Archive for the ‘Business Profile’ Category

Students Fighting Poverty

Thursday, June 11th, 2009

It’s never too early to become a social entrepreneur.  That’s the lesson coming from Nourish International and its members of college entrepreneurs.  Nourish International is an organization of college students who start “ventures” to raise money for economic development projects in impoverished areas across the world.  In other words, a group of college students organize mini-businesses either on campus or in local areas, and use all the proceeds to finance community development projects in poor villages abroad.  The students who conduct the “ventures” on campus, then go to those countries, and personally participate in the implementation of the development project. 

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Originally setup at the University of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Nourish International is an official 501(c)3 certified non-profit.  It now has 23 branches across the US, at different college campuses.  According to their website, last summer they sent 34 students to engage in projects in Peru, Honduras, Mexico, Brazil, and Uganda. There objective is to eradicate poverty, one project at a time.  They realize that the answer to fighting poverty is not charity work, not donations, i.e. not throwing money at the problem.  Nourish International believes in empowering people to lift themselves out of poverty.  What does that mean?  That means that poor people can not escape poverty without the essentials…clean water, sanitation, health, shelter, food.  Simply handing out clean water, food, and donated money will only solve the problem for a single day.  But, by working with locals to build a clean water system in Peru, for example, capable of providing water to a town of over 5,000 people, Nourish International helps the locals build and improve their own communities, and improve their own quality of life.  Provided with the essentials to live a decent and dignified life, these people can use their energy to focus on things, other than simply staying alive for another day.  Sort of like the old adage, teaching a man to fish…

The beauty of this non-profit organization is that it was started by business/economics students.  Sindhura Citineni was a business student who wanted to use the virtues of entrepreneurism and business planning to help attack some of the world’s first problems.  Her first project in 2003 was a simple one: she organized a “Hunger Lunch,” selling rice, beans, and cornbread on campus for 3 bucks.  She used all the profits her first project – a nutrition project in Hyderbad, India. 

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Years later, Nourish International has developed a successful plan to keep these projects funded.  They havea a 6-step approach to their operations. 

1) Recruitment – adding members on college campuses to join the organization and spread awareness. 

2) Ventures - this is the key part.  They are small businesses run by students themselves, turning a profit.  Examples include the “Hunger Lunch.” Or, Global Music Jam - Nourish International partners with local radio stations and dance clubs to put on a globally-themed dance party. Another would be a charity poker tournament.  Since 2003, they have raised over $100,000. 

3) Applications – communities with needs apply for funding and student volunteers. 

4) Selection – the students themselves select the best projects to pursue, based on long-term sustainability, level of impact, and feasability. 

5) Implementation – students themselves travel to the area of need (in one of the previously mentioned countries) and personally see the project through to its completion. 

6) Following-up – last but not least Nourish International keeps tabs on the success (or failure) of its project and its long-term impact. 

Nourish International is making real-world improvements to the quality of life of thousands of people.  By helping some of the most impoverished areas satisfy their essential needs, they are giving them a glimmer of hope for the future.  And equally as important, it provides real-world experience for Nourish students, hopefully leading them to a lifetime of helping others.  Up until 2008, they have invested a little over $100,000.  However, in 2008 and 2009 they hope to add 30 chapters and invest an additional $200,000 to projects worldwide.  Nourish International continues to grow and continues to get a social return on its investments. 

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Religious Entrepreneurism

Wednesday, June 3rd, 2009
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Friar Bernard McCoy

Who said people of the cloth can’t be entrepreneurs too?  Typically relegated to lives of prayer and preeching, relying on the donations of the local parish, priests usually live pretty simple lives.  They preside over the weekly masses, give advice to spiritually inclined, and study the scripture.  Priests are usually active members of their community too.  But monks, on the other hand, are pretty removed from society.  Monks are supposed to live on their own, dedicating their lives to solitude and prayer.  They tend to have a high degree of self-sufficiency, growing their food or making cheese.  They live either alone or with other monks, separated from the rest of society, chanting away their days. 

Not these monks.  They are known as LaserMonks, a multimillion dollar business reported in a June 2nd article in The New York Times.  Their story goes like this.  The monk in charge, Friar Bernard McCoy, was looking for printer ink for his printers in the monastery.  He was horrified at the astronomical prices for an ink cartridge, what he calls “a little bit of black dust and some ink.”  He knew there had to be a better way to acquire ink.  He found out that if he talked directly to the manufacturer, he could get some ink for a fraction of the store price.  And then he got an idea:  he could save tons of money for schools, churches, and other organizations if he got the same deals for them that he got from the manufacturer. 

And so, LaserMonks was born.  And the cartridge manufacturer was fully on board, recognizing an opportunity when they saw one.  As Friar Bernard says on his website:

The manufacturers were elated with the possibilities. They immediately said we should market not only to schools, churches, and other non-profits, but especially to businesses. “Look, you’re monks. You have an image and long tradition of being trustworthy and providing top quality products. You’re offering a great product at a great price. Once people hear about you, it’s an easy decision. Why would anyone pay more money, when they can have quality products for less, from monks who use the income to help others?”

The business started relatively successfully, but everything changed in July 2003 when two ladies from Colorado, who Friar Bernard calles two “angels,” called the monastery.  They owned an online website selling ink cartridges and they wanted to move on from their website and offered to sell the monastery their business.  They were excited to have connected with the monks and even offered to temporarily come to northern Wisconsin where the monastery is located to get them started up.  The two women and the monks loved the arrangement so much that they decided to make it permanent.  The two women live in one of the Abbey houses. 

The women realized they could really help the monk’s ink business.  They shared all their knowledge on database management and web design and also ideas for expanding the business.  Instead of standard ink cartridges, they now offer ink cartridges with ink from soy beans instead of petroleum, a more environmentally-safe version.  They sell dog-biscuits called “Benevolent Biscuits,” Coffee called “Benevolent Blends,” Barb-B-Que sauces called “Burnt Sacrifice,” and various flavors of jelly called “Trappist Preserves.”  And, of course, no monk collection is complete without a series of CDs full of Gregorian Chants. 

 

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Last year, LaserMonks collected $4.5 million in revenues, of which, 80% goes to purchasing supplies and financing, 10% goes to charity, and 10% for the monastery.  The two “angels” made a combined profit of $60,000.  Not only that, but they are much happier in their simpler lives in the monastery.  And with them running this holy business, the monks no longer have to worry about spending their time away from prayer, trying to fund the monastery. 

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Finding Business in Cleaning up Business

Tuesday, June 2nd, 2009

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“A crisis is a terrible thing to waste.”  This is a phrase often quoted during crisis situations, most recently and notably quoted by President Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel.  Thus, the Obama administration has made huge investments in areas of healthcare, energy, and education, in an effort to change the way the US economy is structured.  He has used the crisis to frame his investments as a way to stimulate the economy.  Absent a crisis, President Obama might not have received the cooperation of so many people to make those investments.

The economic crisis is showing signs of abating, but the specter of a climate crisis gets worse each passing day.  Developed nations have been using tons of energy for years to feed their economies.  Developing economies need to meet rising energy needs too, often using dirty coal to do so.    The melting of the ice caps, rising sea levels, longer droughts, larger floods, and more violent storms…these are just some of the huge effects of climate change.  The international community has so far not taken any limits on pollution seriously.  But, the US and other governments finally seemed poised to take action. 

The US Congress will probably pass climate legislation this year, forcing companies to reduce their environmental impact.  Chances are that the Congress will choose to pass a cap-and-trade bill, meaning there will be a certain amount of ‘units’ of pollution that companies will be allowed to emit, and if they want to pollute more, they will have to buy ‘units’ of pollution from another company that doesn’t need to use their ‘units’ of pollution.  The idea is that companies will, on their own, reduce their pollution because of the possibility to sell their allowances for profit.  If a company really wants to pollute, they will have to pay for it. 

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Reading the tea leaves, the Hara company has taken a huge bet on the future.  If polluting becomes a cost that businesses have to take into account, they will have to manage pollution like any other cost.  In short, their accounting will include the usual labor costs, investment costs, but also polluting costs.  They will have to accurately and easily track their pollution, and they made need help doing so.  This is where Hara steps in.  Hara is developing software that will allow companies to easily and quickly keep track of their pollution.  Hara software will be able to spot and identify carbon emissions, and show companies where they can reduce their pollution, and thus, save money. 

Hara has a long-term vision of environmental legislation and they see an economy that no longer ignores the cost of polluting.  Up until now, the environmental degradation was never taken into account when businesses figure out their year-end profits.  Hara wants that to change, to reflect the impact of business on the environment.  Afterall, the word “hara” means “green” in Sanskrit.  Here are a few excerpts from the article in The New York Times

“A post-carbon economy is arriving in this decade,” he said, “This creates an environmental record for your company.”  (Amit Chatterjee, Hara’s founder and owner).

Hara’s Web-based software tracks the resources used by the company, like electricity and water, and emissions like carbon and other waste.

The Coca-Cola Company has been using Hara’s software as part of a pilot project to track greenhouse gas emissions for its 1,000 facilities worldwide. It helps Coca-Cola keep track of projects that vary by country. In South Africa, for example, Coca-Cola is switching from heavy crude oil to natural gas. In the United States, where plants have not been using heavy oil, the company has been updating its lighting systems.

The coming climate crisis is going to have very serious consequences on our environment.  Our land, water, air, and food supply will all be affected.  Social entrepreneurs often take a look at some of the most serious problems our society faces, and try to apply business principles to solve these problems.  Hara knows that the climate crisis is serious.  They are using their software expertise to help all businesses reduce their climate impact.  If we are going to make progress slowing the effects of climate change, we will need companies like Hara to make the process easy and quick for the business community to do their part. 

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Business Profile: Casita Linda

Wednesday, May 13th, 2009

Throughout the economic crisis we talk about all the unfortunate people who face debt, home forclosures, job losses, and so on.  And while these developments are surely awful, what never gets talked about is the people who have almost no options at all.  The people who have been chronically homeless and never lucky enough to be blessed with jobs, money, or good life options. 

The small town of San Miguel de Allende in the state of Guanajuato, Mexico is one such town where there are people who have fallen through the cracks.  Antonio and his wife Maria lived in a makeshift house with walls made of cardboard and a roof made of tin.  He had tried to find work in the United States but was not successful, his illegal immigrant status keeping him from finding consistent work.  They spent a year in this makeshift house, with little hope for the future.  That was until Casita Linda, a Mexican non-profit offered to build them a home.  Antonio and Maria now do not have to live in a shack with a leaky roof that can’t protect them from being exposed to brutal weather. 

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So far, there are 22 other amazing stories from people who have been helped by Casita Linda. It began in 2001 when stonemason Jeffrey Brown and consultant Irma Rosado founded Casita Linda with a small monetary donation. They began building concrete houses for the desperately poor in San Miguel de Allende.  They enjoyed relative success, building 13 homes for an average price of $1,500 to $2,000.  Their design received a makeover in 2008 with the help of architecture students from Rhode Island School of Design.  Casita Linda decided to redesign how they built their homes to make them more aesthetically pleasing, healthier, and thermally beneficial for the families.  They now build houses out of adobe, a natural building material made of sand, clay, and water.  Houses in Mexico have been built with adobe for hundreds of years, but its use is beginning to disappear.  But, adobe is toxic-free, natural, and it is perfect for insulating heat during winter and keeping the house cool during summer.  It’s perfect for building small homes for families in need. casitalinda012

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Casita Linda consults with local organizations in San Miguel de Allende to decide who are the residents most in need of homes.  They make timelines for the homes to be built and employ local volunteers, paid Mexican laborers, and visiting volunteers to construct the cozy adobe houses.  Mattresses are made from recycled plastic bags that are covered in fabrics.  Furthermore, solar panels are used to supply electricity.  These unique homes can now be constructed for about $4,500 to $6,500. 

Little by little, Casita Linda is allowing people to live their lives with dignity, in their own homes.  And along the way, they are rebuilding the idea of communities.  Now in homes, families can stay together, and neighbors can live amongst one another. 

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However, Casita Linda is severely short on funding.  They rely entirely on donations and with the current economic crisis, the donation pipeline is drying up.  Since each new home is not extremely expensive to build, every little bit helps.  Donate today to Casita Linda and help the desperately poor improve their lives. 

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Green Hotels

Thursday, April 9th, 2009
The CasaCalma Lobby

The CasaCalma Lobby

The typical hotel is a huge, greedy, energy-wasting beast.  Massive amounts of electricity are needed to light the hotel, run the AC, heat water for showers, and run the countless appliances throughout the building.  Water is continuously flowing out of faucets and showers, with no regard for conservation.  Washing machines are constantly running, using electricity, water, and chemicals that will pollute streams and lakes.  The materials used to build the hotel aren’t typically the most environmentally friendly options.  In short, the hotel business is typically a huge enemy of the environment.

This waste of energy is also the enemy of good business.  Long-term energy efficiency will not only contribute to a healthier environment, but also to a healthier balance sheet.  Hoteliers are starting to see the light.  Eco-hotels are a growing phenomenon in the US and across the world.  My colleagues and I, along with EcoTrotters, a partner of Enchanting Challenge, went to the first Eco-hotel in Argentina, the CasaCalma.  It’s located in Buenos Aires, an oasis of greenery and efficiency surrounded by the noise and pollution of a big city.  CasaCalma prides itself on operating in the most efficient and environmentally friendly way possible. 

Low-energy lighting, double glass windows for better insulation, walls made from recycled materials, automatic lighting that turns off when rooms are empty…these are just a few of the measures taken by CasaCalma to ensure the smallest carbon footprint possible.  They also use less energy because of the large windows that allow the use of natural sunlight, they cook with local and organic food, and they rarely use any plastic. 

They seem to think of everything, including tiny details you wouldn’t normally factor in…for example, they don’t even have any pens in the hotel, they use pencils made from the wood of a rapidly regrowing plant, similar to bamboo.  They cook all their food, including baking their own bread, taking into account the number of guests each day so that there isn’t left over bread that must be thrown away.  They are also the only hotel in Argentina with two vertical gardens, plants that grow on the wall with dual functions: the plants clean the air and help insulate the building, keeping it cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  The wood used in the building is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).  Even the little bottles of shampoo and lotion are reused. 

A room in CasaCalma

A room in CasaCalma

There’s also money in being so virtuous.  CasaCalma’s utility bills are only a fraction of the typical hotel.  They don’t have to pay for huge amounts of delivered food, or cleaning products, or towels (they use cloth towels that get reused instead of paper towels that would be thrown away).  You would think that such attention to detail would only work for high end hotels, but precisely because there isn’t too much waste, the costs are kept under control.  Furthermore, many of the guests from the US and Europe stay at the hotel because of its green credentials.  Environmentally conscious travelers often seek out the greenest hotel, to do their part. 

CasaCalma is a bet ahead of the curve in Argentina, a country where being green is not exactly mainstream.  Because being environmental is not a priority for Argentines, you might think it would be a waste of time to concern yourself with the headaches of ensuring an energy-efficient hotel.  But then again, as environmental awareness increases in Argentina, as it has in other parts of the world, CasaCalma will have the market cornered.

Dining Room

Dining Room

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Business Profile: EcoTulum

Monday, March 16th, 2009

Here at The Enchanting Group, our parent company, we have our own destinations for ecotourism.  Today marks the beginning of our service trips at EcoTulum, a resort in Tulum, Mexico.  There are two volunteers that are arriving at the EcoTulum resort, to embark on a week of fun and service.  It is our first volunteer trip to this resort as EcoTulum (as well as Ulaa) tries to provide service opportunities in its unique location.

EcoTulum began in 1998 as an alternative vacation destination.  They have beautiful but simple cabanas located directly on a white sandy beach, looking out over the blue Caribbean.  EcoTulum believes in a truly holistic experience; the cabins are environmentally friendly, open air cabanas.  They do not have air conditioning and electricity is turned off at 11PM.  Visitors can enjoy free yoga classes, swim in the sea, hike in the rainforest, or explore ancient Mayan archaeological sites.  The EcoTulum experience is quite different from your average Caribbean cruise.

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EcoTulum is not finished though.  This year they decided to host college volunteers for a reduced price to experience a unique volunteer service trip that they will never forget.  EcoTulum’s proximity to the rainforest and Mayan ruins provides a wonderful opportunity for people to come and learn about biodiversity, ecological conservation, and Mayan culture.  Their first 2 volunteers arrive today for a week of exploration, learning, and lots of fun.  Their itinerary is as follows:

March 17: A two hour tour in the Bioregion to learn about the environment there, biodiversity, and the efforts to preserve the habitat.  The tour will be followed by snorkeling in the Cenote Dos Ojos, a naturally occurring well full of plant and animal life.  This area is of spiritual importance to the Mayan culture.
March 18 & 19: Volunteers will work with Flora, Fauna y Cultura.org, a local NGO.  They will work on several projects in the area of Playa del Carmen—Eco Park la Seiva; helping to preserve wildlife and natural habitats like the native turtles; beach cleanup programs; and learning about reforestation efforts. http://www.florafaunaycultura.org/
March 20: Visit the Mayan ruins in Tulum and learn about the history of Mayan culture. 
March 21: Free day.

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EcoTulum began as an ordinary spa/resort but has decided to provide opportunities for college students to have an alternative spring break.  EcoTulum is not starting this program because it’s going to be a big moneymaker; the students pay very little to stay at the resort and participate in the activities.  The objective of hosting volunteers is also not for the work the students will provide; there is only so much you can do in a week.  Rather the focus is on educating and changing the lives of the volunteers and creating an appreciation for the environment.  If they can leave EcoTulum inspired by the natural beauty, and the biological and environmental wonders of the area, then the trip will have been a success.  Hopefully, the volunteers will take home a new perspective on the environment, weave these lessons into their daily lives, and educate others.  Maybe they will even decide to study ecology, or biology, or environmental law.  Raising environmental and ecological awareness, in the end, is the measure of success for this program. 

All inclusive vacations to Cancun may be common among college kids, but trips like that are redundant and cliche.  EcoTulum ecological service trips are really different; a once in a lifetime experience.  This is EcoTulum’s first trip, but they are ongoing, so if you are interested contact our service trip expert Sarah Maxwell.  You can read her blog here, which has a wealth of information on service trips to Tulum and Ulaa.  The EcoTulum resort is a wonderful resort that has decided to use some of its profits to fund a volunteer program, hosting students and providing a series of activities for ecological service and education.

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Business Profile: Ulaa

Saturday, March 7th, 2009

In the past it seems as if the world’s greatest cities were the ultimate vacation destinations. New York, London, Paris, Rome. While these will surely continue to be huge draws for travellers, it seems the focus has shifted a bit. Urban populations continue to rise, and with that, nature becomes increasingly foreign and unfamiliar to so many people. Spending a week without blackberries, cell phones, and the Internet is difficult to come by (let alone without electricity!). So many people are so far removed from nature (including myself). Removing oneself from the daily stresses of life, “unplugging” from the modern world, has become a popular theme for vacationing. If you’re a businessman living in New York, why go to London for vacation, just another loud and crowded city? If you have grown up in Boston, a vacation in L.A. probably wouldn’t be that exciting.

I spent this past week at an organic farm and resort called Ulaa. This blog is part of The Enchanting Group, which owns Ulaa. It’s located in Chilean side of the Chile-Argentina border, in Patagonia. They have cabins, an organic farm, and it’s situated in the mountains overlooking a crystal-clear lake. Tourists can come and stay in their rustic cabins and enjoy the natural beauty at this remote location. They can participate in various sporting activities, such as kayaking, hiking, rock climbing, fishing, or just plain relaxing by the lake. And you can eat home-cooked meals with ingredients grown here on the farm.Lago Puelo

And we ate well. We helped out around the farm and made homemade jams with the blackberries we picked; we made salads with fresh tomatoes and cucumbers; and we cooked some flavorful soups with potatoes, lentils, pumpkin, and garlic. We even went fishing from a canoe, and caught a trout, which we baked for dinner. Ulaa is a wonderful place.

But it takes a lot of work to maintain the property and Ulaa needs help developing the organic farm. I asked the caretaker of Ulaa, Martin, what was the single most important thing he needed to help expand and he said it was people to work the farm. There are apples and plums that fall to the ground without people to pick them up; blackberries remain on the trees because there’s no one to pick them; and it wouldn’t make sense to invest in more crops until they can get more help.

So, The Enchanting Group, could remain content with keeping Ulaa as a wonderful place where tourists can come and enjoy the nature and the local attractions. But they have decided to create a second arm of Ulaa. In order to further develop the organic farm, Ulaa would like to welcome volunteers to stay in their cabins for free, and in exchange, commit to working on the farm. Organic farms like Ulaa have been growing in number and popularity.

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At Ulaa, and other organic farms listed on the World Wide Organization of Organic Farms (WWOOF), people have the opportunity to stay at organic farms. There are many people out there who will love to visit such an untouched area in Patagonia. They can do so, and also get the opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture, organic food, and a relaxing, slow lifestyle. If they have the motivation to work hard on the farm, they can do all this without charge.

It’s a win-win situation. Ulaa can get working hands to help expand their organic farm, and travellers looking to get away can take advantage of this opportunity and relax in solitude without the price of a week in Paris.

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Business Profile: La Fageda

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

In last week’s business profile we analyzed Barefoot College, the Indian non-profit that trains the rural poor on sustainable economic development.  In this week’s profile, we take a look at La Fageda, a for-profit business employing the mentally ill.

La Fageda is a dairy farm that was founded in Girona, Spain (near Barcelona) by a man named Cristobal Colon (Spanish for Christopher Columbus).  He worked at a mental hospital, helping the patients with useless tasks, making crafts and ashtrays.  He realized that these people could be employed to produce marketable goods instead of just wasting their time.  He started a dairy farm, employing the mentally ill patients he was working with.  La Fageda has grown successfully in Spain and its yogurt and milk products are widely popular in the region.  With over 30 million units of  yogurt sold per year, they now only trail Danone and Nestle in yogurt sales. 

La Fageda employs 210 people, over half of which are mentally or pyschologically ill.  It partners with mental hospitals and pyschiatric wards, taking in the patients, providing job training and employment.  The workers are paid a good wage, and have the option of living on the property or on their own.  If and when it becomes possible, the employees are reincorporated into general society.  On-site mental treatment is available to all workers.  The wonderful thing about La Fageda is that the employees not only receive mental health treatment, but they are given a purpose in life. 

La Fageda Employees

La Fageda Employees

Make no mistake, La Fageda is a for-profit business.  It’s yogurt and milk products are sold because of their high quality, not out of the charity of shoppers.  Most people don’t even know that their delicious yogurt comes from a company employing the mentally ill.  This dairy farm would not survive if it was not profitable.  However, Cristobal Colon is not in this business solely for profit, which is what makes him different than the traditional entrepreneur.  He is as much interested in social change as he is in the bottom line (the double bottom line theory).  Providing employment, income, mental health, and dignity to the mentally ill is Colon’s first priority.  Turning a profit is the vehicle that allows La Fageda to achieve these positive results. 

Colon believes that focusing on his potential employees first, before starting the business, was intricate to success.  “La Fageda is a company that was constructed in reverse.  Its first asset was the workers, a group that needed to be employed…Subsequently the company was created.  La Fageda demonstrates that a company that starts with people, putting people before profits, can grow to be a strong organization.”  Reinvesting its profits into not just expanding but also mental health services for its employees is what separates Colon from the standard businessman.  Building the business around the people is not the traditional way of structuring a business.  But then again, focusing on societal benefits before profits is not the traditional way of running a business. 

*The Quote of Cristobal Colon, as well as more information on La Fageda, can be found in The Power of Unreasonable People: How Social Entrepreneurs Create Markets That Change the World, a book by John Elkington and Pamela Hartigan. 

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Business Profile: Barefoot College

Tuesday, February 17th, 2009

A new segment that will become a regular feature on this blog will be the Business Profile.  I will take an in depth look at an example of a social business – it’s structure, its financing, its goals, how it works, how it helps the community, etc.  This feature will appear each week.

 

Back in the first post on this blog I discussed Barefoot College.  This is a non-profit that was started in India by a man named Bunker Roy.  India is a land of many hierarchies; where it is not possible for certain people to receive advanced degrees from prestigious universities.  Bunker Roy setup this non-profit to bypass the necessity of degrees and certificates for achieving success.  Barefoot College believes that ordinary people can be self-reliant and can solve complex problems on their own.  It believes in the power of local communities and villages. 

 

Therefore Barefoot College teaches the poor how to develop their own communities, their own way.  All too often, large aid organizations drop in on desperate communities and dictate how to develop a community without taking into consideration local tradition or local knowledge.  Bunker Roy and Barefoot (with obvious resentment towards the elite telling people what to do) believe that “professionals” exist within communities, and highly educated urban professionals are not needed to develop communities.  The rural poor are able to learn how to solve complex problems without needing to be educated, or even literate.

 

The most important factor in successful development, Barefoot argues, is meeting basic needs: clean water, health, education, and work.  Not only are these issues solved by the poor themselves, but they are taught to tackle even tougher problems to increase their quality of life.  Often illiterate and lacking formal education, these villagers are audaciously trained to be solar engineers, local doctors, teachers, and architects.  There is even a children’s parliament in their school.  As the only non-profit that operates for the rural poor and also maintained by the rural poor, students of Barefoot College are responsible for:

 

  • Providing solar electricity for over 870 schools across India
  • Transforming over 500 hectares of wasteland into usable farmland
  • Establishing over 200 health centers in rural India
  • Building over 200 homes
  • Creating handicraft jobs for over 300 women

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Picture from Barefoot College website 

 

As a traditional non-profit, Barefoot College gets most of its funding from international aid organizations and the grants from the Indian government.  But they develop with their own local strategies, from the ground up.  Large aid organizations and the government do not have a say in how to develop these communities.  In an effort to promote transparency in India, Barefoot College is also one of the few community organizations that conducts an entirely open audit of its finances for the public to see. 

 

Bunker Roy takes pride in action instead of talk, in results instead of theories.  On the Barefoot College website, it says rather bluntly that there are certain people that should not participate in Barefoot College – “those who hold paper degrees and call themselves experts.  Those who hide behind those degrees and qualifications and are unable to work with their hands.”  And as for the people that should participate?  “Those who are drop outs, cop outs, wash outs and rejected by society because they cannot pass an exam and show a degree next to their name.  Those who have no possibility of getting the lowest of the low government job. They have no choice but to stay and the investment in the training is not wasted. They will earn the respect of the communities they serve because of the service they will provide.” 

 

Redefining traditional theories on international development, Barefoot College is making incredible progress for the rural poor in India. 

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