Here's a story about how members of the Changemakers community are promoting income generation in Brazil:
"You can see the invisible!”
This is what Tête Romeiro was told when did the unexpected and paid off a bank loan, long before it was due, for the building that she built for the women’s sewing cooperative she founded in the early 1980s.
And it’s true. She was able to see what others could not: the potential for a successful high fashion business in a Brazilian shantytown.
Read more about this solution, or discuss this topic below.
Competition Status:
Closed
Competition Milestones
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This project also has a Changeshop where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Changeshop: Dreaming Out Loud, Inc..
Created on 05/7/2013 by dreamingoutloud
Dreaming Out Loud inspires and builds a more ethical society through human development, community engagement and social enterprise. We founded the AyaUplift Project, an innovative food access, urban farming and “healthy food hub”, to generate sustainable employment in underserved communities.
Organization: Dreaming Out Loud, Inc.
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United States, DC, Washington, Washington
Country where this project is creating social impact
United States, DC, Washington
Is your organization a
Hybrid
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideStage
Growth (the pilot has already launched and is starting to expand)
This Entry is about (Issues)
Elevator Pitch
Dreaming Out Loud inspires and builds a more ethical society through human development, community engagement and social enterprise. We founded the AyaUplift Project, an innovative food access, urban farming and “healthy food hub”, to generate sustainable employment in underserved communities.
Problem
Entrenched generational poverty, inadequate education and broken food systems in America’s distressed communities have negatively impacted economic development, wellness and community vitality. Our partner communities lack the food-system infrastructure and workforce development strategies that allow them to utilize the nutrient economy for the creation of sustainable jobs, the solution to food access challenges, and realization of health equity.
Solution
We will address the inadequacy of food-systems infrastructure in distressed communities and the lack of food-system workforce education and training opportunities. We will develop food-system workforce education and training programs to solve these problems.
The foundation of our work is social. We use our ethical core values to engage in community-building and dialog with institutions (faith-based, schools and community organizations) to shift culture and behavior towards healthier lifestyles and work that sustains them. Building upon community knowledge, our approach provides training to enhance and advance those 21st century skill-sets necessary for vulnerable populations to enter the nutrient economy as healthy skilled workers.
Example
AyaUplift integrates community-building and social enterprise, linking the non-profit and for-profit sectors of the food system. We use a “hub and spoke” strategy: a central space with extensions into the community.
The hub includes: (1) AyaFarm, a full-scale urban farm growing nutrient-rich food; (2) Aya Community Food Hub, a food distribution and processing facility supporting multiple revenue streams including: a vegetable delivery service, farm-to-school model, processing of value-added, full nourishment food products; shared commercial kitchen; and (3) a training space. The spokes include: (1) Aya Community Markets, a network of farmers markets and (2) micro-farming projects that support growing and community learning.
Impact
Our impact can be felt on multiple levels. An example is Khalil: a 10 year-old boy. We met him at our first farmers market while hitting one of our yard-signs. When I gently approached him, I jokingly asked if he had something against vegetables; he blushed with embarrassment, as his friends laughed. I asked him to return to the market the next week along with his friends. They returned, along with several other friends, at 7:30am every Saturday for 18-weeks. We are now growing Khalil and friends as new leaders and community voices through a structured youth development program for 15 youth, primarily African-American males. By June 2013 we will have two market locations; will hire two returning citizens, or ex-offenders, in the markets and start a pre-order vegetable delivery service supported with our recently purchased refrigerated truck to four sites.
Marketplace
We are uniquely integrating food production, value-added processing and distribution as a social enterprise. Locally, Common Good City Farm grows food but doesn’t train low-income residents effectively to maintain sustainable employment in DC’s agriculture economy. DC Central Kitchen, and it’s LA Kitchen spinoff, doesn’t integrate food production, rather purchasing wholesale or acquiring donations; and doesn’t help to alleviate “food deserts” in the same manner. Will Allen’s Growing Power, grows and trains effectively, but has not adopted the healthy food hub concept.
Sustainability Plan
Financial sustainability will be ensured through multiple revenue streams including: 1. Produce sales: retail via farmers markets and vegetable delivery service; wholesale to restaurants and institutional clients. 2. Sale of value-added food products, 3.Rental of commercial kitchen space, and 3. Sale of electrical power to the grid from on-site solar arrays. 3. Vendor fees at farmers markets, and 4. Grants, fundraising, CDFIs and mission loans.
Founding Story
Chris first felt the passion for social change as a third-grader when a teacher-issued ban on tag sparked him to organize with classmates to sign petitions, stage a sit-in on the sandbox and boycott recess for their right to play!
He carried that spirit into adult-life, founding Dreaming Out Loud to help build strong character among children and youth. While running afterschool and summer programs, he noticed troubling issues around food: children being fed sugary snacks with empty calories by schools, obese teens and parents, and no healthy options in the community. He then realized that Dreaming Out Loud had to do more than teach lessons on healthy eating, so he set about starting a farmers market that grew into the AyaUplift Project.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhere do you ensure the availability of nutrients?
Healthy environments., Nutrient-rich farming, Full nourishment foods, Human wellness and vitality.
If you had greater capacity, which additional sectors would you like your solution to target - either through expansion, partnership, or thought exchange?
Full nourishment foods, Human wellness and vitality.
How specifically would this added capacity help you improve the quality, efficiency, or sustainability of your existing product or service?
Added capacity will help us to improve the quality, efficiency and sustainability of our vegetable delivery service. We must secure refrigerated storage space for overnight storage of produce and other perishable food products. Storage space will allow us to extend our delivery range and improve the quality, range and diversity of regional agricultural products offered. We have established three micro-farming projects that need infrastructure upgrades to improve the quality and amount of produce harvested, decreasing procurement costs and increasing sustainability.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideHow is your product or service connected to vitality for the people and planet?
Approximately 125 words left (1000 characters).
People need appropriate nutrients to grow, learn, and fight off disease. How do you measure, track, or make use of information about nutrient levels in your own work?
Approximately 100 words left (800 characters).
Considering the flow of nutrients from ecosystems to soil to farms to food to communities, what are the barriers to achieving vitality for people and the planet?
Other barriers you have identified
In your view, what developments need to happen in order to help overcome those barriers and produce a more nutrient rich and vital public and planet?
Approximately 125 words left (1000 characters).
What do you consider the most promising trends or evidence that indicates that the developments you described are emerging? Please elaborate.
Approximately 100 words left (800 characters).
This project also has a Changeshop where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Changeshop: Beam Of Light.
Created on 05/6/2013 by asekafr
The innovation at Beam of Light shares the philosophy and key components of the development initiative Youth Lights that works with youths. It employs an asset-based empowerment methodology to facilitate the restoration of youths sense of self, belonging, power, and collective responsibility
Organization: Beam of Light ltd.
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Is your organization a
For‐profit
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideStage
Idea (poised to launch)
This Entry is about (Issues)
Elevator Pitch
The innovation at Beam of Light shares the philosophy and key components of the development initiative Youth Lights that works with youths. It employs an asset-based empowerment methodology to facilitate the restoration of youths sense of self, belonging, power, and collective responsibility
Problem
The rising number of orphans and vulnerable children in Rwanda following Genocide against Tutsi and HIV/AIDS pandemic has overstretched informal fostering systems. As a result, Rwanda’s adolescents and young adults, ages 12-18, have emerged as the heads of their households and the caregivers of their siblings facing problems such as unwanted pregnancies, poverty and malnutrition
Solution
The solution applies the asset-based approach to 1) Cultivate solidarity through psycho social support groups. 2) Foster self-confidence through cycle smart kit , 3) Incite youth to action through group and individual dreams. 4) Inspire leadership by respecting and reinforcing peer educators. 5) Reinforce youth’s investment by saving and internal lending scheme and seed capital. 6) Promote youth’s self-reliance by encouraging youth groups toward independent management and collaboration with other community-based association structures. 7) Stimulate youth’s transformation of adults within their wider community by creating opportunities for local authorities and community members to engage with, witness, and appreciate their capacities.
Example
Martin was 17 years when he took to the streets of Kigali leaving behind his 2 sisters in the village. He lived as a street kid for 3 years, doing odd jobs around the city to feed himself. When he joined the program thinking he was coming to a meal ticket, He got much more than he bargained for. He has been trained and put into group. In the groups he shared experiences and draw dreams, what he hate, what he like, things that have affected him and the dreams he has for the future. He has taken these dreams as his and they have become engraved in him. Martin received a loan of 15,000 Rwandan Francs which he invested in a small herd of 3 goats. With the profits he gained from their sale, he bought a larger herd. Now he lives a decent life.
Impact
Within one year there will be reduced stigma through reintegration into communities and social systems of 200 Youths within by registering them to the program; Increased primary school completion and access to secondary of at least 600 youths by supporting them with school materials and school fees; – 200 OVC families will be able to pay their health insurance; Food Security improved through their own livelihood sources – 200 OVC will be trained on balanced diet and will have a kitchen garden in their homes and at least 200 Individual Income generating activities (IGAs) will be initiated by OVC ; 200 OVCs will receive new skills training and diversifications ; At least 200 OVCs behaviour related to HIV/AIDS will positively be affected through improved knowledge, reduced premarital sex, increased voluntary testing and participation in Anti-AIDS and ASRH clubs.
Marketplace
There's an orphanage in the Sector of Jaban where I intended to start my business but currently the government of Rwanda has urged the close of institutions of its kind and centers to allow each child to live in a family system care. The approach I am bringing is encouraging children and youth to stay within their community. No one else on my knowledge is working on this issue of youth and children through dream drawing, cycle smart kit and Income Generating activity for hunger alleviation, plans and healthy conditions of youth and children
Sustainability Plan
The goal of the project is to build the capacity of groups for them to be self-sustainable. Once the groups are well established and members trained in Income Generating activities and microfinance management, they take on a life of their mean independent of the project. Older train new members themselves (Babies Light) and the microfinance fund continue to grow and the interest collected on the small business loans cycles back into the Fund.
Founding Story
Having lost my both parents at only 17 years old while I was the eldest in the family; I went through a situation of a Youth Caregiver life. Since then I struggled to feed and keep my younger siblings at school but this was hard and I lost my two brothers lack of treatment and my sister got pregnant at 16 years old only. Since then, I got the passion of helping youth and children in the situation I have gone through. I remember also, in my family we were born only 4 but we have been raised as eight as my parents fostered other 4 children. I am Dad and I do not like to see children suffering, If I would have seen a business man who looked after me after losing my parents, I would have been nothing nowadays.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhere do you ensure the availability of nutrients?
Human wellness and vitality.
If you had greater capacity, which additional sectors would you like your solution to target - either through expansion, partnership, or thought exchange?
Healthy environments, Nutrient-rich farming, Full nourishment foods.
How specifically would this added capacity help you improve the quality, efficiency, or sustainability of your existing product or service?
Approximately 100 words left (800 characters). I have no agricultural, food security and health issues background and if these capacities are added to what I have I will be able to address all the issues related to the well being of youths especially youth caregivers and their siblings. This will sustain my programs as I will be working with healthy beneficiaries and that will be an added value too to my product.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideHow is your product or service connected to vitality for the people and planet?
Approximately 125 words left (1000 characters).
People need appropriate nutrients to grow, learn, and fight off disease. How do you measure, track, or make use of information about nutrient levels in your own work?
Approximately 100 words left (800 characters).
Considering the flow of nutrients from ecosystems to soil to farms to food to communities, what are the barriers to achieving vitality for people and the planet?
Other barriers you have identified
In your view, what developments need to happen in order to help overcome those barriers and produce a more nutrient rich and vital public and planet?
Approximately 125 words left (1000 characters).
What do you consider the most promising trends or evidence that indicates that the developments you described are emerging? Please elaborate.
Approximately 100 words left (800 characters).
The innovation at Beam of Light shares the philosophy and key components of the development initiative “Youth Lights” that works with youths. It employs an asset-based empowerment methodology to facilitate the restoration of youths’ sense of self, belonging, power, and collective responsibility.
A Facebook app that crowdsources & sells old composite school photos to raise money, promote legacy and strengthen community for K-12 schools.
I am a medical practitioner in New Zealand, and semi retired. I wish to explore ways of giving back to the community in my home town in Fiji where I grew up. My areas of interest are in preventative health care especially education, and income generation in rural areas. I have good local support.
Alternative, Inc.
Worker Owned Media & Publishing Cooperative Corporation.
We provide research, back-office services, managing data, publishing, media and sharing of alternatives to mainstream ideas & products in the realm of Healthy sustainable ecological cooperative peaceful living.
Created on 03/14/2013 by Haley Josephine Burns
Fund 17 is a nonprofit microfinance institution completely operated by a team of volunteer Tulane students. Our mission is to combat income inequality in all seventeen wards of New Orleans by providing financial tools for self-empowerment.
Created on 03/13/2013 by DeeJays_Ambition
I create hand made clutches, which are a women's accessory much like a wallet or handbag.
Created on 03/12/2013 by ami.gosalia
InVenture's solution addresses the lack of financial literacy, accounting tools, and credit histories for low-income business owners and the need for transparency, risk mitigation, and portfolio management tools for financial institutions. It is clear that these needs exists because of both the financing gap and the inability of small business owners to get affordable access to financial services.
Organization: InVenture
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Country
United States, CA, Santa Monica, Los Angeles County
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Hybrid
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Entry
Money Management + Credit Scoring for the Offline World
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
InVenture's solution addresses the lack of financial literacy, accounting tools, and credit histories for low-income business owners and the need for transparency, risk mitigation, and portfolio management tools for financial institutions. It is clear that these needs exists because of both the financing gap and the inability of small business owners to get affordable access to financial services.
InVenture is the only organization in India providing the specific use-case of accounting and credit data analysis through a text-messaging platform. Additionally, InVenture’s focus on combining real-time accounting and demographic data directly from our users provides a clear differentiation and market advantage from other mobile credit scoring efforts.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
In order to scale effectively and achieve our growth targets for the next year, InVenture needs to refine and standardize its internal processes. InVenture’s top priorities are educating as many InSight users as possible on the importance of money management which will be indicated by high levels of user retention, hiring experienced and knowledgeable trainers and field staff, and investing in our sales and marketing efforts to develop more partners and visibility throughout India.
Need #1
Consumer/Audience Acquisition
Need #2
Staffing Capabilities
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
InVenture needs to develop a stronger user acquisition and retention strategy in the areas where we work in India. In order to scale our business three things must occur. First, prospective InSight users must understand that a simple, free, money management tool exists. Second, the user must understand how to use the InSight product and its product functions. Lastly, the InSight user must understand the short and long term benefits of a product like InSight including the increased savings, increased revenues and a financial identity. This involves finding new NGO partners and improving our training and follow up process.
We also need to develop a more structured staff recruiting and retention strategy. This will entail finding new channels for recruiting, creating a more effective onboarding and employee training process, and setting better performance indicators and incentives.
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
Ideally this support will be focused specifically on improving internal efficiency measures, opening new user channels, and revamping our user acquisition and staffing strategies.
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
We have spent time thinking about how to make our product more engaging for users and ways to incentivize user retention. We have also brainstormed ideas for staffing strategies and talked to other social enterprises to find best practices. We have not worked with outside consultants specifically for these needs.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
Increase in number of InSight users using the product correctly on a regular basis
2.
More effective InSight training process
3.
More efficient staff with higher job satisfaction
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
We measure our social impact by analyzing the increase in revenue, savings and financial literacy of InSight users. To date, our 8,000 active users have seen a 30% increase in revenue and a 6% increase in savings. When measuring the increase in financial literacy, we take a more qualitative approach by analyzing changes in spending habits and trends in type of spending. We believe that because our clients are spending more on education and health, they are demonstrating an increased quality of life. Additionally, the increase in revenue as a result of money management and access to capital as a result of credit scoring both help business owners to hire additional staff for their operations, contributing to employment and the local economy.
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
With professional support from American Express, InVenture will be able to further increase its impact through improved internal team performance and more effective field operations processes. Scaling the number of InSight users will result in a more financially literate population with affordable access to products and services, thereby producing a more fair and transparent financial ecosystem.
This Entry is about (Issues)
InVenture is a social enterprise utilizing mobile technology for financial inclusion. We have built a set of mobile tools to help individuals build a formal financial identity. Simply put, we provide individuals in the informal economy with money management tools and a “credit score,” or digital record of their financial lives; they can then take this data to a financial institution for financial access. Our primary product, InSight, enables us to gather real-time demographic and cash flow data about our users via SMS and voice at no cost to the user.
A 6 week work-study summer program for high school juniors and seniors from inner city Philadelphia to work with volunteer food business experts to develop a range of practical and business skills, while working in an urban "agricultural village." Students will write business plans, develop, package and sell products sourced from an urban farm and earn a stipend a certificate of completion for their work on the business. Students may also elect to document this process and help to create the plan to grow this program into an after school and annual venture.
FundUni is a web-based software platform designed to create a free market connection between those who require and those who provide capital (crowdfunding). The firm plans to dramatically reduce the national level of student debt by revolutionizing the way students fund
their education.
basik 855 grew out of a chance encounter between two entrepreneurs (one American and one Cambodian) and the friendship they forged.
In three years, we have grown from a team of 6 artisans working in their own homes to a weaving center with 46 full-time employees, including a team of Cambodian textile designers. 96% of our full-time staff is Cambodian.
All of our finished products are sewn by like-minded social enterprises, which allow us to financially support Friends-International, Stop Start and other Cambodian seamstresses and tailors in Phnom Penh.
Created on 03/5/2013 by gogia7
Minor problems of the lower limbs like ulcer, venous diseases and Lymphedema with 40 million affected are a leading care of morbidity in India. These have been grossly neglected due to little awareness of the possibility of treatment, distance of the care delivery centers as well as need for repeated counselling and care. We have showcased that proper care can result in a dramatic improvement in outcomes and is easily possible through a mixture of remotely located healthcare practitioners monitored as well as supported by tele-medicine through regional surgical clinics,
Organization: Society for Administration of Telemedicine and Healthcare Informatics
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Name
Society for Administration of Telemedicine and Healthcare Informatics
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideName Your Entry
Telemedicine Supported Limb care Centres in Rural Areas
Select the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
What problem is your organization committed to solving? In particular, share what is innovative about your approach.
Minor problems of the lower limbs like ulcer, venous diseases and Lymphedema with 40 million affected are a leading care of morbidity in India. These have been grossly neglected due to little awareness of the possibility of treatment, distance of the care delivery centers as well as need for repeated counselling and care. We have showcased that proper care can result in a dramatic improvement in outcomes and is easily possible through a mixture of remotely located healthcare practitioners monitored as well as supported by tele-medicine through regional surgical clinics,
However our results are still only in 1000s and need to be expanded rapidly. A nationwide solution is needed for the millions through the correct input of knowledge enhancement, training and technology.
What are your organization's top three priorities in the next year?
To widen the scope of our limb care project to the length and breadth of our country - we have already entered Goa.
To generate funds for the above activity.
Expand our existing tie ups with the government for our other running projects to give us financial stability
Need #1
Message & Brand Strategy
Need #2
Opportunity Analysis
Based on your first choice of the eight technical categories you selected above, what is your specific project need? Please be specific!
We are absolute leaders in India in the management of Lymphoedema. While almost the entire medical community is neglecting the problem as they feel it cannot be managed, We have showcased a management approach which is effective but has to be community based as it is life long. We have only two existing centres and are negotiating for a few more. A mere drop in the ocean, With 40 million plus patients in India,the need is for 100s of thousands of such centers over a huge geographical area.
Since more than 70% of care in India is private and less than 10 % are covered by Insurance, we prefer to have centers which provide affordable care but able to generate adequate profit for the persons who will run the centers. Our analysis shows that even that is possible But will require mass based training as well as orientation.
We plan to have the same centers treat other related minor problems like ulcers,diabetic foot etc, This will help make the centers financially viable Similar, although a little wider set o tools and training will be required.
The concept is absolutely new, will provide succor to millions who are suffering but not even considered disabled (rating is 20%)
1.
A common understanding that the problem exists and needs to be looked into
2.
In healthcare provision success may not mean financial profit
3.
Projects have to be win win for all the stakeholders to be ensure particiapation and success
Will support from American Express be focused on your organization overall or a specific product/service? Please describe.
The specific service /project that we are planning is as outlined above.
Being an NGO, our projects are funded with absolutely tight rules and do not allow us enough revenue to divert to a different project. The same, at present, is absolutely new so finding funds as well as additional resource person(s) for this is a strain on our organization.
In any case our members are doctors, ICT specialists and Social scientists who work on a voluntary basis we are very strong on technology but less so in management.
We need management support
Have you focused on the above area previously? If so, please explain, including whether you have worked with outside consultants before.
A thesis on lymphedema in 1981 showed promising outcomes, We designed a machine as well as treatment outcomes and started a small firm - AMLA MEDIQUIP (www.amlamed.com) which has had moderate success but has had modest sales largely due to lack of involvement of persons from the marketing arena. SATHI was started for Telemedicine, and we have now realized how we are uniquely placed to merged of the two different technologies to create a new level of care which never existed before. So we are technologically sound, with well researched products. We need administrative and marketing help.
Are you able to commit 3-5 hours/wk over 10-12 weeks?
Yes
Are you able to meet virtually or at a convenient in-person location?
Yes
Are you able to meet in the city where your organization is based?
Yes
1.
Large number of centers providing care to millions
2.
Widespread knowledge that lymphedema is treatale
3.
Financial success for the stakeholders in rural areas (so that care can continue)
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
We did our research at AIIMS, New Delhi in 1981. Results were 50-60% but recurrence was there. We found similar results with our own private center. Here we have got long term follow up with gratifying results. Additional advances in care have improved the results to 60-70% physically but better understanding that this is a problem one can live with.
Centers created by Tamilnadu Govt showed promise in the short term.
AIIMS has invited us back to run a center for them which is still running. A center has been started at Goa Medical College with scope of expansion to many more.
All centers are now showing similar long term outcomes, where we only provided the Initial guidance. Our work has been scientifically published see http://ijps.org/searchresult.asp?search=&author=gogia&journal=X
What is your project future impact after receiving professional support from American Express?
Our long term goals -i.e having a center in each affected area as well as in every cancer hospital will mean that lymphedema and ulcer are no longer considered to be problems which can lead to isolation and near suicide of the victims.
Thanks to mass based DEC program there is already a falling incidence of Filariasis but lymphedema incidence, is if anything, increasing due to other causes. This can and should be tackled and we hope to showcase that the time for managing common but neglected problem of the limbs like lymphedema, venous diseases, diabetic foot etc is here and now.
Care needs to be at the community level. Travel costs add to the overall cost of healthcare, but it is not recognized by any insurance company or the government in India esp for such minor problems
This Entry is about (Issues)
Created on 02/20/2013 by Whitley777
The Curbside Chronicle is a street newspaper that is written and sold by the homeless community to provide them with both a voice and means of income.
Pick-A-Pepper is a elegant, user-friendly service that creates a direct market between local food producers and local consumers. Though the idea is simple, the potential for making change in our food systems is huge.
With the movement towards web based sourcing of products, imagine the potential that a central online shopping site for local food, from your own local community, could have.
Created on 02/4/2013 by nssripriya
ReSource Fund’s mission is to serve the low-income community members and micro-businesses of the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area with equitable financial services.
CentUp is an intentionally simple button that lives next to all kinds of web content. It lets people toss a few cents at blog posts, photos, videos, and songs they really love. The kicker? Half that money goes to charity.
O Projeto AmarGen propõe a utilização da expressão artística como ferramenta em processos de prevenção e de tratamento para dependência química.
Neste momento em que a sociedade vive uma verdadeira epidemia de dependência química e o alcoolismo é a doença que mais mata os pacientes com esta problemática, este projeto inovador oferece uma ótima alternativa para abordar a questão, com uma mudança de paradigmas na prevenção e no tratamento de saúde mental.
Ubuntu-Pesa is not an aid agency or a charity. It is a a global co-operative for commercial and social development ~ a more-than-profit company that with a triple bottom line of People, Planet and Profit. Its commercial venture is aligned with its mission in such a way that it makes money by achieving social good and, therefore, the more social good it achieves the more money it makes.
This project also has a Changeshop where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Changeshop: Inspired By Nature.
Created on 01/15/2013 by inspired
Our focus is on creating livelihoods and ensuring environmental sustainability. We aim to enable communities to expand their product line and develop new natural sustainable products. By utilizing invasive species or other waste materials, we can help them protect the environment.
read more ↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about yourself/your team.
I am a mechanical engineer who is passionate about having a positive social impact. I have worked on a couple development projects related to waste management and product development. My team consists of people with backgrounds in engineering (chemical and mechanical) as well as international development and economics.
What makes you an intrapreneur? What are the skills, capabilities, and personality traits that make you an intrapreneur?
I have collaborated with our local community partner to develop new products and advise on the product development process in order to increase income generation for the local people. We hope to replicate this process with other communities and organizations.
Company Country
United States, MA, Cambridge
Primary country where this project is creating social impact
Additional countries or regions
Industry
Consumer Products
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Idea (you're poised to launch)
The Need: What social or environmental problem are you trying to solve?
In remote communities across the world, people often do not have access to sustainable sources of income. By working with these communities to develop new natural products, we could help create jobs and provide an example to others that it is possible to use waste or other natural materials to create high quality eco-friendly products.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
We aim to work with sustainable communities to develop and sell locally sourced natural products to increase income generation and job creation for the local people. We would help communities with any part of the natural product development cycle from R&D of new products, to marketing and sales strategy, to actually getting their product to customers via the network we are building. Our customer would be organizations similar to our current community partner in that they are focused on sustainable living and are working with natural dyes. Based on experience with our current pilot project, we would be able to work with the organization through the entire process of developing the product to bringing it to market. By promoting their products and increasing demand, they will be able to employ more people to produce the volumes to meet the demand as well as train them to develop the new products.
The Solution: Why is this solution innovative for your company and industry?
We are connecting the market needs in developed countries to communities in developing countries by helping the communities better utilize their local resources to develop natural products.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities.
The current model is to work closely with the community on developing the new product based on previous experience and knowledge of the market. We would be able to help them increase competitiveness and profitability through product expansion strategy and understand international quality standards, research and develop new products, with capacity building and training for the new processes, market and sales strategy, and connect them to distribution channels.
For our pilot project, we have been working to develop natural dye crayons with a community in Northern India. We used one of the byproducts of another process they have and utilized local materials to develop the current product. We are in the midst of pilot sales for this product. Having worked on this from scratch, it seems like a process that could ultimately be adapted to other communities around the world.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Other companies focus on developing agrarian or other technologies and trying to mass produce and distribute them to rural communities. Our focus is on developing new products to create livelihoods and also ensure environmental sustainability. Working on sustainable product development will greatly benefit the communities we are working with in terms of providing jobs but it will also benefit everyone else because these communities would be able to show that it is possible to use waste or other natural materials to create high quality products.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
After spending over two and a half months in India working with the people in the community to develop the natural dye crayons, we spoke to potential customers to get some feedback on the product and found that they were interested in not only giving us feedback but also in purchasing sets. We have been working on getting the crayons into stores and also see potential for other natural art products which are non-toxic.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
The crayons are currently being sold in India but we are still working out the logistics of selling in the US. The profit will enable the community to hire more people to produce the crayons.
What is your projected impact over the next 1 to 3 years?
Over the next 1-3 years we hope to expand to working not only on developing other natural art products but also on working with other communities around the world.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
We are currently looking into getting certification for the crayons and one of the challenges is dealing with the logistics of selling in the US. We are looking for another teammate who may have that experience.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat is the benefit or value you're creating for your business?
We are helping the community increase income generation while still being environmentally friendly by using waste materials to create natural products.
How are you leveraging internal resources (funds, time, knowledge, etc.) to support this initiative?
We are currently working as part of the MIT IDEAS Global Challenge to develop the pilot project and launch the crayons in the US.
Expand on your answer, explaining the long-term funding and support plan.
In the long term, we hope to make a profit by selling the products that we helped develop and also from consulting with the community organization.
Tell us about your partnerships across your company and externally that are key to your project's success.
We are partnering with a network of farmers and artisans in Northern India to produce the crayons and hope to work with them on future products as well. We are also working with mentors from MIT to develop the project.
What internal support have you gotten for your project? What kind of push-back have you received?
We have gotten valuable advice from our mentors on key things to think about moving forward.
Singapore Singapore
1° 16' 48.342" N, 103° 51' 3.4164" E
Under the vision of Rex Widmer, GE kicked off the Rural Health Initative in 2009, with seed funding from GE's Healthymagination initiative to improve cost, quaity and accessibility of healthcare globally.
From very humble beginnings, but with a lot of passion and committment from Rex, the rural health initiative has now become an embedded strategy and committment by GE to invest towards technologies and solutions to tangibly improve outcomes in maternal and newborn health in the countries where the need is the greatest.
Bangalore India
12° 58' 17.7564" N, 77° 35' 40.4268" E
Leads a youth journey across South India to capture 10,000 every day dreams of young people, of which 100 will be shortlisted into scenarios and plans that are investment ready. A mentor group is in place to convert youth entrepreneurial ideas into sustainable ventures. DREAM:IN is also being prototyped as a model of bottom up development through the adoption of a district called Tumkur. It is an "insideout" process methodology and a system to change the basis of impact investing and value creation, from needs to dreams, from systems to self.
Bjerringbro Denmark
56° 22' 38.8164" N, 9° 39' 18.7596" E
Grundfos Lifelink (GLL) is a business unit in Grundfos, a global leader in pump solutions with operations in 56 countries. GLL offers an innovative solution to radically improve sustainability in rural & urban water projects by combining proven pump technology with an innovative payment system, renewable energy, remote monitoring & professional service.
Hakuna Matata Imports and Accessories has grown out of my love for Africa, and the learning's that have come from working in Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia. Hakuna Matata Imports and Accessories is a socially based business that supports small business development globally in Nairobi, Kenya, and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and locally in Victoria B.C., Canada. Hakuna Matata markets products through an educational medium to help others understand the needs of Africa, the importance of supporting small business development, and models of development that create partnerships as opposed to dependencies.
This project also has a Changeshop where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Changeshop: The Ant Fund.
Created on 12/26/2012 by Alex Blum
Combine a hedge fund, microfinancing, and Kiva. What you would have is a ton of money from a ton of people. If the billions who live in poverty put a single dollar in, you, obviously, would have billions of dollars. Microfinancing and peer-lending have turned out to have a great ROI. Furthermore, why have money sit in a bank making, if you consider inflation, negative interest on their money? Why not have the money return 4%, reliably, while helping the poor help themselves? Why can't the poor get richer? Now they can.
Organization: Reality Construction and Consulting
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Reality Construction and Consulting
Country where this project is creating social impact
n/a
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideThe Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
The rich get richer. The poor do not get richer. That is a problem.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
An investment fund that individuals can join for, literally, free, and make money.Why should the rich get richer? A penny is plenty!
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
I invest 1 cent into the Tiny Fund. It joins a fund of billions of dollars, prevents me from wasting money on something I don't need, and leads to receiving a loan for $500 bucks. I use that microloan to start my community's first restaurant. Now I have $10,000, my kids go to college. The world is better. And, now, 5 years later, my penny is worth $10 because The Tiny Fund is a publicly traded company and now recognized as the future of banking. It's the first publicly traded, public trading company.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Banks. They don't need to exist. They won't agree.
Combine a hedge fund, microfinancing, and Kiva. What you would have is a ton of money from a ton of people. If the billions who live in poverty put a single dollar in, you, obviously, would have billions of dollars. Microfinancing and peer-lending have turned out to have a great ROI. Furthermore, why have money sit in a bank making, if you consider inflation, negative interest on their money? Why not have the money return 4%, reliably, while helping the poor help themselves? Why can't the poor get richer? Now they can.
The aim would be for each group member (100) to sell upwards of 50 solar power products, which in itself would equate to 5000 families having access to solar energy in their homes.
The medium term goal is for this model to continue expanding through out community, with each of the 100 members training 5 others, so that 25,000 residents living without light, will have access to a clean and sustainable energy source.
Long term - all families would have access to products, and solar power products available to them.
DUMA, the Swahili word for cheetah, is a job-matching service designed for emerging markets. Our mission stands: To be the developing world’s job reference system, to deliver a superior system to word-of-mouth hiring, and to enrich and empower a global workforce.
This project also has a Changeshop where you can read more about its latest progress.
Go to Changeshop: Developing Innovations.
Created on 12/4/2012 by snoovy
Developing Innovations is an online platform which presents and monitors relatively small-scale development projects, to build communities of supporters for these projects.
Developing Innovations was brought forth with the aims of exploring the potential of an online platform for bigger development projects.
read more ↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about yourself/your team.
I am a lover of innovation, but a humanitarian at heart. Our aim is to see that the less privilege get equal opportunities like every other individual born of a woman. How happy I am does not really matter to me, but how happy others can be because of me.
What makes you an intrapreneur? What are the skills, capabilities, and personality traits that make you an intrapreneur?
I am always in the quest of sufficient invaluable soft skills that could help ameliorate my interpersonal, communicative and teamwork skills which happens to trigger the success of a business. I do not believe in sufficient knowledge for as long as innovation exist, enough is like a comma, which means, slow down, but keep moving. I do not totally rely on my self understanding, but I keep in touch with other people in the business world and every idea is welcomed.
Primary country where this project is creating social impact
Additional countries or regions
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read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Start-Up (a pilot that has just begun operating)
The Need: What social or environmental problem are you trying to solve?
Youth unemployment happens to be my main area of focus. In every country around the world today, the issue of youth unemployment is very much addressed, but unfortunately, its more in a theoretical sense rather than the practical sense. Politicians make this their top priority so as to get into power, but yet accomplish nothing while in power. The world can only be a better place if youths are given the chance to express themselves in a professional way, for they constitute basically the work force of every country globally.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
The main solution will be to acquire sufficient skills so as to better manage the project and its finances for a professional knowledge and communication skills, I believe is key to a successful business, and lets not forget that in so many cases where the money is available but without no sense of direction, communication skills, planning and technical know-how, the money could be wasted.
To acquire sufficient and adequate invaluable soft skills so as to ameliorate my interpersonal, communicative and team work skills which will facilitate the setting up of more and more projects for the good of all.
The Solution: Why is this solution innovative for your company and industry?
For every business to be very successful, a professional communication must always exist between the staffs and board members. This can only happen when the subjects involved are very well trained and orientated. Another issue is that of finance which serves like a bullet in a gun. Without a solid financial background, no business whatsoever can be established. Money moves the train while the knowledge serves as the pilot.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities.
Ever since this project was established from our little professional skills, at least three bigger projects have participated in the pilot and have been presented on an existing online platform(Facebook) and have been monitored real time online. Online communities have been founded around these three projects that are made up by people/organisations/companies directly supporting or funding the projects and by people/organisations/companies that are directly being supported by the projects. The project data of these online projects is tagged and searchable so it can be used for learning by others. Also, a final lessons learnt document is developed, describing the challenges encountered by the organisations that have piloted their projects on the online platform, describing the requirements of an online platform that can deliver on the goals listed above, and recommending ways forwards.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
This project however has enabled us to learn how to better create employment opportunities that can better the lives, and businesses of others, most especially the youths which happens to be our main group of focus. From our example, we make people understand that it's not the obligation for the government to grant employment for all, but it's every individual's responsibility to create employment opportunities that could be of benefit to others. I am very much available and willing to lend a helping hand whenever need be.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
When I noticed back in my home country that so many young people like myself had so many ideas but with no medium to expose them, I then decided to put in place a medium of exchange of ideas. Its over a year and a half ever since my idea came to life, back then in Cameroon. For me, its not the responsibility of the government to create job opportunities for all, but its the responsibility of all to create opportunities that can be of help to others. Just like the late American president John F Kennedy said; "Ask not what your government has done for you, but rather ask what you have done for your government". I think positively and so I act positively
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Many projects have been monitored and sponsored. This led to the creation of bigger projects which are now sponsoring other projects online.
What is your projected impact over the next 1 to 3 years?
More and more projects will be created and this will result to lower unemployment rates, for those involved shall have the opportunity to demand for support from others thereby giving them the opportunity to work, and that is employment in a technical sense
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat is the benefit or value you're creating for your business?
Creation of a medium of innovative idea exchange, whereby, little ideas are brought to light.
How are you leveraging internal resources (funds, time, knowledge, etc.) to support this initiative?
Currently, we lack sufficient funds and this has really slowed down the growth of the project. We are currently in touch with so many organizations seeking for their sponsorship.
Expand on your answer, explaining the long-term funding and support plan.
Forex. I am currently undertaking intensive Forex lessons for we intend to use the foreign exchange market as our main means of finance. The profits shall be invested in a fixed saving account with withdrawal only done yearly.
Tell us about your partnerships across your company and externally that are key to your project's success.
Currently, we do not have many partners, for those participating in the project online only do so for their personal interest, but that not withstanding, we are happy that we are able to create an opportunity worth trusting.
What internal support have you gotten for your project? What kind of push-back have you received?
More and more volunteers assist with social media marketing, and we are glad with that even though it hasn't yielded any fruits yet.
Developing Innovations is an online platform which presents and monitors relatively small-scale development projects, to build communities of supporters for these projects.
ArchaeoLink is uniquely positioned to offer services not only as a social entrepreneur but also as an enable of social entrepreneurship.
This will be achieved :
by building connections between archaeological teams and their host communities: fostering local involvement in archaeology, emphasising connections between indigenous peoples and their past;
by developing resources inherent in the archaeological site and its surrounds to provide the basis for ongoing benefits to the community through education and enterprise.
Abom sub-location's socio-economic analysis shows that, capital assets available to support livelihoods are weak and vulnerable.
Human capital reflects, low educational levels, high dropout in primary & secondary school especially girls, contributing to the low level of skills available in households. Human capital exploitation is, affected by limited access to basic services/facilities. The low provision of water and social infrastructure etc, depicts weak physical capital asset .
Maternal mortality is very high in India owing to several preventable & treatable conditions like hemorrhage, sepsis, hypertensive disorders, obstructed labor & unsafe abortions. Regular antenatal care(ANC), effective & timely referral and safe delivery can help reduce it to a considerable extent. Currently ANC is delivered in India via ASHA workers but this model suffers from issues due to low-salary, minimal resource and not being self-sustainable. Hence in India ANC coverage is still abysmally low(19.6%) more so in villages (14.7%).
Adonya offers handcrafted artisan jewelry and accessories which embody a cultural commitment to social and environmental justice for the global community.
Created on 11/12/2012 by Seiji Fujita
Community Bank – microcredit improving lives
Bank of Brazil– the largest supporter of microcredit in Brazil
Community Bank and Bank of Brazil – uniting micro with macro for the good of Brazil.
Community microcredit – developing underprivileged communities through local empowerment.
read more ↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about yourself/your team.
I am Brazilian. I was born in Guarulhos, São Paulo and am 37 years old. I have a 14 year-old son, Henrique. I have been living in Criciúma, Santa Catarina (in the south of Brazil) for 17 years.
I studied law at UNESC. I have two MBAs: Business Management and Management of Sustainable Regional Development (hereby known as DRS).
I have worked at the Bank of Brazil since March 2000. I have three basic functions at my job: clerk (I attend to customers and aid those using our automated systems); DRS operator (I am responsible for supervising the Centenário agency’s DRS plan); and MPO agent (production-oriented microcredit).
I have been creative ever since childhood. I am peaceful, and even though I look serious, I’m good-natured. I used to be very shy, but not anymore. I like good conversations, politics, films, dating, getting to know interesting people, writing, and interacting.
What makes you an intrapreneur? What are the skills, capabilities, and personality traits that make you an intrapreneur?
I get bothered by the lack of change, and by the lack of opportunities for all.
I am quite creative and I like to help people, understand their problems, and offer suggestions. I like to collaborate, create, and co-create, to add and multiply ideas and projects.
I write well and am good at public speaking. I pay special attention to news, and also to history, the origins of facts. I am a quick thinker with a strategic and holistic vision, and I use logic and common good as my guides. I have diverse tastes and interests.
I am a discoverer of opportunities. I am persistent and dedicated to what I believe in. I am confident, proactive, and enterprising.
I believe that everyone is born with a talent, and that discovering what our talents are makes up an integral part of who we are.
Primary country where this project is creating social impact
Additional countries or regions
Industry
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Idea (you're poised to launch)
The Need: What social or environmental problem are you trying to solve?
Brazil has become the sixth-biggest economy in the world, but this doesn’t necessarily translate into wealth for the majority of the population, resulting in one of the worst distributions of income in the world.
In a report by the IMF, Brazil is shown to have a GNP per capita of US$12,789 per year, which, when converted using the current rate, would be around R$ 25,500 per year. Seeing as Brazil has the fifth largest population in the world, this per capita income is not the reality of the majority of Brazilians, who live on less than two minimum wages per month (R$1,244) per family—not per person.
More than 80% of the Brazilian population live in an urban center.
Looking at this data, we face the problems of poverty, lack of credit, and dearth of opportunity in Brazilian cities.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
The solution exists and can be implemented in any city where Bank of Brazil has an office. The Bank of Brazil and the Bank of Brazil Foundation have the necessary knowledge and the experience to implement the social technology for community banks in all of Brazil. There are already several successful examples that have been supported by the Bank of Brazil: Palmas Bank, Paju Bank, and Muiraquitã Bank.
This solution addresses the problems mentioned earlier, of poverty and lack of credit and opportunities, providing microcredit and social mobility, fostering the local solidarity economy, and empowering the community and the development of local talent. The creation of social currency gives value to the community bank, which, in turn, gives value to the community and its inhabitants, creating a sense of belonging and collaboration. The community bank provides real opportunities for economic, social, environmental, and cultural development to the underprivileged community.
The Solution: Why is this solution innovative for your company and industry?
It is innovative because no commercial bank, public or private, has ever heavily invested in community banks on a national level.
Imagine uniting the experience of financial professionals with talents spread throughout Brazil to create a value chain that begins in the most underserved communities. The positive internal and external repercussions will be significant, and the economic and social results would be greater still, facilitating the development of Brazil.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities.
Example: Muiraquitã Bank
Muiraqutã Bank was born out of a Community Project that combines digital culture, metarecycling, recycling of solid waste, and solidarity economy. It is transforming the reality of those who live in the greater Santarenzinho e Maracanã area (city of Santarém, Pará, in the north of Brazil) for the better. With a social currency that can be acquired through the collection of certain types of solid waste, youths from these peripheral neighborhoods are able to have access to goods and services, from workshops to metarecycled computers.
The social currency of Muiraquitã is a social technology that was developed by the Puraqué Collective in order to enable the operation of the Muiraquitã Bank.
The Muiraquitã Solidarity Consortium exists in order to popularize the use of portable computers among the poorest of the population of Santarém. Supported by the Muiraquitã Social Currency, the Consortium pays R$50, or 50 muiraquitãs, per month, and the balance is paid in goods after 20 months. Moreover, a laptop is raffled off every month.
Main activities:
- Digital inclusion
- Education about the environment and selective waste collection (reduction of trash in the streets)
- Encouragement of local culture (dance, music, theater, handicrafts)
- The Muiraquitã Social Currency
- Microcredit for consumption and production (development of local economy through the consumption of goods produced by the community)
- The Muiraquitã Consortium (acquisition of laptops for underserved communities)
- Promoting the creation of businesses by youths from the community (creation of opportunities)
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Peers/Competitors
Palmas Bank, credit cooperatives, public and private commercial banks.
What makes a community bank different:
- Participatory management and service - local, personalized, and oriented, where whoever works there is a trained resident of the neighborhood. The residents/clients participate in the decisions of the bank.
- Restrictions – restrictive registrations (such as SERASA, SPC, CCF) will not be used
- Trust and agility – all of the operations are fast, since they are smaller and closer, everyone knows each other, everyone is a resident of the neighborhood.
- Generation of Income – the social currency generates jobs and income in the community.
Challenges from competitors: possible lobbying against community microcredit.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
I have been working at Bank of Brazil for 12 years.
When I was doing my MBA in Management of Sustainable Regional Development, I learned about the story of Muhammad Yunus and the Banking for the Poor (Grameen Bank), and I was impressed with the simplicity of the process and with its results.
I researched the experience of the Palmas Bank and watched an inspiring video of João Joaquim de Melo Neto, the coordinator of the Palmas Bank.
I looked for more information, I read the book A World Without Poverty, and I participated in a workshop in São Paulo, which was run by the Grameen Creative Lab.
Through the DRS Plan in the agency where I work I became familiar with the waste pickers of the ACRICA (the Criciúma Association of Waste Pickers), their reality, their problems, and their goals. From this moment on I have battled for the inclusion of the creation of a community bank in my agency’s DRS Plan. It was difficult to get approval from the higher authorities, but we succeeded.
We are in the beginning phases of implementing the Plan of Action. My goal is to see this dream achieved.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
With the implementation of the Community Bank, which sparked and strengthened several initiatives having to do with digital culture and citizenship, we achieved a significant decrease in the amount of garbage in the streets, with the awareness generated by discussions about recycling, metarecycling, and the environment. Around 10 tons of garbage have already been recycled.
With the exchange of currency for solid waste, the population not only takes care of its neighborhood by keeping it clean, but also benefits from the commercialization of Muiraquitã.
Through the circulation of currency, several activities related to digital culture have been made possible. There have been five lectures about selective waste collection in the neighborhoods where Muiraquitã is used, and ten “free knowledge” meetings that promoted workshops, debates, and roundtables about free software, hacking ethics, and innovative business in several cities in the Amazon. In the basic computing, digital inclusion, and metarecycling courses, more than 1,200 people participated.
What is your projected impact over the next 1 to 3 years?
In light of Muiraquitã Bank’s current impact, we project the following impacts over the next three years:
- Progressive decrease of waste in the streets
- Increase in community residents’ environmental consciousness
- Increase in digital inclusion
- Decrease in social inequality and poverty, with an increase in income
- Development of local culture
- Development of local production and consumption
- Sustainable social, environmental, and cultural development
- Empowerment of the community
- Development of new talents and creation of opportunities
All of these positive impacts can be replicated in underserved communities in every city in Brazil.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
1. Lack of internal support.
Instilling an awareness of the economic and social benefits of the implementation of community banks is difficult and slow work, and it demands time, energy, and strategy. The board of the bank can be convinced of these benefits through direct contacts and by presenting studies and results.
Demonstrating the bank’s economic viability and environmental sustainability; being socially fair and culturally diverse.
2. Unfamiliarity of the community in question with the project.
The community chosen should be familiar with the project and should actively participate in its creation, organization, and management.
Lectures, seminars, debates, and training sessions with community leaders will be held, and will be open to the entire community.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideWhat is the benefit or value you're creating for your business?
The community bank has a real chance to decrease poverty in underserved communities in the cities of Brazil, investing in local consumption and production, collaborating with the development of young people, and supporting new businesses.
Bank of Brazil could be the driving force behind the community banks, facilitating social economic development in every city in Brazil.
Millions of Brazilians could benefit, generating wealth for everyone and creating a synergy that would have micro- and macroeconomic implications.
How are you leveraging internal resources (funds, time, knowledge, etc.) to support this initiative?
According to the DRS strategy, every agency of the Bank of Brazil is to work with partners in a value chain in the cities in which they are located. It is possible to involve the managers and the DRS operator of every agency, supported by state-level DRS management and by the national DRS board in Brasilia, in order to focus on the community bank’s value chain. By using the experience and knowledge of the Social technology Bank of the Bank of Brazil Foundation and the DRS strategy, we will have the necessary tools to implement community banks. I was able to get the inclusion in my agency’s DRS plan of a study of the viability of creating a community bank in the community where we carry out the DRS of the Centenário agency.
Expand on your answer, explaining the long-term funding and support plan.
Each agency will be responsible for the implementation of a community bank, according to the DRS methodology:
Stage: Awareness and capacity building
Stage: Choice of community to be served
Stage: Training of the management team
Stage: DRS Diagnosis
Stage: DRS Business Plan
Stage: Analysis and Opinions
Stage: Implementation of the DRS PN
Stage: Monitoring the DRS PN
Tell us about your partnerships across your company and externally that are key to your project's success.
Palmas Bank and Palmas Institute
BNDES
Bank of Brazil
What internal support have you gotten for your project? What kind of push-back have you received?
Our experience in Haiti in humanitarian development projects, previous experience in other organizations, allied to discussions and reflections held with people who share the same interests, generated a workable idea and helped mature the underlying judgment.
Zetu alleviates poverty and social problems by providing families living at the base of economic pyramid with sustainable and dignified means to earn a living by giving them profitable business models that also address social problems in their community thus empowering the poor to be the change agents in their own lives and communities.
Zetu uses a new innovative poverty alleviation tool called micro-franchising.
Our focus is on creating livelihoods and also ensuring environmental sustainability. We provide a variety of services to enable communities to expand their product line and develop new natural sustainable products. If we are able to utilize invasive species or other waste materials such as byproducts of a process the community currently has, we can also help them protect the environment. By creating a new product and standardizing the production process, we can work with the community to create jobs and increase income generation.
www.ohiosingleparentclassifieds.com was created to join single parents across the state of Ohio. Every single parent, regardless of race or financial status, is welcome to utilize the website. Single parents are able to advertise services wanted or are able to post an ad for services needed. www.ohiosingleparentclassifieds.com even offers single parents an opportunity to be a mentor or post an ad for a mentor. The website also offers single parents an opportunity to advertise single parent support groups as well as search for roommates or housing.
Atlanta United States
33° 44' 56.382" N, 84° 23' 16.7352" W
Accenture partners with American Indians and Aboriginal Canadians to provide low cost, high quality, onshore technology services to North American businesses. Randy Willis, an Accenture Executive and a Native American partnered with Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon to create Cayuse Technologies and with the Tsawwassen First Nation in British Columbia to create INDIGENA Solutions. Cayuse and INDIGENA work with Accenture to provide companies with services including software development, call center,and help desk.
FundWeaver is an online platform weaving communities, people and organizations together to collaboratively finance Inuit, Metis and First Nations project ideas.
Created on 10/3/2012 by Oscar Botello
Rêv is a company of global payment solutions with a innovative and easy way to use prepaid and mobile phone payment’s systems
Organization: Rev Mexico
Visit websitemore ↓↑ hide↑ hideOrganization Country
Mexico, DIF, Ciudad de Mexico
Country where this project is creating social impact
Mexico, OAX, Santiago Nuyoo
Is your organization a
For‐profit
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
- Clinton Global Initiative Partner
- Most innovative company in finance, Fast Company March 2011.
- Creator and lead partner, The Empowement Lab at Harvard University.
-Best in Class Prodcuts 2011, Paybefore.
- America's most promising social entreprenuer, Businesweek 2010.
- Co-chair, World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Financial Empowerment, World Economic Forum
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Scaling (the next step will be growing impact on a regional or even global scale)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for less than a year
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your innovation addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Cost, Quality, Equity.
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
The main goal of MIFON is to end the lack of access to financial services for people living in rural areas in Mexico suffer. The pilot program is operating in Santiago Nuyooo, Oxaca and surroundings. This project has potential to operate in 30,000 similar communities only in Mexico and later be replicated at a global level.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Achieve financial inclusion to Santiago Nuyoo’s inhabitants and surroundings communities, through access to basic financial services. With a deposit account connected to a mobile phone, they can make transactions without using cash or travelling to other communities. The available operations include: money transfer, balance inquiry and services payment through a simple mobile phone text message.
Different from other applications, our project is based on a global access approach, a bank account for the whole population.
This solution has different components: Telecom with Huawei made the infrastructure investment. Banorte cooperates with the banking and financial system. REV was responsible to join these social actors and to provide the technology and knowledge needed to achieve the result.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
Before Mi Fon, people living in Santiago Nuyoo that needed to travel to Tlaxiaco, the closest community, have to wait long hours to get a shared taxi. Since Mi Fon, they can pay this service in advance through a mobile phone and make a reservation for the transport.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
The primary competitor is the frequent use of cash nowadays. Different to other market’s actors, Mi Fon is a simple proposal that doesn’t need a Smartphone to install a data application. Mi Fon understands the needs and specific characteristics of Mexican population, looking for an appropriate solution.
The main challenge for Mi Fon is attracting beneficiaries, because it needs a paradigm change regarding money use and its related benefits.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
There are currently many programs around the world, offering services based on mobile phones, looking to promote financial inclusion. Our experience tells us that these programs have to reach a critical mass and eventually open a bank account to succeed. Our innovation is to develop and manage alliances to reduce the spread, education and customer services’ costs. This way is the only one that allows to launch a product with costs affordable to excluded populations.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
Mi Fon’s primary goal is to achieve financial inclusion to the non-banking sector, through a tool that allows them to operate from a mobile phone.
Which barrier(s) to financial inclusion does your solution seek to address? (select all applicable)
Physical and other accessibility obstacles that prevent communities from reaching financial services, The lack of affordable financial products tailored to the needs of underserved and excluded communities,, Powerful incentives for financial service providers to move up-market.
If you selected 'other' above, please specify which other barriers to financial inclusion you solution seeks to address:
For which underserved or excluded communities will your solution create access to valuable, affordable, secure and comprehensive financial services?
Santiago Nuyoo, Oxaba on a first stage and similar communities of others states on consecutive stages. This project has the potential to operate everywhere in Mexico, impacting 30,000 communities.
Could your solution work in other geographies or regions? If so, where?
Yes, Mi Fon is designed to operate across Mexico and the rest of the world. Today it is on its development stage for national application.
If your solution is dramatically successful, how will things be different in 10 years?
Achieve access to financial and micro-financial services for excluded population. Become the change agent (M-PESA Latinoamerica) of financial inclusion, in Mexico and the rest of the world.
To a national level, we impact 30 millions Mexican people giving them access to financial services for the first time. In Latin America, we impact 100 millions more.
With alliances, Rev Worldwide has already impacted 12 more countries, such as Kosovo, Rumania, Vietnam and India.
What will have had to have changed to make this happen?
Beneficiaries should change their current paradigm in terms of money use and its related benefits.
Hence, we need:
1) Expand distribution points.
2) Continue working with allies, including retailers, municipal and federal governmental institutions, which will allow us to operate better with payment systems.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
100% of adult population of Santiago NUyoo has Mi Fon’s financial services.
40% reduction of cash in the community.
Those numbers were reached in less than 180 days, after launching the program to the market.
We promoted new markets development and changed some business. One example: a roast chicken business seller has to travel several to different cities to receive his client payments. Now, he receives orders and payments via mobile phone and has more time to deliver his products in a more efficient way. He changed his business’ name to “Pollo-Movil”. Mi Fon not only gave him technologic access and banking services, but also allowed him to grow as a entrepreneur and become a change agent.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
Replicate successfully Mi Fon’s program in at least 30,000 Mexican rural communities and then in five more countries in Latin America and Asia.
Continue working with partners such as Banorte, Telecom, Huawei and Mastercard, among others.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
1. Reach a critical mass of sales points,
Through stores and government partners.
2. Changes in banking regulations.
Continuing the dialogue with authorities, CNBV and Banco de Mexico.
3. Education and spread’s cost
Alliances with banks, Mastercard, CGAO and other institutions.
4. Monopolist activities of mobile phones’ providers.
Operate under an open system, available for everyone.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
In every community where it operates, have 60% of adult population using Mi Fon services.
Task 2
Implementación de mejoras y actualizaciones a la solución a través de incorporar nuevos servicios
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Task 1
Difusión y capacitación en medios masivos.
Task 2
Expansión de las zonas de implementación de la solución a nivel nacional.
Task 3
Incorporación de elementos complementarios tales como aceptación de pagos electronicos en comercios de las comunidades.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
Mi Fon’s Project has very important partners to it development such as: Telecom, responsible for Santiago Nuyoo’s communications through its allied Huawei, which provides the satellite required, the data base of the beneficiaries, the product’s distribution and encourages the use of Mi Fon. Other important partners are Banorte with it managing support and finally Mastercard, promoting financial inclusion of developing countries.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your innovation? If so, where and why?
In short-term, we plan to replicate it in three communities close to Santiago Nuyoo, using the same system of the firs stage.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
Rêv has a platform with capacity to operate financial programs and services, in both integral and modular way. This provides high flexibility and added value for its partners and its users. The Rêv’s platform also accelerates the application of programs and projects into the market, reducing development’s costs.
The Rêv’s technological platform has the advantage of being designed to fulfill all the operative and regulatory requests of Mexican financial system.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
Miracle Farm Fresh is a start-up business in progress, located in Malawi. Miracle Farm Fresh wants to close the gap that have existed due to misconception of this type of business by many Malawians.
Created on 10/1/2012 by planetfinancebrasil
A PlaNet Finance é uma organização sem fins lucrativos, cuja finalidade é aliviar a pobreza contribuindo ao desenvolvimento do setor de microfinanças.
Organization: PlaNet Finance Brasil
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http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/PlaNet-Finance-Brasil/134668926597284
Organization Country
Brazil, RJ, Rio de Janeiro
Country where this project is creating social impact
Brazil, RJ, Rio de Janeiro
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Idea (you're poised to launch)
How long have you been in operation?
Still in idea phase, but looking to launch soon
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your innovation addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Transparency, Equity.
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
Micro entrepreneurs have a great growth potential and play a central role in job creation, investment and innovation in Brazil. Therefore, they face numerous barriers to develop. With 10 years of experience, PlaNet Finance Brazil has identified three specific recurrent necessities and difficulties faced by these micro entrepreneurs. First, they do not have the capacity to calculate with precision their sales prices, which creates a permanent deficit situation. Secondly, they have difficulties in monitoring their cash flows. Consequently, they are unable to determine their sales goals, or the income from their sales.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
The solution is to develop a business management software that is easy to use and is available on the cellular phones of these micro entrepreneurs. This tool will have the following characteristics: an ergonomic platform, adapted to different levels of literacy; an educational installation system to encourage users, easily usable everywhere, regardless of Internet access. This software will allow micro entrepreneurs to register their expenditure and revenue, separate business from family budgets, calculate the sales price, determine the cash flow. It will provide sales reports, cash flow and customized sales goals. The project includes the creation of an innovative training methodology adapted for cell phone content, as well as data banks for online courses on financial education.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
Whereas most members of productive groups do not have a bank account, they all have mobile phones, and sometimes even, a computer. The main restriction these informal micro entrepreneurs face regarding access to financial services is the lack of registered information as proof of revenue. This new instrument may easily be transformed into a tool of financial inclusion because accounting management by phone or computer would considerably facilitate the financial transparency. The goal of the project is to allow the micro entrepreneurs to manage their cash flow and their production, as well as make adequate financial decisions about sales prices and goals. It constitutes the first step towards enabling these micro entrepreneurs access to financial services and offer a strong potential for scalability, as that which can be done within any micro business and other productive groups, at the local, regional and national levels.
The proposed solution represents a complement for the financial education training that PlaNet Finance Brazil offers. The software will be tested with two groups of current beneficiaries of PlaNet Finance financial education courses before it is expanded to other productive groups.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Our peers and competitors for our solution are businesses and organizations who play a role in the IT sector and who want to reach people at the base of the pyramid, as a new target population. The value added by PlaNet Finance is the knowledge and direct contact with micro entrepreneurs to test the software before a general implementation at the regional and national level. PlaNet Finance is already working with various productive groups in Brazil, providing them with training in financial education and business management, and because of this, is aware of their needs and of the living standards of these communities excluded by the banking sector.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
The idea emerged during the training sessions in financial education and business management in some of the productive groups in Rio de Janeiro during the first trimester of 2012. The beneficiaries, especially the micro entrepreneurs of the artisanal sector, expressed a strong enthusiasm in these trainings and PlaNet Finance realized during the training that the beneficiaries were not well-equipped to be able to put their theoretical knowledge into practice in business management. The rate of mobile phone penetration is very high in Brazil, and PlaNet Finance thought it was a good channel to equip micro entrepreneurs with a business management tool, complementary to the financial education and business management training.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
Our goal is that the 800 people who compose the micro entrepreneur artisans network approve the application as a financial management tool. In addition, these artisans would be registered in the database of the banks with possibility of accessing its services, that their businesses grow and impact their local communities. The next step would be the expansion of this solution at national level, for the development of micro entrepreneurs and the elaboration by the banks of services adapted and accessible to this public.
Which barrier(s) to financial inclusion does your solution seek to address? (select all applicable)
Physical and other accessibility obstacles that prevent communities from reaching financial services.
If you selected 'other' above, please specify which other barriers to financial inclusion you solution seeks to address:
For which underserved or excluded communities will your solution create access to valuable, affordable, secure and comprehensive financial services?
The proposed solution aims the micro entrepreneurs of the Solidarity Economy Enterprises (SEE). Today, it is estimated there are 25 thousand SEE in Brazil (associations, cooperatives or informal self-managed production groups), that is, more than 1,5 million workers. Of these, 23% produce handicrafts and textiles, and constitute a significant alternative to unemployment. However, the solidarity economy sector, which we deal with, has numerous fragilities, such as: difficult in accessing financial services; difficulty in commercialization; lack of legal structure; low income generation; absence of production chain; lack of dissemination and incipient economic planning.
Could your solution work in other geographies or regions? If so, where?
The goal is to undertake and replicate the solution at the local, national and international levels after the pilot phase, which will last a year and will be necessary to test the solution with productive groups in the State of Rio de Janeiro (approximately 50 micro entrepreneurs), who have already received training in business management and financial education. Once the pilot phase has been concluded, the results of the test will be evaluated and adjustments will be made if considered necessary. In addition, studies will be conducted regarding the replication of the project in other communities and cities, especially in Rio de Janeiro, but also in the country, where there are concentrations of micro entrepreneurial communities. Furthermore, additional studies will be carried out for the replication of the solution in the 49 countries PlaNet Finance already undertakes projects.
If your solution is dramatically successful, how will things be different in 10 years?
The expected results in the next 10 years are:
• The beneficiaries have better management of their business: they have greater visibility of their revenue and expenditure, they have increased the revenue of their business and have started saving. The beneficiaries feel safer about their financial decisions and their business. It is hoped that the beneficiaries will leave the informal and artisanal management style of their businesses, and use the skills and tools they possess to become better included in the formal financial system.
• In addition, the solution may also evolve to a market, where micro entrepreneurs can exchange/ purchase the goods necessary for their activities, constituting a space for exchange. As a consequence, they would be more integrated in the market and will access greater business opportunities.
What will have had to have changed to make this happen?
The factors necessary for the consistent application of our solution are an elevated rate of mobile phone penetration, the constant use of cellular phones and the continuous growth of mobile operators in developing countries, where numerous micro entrepreneurs currently excluded from the formal banking sector can be found.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
The expected impact for the next 1-5 years is to reach 1000 micro entrepreneurs in Brazil and offer them a suitable tool to monitor their business, manage their cash flow and production, as well as to make appropriate financial decisions regarding the price of sales and goals. PlaNet Finance, through this solution, aims to reduce poverty and the socioeconomic exclusion of micro entrepreneurs from needy communities in the State of Rio de Janeiro and other states in the country, as well as promote entrepreneurship to ensure sustainable socioeconomic development.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
The main risks identified are: an improper use of the tool, on the one hand, and on the other, tool features inadequate to the daily needs of the micro entrepreneurs. In order to overcome these risks, PlaNet Finance will provide detailed study phase of the needs in a sample of 200 micro entrepreneurs, a 6 month pilot phase with 50 users accompanied with a training on the use of the tool. Training meetings and monitoring will happen regularly with 50 users (weekly, monthly): installation of the software on beneficiary mobile phones, training on use of tool, solution of problems found, suggestions for improvement collected, etc.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
The goal is to define the main characteristics of the software based on a needs assessment of the target population.
Task 1
Needs assessment and capacity evaluation in financial education and in IT of the productive groups.
Task 2
The development of specifications for business management solution based on the findings of the needs assessment
Task 3
The development of a solution for business management and the adjustment of the methodology for training in management and finan
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
The impact goal is to test the software solution in the mobile phone of 50 micro entrepreneurs while monitoring its use.
Task 1
Installing the software in a test group of 50 micro entrepreneurs.
Task 2
Offer training for micro entrepreneurs on the functional needs of the software and its utilization.
Task 3
Evaluate the results of the test and analyze the replication of the project at a larger scale.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
Partnerships are the guarantee of a well-thought out, durable and comprehensive project. With this mobile phone app project, we have created connections between various sectors: the network of micro entrepreneurs with which we already work, a innovation and technology business which will develop the app, a private bank willing to enrich its database with data on customers it does not reach, and a public agency in charge of supporting the micro entrepreneur program. The dialogue between the public, private and civilian sectors about their needs and demands will enrich the consistency and impact
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your innovation? If so, where and why?
In Brazil there are 6,5 million formal micro enterprises and in study conducted by Anatel, the national telecommunication company, there are 116 mobile phones for every 100 people in the country. The replication potential of this project is enormous. It will be made effective by the presence of PlaNet Finance Brazil in various regions of the country (in the States of Rio de Janeiro, Para, Rondonia), by the company´s communications and IT partner and by the distribution through the public institution that supports PlaNet Finance Brazil.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
The PlaNet Finance Brazil is based on the principle of integration and participation of all parts involved throughout the project, to manage the advances and coordinate the activities. Three kinds of meetings are established:
- A meeting where the status of the project is discussed with the PlaNet Finance Brazil team: operation staff, the directors and the person at the PlaNet Finance headquarters in charge of the project´s quality control.
- A meeting with the field monitoring committee: PlaNet Finance Brazil, the representatives of the micro entrepreneurs and the IT business representatives.
- A meeting with the directive committee: PlaNet Finance Brazil, the bank representatives and those of the government institution that supports micro businesses, as well as the financier.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
The PlaNet Finance is an international solidarity organization whose mission is the fight against poverty through support to the microfinance sector. The team is composed of consultants with solid experience recognized both nationally and internationally in areas such as methodology development, training, mapping processes and portfolio auditing.
Created on 10/1/2012 by Victor Waller Sadalla
Visando sustentabilidade financeira, o primeiro banco júnior do mundo, o projeto BNI, faz gestão de redes de bancos inclusivos através de “cloud banking”
Organization: Banco de Negócios Inclusivos
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Banco de Negócios Inclusivos
Country where this project is creating social impact
Brazil, São Paulo, Carapicuíba, Curitiba, Barueri, Campinas
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
1‐5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
Não, este é o primeiro prêmio que concorremos
The information you provide here will be used to fill in any parts of your profile that have been left blank, such as interests, organization information, and website. No contact information will be made public. Please uncheck here if you do not want this to happen..
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your innovation addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Quality.
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
Inclusive businesses &social enterprises are drivers for sustainable development of the country. That said, these businesses still face numerous difficulties to get financing. This can be explained in part by the traditional credit market of commercial banks, which in addition to being expensive also impose legal restrictions that inclusive enterprises cannot satisfy. The microcredit market, in turn-is comprised of public &community banks, as well as Public Interest Organizations (OSCIPs. These microcredit OSCIPs are still largely subsidized by the government &apart from their small portfolios-lack adequate capillarity & do not provide financial assistance to their customers.
Thus-the IBB seeks to develop a management model that is self-sufficient-inclusive&Supportive of theseEnterprises
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
The solution found was the creation of a cloud management model through cloud banking. Two interlinked networks were created: junior banks, that operationalize the credit within universities, bringing academic management solutions to a practical dimension, providing financial assistance to clients while involving students. The second network is that of the community banks, located at the hearts of poor communities, which give the project greater capillarity, developing these localities through microcredit and social currency, while disempowering the formal credit community.
The management of these networks is done through the IBB OSCIP, integrating them through a free “social franchise” that distributes the technology and the infrastructure for training the inclusive banks, finds partners, performs more effective benchmarking and reduces costs.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
The IBB partners will access the network similarly to the way computers access an external memory through the Internet. In our case, a credit agent will operate the lines of credit, for example in a Junior Bank (currently there are only two banks in operation, the IBB-FGV and the IBB-UFPR), with the goal of managing the loans and advising the customers using a variety of instruments from a previously developed toolkit. Access to money by the cooperatives happens through this credit agent, with full autonomy for approval and use of credit, through an online platform, the website of the model. In other words, the entire management and control structure is located in an external center to the agent operator, reducing the costs and increasing the efficiency. In the same way, when interlinked networks are developed through this system of “solidary franchises”, the bank increases its capillarity, reaching a greater number of customers around Brazil and disseminating the sustainable and productive microcredit ideal.
The cloud model solution is more efficient because it helps to reduce costs: the community and junior banks that access our online platform and use our technology reduce their operation costs, as the IBB has fee exemptions at the bank where it has an account. Another cost reducing factor is that it is operated by students and volunteers, without a payroll that makes the credit more expensive. An additional advantage is the proximity with the university.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
Our competitors, in a certain way, are all microcredit operators. However, the market, in particular the market-oriented productive microcredit still has more demands that what is available. Having said that, our project does not have direct competitors for inclusive bank network management, and that is why this is a pioneer initiative.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
The IBB was born from a practical realization: a cooperative partner with the ITCP-FGV received a request from a large business, however the payment would only be made 90 days after the delivery. While on the one hand commercial banks present legal restrictions and high cost for loans, community banks and OSCIPs have very reduced portfolios for this kind of demand. As such, we chose to provide the loan by the incubator. The cooperative was able to deliver the request, and presented an increase in revenue of 280%. From this result a new line of market-oriented productive credit was created. In addition, the first junior bank in the world was created, focusing on efficient operation and social technology development. This kind of problem is endemic to the Brazilian system, and the experience easily multipliable nationwide, through the universities, while the technology could be centralized in a platform that facilitated benchmarking and financial sustainability, as well as financial guid
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
The goal of the project is to create a double network: one of junior banks and one of community banks that cover the national territory, supplying the demand for market-oriented productive credit and generating income in network.
With the consolidation of this banking system, in addition to regional development and income generation, it is hoped that microfinance will be a central element of university extension, empowering the base of the social productive pyramid, until very recently excluded from the traditional financial sphere.
Which barrier(s) to financial inclusion does your solution seek to address? (select all applicable)
Physical and other accessibility obstacles that prevent communities from reaching financial services, The lack of affordable financial products tailored to the needs of underserved and excluded communities,, Powerful incentives for financial service providers to move up-market, Other (Please describe below).
If you selected 'other' above, please specify which other barriers to financial inclusion you solution seeks to address:
The gap between the technologies produced in universities and their application / Benchmarking between inclusive banks
For which underserved or excluded communities will your solution create access to valuable, affordable, secure and comprehensive financial services?
The IBB seeks to provide disadvantaged communities, such as favelas or remote communities, who have or demand community banks. The project also seeks to be in public universities in all regions of Brazil, thus increasing the approach with communities served by the model. Therefore, the project hopes to expand, and within 3 years, be in 15 public universities, and impacted 1200 inclusive businesses.
Could your solution work in other geographies or regions? If so, where?
The solution, in order to be efficient, should add a large number of communities and universities to the network, spreading across regions in the country. Similarly, the operationalization of market-oriented productive microcredit in universities is an easy application model in other countries in Latin America, especially considering the labor is carried out by students interested in income generation and the cost of operation is relatively low.
If your solution is dramatically successful, how will things be different in 10 years?
If the solution is very successful, we hope the IBB will become a credit cooperative, which will integrate and supply community banks around the country, capturing savings and managing inclusive banking accounts of NGOs and inclusive businesses, offering low interest rates and bureaucracy. In case of success, we hope the project will multiply through Latin American universities, forming an international network of junior banks.
What will have had to have changed to make this happen?
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
Within a one year and two month period we have provided services to over 30 cooperatives, created 3 partnerships with NGOs, lent R$56 thousand, set up two junior banks, expanded the portfolio of two community banks and helped set up a community bank.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
Over the next three years we have projected establishing 15 junior banks in Brazil, which translates to supporting 750 groups and the capacity to lend approximately R$1,125 million a year.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
The main risk our project faces, especially due to its reliance on the support and commitment of unpaid undergraduate youth for asset management and credit grant analysis, is the possibility of lack of commitment and criteria by our members. This may contribute to an increase in default rates beyond sustainability in certain franchises, culminating in the unfeasibility of these in the medium term and even for the network as a whole. We attempt to mitigate this risk by centralizing the credit operation and creating mechanisms that encourage continuous communication between the network and the franchises, in addition to planning on having trained and paid staff that guarantee the professional management of each franchise.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Increase the portfolio to R$300 thousand, consolidate the online platform and bring 5 junior banks and 5 community banks to the
Task 1
Create a governance and communication structure between the franchises.
Task 2
Create credit analysis instruments adapted to the reality o four customers.
Task 3
Guarantee the necessary funding for the expansion of the network.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Expand the portfolio to R$1 million, establish partnerships with 5 businesses and consolidate a network of 15 junior banks and 3
Task 1
Undertake fundraising plans.
Task 2
Keep the default rate below 2%
Task 3
Make the IBB known at the national level through partnerships with large businesses.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
Establishing partnerships is essential for both the operation and funding of the project: the business model is based on the capillarity achieved through partnerships with universities and the establishment of junior banks, with community banks and NGOs that strive for income generation in poor communities. In addition, the structuring and expansion of the portfolio has happened through the consolidation of partnerships with businesses and foundations interested in implementing their social corporate responsibility through our project.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your innovation? If so, where and why?
The IBB is in expansion to new universities and communities. Our goal is to develop a network of junior banks that encompasses all public universities in the country, reaching over 100 localities in all states. In the same way, we aim to establish partnerships and create community banks in the areas where there are junior banks.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
One of the main characteristics of the project is focus on autonomy, both of those involved as well as of the banks. The IBB does not have an internal hierarchy, by valuing democracy, the decision loci are the assemblies and department meetings, decisions are deliberated upon and consensuses are reached. This environment aims to stimulate innovation and transparent communication between all those involved.
In the same way, the network structure allows the junior and community banks to have autonomy to adjust their credit analyses, the forms of collection and the stipulation of fees charged in a way that better suits the communities and the social environment, being IBB´s responsibility to establish the operational parameters and stimulate positive results.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
Created on 10/1/2012 by Rurtecho
Solidarity Micro-finance Fond for women deprived of liberty
Organization: Asociación Mujeres en Acción (ama)
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Asociación Mujeres en Acción (ama)
Country where this project is creating social impact
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
Has the organization received awards or honors? Please tell us about them
- Diploma de Reconocimiento del Centro de Promoción de la Mujer “Micaela Bastidas”, por contribuir a la promoción de los derechos de la mujer y de las personas con discapacidad.
- Diploma de Honor del Club Soroptimista Internacional - Filial Trujillo, por contribuir a la promoción de la mujer y a la equidad de género en la Provincia de Trujillo.
- Reconocimiento de la Municipalidad Provincial de Trujillo, por la labor realizada en forma consecutiva a favor del bienestar de la población femenina y de otros grupos poblacionales de las diversas provincias del Departamento La Libertad, a través del establecimiento de relaciones sociales equitativas, mejoramiento de las condiciones de vida y fomento de la micro y pequeña empresa.
- Reconocimiento con Medalla de Oro y felicitación del Gobierno Regional La Libertad, por el aporte al desarrollo socio-económico de las mujeres de la Región La Libertad.
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read more↓↑ hide↑ hideSelect the stage that best applies to your solution
Growth (your pilot is up and running, and starting to expand)
How long have you been in operation?
Operating for 1‐5 years
Which of the following best describes the barrier(s) your innovation addresses? Choose up to two
Access, Equity.
The Need: What problem are you trying to solve?
The problem of basic needs satisfaction has always existed in jails. A way that women in prison have to deal with it is to generate incomes through productive work. This activity has a very important role in human development for their re-socialization.
However, to get employment for people in prison and better human conditions, requires institutions’ solidarity as AMAS’s, due to their limited access to working capital and being excluded from the financial system.
The Solution: What is your solution? Be specific!
Facilitate credit access to women deprived of their liberty, in order to promote and defend their human rights, particularly the right to work, which can dignify them and contribute to their re-socialization.
Develop productive activities will also allow them to pay their basic needs and give economic support to the families out of prison.
In addition, working promotion of women in prison shows their longing to progress, despite the adverse reality they live. Their longing for better living conditions and a real opportunity for the future out a prison shows that a productive activity can be done. It is also a good example for other prisoners.
The Model: Walk us through a specific example of how your solution makes a difference; include your primary activities
At the beginning of the program, Rocio B.G. who works as a knitter, has a working capital of S/. 140.00 (US$ 53.9), but she hasn’t earned enough to maintain her mother and children, her personal expenses and pay for her lawyer. That’s why she had to ask for loans with, some times, 30% of monthly interests. That alternative was the only one for other prisoners too.
Rocio was one of the first beneficiaries to a credit for S/. 300.00 (US$ 115.38). Then, she received three more credits for S/. 500.00 (US$ 192.31), S/. 1000.00 (US$ 384.62), and finally S/. 1500.00 (US$ 576.92). The loan she currently manages is for S/. 2000.00 (US$ 769.23). All of them were punctually paid, with low interests to cover minimum operating expenses.
Due to the high quality of her product, she expanded her market, even exporting some of them and asking for partners help to finish the orders.
The Marketplace: Who are your peers and competitors? Identify others also working to address the needs you are and what differentiates you from them. What challenges could these players pose to your success or growth?
As far as we know, there are no similar experiences in this country.
This Entry is about (Issues)
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideFounding Story: We want to hear about your "Aha!" moment. Share the story of where and when the founder(s) saw this solution's potential to change the world.
Before starting this initiative, AMA has offered educational programs, integrating activities and healthy recreation for women in Trujillo’s Penitentiary Institution. Through these activities, we were able to identify the productive potential some women had and also their needs and the barriers they met.
Looking for a solution to this problem, we created an alliance with the Direction and the Working Area of the Penitentiary and also with the Pastoral Department of Trujillo’s Archbishopric, in order to support the program operation.
Please describe the goal of your initiative; outline what you are trying to achieve
Encourage social inclusion through productive work of women in prison, who access to credits for developing their business and improving their quality of life.
Which barrier(s) to financial inclusion does your solution seek to address? (select all applicable)
Physical and other accessibility obstacles that prevent communities from reaching financial services, The lack of affordable financial products tailored to the needs of underserved and excluded communities,.
If you selected 'other' above, please specify which other barriers to financial inclusion you solution seeks to address:
For which underserved or excluded communities will your solution create access to valuable, affordable, secure and comprehensive financial services?
We know that work is necessary and dignifies people. This happens also in prison and it is even more significant for people in jail, because it gives them the opportunity to be prepared for a productively inclusion in society.
Designed by taking into account their financial needs, this initiative offers them affordable credits, along with training courses of personal development and corporate management.
Could your solution work in other geographies or regions? If so, where?
We consider that this experience can be successfully replicated, benefiting more women in other national and foreign prisons.
We expect to expand the program to men in other Penitentiary Centers Trujillo’s city, where there are also economic initiatives to generate income, but overcrowd and poor conditions make it more difficult to perform.
If your solution is dramatically successful, how will things be different in 10 years?
In ten years we expect to:
- Increase the opportunities to develop productive and/or corporate skills of the beneficiaries of this program and other institutional initiatives.
- Make people in prison think and use their time correctly, diminishing the risk of improper behaviors, bad for their social re-adaptation and re-inclusion.
- Encourage their business sustainability to guarantee their economic autonomy and family’s support, during their time in prison and after they recover their freedom.
- Promote “productive working culture” as prisoners’ daily practice creating strategic alliances with other institutions, raising awareness of their social marginalized situation.
What will have had to have changed to make this happen?
- More economic resources to increase the number of beneficiaries
- Strengthen the alliances with institutions supporting the program and include others, interested in prison population’s re-socialization.
- Develop technical-productive training and management programs, in order to improve the workforce, business development and sustained growth of current business.
- Promote human development of prisoners with programs that improve their self-esteem, social relationships, values and social coexistence rules.
- Society awareness rise by trading networks of prisoners’ products and services.
What has been the impact of your solution to date?
- 47 affordable credits given to people excluded from the financial system and society.
- 17 benefited women, managing small business despite adverse conditions.
- Due to dignified productive activities, we have strengthened prisoners’ self-esteem and confidence, helping them to preserve the activity they will be able to perform when they get out of prison.
- Better living conditions and social image of women in prisons, improving their family support and access to legal consulting.
What is your projected impact over the next five years?
- Expand the program to men penitentiary centers.
- Develop managing training and technical-productive programs.
- Achieve long-term sustainability and productivity of current business.
What barriers might hinder the success of your project? How do you plan to overcome them?
- Limited economic resources to assist men asking to be included in the program.
- Limited supplies needed for business. No appropriate places for operating. No access to technology that would improve production.
- Loss originated by market rules.
- Deterioration of beneficiaries’ mental and physical health, hindering their work and income generation.
Winning entries present a strong plan for how they will achieve and track growth. Identify your six-month milestone for growing your impact
Achieve 25% more given credits and 5 more new beneficiaries of the program.
Task 1
Visitar negocios de las beneficiarias para evaluar necesidades de financiamiento.
Task 2
Identificar clientes potenciales para acceder a los beneficios del programa.
Task 3
Realizar seguimiento del destino de los créditos otorgados.
Now think bigger! Identify your 12-month impact milestone
Achieve 50% more given credits and 10 more new beneficiaries of the program.
Task 1
Asesorar la gestión de los negocios para asegurar su crecimiento y sostenibilidad.
Task 2
Difundir las experiencias exitosas en toda la población penal y en la comunidad.
Task 3
Promover los beneficios de pago puntual para mantener vigencia en el acceso a créditos.
read more↓↑ hide↑ hideTell us about your partnerships
- Trujillo’s Penitentiary Institution for Women, institution under the authority of National Penitentiary Institution (INPE) and the Ministry of Justice. It is responsible for promoting the integral development of people in jail, in order to support their re-socialization and society inclusion.
- Pastoral Department of Trujillo’s Archbishopric, promoting solidarity to people in prison, productive work to income generation and spiritual strengthening to tolerate life in jail.
Are you currently targeting other specific populations, locations, or markets for your innovation? If so, where and why?
For more than 10 years, AMA is developing a micro-finance program for micro-entrepreneurs, focusing in women with commercial services activities in rural and sub urban areas. This program has seven agencies located in Trujillo, Huamachuco, Otuzco, Santiago de Chuco, Virú, Paiján and Pacasmayo, La Libertad- Perú and facilitates the access to formal credit of excluded women.
What type of operating environment and internal organizational factors make your innovation successful?
We have technical resources that allow us to operate and control the innovative pilot.
Please elaborate on any needs or offers you have mentioned above and/or suggest categories of support that aren't specified within the list
We need more investment to operate this Social Responsibility program, emphasizing people in prison. We also need to develop a marketing campaign to widespread the program’s benefits.
