Ouanaminthe Social Impact and Innovation Consortium Ashoka Fellow Initiative in Haiti – Pilot Phase | Jul-Dec 2012 Why Haiti? Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. 80% of Haitians live below the poverty line; two thirds do not have formal jobs; 40% are illiterate. According to UNICEF, 46% of Haitians are under 18, making Haiti’s population one of the youngest in the world. However, 98% of them do not finish high school. 6 in 100 Haitian children will never see their first birthday, and 50% of children under the age of five are malnourished. The need for change is as pressing as ever, yet our ability to generate change and social impact is unprecedented. The time to act is now.
Theory of Change POVERTY IS NOT THE REAL PROBLEM. POVERTY IS A SYMPTOM. + In the absence of appropriate technologies, Haitians pay more for basic services than people in developed countries. Many of the available solutions are also harmful. Using kerosene, for example, is the equivalent of smoking two packs of cigarettes per day.
WHAT PEOPLE NEED IS ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES. NOT A HANDOUT. + Social entrepreneurs from around the world hold proven solutions to the challenges confronting the people of Haiti. Rather than reinventing the wheel, one needs to leverage tested ideas that can be quickly scaled to create lasting new opportunities.
“By using the [trial solar] lamp for just two weeks we can save up a lot of money, and if we add a little more money in the coming weeks, we will be able to buy it and stop using the kerosene lamp.“ From a local client
How OSIIC creates opportunities for the people of Ouanaminthe, Haiti OSIIC, the Ouanaminthe Social Impact and Innovation Consortium, partners with local organizations in Ouanaminthe in order to share with them proven methodologies and know-how so that they can create and drive self-sustained change in their communities. Launched in July 2012, OSIIC currently focuses on: JOBS & BASIC SERVICES + OSIIC partners w/ local organizations to train individuals to make, sell and service needed technologies: solar lamps, eye glasses, stoves, etc. + Entrepreneurs are cash positive, as products are provided in consignment + Local people pay for products; no subsidies + Local partners derive new sources of income from these new activities
ACCESS TO FINANCE + Individuals pool their savings to create a selfmanaged and self-reliant credit fund for their own use; no external money is involved + Members borrow from their own fund on an ‘as needed’ basis + The group functions as a small business, wherein members receive dividends on their investment in the fund
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT + Young adults and their educators learn what it is to be a change maker + They are invited and challenged to come up with innovative solutions for addressing the needs of their schools and broader communities + Their successes build in them the confidence that from an early age anyone can have a positive impact on society
TYPE OF IMPACT HEALTH ENERGY JOBS SAVINGS CREDIT LOCAL OWNERSHIP EMPOWERMENT
Pilot Phase: Impact to Date JOBS & BASIC SERVICES
July – October 2012
ACCESS TO FINANCE
3 points of sale for technologies: School | Pharmacy Textiles Company 325+ solar lamps sold; no subsidies 75+ eyeglasses sold; no subsidies 8 technologies being vetted 11 entrepreneurs sell technologies in their community $3,700+ savings from solar lights $600+ in revenue
12 local partners identified and engaged for launch
3 local partners were trained on the self-funded community bank model 180+ individuals have formed 8 local banks mobilizing $480 of their own savings to create a credit fund for their own use ~$400 disbursed in credit so far to the members of the community banks
3 existing local businesses being supported
Local client just received an eye exam and purchased eyeglasses from local partnering pharmacy.
YOUTH EMPOWERMENT
To be launched in November 2012 “When we started this project, I thought this was the right way for us to improve, instead of having to wait until we received money from abroad. We can produce ourselves and keep part of the benefit for us, and that could help Univers grow and in the end help more people. It helps us see how we can help ourselves; it shows us how to fish. Gerald Legitime Local partner
Local people forming a selffunded community bank
DIRECT IMPACT
1,276 INVESTED
$50K STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Antonio, an entrepreneur and leader of local partner UJANI, promoting the solar light; Student with newly purchased solar light
Team 2012 OSIIC Team
Community Association for The MIT Ashoka Youth Enterprise Self-Funded D-Lab Venture Solutions Communities
5 local Partners in Ouanaminthe
Centro Puente & UJANI
Hermanas de San Juan
Univers Institute
Grupo M
Why Support Us? WE ARE BRINGING TOGETHER THE WORLD’S TOP SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS TO LEAD THIS EFFORT Greg Van Kirk is the Co-Founder of CES (Community Enterprise Solutions), a former investment banker, a former Peace Corps volunteer in Guatemala, and the 2012 Schwab Social Entrepreneur for Latin America.
Jean Claude Rodríguez-Ferrera is the Founder of ACAF (Association for SelfFunded Communities) and recipient of the 2009 Best European Microfinance Prize, awarded by the European Microfinance Network .
CES creates jobs by giving local people opportunities to become entrepreneurs who sell essential technologies in their communities through consignment, which allows them to be cash positive from day one. First piloted in Guatemala, the CES model has been replicated in other countries in Latin America, and has so far created US$2.75 million in net economic benefit among individuals with incomes of less than $2/day.
ACAF created a self-funded community model, wherein individuals pool their savings and buy shares to create a credit fund to finance themselves. As owners, they decide the loan terms and receive dividends resulting from the credit activity. It is completely self-managed and self-funded. Today, the model is present in more than 50 countries and has reached over 6 million people worldwide.
Other Ashoka Fellows engaged are: Margarita Barney (eco-technologies), Andres Randazzo (health & ecotechnologies), Francesco Piazzesi (housing), Isabel Cruz (microcredit and savings), and Rebeca Villalobos (health).
WE ARE ANCHORED ON THE PRINCIPLES AND THE EXPERIENCE OF A ROBUST GLOBAL ORGANIZATION Ashoka is the first organization to practice and actively support social entrepreneurship, and according to Forbes, it helped originate the concept of social entrepreneurship. Since 1981, Ashoka has maintained the largest network of social entrepreneurs across the world, and today it has an annual operating budget of $50+ million. Ashoka is present in 70 countries, on six continents, and brings together nearly 3,000 social entrepreneurs (Ashoka Fellows). Within 10 years of election to Ashoka, over 80% of Ashoka Fellows have changed a system at a national level and are recognized as leaders in their field; over 90% of Fellows have their ideas replicated by others. "Ashoka seeks to catalyze the citizen sector by adapting the venture capitalist approach. The idea is to search for budding innovators, to supply them seed money and to connect them in a global Fellowship." The New York Times
"Ashoka has quietly given philanthropy a new dimension: it has shown how to invest successfully in pattern-breaking, powerful ideas and the people behind them and how to do so early when a little makes an enormous difference." Peter Goldmark, Former CEO of the International Herald Tribune
"Before receiving Ashoka's support, we reached approximately 140,000 inhabitants annually; this year we are approaching four million. For me, Ashoka's help is endless ." Albina Ruiz, Ashoka Fellow from Peru
Founded by leading social entrepreneur, Bill Drayton, Ashoka maintains a rigorous, time-tested approach to identifying distinctive individuals with the uncanny ability to generate system-level transformation and to improve people’s lives. Ashoka supports nearly 3,000 Fellows in over 70 countries, helping them start and grow their ideas and impact.
Bill Drayton Voted #33 Most Influential Harvard Alumni The Harvard 100
Ashoka Selected Top 15 Charities for Investors NuWire Investor
(August 31, 2007)
(December 01, 2008)
Contact Information Phone: 347 766 6237 Email: haiti@ashoka.org Website: www.osiic.org