The Social Influence Companion Highlight collection highlights numerous Cisco non-profit group companions which might be serving to rework the lives of people and communities. This weblog options Cisco’s partnership with Agora Partnerships, Bridge Worldwide, CARE Peru, Centro Neighborhood Companions, Defy Ventures, and Hand in Hand Worldwide, highlighting the transformative work every of those organizations are doing within the entrepreneurial and financial empowerment area, particularly for underserved communities.
World Entrepreneurs Day 2024, noticed on August 21, celebrates the ingenuity and perseverance of entrepreneurs who’re the driving power behind innovation and financial development worldwide. This 12 months’s theme, “Empowering Entrepreneurs for a Sustainable Future,” underscores the very important function that entrepreneurs play in creating options to international challenges and advancing sustainable improvement. Find out how a few of Cisco’s non-profit companion organizations are enabling the transformative influence of entrepreneurs and fostering environments the place their concepts can thrive and result in a brighter, extra sustainable future.
Agora Partnerships
“Collaborating within the Eco problem has been a chance to see my enterprise with one other perspective, not simply searching for innovation alternatives, however of a social and environmental legacy, that may transcend different generations and even different geographies.”
—Feminine entrepreneur chief of knowledgeable audio providers firm
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) contribute nearly 25% of Latin America’s Gross Home Product and make use of over 60% of the full inhabitants. On the identical time, SMEs throughout the area face stagnating productiveness development and growing vulnerabilities to local weather variability and pure useful resource degradations throughout the area face stagnating productiveness development and growing vulnerabilities to local weather variability and pure useful resource degradation.
The significance of SMEs for each financial prosperity and environmental preservation means an funding within the greening and modernization of their enterprise fashions can have an outsized influence on the area’s general sustainability.
And but women-led small and medium enterprises (WSMEs) face technological, financial, cultural, and institutional boundaries to enhancing the environmental footprint of their fashions – impeding sustainable and inclusive financial improvement.
Agora Partnerships strives for a world by which social and environmental sustainability turns into the true enterprise engine for SME development. With instrumental early-stage ideation and planning funding from Cisco Basis, Agora designed the content material, methodology, structure, and prototype for an eco-innovation (environmentally constructive practices) repository geared toward facilitating the mixing of eco improvements within the enterprise operations of conventional WSMEs in Latin America.
The method entailed a number of levels. First, they built-in in Agora’s enterprise coaching a product that enabled firms to ideate, choose, and plan the implementation of eco improvements instantly linked to enhancements of their backside line. They then moved on to pilot the content material with precise enterprises to validate assumptions, equivalent to cross sectoral applicability and relevance throughout completely different enterprise improvement levels. From there, they created an Ecochallenge fund deciding on awardees to fund their plans for testing and studying. Lastly, they translated the primary two levels right into a digital and self-guided format which can enable Agora to create influence at scale by making the content material accessible to audiences past Agora’s present program members – permitting them to proceed to assist feminine entrepreneurs all through Latin America to make their companies greener – and extra profitable.
How Agora Partnerships is making a distinction:
- 19% had mapped the damaging impacts of their companies and had no less than one technique to mitigate them
- 08% reported that the Eco-challenge contributed considerably to their development and the event of environmental data of their enterprise
- 97% reported implementing social or environmental actions
Agora Partnerships has many alternatives to assist with their efforts. Particularly, the group wants:
- Specialists in gamification to enhance the present person expertise of the eco improvements repository.
- Environmental consultants that may assessment piloted eco improvements to establish doable enhancements, potential factors of problem, and analysis methodologies/practices.
- Practitioners or entrepreneurial assist organizations who wish to pilot eco improvements with their very own entrepreneurs to proceed constructing the eco innovation knowledgebase.
- Suggestions of databases or experiences highlighting confirmed environmental practices that reap financial returns in SMEs.
Study extra about Agora Partnerships (en español video)
Bridge Worldwide
“We offer capacity-building consultations and coaching to create progressive and catalytic approaches to entrepreneurs. We additionally present crowdfunding alternatives to extend entry to monetary sources and public visibility for the social companies that we assist all around the area of Asia.”
—Ahlim Kim, Program Director
The Bridge Worldwide helps underserved social innovators and rising entrepreneurs in South Korea and throughout the globe. By means of its on-line crowdfunding platform which merges the ideas of “donation” and “funding” into one, The Bridge Worldwide created a revolving donation mannequin that sustains and builds financial resilience for program beneficiaries and donors.
With Cisco’s Regional Answer Grant, The Bridge Worldwide was in a position to reestablish its on-line platform. The platform goals to create a sustainable ecosystem of influence donations and extra sources which might be essential for enterprise sustainability of people’ dream to change into economically impartial and be capable of give again to others in want. Not too long ago, The Bridge Worldwide has enhanced the ‘Birthday Donation Marketing campaign’ characteristic, which allows people to launch their very own campaigns utilizing their birthdays. They’ll invite family and friends to donate in direction of social causes they care about to have fun. This enchancment has efficiently inspired extra individuals, each regionally and internationally, to take part in these campaigns. The influence of the grant is promising for beneficiaries, together with challenge VietHarvest in Vietnam, Ritma Inexperienced in Indonesia, and Jumpaa Comics in Laos.
How Bridge Worldwide is making a distinction:
- Variety of entrepreneurs served (North Korean Defectors and Growing International locations in Asia): 53
- Share improve in funds raised: 26%
- Price improve in financial independence (re-donation fee): 11%
Bridge Worldwide welcomes neighborhood assist by way of donations and volunteer involvement:
- Host a donation marketing campaign: Try fundraisers just like the “Birthday/Occasion Donation”, designate a challenge, and assist celebrating particular events equivalent to birthdays, graduations, wedding ceremony anniversaries, and others.
- Enroll for mentoring and enterprise partnership constructing.
CARE Peru
“CARE has advocated for ladies entrepreneurship at a nationwide scale. We purpose to contribute to a resilient and inclusive financial system by unleashing the ability of growth-oriented girls entrepreneurs. We assist girls entrepreneurs to really feel assured, resilient, in management, and geared up to develop their companies, so that they achieve financial energy of their households, communities, and economies.”
—Marilu Martens, Nationwide Director at CARE Peru
CARE established a everlasting presence in Peru in 1970 following the devastating earthquake within the Ancash area, and in 2012, it was constituted as a Peruvian NGO. For over 50 years, it has applied over 1000 initiatives targeted on the nation’s social improvement, which have modified the lives of probably the most susceptible individuals. Within the final 5 years, CARE Peru has positively impacted the lives of over 7 million individuals.
CARE Peru’s Ladies with Alternatives (GWO) program creates an academic ecosystem that fosters the well-being and academic continuity of adolescent women, igniting their curiosity to be taught and potential to change into the most effective they are often to beat poverty. This system implements numerous academic initiatives focusing on stakeholders, equivalent to college students, lecturers, faculty directors, households, native authorities, and neighborhood leaders. CARE Peru supplies a supportive atmosphere, partaking establishments and neighborhood leaders to again this system’s implementation. Lecturers and college directors endure capacity-building packages to combine the GWO curriculum into faculty administration devices, guaranteeing sustainability. College students take part in asynchronous and synchronous studying periods, creating expertise and competencies by way of initiatives just like the “Thought y Emprende” contest, which inspires entrepreneurship and STEAM schooling.
With Cisco’s Regional Grant assist, CARE Peru developed its STEAM initiative which included a pilot of the Cisco Networking Academy course on “Get Linked, ” academic directions and know-how coaching to equip college students with important digital expertise and assist their creativity for studying and put together a pathway for a constructive future in for underserved women in rural areas of Peru. Program success consists of elevated pupil engagement, data switch of data to lecturers, and program sustainability inside taking part public/authorities colleges.
How CARE is making a distinction:
- 16 secondary colleges’ members of the GWO Program taking part within the methodological switch
- 60 academic actors from secondary colleges, Native Training Unites (UGEL) and Regional Directorate/Unit of Training (DRE/GRE) from numerous areas together with of Cajamarca, Bambamarca, Lambayeque, and Amazonas that take part within the methodological switch course of from GWO Program
- 50 lecturers who improve data in thematic areas from GWO Program
- 50 lecturers with certificates/recognition achieved for taking part in GWO Program signed by UGEL/DRE/GRE
Be part of CARE Peru’s trigger and make a distinction. Your assist will allow over a thousand college students from the Ladies with Alternatives challenge to proceed their academic journey and obtain objectives they by no means thought doable. To donate, go to their web site or give through PayPal.
Centro Neighborhood Companions
“At Centro, we imagine entrepreneurship is a robust catalyst for financial transformation and social mobility. By equipping underserved entrepreneurs with tailor-made technical help, entry to capital, and devoted teaching, we empower them to show their visions into sustainable companies. Our dedication lies in nurturing their daring concepts into thriving enterprises that not solely profit the entrepreneurs themselves but in addition enrich their communities.”
—Arturo Noriega, Founder and CEO
As we have fun World Entrepreneurs Day, it’s important to spotlight the transformative initiatives which might be making important impacts on the entrepreneurial panorama, particularly for the underserved. Cisco has been a pivotal companion in Centro’s journey to empower underserved entrepreneurs globally. By means of their beneficiant assist, Centro has expanded its capabilities and attain, touching the lives of over 1,000 entrepreneurs yearly.
Cisco’s investments in Centro’s know-how and capacity-building initiatives have been game-changers. With Cisco’s backing, Centro has invested within the Centro App, a complete device that has revolutionized how entrepreneurs entry sources, teaching, and capital and helps monitor influence. One other important milestone within the partnership has been the adoption of Salesforce because the centralized database administration system. This transfer has streamlined Centro’s operations and information administration practices, guaranteeing that each choice the group makes is knowledgeable. The inception of Centro Labs, additionally funded by Cisco, served as an incubator the place the groundbreaking thought for the Centro CEO App was conceived. As an AI-driven platform, the Centro CEO App guarantees to be a cornerstone in Centro’s technique to equip entrepreneurs with good instruments they should succeed.
Cisco’s assist extends past monetary help—it’s a partnership that embraces imaginative and prescient, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of empowering those that aspire to make a distinction by way of entrepreneurship. As Centro seems in direction of the longer term, the group is grateful for Cisco’s unwavering assist and excited concerning the infinite potentialities that lie forward. On World Entrepreneurs Day, Centro celebrates not simply the spirit of entrepreneurship but in addition the partnerships that amplify this spirit. Due to Cisco, Centro isn’t solely dreaming of a extra inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem however actively constructing it.
Since 2021, the assist from Cisco has been instrumental in serving to Centro leverage know-how and construct progressive options to develop its packages and providers to achieve underserved entrepreneurs. The next are some key highlights of Centro’s influence over the previous three years:
- Assisted 2,500+ underserved low-income girls and entrepreneurs of shade with its packages and providers.
- Facilitated entry to $4.7M++ in capital, serving to entrepreneurs begin or develop small companies to realize monetary independence.
- Offered 1,400+ hours of one-on-one enterprise teaching providers to assist entrepreneurs overcome enterprise challenges and join them with native small companies sources.
Centro believes in trust-based philanthropy and gives a wide range of alternatives for assist and engagement:
- Advocate Centro to Entrepreneurs: Join entrepreneurs to Centro’s packages and providers to assist them begin and develop their small companies.
- Take part in Graduations: Centro welcomes company to take part in Centro program graduations to offer suggestions to entrepreneurs on their enterprise fashions/pitches.
- Assist Entrepreneurs Entry Capital: With as little as $25, individuals might help a neighborhood entrepreneur entry an interest-free Kiva mortgage of as much as $15,000.
Defy Ventures
“I’ve by no means felt fairly so full, empowered, educated, safe, and assured about opening my very personal enterprise. I used to be beforehand incarcerated, and a former drug addict and my enterprise concepts had been simply that— concepts and goals. . . till I got here into Defy Ventures’ entrepreneur program!”
—Carol Anne Madonia, Founder and CEO of That Meatball Collective
Defy Ventures is a nationwide nonprofit whose mission is to shift mindsets to offer individuals with prison histories their finest shot at a second probability by way of entrepreneurship, profession readiness, well-being, and private improvement coaching packages delivered each in jail and in the neighborhood.
Defy’s imaginative and prescient is to chop recidivism charges in half by leveraging entrepreneurship to extend financial alternative and rework lives. This 12 months, Defy will work with greater than 1,000 at present and previously incarcerated women and men to defy the percentages in 9 states.
They accomplish this by way of entrepreneurship and profession readiness coaching packages facilitated each in jail and in the neighborhood, with the purpose of supporting profitable reentry and financial alternative. Their community-based entrepreneurship packages embrace enterprise coaching, government mentorship, planning grants, and seed capital to assist previously incarcerated people obtain their goals of launching a small enterprise.
Their cornerstone CEO of Your New Life (CEO YNL) jail program supplies members, (known as Entrepreneurs in Coaching or EITs), with entrepreneurship expertise, private improvement, profession readiness, and reentry preparation by way of a five-volume, 2000-page set of printed textbooks and the submission of assignments through assortment of paper copies.
With assist from Cisco Basis, Defy is reworking this curriculum right into a tablet-based program, which can allow a big leap ahead. With the flexibility to ship studying through tablets, they may be capable of enhance their program with wealthy content material (equivalent to supplementary movies), digital information assortment, and elevated communication with program members each throughout and after this system. Tablets can even allow them to develop their attain to serve extra individuals and in additional areas – which means extra justice-impacted women and men will now have a good probability.
Since inception, Defy has achieved the next influence:
- 7,900+ EITs served
- 200+ companies launched
- <10% recidivism for program graduates inside 1 12 months of launch (vs 30% nationwide common)
How you can become involved:
Hand in Hand Worldwide
“The ladies we work with face a bunch of restrictive norms and attitudes that preserve them from incomes their very own incomes, and so usually tend to be digitally excluded. Due to our partnership with Cisco, we can unlock the ability of know-how to equip much more girls entrepreneurs with the talents and sources they should launch thriving companies, lifting extra households out of poverty.”
—Amalia Johnsson, Deputy CEO, Hand in Hand Worldwide
Worldwide, round 10% of ladies – 400 million – dwell trapped under the poverty line of simply $2.15 a day. Within the locations Hand in Hand works, equivalent to Kenya, Tanzania, India, and Afghanistan, there are few alternatives for formal employment. For these girls, entrepreneurship is the one route out of poverty. Nonetheless, in lots of of those communities, over 60% of ladies can’t make on a regular basis choices with out their husband’s permission. Others yearn to start out small companies however lack entry to the coaching, loans and sources wanted to start.
When girls lose, everybody loses. Households, communities and even nations change into trapped in a cycle of poverty. However given the chance, girls can break these cycles and form the longer term they need.
Hand in Hand equips under-served girls with expertise and sources to earn extra money and ignite native economies, lifting nations out of poverty. By means of a confirmed mannequin targeted on expertise acquisition, credit score entry and market connections, Hand in Hand has reached 9 million girls entrepreneurs through its international community. Nonetheless, till now the talents acquisition part of Hand in Hand’s mannequin has targeted solely on in-person coaching. In rural areas particularly, native enterprise trainers spend an enormous period of time on the highway – limiting the variety of girls the NGO can attain.
How Hand in Hand is making a distinction:
This 12 months, Hand in Hand has partnered with CISCO to develop and check a focused, inclusive e-learning platform in Kenya – to enhance its in-person enterprise coaching.
- To this point, Hand in Hand has reached 9 million girls 20 million members of the family.
- Usually, girls entrepreneurs double their incomes.
- 84% of ladies at the moment are in a position to make choice concerning the issues that have an effect on their lives.
- The brand new e-learning system will assist Hand in Hand to fulfill its purpose of reaching 265,000 Kenyan entrepreneurs by 2027.
- Hand in Hand’s entrepreneurship coaching delivers a median ROI of 475%.
How you can become involved with Hand in Hand:
- Donate at the moment: A daily reward of £35 a month might equip three girls with the talents and sources to launch their very own companies.
- Companion with Hand in Hand: In case your group is trying to improve its influence and rework the lives of ladies entrepreneurs, please contact Anna Davies, Head of Philanthropy and Partnerships.
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