile up on MySpace.com
And the
boarding industry is certainly no stranger to its own variety
of "social networks".
IceLounge,
Snowboard.com (Colonies.com), SnowboardingTribe.com, and others
come to mind...
But something
just seems sort of... "shallow" about most of the
social sites out there for boarders. They just seem like every
other "teen" network, except with a couple "boarding"
graphics slapped up and voila - now boarders have a place
to "be" online...
Except for
a one.
It's
called The Ongoza Project
On the outside,
it looks like just another "MySpace" clone
for boarding culture.
It has some
cool features like being able to search for people by their
primary boardsport, create your own groups and forums, coordinate
events - and even plan trips by finding people that are "traveller
friendly"...
But it's
what the staff, members and partners that make up Ongoza do
that defines the group - and therefore, the site itself.
To best
explain what will be done to make the site different,
I have to point you back to an article I wrote a LONG time ago
- but the vision behind it has never faded.
(It's
just that when I wrote it, I didn't have the "know-how"
or a clear strategy as to how to put something like that together...)
The article
is called the Wish
Project, and it basically describes the underlying reason
why Ongoza exists:
To
make a difference in the lives of those who don't have
lives of priveledge like most of us...
And to take
it even further, because Ongoza is literally a network of boarders
from around the world, users will be able to participate and
directly effect the outcome of Ongoza's "projects".
(Or just
create their own projects using the reach and tools already
built in to the site.)
For example,
this June (2006), one of Ongoza's "members" is going
to be heading up a sort of "missions trip" to either
Mexico or Mozambique.
Their
mission is to teach kids in 3rd-world countries how to surf
- giving them an experience that they likely would never
have had otherwise. Ever.
So as soon
as we heard about this, we immediately went out and found a
Surfboard manufacturer to provide 20 surfboards for their "mission".
It worked
out great, and "Fuel TV" will be covering the event
this next month (if all goes as planned).
This is
the first project of many...
This is
the purpose of Ongoza - to make things happen - to empower people
- to make a difference...
So
Who's Behind "Ongoza"?
Ben Clarke
- Site Development and Tech Management
Daniel
Braun - Alliance Development and Event Coordination
Craig
Jackson - Design Management and Business Development
And - you
guessed it - Me. (I'm the marketing guy.)
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So yes
- it is a social network, and we are targeting the masses.
Not just longboarding.
But
it's the purpose of Ongoza that defines us.
So stay
tuned, and sign
up >>
-Chris
Rempel
