We Are Not Alone :: by Tanya Lacy

Richard Branson has set up Branson Entreprenur School in South Africa. Teaching entrepreneurship to South Africans to create self reliance. Woooo Hoooo We are soo on the right path with this Intercept Centre for Eternal Entrepreneuship - just so on the right path! Check out his blog One slight difference is that we have an emphasis on Micro-Franchising...that is 'eternal entrepreneurship' replicable entrepreneruship. Check out my latest article

How to Change the World

This is taken from the DefeatPoverty blogsite.....

How to Change the World

How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas

by David Bornstein

Written in 2003 and updated in 2007, Bornstein's book takes a look at the growing emergence of what he calls social entrepreneurs ... entrepreneurs who are innovating in ways which bring significant new social/societal (and often economic) benefits. His book primarily uses examples from Ashoka, a key leader in identifying and supporting leading social entrepreneurs.

I enjoyed the case study format covering social entrepreneurs from many countries whom Bornstein personally interviewed over a multiple year period. Each of these people had an idea and the These include:

Fabio Rosa, a Brazilian who seeing many rural communities left behind without electricity, pressed for practical technologies and models which resulted in significant additional reach of electricity to rural farming communities.
Jeroo Billimoria, who grew up in a well-off Bombay family, founded Childline, a 24-hour helpline and emergency response line for children in distress (first in Bombay and then in many other Indian cities.)
J.B. Schramm, an American who founded College Access to enable poor (and mostly non-white) high-schoolers not on the college track to be better equipped and through the process of applying for going to college.
Ashoka's model is to high-potential find social entrepreneurs in their "startup" stage and then support them through the Ashoka Fellows program providing a relatively small, personal stipend to enable them to further develop and implement their ideas . The book explains the Ashoka selection model where candidates are proposed and then there is a rigorous review process before someone is elected as a fellow. Critical factors in selection are the person having an idea that has the potential for large scale (national or international) social impact and the person's lifetime dedication/commitment to figuring out how to actually implement it.

Here are a couple of interesting observation Bornstein made:

Ideas aren't sufficient. There are lots of ideas that go nowhere. It requires a person to move from an idea through the complex process of implementation/realization.

"Most of the fellows I interviewed said that the credibility, confidence, contacts, and ideas they gained through Ashoka were more valuable than the money." (p.243)
From Jean Monnet, the architect of European unification, in his Memoirs, that "people of ambition fell into two groups: those who wanted to 'do something' and those who wanted to 'be someone'." Effective social entrepreneurs fall into the former. (p.243)
"...social entrepreneurs are not selfless. If anything, they are self-more in the sense that they heed their instincts, follow their desires, and aggressively pursue their ambitions." (p.287)
"...people who solve problems must somehow first arrive at the belief that they can solve problems. This belief does not emerge suddenly. The capacity to cause change grows in an individual over time as small-scale efforts lead gradually to larger ones."
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to people who are interested in learning more of the history/story of Ashoka and to see the positive change that social entrepreneurs are making despite their minimum coverage in the media.

RASTA Boats - Lake Tana - Bahar - Dar Ethiopia

Gashaw Wurkee otherwise known as 'Rasta' is a 28 year old Ethiopian national who lives and works in Bahar Dar (Lake Tana) Ethiopia. Lake Tana is a magnet for travellers looking to more deeply understand the mysterious churches and monastries on the small islands scattered around Lake Tana. The only way to these secluded monastries is by boat.

'Rasta' as we got to know him, has developed a niche market with the 'forengy' or foreigners who visit. Rasta stood out to us among the other boat operators.
He has a sunny face, he was relaxed and willing to 'go that extra mile'. Beyond hosting us on his Rasta boat, provided good explanation of the sites and relics, birdlife and history of the area.

Rasta's Vision is to expand his small business. To pay off the debt of his boat, develop his brand and marketing approach then potentially, replicate his business and on sell his concept (micro-franchise).

After a tour on his boat out to the monastries, we went back to his home and took 'buna' or coffee where we enjoyed a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
There we had an Intercept Session, where we got clarity on Rasta's Vision and goals for his business. During this couple of hours, he made the space to come up with some new ways of thinking and has already been intouch to report, he's implementing those ideas.

Rasta tells us he's taken on some of those strategies to expand the uniqueness of the RASTA BOATS brand he's developing.

Our experience was that the boat was reliable, affordable, safe, we had a terrific time and an amazing experience. We worked on this as part of his positioning.
He has just invested in a new engine and life jackets, which is an edge on his competition and a direct safety benefit to tourists.
There are hippo's in Lake Tana.


R= Reliable, A=Affordable, S=Safe, T=Terrific time, A=Amazing experience

So, Intercept will continue to support and e-coach RASTA via email and internet on his business expansion ideas.

We wanted to show case this 28 year olds entrepreneurship, lateral thinking, willingness to improve and better himself and consider new ideas. He is solidly working on his english and has an enquiring mind. His curiosity is what has brought him to see what's possible for himself. He takes opportunities. He is positive and fresh, which is refreshing in amongst an environment of competitive aggression in the tourist business in communities that are developing.

If you ever plan a trip to Bahar Dar, north of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, say hello, you'll find RASTA down at the launch ready to create a memorable RASTA BOATS experience for you.

And if you are interested to hear more, book or support RASTA in any way, get intouch via chantelle@interceptpoverty.org

About Intercept Entrepreneur Program

At Intercept Entrepreneur, we work with budding entrepreneurs in developing countries and communities.

Our Over Arching Purpose:

"Enabling 3rd world entrepreneurs to use their God given gifts and become economically self reliant through eternal focused enterprise".

Fruits:
To Intercept Poverty in the developing world through eternal focused enterprise.
To build a human chain of problem solving people that links the under developed parts of the world to the developed.
To establish b2b mentoring relationships
To inspire social intelligence, social entrepreneurship in resourced and restless developed nation business people.
To grow 3rd world enterprise into franchsising to maximise, optimise, and systemise business for a perpetual or eternally secure economic experience.
To liposuction the fat from the developed world and transplant it into the third world.

We give:
Ideas, Nurturing, Talent, Encouragement, Reinforcement, Caring, Expansion, Perspective,Time to selected willing participants. These words = INTERCEPT

2009 Focus:
East Africa.