Mountain Girl Comes Home With Climate Change Battle Plan

Ms.Tsechu Dolma, a native Tibetan, founded the Mountain Resiliency Project. The aim was to address the poverty and food insecurity prevalent in mountain communities. The community is facing the adverse impact of climate change. The negative impacts of climate change on Himalayan communities were to be mitigated by developing strategies for food, energy, and talent security.
The action plan was to involve schools, expand local ownership, and enhances adaptive capacity to minimize climate disaster. Existing schools and monasteries were identified to develop sustainably and food security. MRP propagate the idea of self-sufficiency in revenue while the energy need was met by biomass mostly. Schools and monasteries were encouraged in farming.
MRP takes up the path of a holistic approach and disrupts institutional negligence and levels the uneven development. MRP’s model strengthens mountain communities with innovating food, energy and talent security as a critical step in combating climate change resilience.
She is an environmental scientist and anthropologist. During one of her trips to Upper Mustang region of Nepal, Tsechu Dolma realized that villagers were affected by the effects of climate change on the area. Erratic precipitation depleted water resources, and food security issues were rampant. The things got further aggravated by the internal wars.
The young people were going to the capital Kathmandu or India in search of work due to the civil war and climatic vagaries. She was raised in Nepal, the daughter of Tibetan refugees and moved to the US, seeking political asylum. The community greenhouse was built in conjunction with local villagers and local organizations, using local materials. Its ability to withstand the harsh climate was a great success. The food sustainability was achieved with the involvement of local bodies. Apple orchard is the outcome in Nepal. Tsechu Dolma won 2014 Brower Youth Award.

Reference URL: http://www.echoinggreen.org/fellows/tsechu-dolma

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/refugee-daughter-returns-home-climate-change-battle-

Social Entrepreneur Solving India’s Potable Water Challenges

The Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award (SEOY) for 2011, a joint initiative with the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation and Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, went to Water Life India. Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship is a sister organization of the WEF (World Economic Forum).
Water Life ensures safe and clean drinking water for communities in areas with high water contamination. They are the heroes at grassroots creating change and making an impact. At least 65% of India’s rural population and 35% of those living in urban areas are not privileged to have potable water. Furthermore, there could be a shortage of potable water by the middle of this millennium. And globally, about a billion or more will not have sufficient water resources.
In India, rivers are drying up as per NASA images. In about 15 years there will be a 50% gap between demand and the availability of fresh water. The corporate social responsibility (CSR) is far below the required level.
Waterlife’s focus is on providing high-quality, safe water to underserved. The sustainability and affordability are two factors to be given prime importance. Waterlife is a concentration of safe and contaminant potable water while providing total solutions to the different sorts of contamination.
Waterlife is deploying latest green technology to make the water potable. Also, the availability will be ensured to the remote places.
This is done in association with the government, NGO, Panchayats, SHG, commercial institutions as well as International agencies. The quality will be compliant with UN regulations. Corporates would be encouraged to involve in this massive project keeping in mind that safe water is at the confluence of all human activities. Water contamination takes on the life of many in India.
The eco-friendly way of water treatment done by Waterlife is with clean technology, lesser wastage, disinfection without using chemicals and at the same, by avoiding carbon emissions. Waterlife realizes that lack of safe water can result in untold suffering, diseases, infant mortality, stunted growth and economic loss.

Reference URL: www.waterlifeindia.com/

Sibling Charity Puts We Before Me

Today, resourceful young people are putting their skills toward their passion. The brothers Craig and Marc Kielburger are young but are ready to put their skills toward their passion- uplifting the down trodden. They have cofounded the WE movement, which includes WE Charity, ME to WE Social Enterprise and WE Day. They want to be humanitarians, activist and social entrepreneur to inspire young people to take action and drive social change.
The We and We charity is a movement of people coming together to change the world. Along with this, WE Charity provides a holistic development model called WE Villages. WE villages have helped more than one million people from poverty line in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Back at home in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, WE Schools and WE Day in the US, Canada, and the UK provide comprehensive service learning programs to 10,000 schools, covering 2.4 million youngsters. ME to WE, a pioneering social enterprise distribute the profits for sustainability of the work. ‘Me to We work’ has been featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show, 60 Minutes and the BBC.
Craig Kielburger, the youngest ever graduate from the Kellogg-Schulich MBA program, has over a dozen honorary doctorates and degrees for his work in the fields of education and human rights. He says “If you give kids the inspiration and tools to change the world, it will change their own lives in the process.” He feels the feeling of projecting WE before ME is crucial in helping the down trodden.
ME to WE is an innovative social enterprise empowering people to change the world with their everyday consumer choices, and because of this, their lives are transformed.
As we are all connected, ‘ME to WE’ is working together to create sustainable change, and making a difference with everything you do. This movement creates leaders and agents of change through volunteer. The volunteers participate in health, education and economic development projects abroad. They offer consumer products that give back, besides water and sanitation projects, medical resources and alternative income programs.

Reference URL: https://www.metowe.com/about-us/

Connecting Those Who Protect Us With Cell Phones

The US soldier came back from Iraq 13 years back and was charged with $8000 from charges incurred when he called home while he was deployed. That inspired siblings Robert (12) and Brittany Bergquist (13) to start a non-profit organization called ‘Cell Phones for Soldiers.’ The organization provides active-duty troops with free calling cards and recycles cell phones. Besides this, they also provide one-time emergency grants for veterans. The siblings emptied their piggy banks and raised money with bake sales and car washes, wanting to help the soldier pay his bills. That was in April 2003.
The veterans even can pay rent or fund a car repair during their transition from military to normal life. Since 2004, they did distribute over 3 million prepaid international calling cards and have recycled over 11 million cell phones. That is roughly 300 million Minutes talk time. Over 3100 veterans and their families availed emergency funds.
Basically Cell phones for soldiers are a giveback – to those who dedicate their life for their country. The organization accepts donations (non-tax deductible), and cell phones of all make models and conditions. The recycling helps the environment green. The duo wants to honor the war heroes.
National Military Appreciation Month started in 1999. An easy way to give back to soldiers is to donate money or to recycle a cell phone, smartphone, tablet or MP3 player with the organization, even if the device is nonworking. Armed with the calling card purchased out of the donations, the phones would be distributed to the soldiers.
These morale-boosters to the Troops would enable them to talk to their dear ones from the war zones. One major said, “If they know the American people are supportive, my troops will walk through fire for them.” In 2012, the emergency grants to the veterans program were launched.
Recently, Plymouth 400 recognized Cell Phones For Soldiers Co-Founders Rob and Brittany Bergquist with its “One Small Candle” award.

Reference URL: https://www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com/

Dinis Guarda Cofounder Of Humaniq Financial Services to Help Social Entrepreneurs

The disparity of technology distribution was disturbing to Dinis Guarda, a person with financial background. Thus Humaniq, a blockchain banking application, to address the issue was born in 2016. Humaniq is an Ethereum-based blockchain banking app. The vision Humaniq has is to build the world to where the unbanked and underbanked around the world also have access to the banking and financial transactions. A whopping 2 billion people can be brought under the ambit of financial inclusion with Humaniq at its services.
Humaniq’s CEO, Dinis Guarda, is endeavoring to bring new mobile digital services and financial inclusion solutions to the billions of less privileged people in the banking access. Roughly the number of unbanked/underbanked globally is over 35 billion. Reducing poverty level by offering them financial inclusion, with a simple P2P platform app that includes blockchain foundation technology and biometric identity solutions, is proven to be feasible.
The privacy and security are assured by the biometric blockchain app which can be used in any simple smartphone. The application helps the customers in chats, wallets, payments, micro-loans, and peer to peer lending services. A digital work marketplace ecosystem, similar to Fiverr and Amazon Mechanical Turk, is also planned. Essentially, the Humaniq LITE app is part of a broader humanitarian capitalism venture. Humaniq has a digital currency known as HMQ. Such cryptocurrencies are becoming popular off late globally. Humaniq is looking at the economically marginalized community who do not have documentations or education.
He uses a smartphone, which is popular in Ghana, targeting the 18 to the 40-year-old low-income group. Presently, the app is limited to chat and make payments which shortly would be extended to earning, borrowing and receiving money. Humaniq also has plans to provide both jobs and services to the community.
Humaniq has built a local team that works with local organizations, merchants, and networks of entrepreneurs. Guarda is an entrepreneur and author with a strong background in international management, blockchain and financial inclusion, who has previously founded the successful ventures Ztudium, intelligenthq.com, and Tradingfloor.com.

Reference URL: http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/humaniq-blockchain-financial-platform-unbanked-appoints-ceo-20-members-global-advisory-2209518.htm

https://humaniq.co

Energy, Recycling and Sustainable Farming: Egypt Can be Your Destination as a Social Entrepreneur

 

It is as if the UK is devoid of ecological problems in the fields of energy, recycling, and sustainable farming. Their Embassy in Cairo is seeking social entrepreneurs for a ‘hackathon’ contest to find the best aspiring social entrepreneurs in Egypt.
Inspire Egypt calls for Egyptians from all walks of life to join the movement to change the situation for good- energy, recycling and sustainable farming.
The Hackathon competition is initialised by Flat6Labs which is a leading regional start up accelerator. They are also into seed investing meant for passionate entrepreneurs with cutting-edge ideas.
Besides seed funding, strategic mentorship, a creative workspace, entrepreneurship-focused business training, and direct support for its start-ups are offered in association with likeminded organizations.
Fulfilling its mission of creating more entrepreneurial hubs in vibrant ecosystems across the MENA region, Flat6Labs is currently operating in MENA (Cairo, Jeddah, Abu Dhabi, Beirut, and Tunis) with plans to spread its wings further.
Flat6Labs has invested in 54 Egyptian start-ups including Instabug, Taskty, Elwafeyat, Tagaddod and Nafham, all recognized by Forbes magazine for the past six years.
Solving problems in an innovative and business friendly way is the key to this Flat6Lab- UK embassy collaboration. It will focus on the recycling, energy, and sustainable farming.
Projecting Inspire Egypt, the theme Ambassador John Casson said, “The passion and drive of young Egyptian entrepreneurs is an incredible asset to Egypt, already contributing £25bn to the economy. And this sector has huge potential to grow.”
Hackathon is trying to find the most talented would-be social entrepreneurs in Egypt. Their ideas about tackling environmental problems in new and innovative ways are appreciated by all. By helping to them establish these ideas, successful businesses would grow. In turn, their growth would inspire, in creating new jobs, attracting investment, and helping Egypt flourish.
These entrepreneurs will shape the energy, recycling and sustainable farming industries of Egypt.

Reference URL: https://www.behackathon.com/

Jessica Norwood, 39, Founder Of the Runway Project

The 39-year-old created Emerging ChangeMakers Network, an organization to end economic inequality. She is also into strengthening social enterprise and social investing as a way to build communities. She comes with a background of being a political fundraiser and consultant in raising millions of dollars for various campaigns. Jessica is also involved with the Highlander Research and Education Centre and Du Bois Institute at Harvard University.
She witnessed the havoc created by Hurricane Katrina. Jessica could feel the necessity for Norwood financial resources and stability. The way in which calamities can affect people resulted in Emerging ChangeMakers Network. From 2007, it has found active leaders. She could get them connected to issues, ideas, people as well organizations that can make a significant impact in traditionally marginalized communities.
The Runway Project, her latest is an initiative to raise start-up money for black-owned businesses. The white Americans are better off in raising funds than the black women as the case with black women is nothing but pathetic.
Without the start-up seed fund, there will always be a lack of diversity in businesses. The Runway Project has one simple goal to remove the barrier from starting a business. The Runway Project was launched in 2016 with a goal of raising $300,000 for a pilot program in Oakland. It was oversubscribed at over $450,000 in just two days. Soon it spread its wings to Baltimore, Cincinnati, Charlotte, New Orleans, Detroit, and Washington, DC.
She is persistent, concerned and straight forward in her approach. She could get people of similar interests under one platform. The wealth gap is not that difficult to be bridged but making an organization set up is. She could propagate the idea internationally.
The one who saw hurricane to start her venture says “I am honored and humbled and deeply in love with each person who has given time, money, and insight. The Runway Project is the best place for black visionaries to get support.”

Reference URL: https://consciouscompanymedia.com/social-entrepreneurship/19-social-entrepreneurs-watch-2017-2/

Challenge of Impressing Investors – The Task Ahead For Social Entrepreneurs

Chivas Venture, the annual competition, was won by the social entrepreneur Peetachi (Neil) Dejkraisak (receiving $400,000). His outlook on the key to success as a social entrepreneur in bringing in investment is worth noting. First is that you should accept failures as a routine thing.
His start-up ‘Siam Organics’ in Thailand is designed to help the poor rice farmers in his country who earn pathetic returns. The environmental engineer learned that their earnings are as low as just 40 cents per day. That situation is affecting the economy of Thailand which has 70 million population.
‘Siam Organics’ aims to help solve farmers’ poverty in Thailand by assisting them with necessities -small seed production, reducing costs and getting organic certification. Siam is also supporting small farmer cooperatives in the country with everything from production and export. The supply chain management from seed to final product introduced by ‘Siam Organics’ was lacking in Thailand till now. He got involved with the farmers at a personal level, and that rapport paid rich dividends.
Chivas Venture is an annual social entrepreneur pitch competition launched by Chivas Regal looking for outstanding social start-ups that want to help build a better future for the world. This year 30 entrepreneurs pitched in to win funding from Chivas Venture.
Siam organics is a very sustainable business model that can generate sustainable income and revenue to support the farmers. This is not a charity but a profit making Venture Company with a goal. The farmers did not have a common platform to address their views; the traditional farming culture was changed to something modern with new business models.
As a fresh company, they need advice from all fields. The sustainability factor need be remembered and aimed for. Sufficient grace period need be given to sink the idea. He says ‘I would recommend pitching at the beginning to get ideas, to get advice and then spend the next one to two years working on it.’

Reference URL: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/297373

Refugees Take a Clue From Social Entrepreneurs To Help Fellow Refugees

Whether in a calamity, war or persecution, the refugees catch up with the ‘in the same boat syndrome,’ and they get united to help each other. That human behavior can be seen while they create enterprises that train and offer jobs to fellow refugees, giving them a fresh start. In the process, these ventures can help countries to overcome some of the challenges of economic and social integration.
The study at over 30 refugee entrepreneurship incubator programs revealed the striking news of assisting more than 12,000 refugees across Australia, the United States, and Europe. They have shown brilliant adoption of entrepreneurship skills in solving the common problems these refugees face. These foreign passport holders devised ingenious methods in spite of their crunch of resources.
These stake holders include the global ecosystem including founders, program managers and migrant and refugee entrepreneurs participating in these programs. The huge unemployment is a glaring problem. In Australia and Germany people struggle to get employment. But those arriving as refugees do not have basic entrepreneurship skill, but they are ready to acquire them. Even the part time employed has inclined to take up the challenge.
They are persuasive, enterprising and daring in helping others. May be existing models are not sufficient, and hence they devise innovative tools and business models. Once their passion is rekindled, there is no stopping.
The experience of refugees and migrants should be motivated by training, studies or work before. A new framework for overcoming bureaucratic and legal challenges is created. Their experience can be modified, augmented and adapted to meet the challenge. They even started online portals to help others.
When properly organized, such entrepreneurship incubator and accelerator programs can create an ideal space for refugee entrepreneurs. In the midst of other problems, these refugees are evolving business ideas that will help others.

Reference URL: http://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/economy/how-refugees-are-helping-others-in-their-situation-as-social-entrepreneurs/

The Rampant Deforestation in Philippines Checked By Social Entrepreneurs

Economic growth is stagnant in the Philippines, and one reason for this non-sustainability is the over-exploitation of neutral resources. The Forest Foundation of the Philippines (FFP) is seeking help from the environmentally conscious public to join them as volunteers. This organization (formerly known as the Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation) is waiting to lay their five-year-old plan called “Forest Fest PH.” The request is addressed to all Filipino social entrepreneurs, especially those whose business’ thrust is environmental protection and preservation. The competition is to present their innovative business ideas for the P450, 000 grants. This would be a stimulus for a bigger participation from the citizens who have a passion for forest and sustainable ecology.
The natural inclination goes beyond afforestation but also ecotourism, environmental conservation, and arts and culture. Ultimately, Mother Earth is being protected by the upcoming social entrepreneurs.
FFP, an NGO formed with US Government and Philippine Government 15 years ago to empower people to protect forests have funded over 450 projects involved. That resulted afforestation of 1.5 million hectares of forest lands. This includes the restoration of around 4,200 ha of forests through the reintroduction of appropriate native species. Over 40 community-conserved areas and 60 community enterprises are created to make this project a reality.
The concentration is on four major landscapes namely Sierra Madre; Palawan; Samar and Leyte; and Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental. These four landscapes would cover during next five years P480 million. There are three grant categories available:
Small grants up to P500,000, for projects that must be implemented within a year and deliver expected output immediately;
Medium grants up to P6 million, for projects which must be implemented with one to three years; and
Large grants up to P24 million, for projects which must be carried out within one to five years.
The outcome is well defined: to grow forests, grow livelihoods, grow partnerships, and develop advocates.

Reference URL: http://business.inquirer.net/232668/wanted-social-entrepreneurs-committed-save-ph-forests