|
 Information Communication Technology & Education Initiatives
 Sabbia Telecom Mexico Sabbia Telecom supplies rural telecommunications, voice, and Internet services to those millions of households in isolated and poor communities in Mexico. These services help those who aspire to a higher quality of life by providing greater economic, social, and educational opportunities. Because ARPU (average revenue per user) is particularly low in these regions, most companies don’t consider these markets profitable. Sabbia’s innovative combination of technologies and business acumen overcomes these barriers to provide poor communities the possibility to be better informed, communicate with distant family, and improve their economic lot. Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu Smallholder Farm Rural Radio Nigeria The Smallholders Foundation provides rural poor farmers living in remote isolated communities of Nigeria with sustainable agricultural development information in local languages through the establishment of rural radio stations known as The Smallholders Farmers Rural Radio (SFRR). It deploys, integrates and utilizes radio with the Internet to deliver timely, reliable, and accurate information to enhance the livelihoods of poor rural farmers. Unlike conventional commercial radio stations, SFRR is livelihood-driven and profitable—deriving 80% of its income from radio and Internet operations.  INeedAPencil.com United States INeedAPencil.com provides an innovative and comprehensive platform for low-income high school students to raise SAT test scores and get to the inside track for being admitted to college. INeedAPencil.com is the only full-service free program of its kind, and it outperforms fee-based SAT tutoring programs through its features for enhancing test-taking outcomes. By increasing the college-going rates of low income students, INeedAPencil is narrowing the income-based education achievement gap in the U.S. and helping to foster a more just and equitable world.  Fundación Moisés Bertoni (FMB) Paraguay, Argentina, Brazil For all those companies that operate in the rural sector, particularly in intensively harvested and conflict prone areas in Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil, the Fundación Moisés Bertoni (FMB) offers an integrated system to create environmental, social, and economic alternatives for joint community-corporate management of local resources. Unlike the programs which only try to assist neighbors via donations, FMB offers an integrated solution with the support of skilled technical specialists for improving economic and social conditions.  Group to Promote Education and Sustainable Development (GRUPEDSAC) Mexico GRUPEDSAC has been working for over 20 years to educate, train, and carry out activities to promote the development of sustainable societies for low income, small farmers in Mexico. Simultaneously, the organization works on the development of environmental responsibility among all citizens through and appreciation of indigenous knowledge, skills and systems for increasing the well-being of rural communities. Teach A Man To Fish (TAMTF) South America and Africa TAMTF supports high schools in developing countries to adopt Education That Pays For Itself, an innovative approach designed to transform children from the poorest of families into economically successful graduates. This approach overcomes access barriers by creating schools which are virtually free and focused on the entrepreneurial and practical skills needed for young people to lift themselves out of poverty. Graduates from a TAMTF school typically earn 2.5 times as much as their peers. Unlike alternative efforts, the TAMTF model is financially sustainable, allowing schools to run indefinitely without additional funding. Economic Development and Equality Initiatives
 Dastkar Andhra India Dastkar Andhra promotes rural livelihoods by providing technical training for handloom weavers, and linking rural co-operative institutions to marketing networks in urban India. This ensures sustainable livelihoods for handloom weavers who face the threat of large scale migration into urban slums, and helps a generation of weavers to come out of poverty. Unlike government programs which treat handloom work as a welfare activity, or intermediaries and traders with unfair practices, Dastkar Andhra sets up equitable, sustainable, production marketing systems which allow weavers to live with self respect and dignity. Gregorie Perez Gifts and Graces Fair Trade Foundation Philippines For the poor and disadvantaged who seek to earn income by making handicrafts and other livelihood products, Gifts and Graces provides product development assistance and training which will help them sharpen their creativity, and improve their craft, and strengthen sales. The market access that Gifts and Graces provides contributes to increased incomes and an improved quality of life though enhanced food security, shelter, health, and educational opportunities for families. The producers also gain pride and self-esteem from being productive, contributing members of society. Unlike producers without product development training and guidance, producers of Gifts and Graces are able to deliver products with innovative, marketable designs and superior craftsmanship.  SAHAJ India SAHAJ comprises of a team of professionals dedicated to developing entrepreneurship in the tribal population of Eastern Gujarat in India by providing a complete package for creating income-generation from home-based craft industries. The services that SAHAJ provides include product design and development, business development, marketing, micro finance, and capacity building. SAHAJ also helps create common facility centers, co-operatives, federations, and business enterprises which enable the tribal population to secure stable livelihoods, improve education, and promote the conditions for healthier lives in an economically viable economy. SAHAJ thus alleviates high unemployment and the ignorance of opportunities that drives unsustainable urban migrations.  SAMRUDHI Micro Finance Society India For the millions of poor households in India who suffer from high rates of hunger and malnutrition and who lack access to credit from formal financial institutions, the SAMRUDHI Micro Finance Society provides cost-effective, livelihood-based, collateral-free, financial services (such as microcredit) to rural and urban poor households. SAMRUDHI reverses the age-old vicious cycle of low income, low savings, low investment, and an expanding system of low income people, through the injection of credit for livelihood investment, more income, more investment, and more income. Environment and Energy Initiatives
 Byoearth.com Guatemala For rural and slum area habitants in Guatemala, Byoearth develops sustainable worm-casting products, producing a 100% organic fertilizer that recycles degradable waste pollutants, improves the soil’s natural condition, upgrades crops, and enhances the ecosystem, by reducing erosion and improving water retention. Byoearth provides opportunities for the poor to generate income by raising worms. Unlike other fertilizer companies, Byoearth provides environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable products and services  Grass Roots Action for Social Participation (GRASP) India GRASP provides the rural poor with vertical-draft, energy-efficient wood stoves, which consume less than half of the fuel, have negligible emissions, and work with agricultural residues. GRASP thereby helps rural poor women save time collecting firewood, while alleviating the long-term health hazards to their families from unsafe stoves.  Husk Power Systems India HPS provides low-cost power as a pay-for-usage service (similar to a utility in the U.S.) that enables farmers to reduce irrigation costs by 45%, entrepreneurs to create businesses and increase profit margins, and households to dramatically reduce cost/lumen-output ratio (over 200% savings). Further, the service increases productivity in villages as fuel doesn’t have to be procured on foot from cities that are usually 5-7 miles away. Finally, HPS systems eliminate over 190 tons of CO2 emissions annually per village by replacing kerosene, diesel, and methane output with renewable sources.  ToughStuff Madagascar ToughStuff is a pro-poor social enterprise which provides solar-powered products for low income people, replacing expensive and environmentally damaging kerosene lamps and batteries. Users substantially increase their incomes as these robust products that provide less expensive sources of light and power allowing them to work more effectively and live fuller lives. |
 |
