Tag: Hunt Institute

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The Kijiji Project: Phase I

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Kijiji Project Tanzania Africa Hunt Institute Global Development LabPhase I of the Kijiji Project was completed over the summer of 2020, with a focus on the development of a sustainable fence for the community center that Clara Ford, Founder and CEO of the Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (KISS), aspires to build in Kasisa, Tanzania. Over 8000 miles, or an 18-hour flight, from Kasisa, the team pushed through, leveraging technology to keep the lines of communication open. Undergraduate Research Analyst Izzah Zaheer and Undergraduate Project Manager Taylor Grace worked with Dr. Jessie Zarazaga and Ford to develop a fence that is economically and ecologically sustainable. “I was put on this team right after I was hired to the Institute over the summer. Dealing with a new role, a new project, and a new environment with COVID was a lot to take on. However, with the support and guidance of my team and the understanding of the impact this community center would have on the village, I researched and looked at the best sustainable solutions for this fence,” said Zaheer.

The goal of Phase I was to find a solution that could be integrated into this specific community and replicated in other surrounding communities. Starting with the fence is crucial to ensure that the land for the future community center will be protected from livestock eating or damaging vegetation. The findings resulted in three viable solutions that could potentially be applied in the rural community: chili oil fencing, beehive fencing, and a living wall fence.

From these solutions, Zaheer and Grace came up with two proposals that focused on a combination of a living wall fence and chain link fence to provide both protection from the cows and an aesthetic appearance to surround the future community center. Then, they delivered a virtual presentation of a cost analysis of both proposals to the KISS board and two local Tanzanian point-of-contacts.

“I really enjoyed presenting our findings to the KISS board and local Tanzanians because they were pleased with our solution. It was the first time we had the chance to connect with the visionaries of this project. Their passion and excitement to improve their community, combined with their resourcefulness, encouraged me and made me so honored to be a part of such an amazing project that will impact so many lives,” said Taylor Grace.

Upon delivery of the report titled Building Fences to Build Connections, we shifted gears to prepare for our next phase of the project. Throughout the Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, we will focus on facilitating the development of the business plan for the Kijiji social enterprise and a local student-led competition for what they would like to see in the architectural designs for the community center.

“A country like Tanzania, blessed with so much wealth in natural resources, shouldn’t have its citizens living in any state of poverty. If such resources are allocated properly, Tanzania has the capacity to ensure all of its people are in better living standard than they currently are.” Clara Ford, CEO of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu. 

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The Kijiji Project, Tanzania

Clara Ford, CEO of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions, Kasisa Village, a rural village in Tanzania

The Hunt Institute’s Global Development Lab partnered with Jessie Zarazaga, Ph.D, Director of the Master of Arts in Sustainability and Development from Lyle School of Engineering, to work with Clara Ford, Founder, President, and CEO of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (KISS) and MASD alumni on what we call the Kijiji Project.

Born in Kasisa Village, a rural village in the East African country of Tanzania, Ford is especially motivated to improve the quality of life of its residents. Ford has directed her efforts toward building a community center with goals of reducing cyclical poverty and empowering the local people with technical skills. The locals of Kasisa Village are stakeholders in the planned center, which will function as a testing ground for social impact implementation in their community. This partnership for community development is a core value for Ford, the KISS Board of Directors, and the Hunt Institute.

Zarazaga explains the importance of this project, saying, “The energy and focus invested in the Kijiji project is valuable for the village of Kasisa, Tanzania, but it is equally valuable for the skills of my students, as future sustainability professionals. It is not enough to talk about sustainability, it is not an abstract activity. Each solution is embedded in a real situation with people and territory; this is where learning takes place.”

“The opportunity to work with Clara, who connects those in the village, where her father was born, with her classmates in MASD, is unusual and powerful. I have a deep connection with Africa for my own family history and find it emotionally powerful to be able to share that passion with the SMU student team.” – Zarazaga

This project experienced considerable delays at the onset of the Spring Semester’s COVID-19 response, including a canceled trip to a conference for Zarazaga, a campus shutdown, and the steep learning curve for doing remote work on a global scale. Despite these challenges, Zarazaga says, “Covid, and the necessity to work at a distance, made us learn how much we really can do remotely. Now we see that connecting to Dar es Salaam (near the Kasisa village) is no harder than connecting to my office at SMU. Our way of collaborating is changing: we are working with Tanzanian students and professionals more than we had planned or anticipated; this is good for the sustainability of the project in powerful ways.”

Phase I wrapped up over the Summer Session with remote work, and Phase II is in progress during the Fall Semester with a hybrid system of remote and in-person work. The teams in both countries continue to find resolve and resilience to serve a higher purpose–designing access to a higher quality of life for community members in the Kasisa Village of Tanzania. Next week, we will share the findings of Phase I through the Hunt Digest, Building Fences to Build Connections.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu. 

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Is it Time to Reimagine Our Capitalism?

Brands Find Sustainability Moving to the Top of Major CSR Initiatives

Capitalism is defined as “an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and their operation for profit. Central characteristics of capitalism include capital accumulation, competitive markets, a price system, private property and the recognition of property rights, voluntary exchange and wage labor” by Wikipedia. The power of our free-market economy has been corrupted by inequalities in part by the rise of monopolies, duopolies, and oligopolies. Is it time to reimagine what our capitalism is today?

Back in 2012, Mindy Lubber, CEO and president of Ceres, a sustainability nonprofit organization, wrote an article in Forbes titled, “Ending Quarterly Capitalism”. Quarterly capitalism is a form of capitalism that focuses on short-term performance and delivering value for shareholders. In the article, Lubber shares that since CEO’s are incentivized based on quarterly or annual company performance, most are reluctant to invest in decisions that may benefit the company in the long run. However, she predicts that with growing risks related to climate change, CEO’s will be forced to consider the long-term implications of their business decisions.

Likewise, in 2016, Dominic Barton, global managing partner at McKinsey & Company, Dr. Dezso J. Horvath, dean of the Schulich School of Business at York University, and Matthias Kipping, chair of business history at the Schulich School, released a book titled “Re-imagining Capitalism: Building a Responsible, Long-Term Model.” In it, they question whether America’s current form of capitalism is still creating wealth and benefiting a majority of citizens. The authors argue that quarterly capitalism is to blame for the significant discrepancy between the rich and the poor, and they echo Lubber’s sentiment that opportunities for long-term value creation have been ignored in the pursuit of short-term profits. Despite these problems, in an interview with McKinsey, Horvath shares optimism for the future based on the upcoming generation’s awareness of social and environmental issues. The upcoming generation understands the vital importance of sustainability — the balance between society, economy, and the stewardship of the environment.

Now, in 2020, with the global coronavirus pandemic, increasing natural disasters due to climate change, and the compounding effects of racial oppression in America, the examination of our current representation of capitalism in our economy has once again been brought to the forefront.

The Omidyar Network, a social change venture co-founded by Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay, proposes a five-pillar approach to reimagining capitalism in America. The Omidyar Network seeks to create a more democratic form of capitalism by: 1) grounding the economy in new ideas, shared values, and inalienable rights 2) building an explicitly anti-racist and inclusive economy 3) creating counterweights to economic power 4) rebalancing the relationship between markets, government, and communities and 5) building a resilient economy that accounts for 21st century context.

Rebecca Henderson, Harvard Business School professor and economist, also posits in her new book, “Reimagining Capitalism in a World on Fire”, that now is the time to build a more equitable and sustainable version of capitalism.

Additionally, The World Economic Forum is calling for a “great reset”, stating that the coronavirus pandemic presents the world with a unique opportunity to redefine our economic and social systems to create a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous future.

As Richard Davies, economist and fellow at the London School of Economics, stated in this article in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Forum, “The COVID-19 pandemic is a reminder that economics is a discipline that we must constantly renew and improve”.

If you are interested in being a part of a network of like-minded professionals who are working to leverage market principles and social entrepreneurship for a more inclusive economy here in Dallas, consider joining the Inclusive Economy Consortium (IEC). Cofounded by Dr. Eva Csaky, Executive Director of the Hunt Institute, and Anna Clark, President at Heirloom Digital, the IEC empowers change agents from the private, public and non-profit sectors to connect, share and act.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

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Why We Do What We Do: Part III

Dr. James Oliver and Dr. Evan Csaky talking in the Hunt Institute

It is realistic to say there is not a soul on this planet that has not been affected in some way by this global pandemic. We have had to roll with the punches this year and each of us have found a way to re-align, re-adjust, let some things go, and choose to put other things on hold. Yet, we keep Pushing Through. Through it all, there are countless untold stories of perseverance, resilience, and people helping strangers. Our distinguished list of Affiliates are among those who keep Pushing Through with a desire to help address some of the consequences of this global pandemic.

The reality of the changing conditions due to COVID-19 has become a focus in much of our work in the Global Development Lab including health, entrepreneurship, and a resource map in Dallas to help those hit the hardest by COVID-19.

Our point of care device research led by Dr. Ali Beskok, former Departmental Chair for the Mechanical Engineering department and Professor, in partnership with Dr. Chiao Jung Chih,  and their labs have shifted focus to “Lab on a Chip Device for COVID-19.” Dr. Beskok spoke to this shift when he said, “The primary motivation of our research is the development of inexpensive and accurate point of care devices for health monitoring in remote and underdeveloped regions. For example, such a malaria test can save thousands of lives around the world each year! This is our primary motivation.” Dr. Jungchih. For readers unfamiliar with traditional lab testing, the Mayo Clinic released a report about The Importance of Antibody Testing in Addressing COVID-19. Lab on chip and point of car devices expedite this same type of testing by reducing the time processed in a traditional lab. It is the goal of this research to put that rapid response resource into the hands of the first responders and health professionals on the front line. Dr. Jung Chih echoed Dr. Beskok’s motivation when he said, “We have an unprecedented opportunity to demonstrate the power of engineering innovation to help control this global pandemic with SMU’s unique multidisciplinary research talents and synergic team work.“ They continue to push through in their labs despite the myriad of delays due to the pandemic.

We know that a healthy recovery for our economy needs entrepreneurship. Our partnership with the Veteran Women’s Enterprise Center in Dallas, Texas working on the Moments that Matter research is a driving force behind business development for women veteran business owners. Our Affiliate VR Small speaks to her motivation, “Why I am so determined to drive the collection and application of real-time data about women veteran entrepreneurs is because I know the impact; I know we are not just building businesses; we’re transforming lives. When we help a women veteran owned business succeed, we strengthen our family structures, create community resources, and literally fuel our nation’s economy. My personal slogan is Changing the way we see the world and do business, and as a leader that’s what I strive to achieve every day.” The development of this national assessment tool will change the way we see and support women veteran entrepreneurs with an understanding of both their challenges and their successes. In this era of COVID-19, real time data driven decisions are critical to the continued recovery, stabilization and growth of our small business communities.

Finally, for short-term solutions, our Map INDallas in early beta development shifted to be a COVID-19 Relief Map. Dr. Eva Csaky, Executive Director of the Hunt Institute, along with the  Advisory Committee dreamed up the Map INDallas project with a desire to improve access to information about free services available in Dallas through an innovative mapping approach. The original design was planned to provide information and analytics to service providers which will be in future work as we develop and create a collection of useful maps to address various issues. Dr. James Olivier, Hunt Institute Fellow and Adjunct Professor in Lyle School of Engineering, speaks to the importance of the shift in the map’s focus, “We wanted to provide targeted location oriented information to those affected by the SARS-COV-2 pandemic, allowing them to quickly find aid and services nearby. The Map INDallas project was the ideal way of quickly providing this needed resource.”

In the coming weeks, we will be highlighting various projects their affiliates, student workers, and industry or in-country partners telling their stories about resilience, innovation, and finding ways to keep Pushing Through.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu

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Clara Rulegura Ford, Social Enterprise 2021 Cohort Entrepreneur

Clara Rulegura Ford joined the Hunt Institute’s Social Enterprise Program as a social entrepreneur in the 2020 Cohort. Clara is the Founder and CEO of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (K.I.S.S.)

With a lust for life and affinity towards advancing sustainable development, Clara Rulegura Ford, CEO of Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (K.I.S.S.), joined the Hunt Institute’s Social Enterprise 2021 Cohort as a Social Entrepreneur, with aspirations of encouraging sustained economic development.

A multifaceted individual, Clara Ford is an alumna of the Clinton Global Initiative University and has earned a bachelor’s degree in Accounting as well as a dual master’s degree in Applied Economics and Sustainability & Development from SMU. She is currently a Senior Associate Examiner for the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and has over 10 years of experience in commercial lending and the financial industry.

Clara grew up in Tanzania, and she aspires to generate real solutions to sustainability issues in order to inspire locals to be able to lift themselves out of poverty. From a young age, her parents had instilled in her the importance of public service and giving back. Given this inspiration, Clara founded her nonprofit organization — Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions (K.I.S.S) — with her former economics professor at SMU, Dr. Thomas Osang.  K.I.S.S aims to promote development in rural Tanzanian villages through education, community activism, sustainable initiatives, and youth and women empowerment. Plans to implement these initiatives are highlighted through her current project’s focus: the buildout of K.I.S.S. Training and Education Center in the village of Kasisa in northern Tanzania.

In the summer of 2020, Phase 1 of her Kijiji project was completed through a partnership with Hunt Institute Fellow Dr. Jessie Zarazaga and the Institute’s Global Development Lab. The focus was on the development of a sustainable fence for the community center she aspires to build in Kasisa.

Now, her project has turned to the center’s initiatives, to focus on the following nine training and education projects: sustainable and durable housing, energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean water access, toilet design & sanitation system, sustainable agriculture & aquaculture, garbage reduction & recycling, education & vocational training, and health care. Collectively, these development programs hope to reduce rural poverty and significantly improve the quality of life for local rural communities. Kijiji logo

Her nonprofit’s logo “means ‘help me to help you’, a symbol of cooperation and interdependence,” says Clara Ford. “That’s what K.I.S.S. is all about. To bring about sustained economic development through cooperation and interdependence between us, our partners, and the communities we serve.”

In partnership with SMU’s Sustainability + Development Program (S + DP), the Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity, and three universities in Tanzania, Clara’s team launched an architectural competition for the design of the Rulegura Centre. Winners were announced over the summer months and the finalists were exhibited in the Hunt Institute in the spring of 2021. Most recently, an update of this competition was released in the fall of 2021.

Clara discussed her passion for her impact work saying, “I wouldn’t be here where I am today if not for all the people who have helped me along the way. The Kijiji Project is one of the ways for me to pay it forward. Along the way I realized it will take a diverse model that brings all stakeholders together, to work in symbiosis to better address problems that are unique to each locale. Through Kijiji Innovative Sustainable Solutions, we have a platform to do that. The partnerships we make with various institutions, NGOs, businesses and individual volunteers together with the communities we try to help make a ‘mastermind’ necessary to generate real solutions that will empower the locals in the long run to lift themselves out of poverty.”

Stay tuned to the Hunt Institute Digest for updates on the Kijiji project and for more examples of social entrepreneurs.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

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Why We Do What We Do: Part II

 

Daily, a steady stream of student workers can be seen coming in and out of the Hunt Institute. They find creative ways to orchestrate meetings, stay connected with colleagues working remotely, and keep a positive attitude amidst a world that at times can feel turned upside down. Fanned out across the Institute’s main meeting area are carefully-positioned seating arrangements designed to facilitate the traditional “Town Hall” Monday Meeting while accommodating appropriate distancing and staying under the ten attendee limit. Seats are positioned in an effort to simulate a circle, including the students working remotely who attend the meeting via Zoom. Their faces can be seen on the TV mounted on the wall by the students seated in the Institute. 

The Assistant Director, Corrie Harris, leads the meeting with the Undergraduate Program Manager, Manuela Murillo Sanchez. The communications team recommended a discussion on the theme “Pushing Through” for the Fall semester. It was unanimous; everyone agreed it was the best way to describe the present circumstance of juggling the pursuit of normalcy and the pandemic. Mariana Midolo, the Creative Development Lead, said, “The hardships of this time right now affect us as a team. That is why we want to focus on pushing through together.” Cullen Blanchfield, the Communications Team Lead, chimed in and said, “I think this theme is effective on a societal level, but outside of that, on an Institute level we have obviously gone through a lot of changes with more changes to come for the team, which means we are definitely going to have to push through together.”

The group continued to discuss the impact of the phrase. Varsha Appaji, the Researchers Team Lead, said, “I think it is a really great theme and I am glad that we are doing it. I think it would be great to emphasize that a lot of our work has to do with sustainability and promoting societal equality and inclusion which definitely fits in with the times right now.” Heads nodded across the group.

Mohammed Njie, Undergraduate Researcher and Social Entrepreneur, said, “I think it is important to realize that here at the Institute we are involved in a lot of projects where we can impact the lives of a lot of different people. For their sake, it is very important that we push through… they are waiting for us.”  

Following the meeting, teams formed breakout sessions to plan their week, set priorities and goals, and brainstorm steps to push through together. 

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu

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A Food System in Crisis

Sustainable farming and best practices for a better food system

Fighting climate change and food insecurity are two core issues addressed by Dr. Eva Csaky, Executive Director of the Hunt Institute, co-founder of the Inclusive Economy Consortium (IEC), and creator of the Texas Sustainable & Inclusive Food System Coalition. These organizations are working together to address a food system that is in crisis. Social entrepreneurs working locally, like Dr. Owen Lynch founder of Restorative Farms, are also paramount in addressing these issues as we adjust to the disruption in our global supply chain by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two weeks ago, The Guardian published an article by Tom Philpott with the alarming headline, “Unless we change course, the US agricultural system could collapse.”

Philpott explains that California is responsible for growing a significant portion of the country’s vegetables. In fact, according to the USDA 2017 Census of Agriculture, California comprised 42% of total U.S. vegetable sales. Moreover, California had 1.2 million harvested vegetable acres in 2017. The problem is, with global warming, that supply has been and continues to decline. In years when there is little precipitation, farmers tap aquifers to fulfill their irrigation needs. Unfortunately, this process causes the ground to gradually sink, a phenomenon called subsidence. Subsidence, in turn, damages the canals that carry the melted snow of the Sierra Nevada to farms in the area. And thus, we have a vicious cycle that continues to negatively affect the water supply available to California’s farmers.

The state of Iowa comprises 7% of US agriculture sales, according to the USDA 2017 Census of Agriculture State Profile. With its fertile topsoil, called mollisol, Iowa is a great place for farming. However, again due to climate change, more intense weather patterns have put extra pressure on the soil. Also contributing to the loss of mollisol is the fact that Iowa primarily grows only two crops – corn and soybeans. The article cites the soil scientist Rick Cruse, who found that “Iowa is losing soil at a rate 16 times the pace of natural replenishment.”

There is not a simple solution to the food system in crisis. Complex issues require complex solutions. Philpott proposes that other areas of the US should increase their fruit and vegetable production, and Iowa farmers could diversify their crops rather than accepting payment to overproduce corn and soybeans. Others theorize that technology-based growing systems like hydroponics that enable vertical farms would significantly reduce the agricultural footprint. The implementation of these solutions should be collaborative and sustainable in practice.

Fighting climate change and food insecurity go hand in hand. At the Hunt Institute, we are working toward finding solutions in collaboration with farmers. Through collaboration, the IEC, Hunt Institute, scientists, agriculturalists, and farmers can come together to share knowledge and experiences in order to create sustainable solutions that achieve climate and food justice. Read more about the Texas Sustainable & Inclusive Food System Coalition and their founding members to find out how you can engage.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

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Why We Do What We Do: Part 1

How can we help repair our world after COVID-19?

Sitting in her office on another Zoom call, the Assistant Director, Corrie Harris, works to motivate team members given the current state of affairs: an ever-changing landscape that greatly affects their ability to collaborate with in-country partners and affiliates. A series of delays, losses, and obstacles have flown in their path, yet they continue to press on.

When the shelter-in-place order was given in March 2020, the team members in the Institute quickly adjusted to remote work. The transition was seamless, as the Institute was already structured to accommodate full-time college students’ schedules by leveraging online project management and communication platforms. When other programs came to a screeching halt, the Institute persevered, taking steps to preserve the connectedness often lost with remote work. Now, given the opening of the SMU campus for the fall semester, they have a consistent system allowing for a hybrid workspace of both remote and in-person collaboration.

The question was asked, “What keeps the team going with all this uncertainty?” Harris responded, “Since I was a little girl, I have always been drawn to helping others. I am not alone. All the student workers, affiliates, and leadership at the Institute have their own version of this statement. It is why we do what we do. It is what keeps us motivated. Now with the consequences of the global pandemic at the forefront, institutes like ours need to be at the ready. Everyone here at the Institute feels it, and we keep pushing to find solutions.”

For the past two years, the Hunt Institute’s Global Development Lab (GDL) has evolved from the pilot stage to a mature program. With over sixty affiliates, an average of twenty to twenty-five student workers, and an extensive network of industry partners, the Institute has become a hub for fostering collaborative, innovative solutions. “There is something inside of us that is hard to explain, something that draws us to make the world a better place beyond what some may think is possible. Utopia may be a fantasy, but it is worth seeking and reaching for every day. It is in that reaching, seeking, and working that we help improve the lives of others. In so doing, we always improve our own lives.”

This Fall semester, we will highlight various team members as they courageously continue working on their projects in the GDL, overcoming the obstacles and uncertainty brought on by the global pandemic. Stay tuned to the Hunt Institute Digest to get a first-hand account as the story of this semester unfolds.

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the Institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu

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What does it take to become a social entrepreneur?

Social Entrepreneurs characteristics and how to become a social entrepreneur

What does it take to become a social entrepreneur? Previous blog posts in the Hunt Institute Digest have outlined that a social entrepreneur is someone who seeks to drive positive social or environmental change in their community.

Across a myriad of reputable sources, it is commonly agreed upon that social entrepreneurs identify a problem in society that they are passionate about, develop a creative solution to address that problem, and establish an organization that persistently pursues that mission. There are many other aspects to social entrepreneurs but we will focus on these three in this post.

PASSION: Social entrepreneurs are invested in their organization’s mission. They are determined to see their dream become reality and will take the necessary risks to achieve their goals. Social entrepreneurs care deeply about improving their community.

A Forbes article titled “5 Social Entrepreneurs On How To Turn Your Passion Into A Successful Impact-Driven Business” by MeiMei Fox gives an example of a passionate entrepreneur, founder & CEO of SunPoynt Energy, Kennedy Lamwenya. Growing up in rural Kenya, Lamwenya and those in his community did not have access to reliable electricity. His parents struggled to afford the kerosene the family relied on for light and it often ran out of fuel before Kennedy completed his schoolwork. These challenges inspired Lamwenya to found SunPoynt Energy which brings solar-powered TVs to rural areas in Kenya. The TV systems give Kenyans access to light, cell phone charging ports, news, educational programs, and entertainment.

CREATIVITY: Social entrepreneurs approach problems differently than most. Instead of accepting the way something is, they challenge and question why it can’t be better. They have an ability to look at issues from multiple angles and develop innovative solutions.

A Cause Artist article titled “The 35 Social Entrepreneurs To Watch For In 2019” by Grant Trahant examines Clarence Tan, a creative social entrepreneur and founder & CEO of Boddle Learning, an edtech company. His platform allows elementary school students to learn and practice math skills in an engaging game-based format. Boddle uses a unique, adaptive learning algorithm so that each student receives differentiated questions specific to their learning needs.

PERSISTENCE: Social entrepreneurs face many challenges, especially in the early stages of building their social enterprise. They must persist through these obstacles by learning from mistakes, adapting to make improvements, and connecting with others who can support their mission.

Robin D. Schatz in her Forbes article titled “How A Social Entrepreneur Overcame His ‘Arrogant Failure’ And Won Kudos From Oprah”, describes how Gavin Armstrong demonstrates persistence. Armstrong is the founder and CEO of Lucky Iron Fish whose organization’s mission is to eliminate iron deficiency, which affects almost 3.5 billion people globally. The solution is a fish-shaped cooking tool. Dropping the product into your cooking water for 10 minutes provides 75% of the daily requirement of iron. When the company opened for business in Cambodia, they expected their affordable product to sell well. However, they only sold about one fish per month. Instead of giving up on the idea, what Armstrong realized is that the organization needed to build trust in the community before they can expect citizens to purchase their product. By partnering with established NGOs in the community, Lucky Iron Fish built its credibility and has now helped over 10,000 families in Cambodia with iron deficiencies.

Early-stage social entrepreneurs are catalytic innovators who produce disruptive innovations, but often face momentous obstacles. The Hunt Institute‘s Social Enterprise program is designed to support high potential social entrepreneurs during the initial phases of development. Do you have what it takes to become a successful social entrepreneur?

To read more about the Hunt Institute’s work to develop future-focused solutions to some of the world’s biggest problems, please click here. For the latest news on the Hunt Institute, follow our social media accounts on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. We invite you to listen to our Podcast called Sages & Seekers. If you are considering engaging with the institute, you can donate, or sign-up for our newsletter by emailing huntinstitute@smu.edu.

 

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Beta COVID-19 Relief Map

Map in Dallas COVID-19 relief map services to help with food, community services, shelter, and more

In Spring of this year, the Hunt Institute’s Map 4 Good project evolved into Map InDallas, an organizational expansion that included the addition of a stakeholder Advisory Committee led by Dr. Eva Csaky and implemented with the guidance of Dr. James Olivier. Weeks later, the then-emerging COVID-19 pandemic shifted the focus to how best to use the existing plans and infrastructure to serve the Dallas community. The beta of the COVID Relief Map was launched by Map InDallas team in the middle of the Summer semester to stay true to the original goal of the project: connecting individuals in need to free service providers in the Dallas area. They continue to refine the data and help improve the categorization.

Various fellows, staff, and students have contributed to this project’s evolution but none have developed the map itself like Liam Lowsley-Williams, an undergraduate student working in web development and programming in the Hunt Institute and as a teacher’s assistant for the computer science department.

Regarding Liam’s motivation for this project, he said, “What drives my motivation is the fact that I can utilize my abilities in software engineering to make a beneficial impact on those who are suffering from COVID-19. We are certainly going through a rough time and I am proud to have the ability to do my part and give back.”

Focusing especially on the resources needed by the victims of the pandemic’s side effects, the aspiring beta COVID Relief Map seeks to helps users identify key service providers located near them like food pantries, community service locations, homeless shelters, and family counseling facilities. As the platform develops, users will be able to utilize a search function to navigate through the available resources or a filter function to limit the visible options to the specific service they are looking for. Once the user has located the service they would like to use, the COVID Relief Map will display an address and phone number to put clients in direct contact with the services they would like to use. It is projected all features of the COVID Relief Map will be functional by the end of the year.

While the map may have shifted slightly from its original conception, the team’s plans for the future remain the same. Aspiring upcoming digital features for the COVID Relief Map include search and sort based on eligibility criteria, turn by turn direction, and contact methods within the map itself. Additionally, the team is working on other mediums of the map to make it more accessible. It is currently available online, but the team hopes to have non-digital copies posted in strategic locations like public libraries and on mobile devices.

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