ResQ Footprints

A big problem on the island of Curacao is that many of the youth are living off-the-grid in poor communities with no resources and nothing to do. Running youth projects requiring the use of technology and the Internet, will not capture this population. Therefore, the idea of reversing the process by involving the youth in learning the art of creating social advertisement using the technology of a solar-powered billboard for community broadcasting.  I am founding ResQ Footprints to create a new process of including the off-the grid youth.

ResQ Footprints is a human-hybrid project aimed at preventing the youth from falling through the cracks of their neighborhoods. ResQ Footprints will use billboard technology to target community issues and provide solutions. Scaling ResQ Footprints globally could change the footprints of millions the youth. However, it will require investing in access to the technology.

Scaling globally would require translating ResQ Footprints into a software involving the youth on projects and allowing them to collaborate and build the mindset of their community together.

In my experiences, I learned that the youth enjoys being the media to show off being talented. A billboard that will function as a TV would primarily be the solution to the high cost of TV programming. An electronic billboard in midst of the community will model and transform communities by engaging them in the teens advertising projects. It will also engage the youth in becoming social entrepreneurs. A place where the youth will find their ways.

Twenty years ago, in my first job as a TV producer for the television company in Curacao I produced a program called “Mi Deseo [My Wishes]” in which the advertising sponsors provided resources to poor families in dire need. My program granted social wishes to random low income families in communities around the island. My TV program solved issues, at least temporarily. TV programs have become expensive to run. Over the years, the number of families on welfare increased. Technology is available yet families can't afford it. Now we have a problem of too many teens living off-the grid living in poor communities with no resources and nothing to do. The lack of transportation is also an issue. On many occasions, I use my small car  to transport at least ten teens to training camps. There are 7166 individuals on welfare based on the 2018 data from Central Bureau of Statistics Curacao (www.cbs.cw).  Working families, single parents with one child household income is $906 and two children household is $1116. Two parents, one child household income is $1255 a month. Income of families on welfare is $197 per month (Source: CBS, January 2018)

I have learned that teens and young adults love to be involved in artistic and atheistic projects. As an independent TV program producer I created the organization “Prof C&M”, which stands for professional communication and marketing, to expose teens from disadvantaged neighborhoods to the visual arts. In the latest project, together with the teens, we have produced a short film entitled "Circle of Life". In that process, I had to move around with my camera crew and the teens to different locations, wherever there was an opportunity to use free space and resources. It took a lot of effort from many people with few resources to produce the movie that had the intention to become a source of economic development for the teens. Nevertheless, the cost of producing TV programs on the island is pricey. When we added up all the expenses, we did not break even. It was heartbreaking to explain to the youth without tarnishing their self-worth. Another reality is that many teens and young adults live off the grid. With the opening of the social justice museum, the plan is to headquarter ResQ Footprints at Museo Sociale Wensdromen (Please see the AI-Hybrid solar empowered billboard proposal). The solar-power billboard will be known for rescuing teens with no resources and nothing to do. It will the place to social advertise by teens during holidays, summer, and winter breaks. The billboard will be multipurpose. On one side of the billboard, it will sell ads to social conscious businesses and every politician running for office. The other side of the billboard, will have programming educating teens. Billboard projects will employ teens in producing and selling ads. Funds generated will be used to sustain community projects. The teens will work on the project called ResQ Footprints and their aim is to work to prevent the youth from falling through the cracks of the neighborhoods. A requirement would be that all participating youth must contribute to the ResQ Footprints projects. They can contribute with funds, by volunteering on projects, with work, but all will learn about the revolving door cycle of the program. In training teens in visual arts and media, I have already proven that it works in a small and off-the-grid community, therefore investing in access to the technology is critical to sustaining the youth on these projects so they can continue to build the mindset of their community together.

There are a number of solar power system for purchase that would create electricity for the billboards, the building, grounds, and a pump for the well water. The acquired solar powered system will operate off the grid. 

In addition, a solar empowered AI-Hybrid billboard for electricity, water, and internet system would focus on providing access to these resources by the off-the-grid population.

The overall goal is to transform the lives of the young. We aim to provide them with resources and something to do to earn a living while in school. That something to do has to do with learning the technology of the future. We want to teach them to contribute to their communities. We need the solar-powered billboard to be able to sustain the goals of engaging the young. The sun is free and should be used to aid the needy.

Rescue the youth and give them the knowledge so they can engage others. Move them gradually from a low level of engagement to high level of engagement. Some would only want to use the information to better themselves on the issues, while others may want to produce ads that would mobilize others by building the online presence. Yet others may want to organize themselves by recruiting other teens to join and help strategize and join forces to make their voices heard through the ads.

Last year we were only able to accommodate 45 teens. Last year we hosted the Curacao Artist event to show off their artistic talents. We were only able to accommodate 45 teens. New sources of funding will allow for an increase in the number of teens we could serve. We hope to serve all families on welfare in five years. Currently, there are 7166 families on welfare on the island. If we scale this globally, we would have a greater number that could be served.

New sources of funding to acquire the technology will allow for an increase in the number of teens we could serve. We hope to serve all families on welfare in five years. Currently, there are 7166 individuals on welfare on the island. If we scale this globally, we would have a greater number that could be served.

The overall goal is to transform the lives of the young. We aim to provide them with resources and something to do to earn a living while in school. That something to do has to do with learning the technology of the future. We want to teach them to contribute to their communities. We need the solar-powered billboard to be able to sustain the goals of engaging the young. The sun is free and should be used to aid the needy.

The overall goal is to transform the lives of the young. We aim to provide them with resources and something to do to earn a living while in school. That something to do has to do with learning the technology of the future. We want to teach them to contribute to their communities. We need the solar-powered billboard to be able to sustain the goals of engaging the young. The sun is free and should be used to aid the needy. We also hope to serve all families on welfare in five years. Currently, there are 7166 families on welfare on the island. If we scale this globally, we would have a greater number that could be served.

Having our headquarters at the social justice museum will allow all our teens to be involved and a central location they can all access. This will also address the transportation issue. It will address the location issue. It will address the space issue. And if we receive funding for the solar powered technology it will address the electricity and water issue for all the families.

Financial barriers are our greatest challenge. We also need to officially register ResQ Footprints as a not-for-profit in the USA to be able to operate at a global scale. Operating at a global scale would require a billboard in the USA and one on the island. 

I am a social entrepreneur and we serve the youth, occasionally their parents and their communities. Our goal is to make the youth socially conscious and show them ways to use technology to generate income to serve themselves and their communities. We plan to partner with the social justice museum that will provide us with free space for the youth. Our goal is to make more companies a social conscious organization in working on their ads. We want to build a community that value itself. A place in which the community role models are not the drug dealers.

Solve will help us with the funds to acquire the talent and technology to develop the platform that our teens can use. We know that Solve is comprised of experts in AI and other technologies.  Partnering with Solve will expose ResQ Footprints to the world and other experts. 

The refugee crises in neighboring Venezuela has impacted communities on the island of Curacao. since the island is so used to foreigners, life goes on unnoticed. A social conscious billboard will serve such purpose by creating inclusive messages.

Only for sponsorship when we need funds.

I am a social entrepreneur and I serve the youth, occasionally their parents and their communities. I operate as a sole proprietorship because it was the least expensive way to operate but with the intention to become a non profit when we have the funds.

As a non profit, we will be able to raise funds. The work of the youth will also serve businesses as funding sources.

ResQ Footprints is a call to all who are off the grid, no matter where they may be in the world. This is what we hope to say when ResQ Footprints is scaled globally. It is a call to men, women, the youth, the refugee, the elderly, the community. The extra prize will allow the social justice museum to generate electricity and water and provide us with a space to do our social justice work while we teach the youth about it hands on. 

ResQ Footprints is a call to all who are off the grid, no matter where they may be in the world. This is what we hope to say when ResQ Footprints is scaled globally. It is a call to men, women, the youth, the refugee, the elderly, the community. The extra prize will allow the social justice museum to generate electricity and water and provide us with a space to do our social justice work while we teach the youth about it hands on. 

The refugee crises in neighboring Venezuela has impacted communities on the island of Curacao. since the island is so used to foreigners, life goes on unnoticed. A social conscious billboard will serve such purpose by creating inclusive messages.

The refugee crises in neighboring Venezuela has impacted communities on the island of Curacao. since the island is so used to foreigners, life goes on unnoticed. A social conscious billboard will serve such purpose by creating inclusive messages.

The majority of the parents of women. In helping the youth, we are helping the parents. The most important component of the project is the realization that we have helped women win the battle of loosing their children to their own communities. We will utilize the prize to tell the story of women on these ResQ Footprints billboards around the world.