When I was twelve years old, my favorite TV show was the West Wing. I avidly watched the show’s fictional president and his high-minded aides selflessly work to establish a better world for people within and outside of the United States. Watching such noble ambition instilled in me a desire to serve others and contribute to a cause greater than myself. Although, the show also caused me to believe that creating a positive impact required becoming president and tackling problems on the largest scale possible. Fortunately, my time working with social enterprises has shown me that I can make a meaningful difference by pursuing change on a small scale.
I was first introduced to the life changing impact of social entrepreneurship by meeting the artisans at AHA, a social enterprise in Bolivia. I only met Rumia briefly, but I will not forget her story. Before working as an artisan at AHA, she worked as a cook and played basketball professionally in the town of Cochabamba. However, her left leg was amputated as a result of her battle to defeat bone cancer. Needing another way to provide for her daughter, Rumia became an artisan at AHA Bolivia and began knitting for the company. The fair wage and opportunity for quality work that Rumia and artisans like her gained at AHA Bolivia showed me the potential of social entrepreneurship. When my work with AHA was done, I returned home curious about how I could serve through social entrepreneurship and applied to the Global Social Benefit Fellowship (GSBF).
Through the GSBF I began conducting action research with Smart Havens Africa (SHA), a social enterprise committed to providing an affordable pathway to homeownership for low and middle-income Ugandans. To demonstrate SHA’s impact, I studied its business model and administered a series of semi-structured interviews to customers who had bought a SHA home. From these conversations I learned about how a social enterprise like SHA can change lives. Some customers noted how their children have better educational outcomes because of the quieter study environment their new home provides. Others were grateful for the improved sanitation of living in a home with a flushing toilet. All of the customers I spoke with felt that finally owning their own home was a major accomplishment that benefits their family. These were the types of changes that I had envisioned myself creating by serving other people as president. Working with SHA solidified my realization that creating impact can be accomplished through both large- and small-scale work.
Because of the GSBF fellowship, I believe that my career trajectory will continue to evolve around a desire to create impact on a small scale. Working with social entrepreneurs has taught me the power that a single individual, armed with a passion and an idea, can have. Thus, I know that I can make a positive contribution to the world no matter where I go or where I work.
I was first introduced to the life changing impact of social entrepreneurship by meeting the artisans at AHA, a social enterprise in Bolivia. I only met Rumia briefly, but I will not forget her story. Before working as an artisan at AHA, she worked as a cook and played basketball professionally in the town of Cochabamba. However, her left leg was amputated as a result of her battle to defeat bone cancer. Needing another way to provide for her daughter, Rumia became an artisan at AHA Bolivia and began knitting for the company. The fair wage and opportunity for quality work that Rumia and artisans like her gained at AHA Bolivia showed me the potential of social entrepreneurship. When my work with AHA was done, I returned home curious about how I could serve through social entrepreneurship and applied to the Global Social Benefit Fellowship (GSBF).
Through the GSBF I began conducting action research with Smart Havens Africa (SHA), a social enterprise committed to providing an affordable pathway to homeownership for low and middle-income Ugandans. To demonstrate SHA’s impact, I studied its business model and administered a series of semi-structured interviews to customers who had bought a SHA home. From these conversations I learned about how a social enterprise like SHA can change lives. Some customers noted how their children have better educational outcomes because of the quieter study environment their new home provides. Others were grateful for the improved sanitation of living in a home with a flushing toilet. All of the customers I spoke with felt that finally owning their own home was a major accomplishment that benefits their family. These were the types of changes that I had envisioned myself creating by serving other people as president. Working with SHA solidified my realization that creating impact can be accomplished through both large- and small-scale work.
Because of the GSBF fellowship, I believe that my career trajectory will continue to evolve around a desire to create impact on a small scale. Working with social entrepreneurs has taught me the power that a single individual, armed with a passion and an idea, can have. Thus, I know that I can make a positive contribution to the world no matter where I go or where I work.