I came across this video Moving Windmills yesterday and wanted to share it. William Kamkwmamba comes from a small rural village of Malawi. Unable to afford the $80 of school fees, William dropped out of school at fourteen. While working at home, he thought about the power of wind and decided to learn how to use that energy to power his village. Armed with a book entitled “Using Energy” from the local library, William built a windmill from scrap parts. A local newspaper heard of this remarkable feat and featured him in a story. Since then, William’s life has changed dramatically. He has been flown to speak at the TED conference and the World Economic Forum. He has built multiple windmills and powered his village. In September of this year, he enrolled in African Leadership Academy in Johannesburg to continue his education. William hopes to form his own company harnessing the power of windmills to create energy to bring technology to villages like his around the world. This story is a true testament to the ingenuity of social entrepreneurs everywhere. Against all odds, William’s story is an inspiration to us all.

A few contests that we’ve been keeping an eye on have recently announced their finalists and winners.

World Challenge 08, a global competition sponsored by BBC News, Newsweek and in association with Shell, aims to reward projects or small business that have shown enterprise and innovation at the grassroots level to benefit a community while taking a responsible approach to the environmental impact of the endeavor. Twelve finalists were featured on BBC News and in Newsweek and were voted on by viewers/readers from around the world. The winner of this year’s competition, “Plan Bee,” is a initiative established by the Hashoo Foundation to help women in Pakistan increase their capacity to produce and sell honey, one of the few income opportunities available for women in the region. 

The USAID 2.0 Challenge recently announced its top fifteen finalists. The finalists have been selected by the Netsquared community and now move on to a panel judging by USAID appointees based on 1) technical feasibility 2) “development impact” potential 3) value for money and likelihood for attracting future outside investment 4) innovativeness 5) replicability and scalability. First place will receive $10,000, the two runner-ups will receive $5,000 each. The winners will be announced on January.8th, 2009.

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – Al Gore

The idea of how the future will look obviously leads into the question of the people who will compose this brave new world. We’ve thought a lot about the idea of community and how you cultivate a group of individuals that will engender intellectual capital and social action. What is the base that you want to build on if you choose to look at the future as a blank slate to be drawn upon? I thought that I would highlight a few people who have gotten us talking lately…

Kiff Gallagher who is the mind behind the Music National Service Initiative which is launching a “MusicanCorps.” Based on the AmeriCorps model (which he helped create) and funded by the Hewlett Foundation, this program will put enable musicians to give one to two years of service to under-served communities to bring music to schools.

Kjerstin Erickson of FORGE who made the leap of faith to put her non-profit’s budget problems out for the world to see. Sean Stannard-Stockton picked up her story and connected her with Curtis Chang of Consulting Within Reach and together they are chronicling the story of the tough decisions it takes to bring an organization to solvency.

The B Corporation folks for the truths they hold to be self-evident:
- That we must be the change we seek in the world.
- That all business ought to be conducted as if people and place mattered.
- That, through their products, practices, and profits, businesses should aspire to do no harm and benefit all.
- To do so requires that we act with the understanding that we are each dependent upon another
and thus responsible for each other and future generations.

Jill Finalyson of Socialedge.org for bringing social capital to socialedge. We’ve been excited by the threads currently running, including Peter Deitz’s “Case for Online Support for Social Entrepreneurs” and Marc Dangeard’s “Social Capital & Social Business”.

Xavier Hegelson of Better World Books for being a great example of founder who turned into an ambassador and business development representative for his company, allowing the company to grow to greater scale.

The Hungry for Obama folks who showed the power of youth and action. We can’t wait to see where that energy is transferred to next.

I sat at dinner last night after the panel discussion with friends from Change.org and Hungry for Obama. As we talked until the restaurant closed, I began to think that with young, passionate people like this as a base to build off of, our community has a chance to go very far indeed.

Last night, I attended the awareness2action event that two SoCap08 collaborators, Sundeep Ahuja and Ryan Mickle put together. Kevin Jones, founder of SoCap08 and principal at Good Capital, Premal Shah, President of Kiva.org, and Steve Newcomb, founder of Virgance, were the panelists addressing the topic of how values-based businesses continue to build momentum and turn a down market into a real opportunity for change. It was a great discussion with a round-table feel to it as Sundeep kicked off the questions, but quickly opened it up to the crowd to participate. Danny Moldovan of Change.org asked what I thought was the most simple but poignant question of the night and really of the times right now: Is this time really different? There have been recessions before, but we hear a lot about how this time is different and we have to look at a new way of doing business. Realistically, do we just have to batten down the hatches and wait for the storm to blow over before getting back to business as usual or do we harness the energy around collective change that’s in the air and make fundamentally different decisions for our businesses in moving forward?
The answers from the panelists took different directions, but resonated in important ways. Kevin spoke to the idea of “legacy futures” and re-training our brains to let go of the type of “legacy code” about our ideas on how the future was meant to play out and learn instead to look at this opportunity with a fresh lens. I’ve thought a lot about this concept in terms of harnessing the collective energy in the air following the Obama campaign and the market collapse. When a large movement or shift happens in people’s thinking, the initial reaction is to attempt to relate it to something in our past: “Obama has a Kennedy-esque presence” or that the groundswell of support was similar to the fervor in protests against The Vietnam War. What if instead, we looked at this era as unique unto itself? That though there were predecessors, we define our time, our leaders and ourselves as novel? In the same way, we can look at business in different terms. Rather than buttoning down the hatches to weather the storm which has been done time and time again, what if the breakdown is a breakthrough? Steve said that the hardest thing to do is wake up every morning and know that there are individuals who depend on him in these times to succeed, but that the most important thing is to believe that it is possible…that a new way of doing business will emerge out of this recession and will thrive because it is the right lens to look through. Premal cautioned to not put any one business, especially not Kiva on a pedestal. With a new era comes new mistakes and we can learn from them, but should not be constrained by them. Each individual and business with a strong vision has the opportunity now to define themselves with a new vocabulary. As I looked around the room and saw the three panelists stay until the very end to talk to young and inspired social entrepreneurs, I was struck by the willingness of all individuals in the social action sector to put in the time to share ideas and help each other define this new era of social change in business. This is the kind of awareness that makes me excited for the future…however it may look.

I set out to interview the Ideablob finalists and winner who were in attendance for the inaugural Social Capital Markets Conference (SoCap08). For those not already in the know, Ideablob is an online community sponsored by Advanta Bank comprised of entrepreneurs and small business owners who share their ideas. In addition to the feedback and support provided by a community of like-minded peers each month the site’s users vote for their favorite idea. The winner is awarded a $10,000 cash prize to either turn their idea into reality or increase the scope and scale of their project. If you have an idea stewing and want a shot at the prize or if you just want to check out this month’s contenders head over to http://www.ideablob.com.

One winner is Aaron Fleishman, a senior at Pennsylvania State University majoring in Chemical Engineering who developed a venture to provide needy constituents in developing communities with access to inexpensive computer-based health stations. The project, Mashavu – a Swahili word for ‘chubby-cheeked’ uses basic on-site health assessment tools that hook up to mobile phone networks and send the information out to doctors around the world for health advice and medical recommendations. The system uses relatively inexpensive off-the-shelf components that can then be assembled locally. Mashavu has deep value in disaster relief situations in addition to facilitating regular health screenings for those who would not have access otherwise. Aaron’s biggest challenge in bringing Mashavu to the world is finding the time to devote to the venture while balancing a full scholastic load.  Aaron appreciated the collection of social entrepreneurs at SoCap08 and when I asked him whether he considered himself a social entrepreneur his answer was telling: “Yes, we’re trying to implement the venture using entrepreneurial tools and not structuring ourselves as a charity. We strive to achieve Mashavu’s sustainability in the developing world. That said our goal is to create a multi-million smile enterprise versus a multi-million dollar enterprise.” Aaron and his team plan to have 5 Mashavu stations up and running by fall, 2009. For more information please visit http://www.mashavu.com.

While she may not have won the prize, Abigail Glaum-Lathbury is also a successful social entrepreneur. The clothing line she started her first year after graduating from Art Institute of Chicago, Elmidae, is committed to making more than just another pretty garment. In addition to implementing eco-friendly innovations such as using remaindered fabrics, Abigail pays a fair living wage to all of her employees. She produces her hand-made clothing in the United States using low-impact fibers such as bamboo. Abigail was brought up ‘green’ and as the line started to grow she had an inherent desire to apply her life values to her bourgeoning business. The biggest challenge in scaling her business is finding lenders/investors who understand her commitment to producing at her standards as opposed to the lowest cost-basis (aka ‘Made in China’). Her comment on SoCap08: “It was refreshing to be in an environment with companies and people that are working on making money making a difference. The best part was the quantity and quality of people in attendance and the sessions were amazing.” Abigail is expanding her existing line and launching a new, more economical in the near future. For more information, please visit http://www.elmidae.com.

Our third and final Blobber (colloquialism for an Ideablob user) is Natalie Carter of the Earth Garden Project. Natalie’s up-and-coming venture seeks to combat hunger and malnutrition among women around the world by teaching school children and their teachers the skills needed to grow vegetables first at school and then at home. Originally from South Africa Natalie is currently studying International Development and Environment Studies at UCLA. Her idea didn’t originate from her studies but rather from an intense experience when she was not able to eat for 24 hours. Natalie sympathized for the millions of women and children for whom this was a daily reality and resolved to make a difference one school at a time. I asked Natalie if she would label herself a Social Entrepreneur and she replied “At the moment, I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a social entrepreneur, but I think I’m one in the making.  Because I am still working on the project and putting all the pieces together, I can’t justify calling myself as a social entrepreneur.” Natalie’s biggest challenge is a combination of the challenges facing Aaron and Abigail – namely, finding capital to support her vision and balancing the project with the studies. She would love to connect with other organizations that recognize common ground with the Earth Garden Project to discuss synergies. For more information, check out Natalie’s idea page by searching for the Earth Garden Project at http://www.ideablob.com.

SoCap recently held a mixer out on the East Coast in New York City, co-hosted by Good Capital and Criterion Ventures. The event was sponsored by Mission Markets, City Light Capital and Growth Philanthropy Network. It was great to see such a strong presence of SoCap08 attendees come out, with representatives from Merrill Lynch, Acumen, Assetmap.org and Rockefeller Foundation to name a few. I heard a lot of stories of partnerships that came out of and have blossomed following SoCap08. One of our sponsors, Mission Markets, announced a partnership with Socialmarkets.org (Founder Jeff Tuller was a speaker at SoCap08) following a meeting at the conference. Mission Markets, an online marketplace meant to promote socially responsible investing and create a capital marketplace for triple bottom line companies to raise capital, is partnering to provide large scale funding opportunities to participating non-profits on Socialmarkets.org. Great news and good luck.

Nathaniel Whittemore recently asked this question on Change.org and asked a few of us to respond with our thoughts. Immediately my mind turned to microlending. A different way to donate to ensure that your funds go further and longer than a one-off donation. I think that the greatest way to give a gift this holiday season is to visit websites like Kiva.org and Microplace.com and start an investment portfolio. You’ll not only be giving individual entrepreneurs around the world the gift of a micro-loan to start their business, you’ll also be giving the gift of dignity and empowerment that the responsibility of an investment brings. The money that they will pay back will later go to fund another entrepreneur to get off his or her feet. Microplace.com has a new gift giving program in place where you can make an investment for as little as $20 in honor of a friend or family member and they’ll receive a hand-crafted Chilean artisan piggy bank as a gift in return, hopefully spurring them to get involved in the marketplace themselves. These are the gifts that keep on giving. Living in the Bay Area, I can effect change through a donation to The Opportunity Fund which provides microfinance loans, matched savings accounts, financial information and affordable housing financing to individuals in the Bay Area. The Sobrato Family Foundation has recently pledged to match all donations up to $60,000, doubling your gift’s impact. Think about giving in a way that allows individuals to start off the year with a renewed sense of hope that they can be responsible for lifting themselves out of poverty.

There’s been a great upsurge lately in competitions focused on social entrepreneurship. Two on our radar are the USAID Development 2.0 Challenge, a partnership between USAID, The Global Development Commons and Netsquared, and Change.org’s “Ideas for Change.”

The USAID Development 2.0 Challenge is calling for organizations with innovative ideas on how mobile technology can effect change to submit their ideas. The top three winners will receive as well as the opportunity to present their ideas to USAID officials in Washington, D.C. Great to see SoCap08 speaker Ken Banks’ kiwanja.net and Frontline SMS founder have a presence with two projects: 1. Providing Business Opportunities Information to Farmers and Producers via SMS and 2. Mobile Application for Virtual Community Based Complementary Currencies. Voting runs through Dec.12th, so visit and vote today.

The second competition that has us excited is the Change.org “Ideas for Change in America.” The folks at Change.org came up with the idea after wondering what would happen with the momentum that so many people across America fueled to bring Obama to the White House. Their idea was borne out of the hope to actively influence the administration’s direction as the masses had influenced the course of the election. They are calling for ideas on how to turn the broad spectrum of “change” in to actionable ideas and policies moving forward. Anyone can submit and idea which will be voted on by Dec. 31st for the first round. The top ten ideas will be presented to the Obama Administration on Inauguration Day. Change.org will work with a nonprofit selected for each idea to create a nationwide movement to lobby to turn the idea into policy. SoCap08 speaker Marc Dangeard has submitted his idea for a support structure for entrepreneurs (the idea stemming from his organization Entrepreneur Commons) whereby the administration would provide a structure and funding. He is currently in first place in the social entrepreneurship category! Congratulations Marc. To ensure his continued success and to vote on other projects, head over to Change.org and cast your vote.

Peter Deitz of Social Actions is leading an interesting discussion on socialedge.org on online support for social entrepreneurs. Peter’s discussion rings true to a lot of the talk around our water cooler these days in the lack of technological infrastructure around supporting social entrepreneurs. This is obviously something on the minds of the folks at Xigi.net, who is the original mapper of the social capital space. If you had one portal to create as a way to seek funds, advisors and like-minded organizations, what would that look like to you? What would incentivize you to keep it maintained and up to date?

Next Monday, Kevin Jones will join Premal Shah of Kiva.org to speak at the third awareness2action event. The topic of conversation will be on how values-based businesses continue to build momentum and turn a down market into a real opportunity for change. A great piggyback on my earlier comment on the Van Jones mentality that “a breakdown can lead to a breakthrough.”

You are invited to an exclusive panel and mixer to learn about and share thoughts around what’s changed and how to deal with it with — specifically focused on engaging site users and consumers — led and attended by some of the biggest changemakers in the Bay Area.

Panelists
Premal Shah, President of Kiva.org
Kevin Jones, Principal at Good Capital

Schedule
Mixer, 7pm - 7:30pm
Panel / Q&A, 7:30pm - 8:30pm
Mixer, 8:30pm - 9:30pm

Cost
None. Rather than charge for admission, they’re aiming to raise $400 through donations to cover costs of hosting these events, and to make a collective donation to Kiva.org, in the spirit of the holidays. Please bring cash or check to the event, or PayPal sahuja [at] stanfordalumni [dot] org in advance with what you’d like to give.

Limited attendance
This is an invite only event with room for 80 attendees, we encourage all SoCap Media friends to rsvp here to save a spot.