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Jason consults international development groups and helps others understand the keys to setting up sustainable micro-businesses.  In the 10 minutes we had, he said:

1. Presence must be consistent, which means that someone needs to take responsibility of the project, even when you're gone, else it will fail.  He suggested that another NGO take that responsibility after you leave.  If a tour operator goes to a specific area often enough, then that might suffice.  In other cases, having a village leader with whom you have created a trusting relationship could be that person.  Either way, the village needs to know who's guiding them through the steps of the micro-business.
2. Don't give money.  Don't give, just to give.  When word spreads about free stuff or free money, then that's what the villagers will seek and it is hard to break a village from that once it happens.  It does the opposite of promoting sustainability.

 

Earlier this week, Bret Van Leeuwen, the founder of Koins4Kenya.org invited me to his office.  I asked for his advice on what makes a project sustainable in his village of Kenya.  He said:

1. The community must have buy-in.
2. The village leaders must be involved - everyone from the student to the teacher, to the local village elder, to the district officers, to the national members of parliament...  all must do their part and are held accountable.  If someone fails, the whole thing stops.  If it happens again, everyone knows it.
3. The village must do their part - the village must commit to their end and do their part before a project even begins.
4. During a project, create meaningful participation, almost creating pain.  If people don't sacrifice and put their blood and sweat into it, all you're doing is ruining them. 
5. A project must be sustainable - meaning that it won't break down.  There has to be a way that any mechanical device or other has a means by which if it breaks down there is a way to fix it or replace it.
6. Sustainable water is not digging a well that produces bad water.  Don't just dig to dig.  Observe what is really needed and don't force something they don't need.  If more water is what they need, find a sustainable way to provide more water.
7. The projects must continue throughout the year even while the assistance is gone.
8. Try to do projects that benefit everyone in the village.

Today, I was invited by the World Trade Center of Utah to hear a short report on the economic development of Peru. 

Ambassador H.E. Felipe Ortiz de Zevallos Madueno said that Peru is the fasted growing economy in South America.

At the luncheon of the event, I had the opportunity to talk with Lew Cramer, the president and CEO of the World Trade Center as well as meet and talk with David Fiscus with the US Department of Commerce and Franz Kolb, the regional director of Internation Trade & Diplomacy at the Governor's Office of Economic Development. 

I was encouraged by their williness to assist Adventure Giving in our young endeavors of networking humanitarian missions with adventure expeditions.

 

I had the pleasure of meeting with Warner Woodworth, a professor at BYU with a wealth of background in creating sustainable humanitarian projects. 

I took away a few key points: 

A microloan is just a gift and will probably fail with no return unless the lendee is properly mentored to succeed.

A more effective way to lend is to lend the property, equipment, and goods necessary to effectively start a business.  Accompany the "goods" with a mentor program that assuress success.

Warner keyed me in on a conference coming up in the area of economic self reliance.  It's called the Economic Self-Reliance Conference held on November 6-7 this year.

With the help of our team, we submitted one of our ideas to www.project10tothe100.com.  It's a competition for social ideas that can help better the world we live in.

Adventure Giving is in the news! Read Brett Prettyman's article in the Salt Lake Tribune.