Politics Paradox: Those who should lead never will

The values that drive the choices of effective leaders are the very reasons most never will join politics (in today’s installment of very depressing thoughts)

• Results vs. Appearance: True leaders understand that achieving a mission will occasionally be at odds with maintaining one’s popularity. For true leaders (and politicians) the choice is obvious.
• Confidence vs Arrogance: True leaders have realistic self-appraisals which include both strengths and weaknesses. Politics, on the other hand, encourages participants to admit no weakness and laud their own successes ad nauseam
• Team vs Individual: True leaders recognize that highlighting the accomplishments of their team nurtures additional success. Additionally, a motivated and unified team is the highest compliment for a true leader. Conversely, politicians minimize the work of others and over-emphasize their own contributions.

Investing in Girls’ and Women’s Education: A Smart Strategy for Development in Africa | U.S. Department of State Blog

I’m sure many people are familiar with the Chinese proverb, “women hold up half the sky.” But, after meeting some of the dynamic and accomplished women from the African Women’s Entrepreneurship Program (AWEP) last week, I’m convinced that, in Africa, they probably hold up 60 or even 75 percent of the sky!

The best solutions solve many problems: empowering women apparently is good for business and national security too! Read this great article…

via Investing in Girls’ and Women’s Education: A Smart Strategy for Development in Africa | U.S. Department of State Blog.

Loyal customers infuse New Mexico Tea Co. with green – New Mexico Business Weekly

Call it Conscious Capitalism, call it Social Entrepreneurship, but in this age of faceless multi-national corporations there is a movement to business that partners with communities rather than undermining them.

When New Mexico Tea Co. needed financial capital, they called on their extensive social capital:

Edwards owns New Mexico Tea Co. near Albuquerque’s Old Town. It sells a wide variety of bulk loose leaf teas. When his bank turned him down for a line of credit recently, he turned to the loyal customer base he has built over four years.

He sent an e-mail to the 3,800 people on his newsletter list in an effort to raise $5,000. Within about 48 hours, he had raised $10,000, made up of $4,500 in “microloans” and $5,500 in gift cards that can be redeemed starting in December for slightly more than their cost.

“You don’t really know how much the community cares about you until you ask for help,” Edwards said. “Most of them had never done anything like that. But most had never been asked.”

via Loyal customers infuse New Mexico Tea Co. with green – New Mexico Business Weekly.

Should I Sponsor a Child?

Child sponsorship has been a wildly successful in connecting donors with poor children around the world. Billions of dollars are funneled every year to international organizations through child sponsorship programs. Letters are written back-and-forth and funds are given faithfully every month. But, is it doing long-term good? Or could it actually be perpetuating the problems it claims to solve?

Read this gracious, insightful, balanced examination at: Should I Sponsor a Child? « smorgasblurb.

What I’m Reading: Agriculture Programs in Africa: Pro-Poor

In 1980 China had a GDP slightly lower than the one in sub-Saharan Africa. By 1993 China took the lead and hasn’t looked back.

In this article, Dr Fan of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) talks about the implications for Africa of China’s Agricultural and Rural Development.

In general, total investments in agriculture should at least meet the target of 10 percent of national public budgets.

Such investments must be accompanied by “pro-poor policies”, Fan pointed out.”Pro-poor policy initiatives in China illustrate that proper scope and targeting of programmes is essential. These programmes should target vulnerable people in both rural and urban areas, and they should not focus strictly on designated poor regions.”

Continue reading at allAfrica.com: Africa: Continent Should Take Lessons from China – IFPRI.

From child bride in Korogocho slum to honors student

In this second part of my interview with Erastus Omukhango, he talks about how an orphaned child bride achieved the highest standardized test score in the area.

The story of 2 orphans

Imagine: a single mother brings in her two kids. After the service she’s gone, and her kids are still there. The police ask the church to keep the kids while they look for the mother…who never turns up. This is how REHEMA Daycare and School started, and they’ve provided education to over 600 children!

When I visited Kenya in February I recorded a long interview with Erastus, the founder of REHEMA. Here is a quick clip about those 2 kids.

Willpower and Working Together

The 1010 Project is teaming up with rec.fm, an online recommendations site that gives half its proceeds to charity. I received an email this morning from their President, John Appler. He thanked me for joining the rec.fm crew, here was my response.

John,

Thank you for partnering with us to help end poverty in Kenya!

I think from the Business to Social Sectors we are realizing that solving problems like poverty, HIV/AIDS, and Women’s Empowerment isn’t a lack of solutions…its simply willpower and working together.

When people like you throw your hat in the ring with rec.fm, it brings us all one step closer to changing the world.

So THANK YOU!

The barriers that Social Enterprise overcome – Sankalp 2010 at NextBillion.net

In many underserved communities, however, neither the invisible hand of the government nor markets cater to even the most basic needs of their members, resulting in structural and behavioral barriers to the community's growth and development. These barriers are addressed by products and services engineered by social entrepreneurs.

Social Entrepreneurship is an emerging and evolving concept. This article from an Indian Summit called Sankalp 2010 provides a great snapshot. It talks about what Social Enterprise is, an example in Mumbai of the “Dabbawallas,” and the need it fills.

via Reporting from Sankalp 2010 | Blog | NextBillion.net | Development through Enterprise.

Simply a Must Read – Interview with Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and CEO, Acumen Fund

In international development are we in danger of objectifying the poor? Jacqueline Novogratz, founder and CEO of Acumen Fund seems to think so in this absolute must read article.

PND: Much of Acumen’s work and investments around the world are focused on poverty alleviation. Traditionally, that’s been the purview of international aid programs and large NGOs. You’ve been fairly outspoken in your criticism of such approaches. What don’t traditional aid experts get about poverty?

Jacqueline Novogratz: I guess I'd say that too often they see the poor as objects rather than as human beings who want to make their own decisions and control their own destinies. They’re not great at understanding the situation on the ground from the perspective of the poor and then coming up with solutions that allow people to be active participants in improving their own lives.

via PND – Newsmakers — Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and CEO, Acumen Fund.