The Rwanda genocide took the lives of an estimated 800,000 people. The rest of the world stood by and did nothing. That will be the shame of our generation. It cannot be undone.
But one company in our industry is at least trying to help heal the ravaged country. SolidWorks has been donating software and assistance to Rwanda. (see press release)
During the keynote speech at SolidWorks World 2007, John McEleney, CEO of SolidWorks, included a presentation about Rwanda showing a spanking new CAD lab. He shared the stage with Professor Romain Murenzi, a visionary leading a charge to transform Rwanda into Africa's technology center. So far-reaching is his vision that it includes a laptop for each elementary school child.
"Think of what you can do to help," McEleney challenges the audience of 3,500 attendees.
Why take up time at a CAD Conference about this subject? This is no cold and calculating PR ploy to make a corporation look good. If you know the man, you know McEleney does this from the heart. He has ridden 200 miles on his bike to help cancer victims (TeamSolidWorks raises hundreds of thousands of dollars each year for the Jimmy Fund). He has mentored Boston's inner city youth. It's no accident that the SolidWorks conference is being held in New Orleans, a city that desperately needs an economic boost. McEleney is doing whatever he can, whenever he can. It's not about software.
SolidWorks is a $300 million company with thousands of employees. As its leader, McEleney is providing an example for the rest of the company -- as well as the users of his products -- to parlay their money and efforts to make a difference. You have to have a conference somewhere, why not where it will help a devastated city? If you have to exercise, why not raise money to help people ravaged by disease. If all CAD companies are giving away software to schools, why not give to a country in which the youth may have otherwise lost hope.
A sampling of SolidWorks causes
(click for larger picture)
SolidWorks brings social responsibility to the masses. McEleney is not espousing that you wear robes and go barefoot. You don't have to join the Peace Corps. Simply be aware and do whatever you can do, even if it's just a choice about how your dollar is being spent.
Roopinder, thanks for this post. I met McEleney (briefly) at SIGGRAPH a few years back and this article of his leadership comes as no surprise. It's good to see Solidworks leading out like this in the CAD industry.
Posted by: Matthew Sederberg | February 07, 2007 at 08:52 AM