by Jasmine Davis

One of my favorite Film Annex writers, Franceso Rulli (who also happens to be the president of the company!), recently updated his blog with an excellent post about how putting your thoughts online can help more people than just you. As he says, “Each person has a story to tell and a point of view to share. Each person can teach others lessons that are valuable and has the responsibility to share them to educate others and help them grow in the right direction. Those who don't share content, don't write and create interesting videos and films, shelter themselves from new opportunities.”

He points out that peer-to-peer learning, like the kind you find online, is both exceptionally effective and beneficial to multiple people. He uses the example of Film Annex’s Afghanistan team. By asking women in Afghanistan to blog on Film Annex, they not only get paid to write blogs, which can help their economic stability, but they also get the benefit of interacting with millions of people online. He points out that when you put your thoughts online, people can easily learn about you and become more interested in your story. This works on both the small scale - Francesco points out that instead of calling people, people call him - but also on the larger scale. When many different women in Afghanistan are blogging, more people get to hear their stories.

Education in Afghanistan is moving beyond simple classroom setups, thanks to initiatives like the Afghan Development Project. Now, learning can take place around the world, both in schools in Afghanistan and by other people in the world who read their posts. Women rights in Afghanistan can be bolstered through social media as more people learn about their situation and aim to help the country. Plus, the women get a sense of self-sufficiency that comes along with blogging and online film distribution. Money making from the Internet can happen very easily when you put your digital self online.

Blogging on various platforms can not only help you make money, it also creates transparency and a great work ethic. As Francesco says, “I rely on individual counterparts that show their work ethic and concepts by publishing articles and professional videos to open a constructive and profitable conversation. Even in the USA and Europe, I don’t waste my time discussing politics and economy with those who don't publish their thoughts. Talk is cheap and the first step to accountability is putting ideas and projects in writing and pay the consequences or learn the lessons from it.”

Getting involved in a conversation about women rights in Afghanistan means putting your thoughts online. Cross-promotion of blog posts and other content can also help back up your network and increase your visibility. Women rights in Afghanistan can be promoted through social media more easily because of the global nature of the Internet.

If you haven’t read it yet, I highly suggest you head over to Francesco’s blog to read the entire post.