EcoVentures International Blog

I had the privilege of attending this year’s conference held in the lovely town of Charleston, SC.

Having generously received a scholarship covering most of my expenses, I represented EcoVenturesInternational at this event that desperately needs to join the green movement. There was not a single round table, panel or session that tackled the unprecedented environmental crisis our world is facing and the responsibility for young entrepreneurs to find viable solutions. Instead, the conventional discussions about profit maximization and global competitiveness were at the centre of the action. I listened carefully and spoke to many participants about the dangers of this short sighted approach as we aspire to educate the next generation entrepreneurs in the most polluting country in the world. Social entrepreneurship was indeed very well represented as inspiring individuals launch ambitious projects aimed at revitalizing marginalized communities and motivate inmates to put their lives together by making their own job instead of desperately looking for one.

The USA seems to have the entrepreneurial spirit ‘engrained in its DNA’ as Sam Leiken from the Council on Competitiveness said and it is indeed the pillar of our free market economy. I was a bit concerned however that the obsession with economic growth and being the most powerful economy distracts entrepreneurship educators from our most pressing issues of our times. The global competition on this neo-liberal playground is clearly a race to the bottom that will certainly eradicate our species well before the planet itself disappears.

Entrepreneurs of today and tomorrow must be the leaders in shifting the mind-set that is vital for sustaining life on this planet. Creating businesses that no longer do any harm to our natural environment while satisfying a local need and making a profit should be the focus of these new leaders. EVI also has the responsibility to advocate this paradigm shift during such conferences and make sure that next year the organization will be facilitating its own discussion panel: Environmental Entrepreneurs Unite!

While working for the last 5 months in Lushoto, Tanzania I learned to dread the
phrase “Hakuna Umeme” (which means “no power” in Swahili). Most of the time it was only a pain when I was in need of an Internet connection but it also meant no stove, no fridge and no lights. Before I left the problems seemed to have gotten worse, the power went off around 9am and stayed off until late evening making it near impossible to do computer based work.

Perhaps due to these circumstances I’ve begun to realize how absurd the whole notion of “having power” endless and on-demand really is. (more…)

On August 1st, 2007, EVI ran a Training of Trainers (ToT) for the Mexican Ministry of Agrarian Reforms through the Mexican NGO, FundacionE. The AgriPlanner workshop was part of a larger project that will reach about 5000 youth farmers in 12 Southern Mexican States who will receive human development and business management training by the government. The ultimate goal of this project is to mitigate emigration to the US by providing youth with useful tools to create opportunities for themselves and their communities.

After adapting and translating the curriculum for the Mexican market in record time, Margie and I went to Aguascalientes in Central Mexico to facilitate the workshop. The process was particularly challenging due to the constant changes in date and arrangements: the workshop being initially scheduled for the second week of August with 12 participants became an August 1st training for 25 people just one day before we arrived in Mexico!

Despite the rush in preparing this workshop, Margie and I delivered an excellent training covering all the most relevant pieces of the curriculum for the participants to use adequately in their upcoming workshops. We received very positive feedback from the participants who were all highly trained consultants in agri-business and who help rural communities optimize their production capacity and strategy.

We are very excited about this project in which AgriPlanner has been used for the first time in Mexico. Shortly after our training, we received an order of 20 AgriPlanner kits from the Mexican government and FundacionE which required further editing. The order has been delivered in time and the feedback received on the curriculum’s application in rural Mexico was a extremely positive. With our newly developed Spanish version, we look forward to a rising interest for this curriculum in Latin America.

Countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania, where much of EVI’s work takes place, are currently experiencing widespread electricity shortages with enormous costs for society, business and agriculture.

Developing solar power and other alternative energy techniques/products have been an EVI focus for several years, having partnered with local organizations to provide technical training and EVI’s sustainable business training. Recently we have been involved in several alternative energy projects in Tanzania including biomass fuel briquettes and biogas production from municipal waste.

Earlier this year, we wrote about the “Industrial Solar Coffee Drying System” an environmentally friendly process used in coffee production. This solar system is reported to use one-tenth the amount of electricity as the traditional drying system. African countries such as Tanzania count coffee as one of their most important exports, and can potentially apply these techniques to their own coffee industries.

We are looking forward to a firsthand account of how these power shortages have been affecting EVI’s work in Tanzania. In the meantime, this recent International Herald Tribune article has a good take on the electricity shortage, and further information on solar power.

Charles Lugenga is a dynamic and creative individual based in Dar Es Salaam currently running a plastics recycling facility. In this podcast he speaks about the house he built out of used tires, and how it’s taken him across the world & back.

This was recorded on-site at his plastics recycling facility so there’s a bit of energy in the background

For more information and some pictures of his house click here to see the BBC News article.

 

 Charles Lugenga and his house built from tires: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

(This is the 3rd podcast in a brief 3-part series with Godliving Munuo, an environmental entrepreneur based in Arusha, Tanzania.) (Part 1. / Part 2.)

If there’s one way to make yourself feel better about all the challenges our world faces, ask a social entrepreneur about their vision for the future. In this podcast Godliving speaks about big plans for Ngarenaro Youth Self Help Group and they’re going to achieve them. Highlights include an alternative energy business, a far-reaching technical and vocational training center for youth, focused on producing on environmental entrepreneurs, funded with an innovative tiered pricing system to support those who cannot otherwise afford training.

Good stuff!

 

 Godliving's recipie for a bright future: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

(This is the 2nd podcast in a brief 3-part series with Godliving Munuo, an environmental entrepreneur based in Arusha, Tanzania.) (Part 1. / Part 3.)

Godliving describes learning to make a pool table, the seed which would become the Ngarenaro Youth Self Help Group, his social enterprise. He discusses the challenges of Tanzanian youth and the importance of providing technical knowledge, entrepreneurship skills and focus on the environment.

It’s fascinating to hear how intuitive this development is in both a business and social/environmental sense; a true triple bottom line generating wealth, social benefit and environmental sustainability.

 

 The Genesis of Ngarenaro Youth Group: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Godliving is a founder of Ngarenaro Youth Self Help Group, EEDI Arusha partner, a social entrepreneur and a fascinating human being. In this first of a three-part series, listen to Mr. Godliving tell his story of growing up and becoming a skilled carpenter and social entrepreneur.

Depending on your perspective, his English is either fantastic or a bit difficult to understand, so take your time and enjoy Godliving’s story as one of true courage and an opportunity to cross boundaries of language and continents.

 

 Meet Godliving: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download