I came across a video posted to YouTube today by a group called Media For Good. I couldn't find much about them, this is their first video, and all their profile doesn't say much. The video starts off strong. Production quality is high, and it is actually quite moving. It starts by giving poignant examples of the many problems facing the Arab world today – high unemployment and low expenditure on education or innovation. But when it tries to give a hopeful message, everything goes south.
After asking that we “give strategically”, it then suggests some bold goals for employment and education. The thing is, setting goals isn't the same thing as a strategy. Without a plan to achieve your goals, the whole endeavor will never get going.
There is certainly a place for inspiration, but I think you have to tell people what they can do with that inspiration.I assume the video is aimed at Arabs who would like to give money to a good cause, but how does this help them? There is no contact information for an organization, not even a connection to the Millenium Development Goals, which at least have some kind of loose plan, if not a coordinated strategy.
Media for Good is new to YouTube, and may be new to advocacy as well, so I don't want to be too hard on them. This was a good first effort and I’ll be looking forward to their next video. If nothing else it is an interesting look at what a group of Arab activists see as the major problems in the region – the economy and education.
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