 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
News:
Please use the dates below as linksGENERAL
January 2008: Greg Van Kirk dines with Nobel Peace Prize Winner Mohammad Yunus.
March 2008: Greg Van Kirk selected as an Ashoka Fellow.
May 2008: Social Entrepreneur Corps interns arrive in Guatemala to support CE Solutions work.
October 2008: El Descanso - The $550,000 development engine.RURAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
April 2008: 41 filters sales including direct sales to a local factory.
May 2008: In the months of February, March and April, Sol Com entrepreneurs sold and built 135 stoves in the Ixil Region.
August 2008: Soluciones Comunitarias hired by USPECS to conduct feasibility analysis and pilot for new vision product in Guatemala.
June 2008: CE Solutions sponsors 3rd National Entrepreneur Conference
July 2008: Soluciones Comunitarias entrepreneurs break monthly sales record by selling 290 energy efficient light bulbs.RURAL EDUCATION
January 2008: Centro Explorativo hires Benito Raymundo as first full time teacher for La Pista initiative.
February 2008: 50 children enrolled in free afterschool classes.
February 2008: Centro Explorativo President Miguel Brito finalizes agreement with all teachers and school directors in the town of La Pista making computer classes offered at the Centro a regular part of every students coursework. For many area you this represents their first opportunity to touch a computer.
July 2008: Educational Director, Ashliegh Smith, helps to update Centro Explorativo curiculim.NEWS ARCHIVE
Click here to access news articles from 2004 - January 2007
GENERAL
January 2008: Greg Van Kirk dines with Nobel Peace Prize Winner Mohammad Yunnus.
At the invitation of Linked Foundation CE Solutions co-founder Greg Van Kirk was invited to an exclusive dinner with Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus to exchange ideas and share solutions. The dinner was also attended by leadership of Relief International and Kinkos founder Paul Orfalea. Muhammad Yunus is a Bangladeshi banker and economist. He previously was a professor of economics and is famous for his successful application of microcredit - the extension of small loans. These loans are given to entrepreneurs too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans. Yunus is also the founder of Grameen Bank. In 2006, Yunus and the bank were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, "for their efforts to create economic and social development from below." Yunus himself has received several other national and international honors. He is the author of Banker to the Poor and a founding board member of Grameen Foundation. Greg originally decided to enter the field of economic development after reading about micro-credit and the CE Solutions MicroConsignment model has adopted many of the benefits of this model.
March 2008: Greg Van Kirk selected as an Ashoka Fellow.
After a rigorous selection process Greg Van Kirk was named an Ashoka Fellow in March 2008 for his work leading the team in the design, development and implementation of our unique "MicroConsignment Model" in Guatemala.
“Ashoka is leading a profound transformation in society. Ashoka strives to shape a global, entrepreneurial, competitive citizen sector: one that allows social entrepreneurs to thrive and enables the world's citizens to think and act as changemakers. Rather than leaving societal needs for the government or business sectors to address, social entrepreneurs are creating innovative solutions, delivering extraordinary results, and improving the lives of millions of people. Ashoka Fellows are leading social entrepreneurs who we recognize to have innovative solutions to social problems and the potential to change patterns across society. They demonstrate unrivaled commitment to bold new ideas and prove that compassion, creativity, and collaboration are tremendous forces for change. Ashoka Fellows work in over 60 countries around the globe in every area of human need. All Ashoka Fellows must undergo a rigorous search and selection process in which they demonstrate that they fully meet Ashoka's selection criteria.” – Courtesy of Ashoka website
May 2008: Social Entrepreneur Corps interns arrive in Guatemala to support CE Solutions work.
Social Entrepreneur Corps is a unique company founded by the principals of CE Solutions, Greg Van Kirk and George B Glickley, in an effort to secure resources, both financial and human, to support ongoing efforts in Guatemala and beyond. The program is designed to provide university students and recent graduates with the means to truly experience and participate in innovative development work within a unique cultural, language learning and adventurous environment by working side by side with local entrepreneurs.
It is primarily through the network of CE Solutions expatriate volunteers and hard-working local social entrepreneurs that we are able to maximize Social Entrepreneur Corps volunteers' precious time in the country and the valuable but limited resources that they bring. Only through years of extremely hard work and organic growth have we been able to create an infrastructure in which short term volunteers can have such a substantial experience and contribute so positively in such short periods of time. Through Social Entrepreneur Corps we are proud to say that we have been able to create a unique situation in which all parties involved, foreigners and locals alike, gain immeasurably from the experience. In addition to the physical and intellectual support that volunteers provide, Social Entrepreneur Corps also significantly lowers the CE Solutions annual budget by covering key administrative and foreign staff/ trainers salaries.
October 2008: El Descanso - The $550,000 development engine. It all starts with a vision. Teamwork and dedication make it happen.
Our leadership’s first innovation goal in 2002 was this; to establish a locally-owned group of unique tourism businesses in a rural area where there were none in order to create good paying jobs in a respectful environment and provide a continuous engine of growth and development for the community for years to come. In short, we did it. To date the Nebaj “El Descanso” tourism social enterprise has been running profitably for nearly seven years, is entirely owned and run by Maya Ixiles and has generated revenues of over $550,000 to date. In the tough economic times of 2007 and 2008 alone these businesses earned nearly $150,000. And imagine how this has multiplied itself in the community. These businesses without question have been and continue to be the biggest generator of new capital (tourism income) for the entire region. No other development project has come close.
And as for impact, the revenues generated from this one initiative are more than double our ENTIRE funding and budget since we began our work in Guatemala. And given that the average Maya Ixil earns roughly $3 a day, this is equivalent to over 183,000 days of revenue. And the individuals who began as waiters in this social enterprise are now leaders in other CE Solutions initiatives. Isn’t that what development is all about? Success has been achieved for our first initiative but our mission is not yet completed. We continue to create concrete benefits for tens of thousands of Guatemalans every year.
To learn more about Social Entrepreneur Corps click here.
April 2008: 41 filters sales including direct sales to a local factory.
Soluciones Comunitarias rural entrepreneurs had an incredible sales month this April that included and impressive 41 sales of a product recently introduced into the CE Solutions MicroConsignment model, a simple water purification system. Sol Com entrepreneurs used creative marketing techniques to promote the product and generate awareness about the benefits of drinking purified water. For the first time in Sol Com history entrepreneurs were even invited to present their products to the workers at a local factory, resulting in 30+ sales!
Access to potable water is necessary for the survival of every human being, not only for everyday consumption, but maintaining an ample amount of pure water in the human body, maintaining hydration, helps avoid and cure illnesses. In Guatemala and many other developing coungtries acces to potable water is often either nonexistent or cost prohibitive. Yet in Guatemala alone:
- Only 24 of the 331 municipalities treat their water.
- Guatemala has the highest rate of water-borne illnesses en children younger than 5 years of age. It is also considered to have the worst access to water treatment installations.
- In 2000, diarrhea-based illnesses were the 2nd highest cause of death in the country. The #1 cause of death was respiratory illnesses. Up to this day, there are no plans to install water treatment plants
- In the rural areas, the population spends almost 50 % of their income buying medicines for diarrhea and water borne illnesses, which would be reduced if there were clean water available to them.
- Due to the chronic lack of infrastructure, about 95 percent of the country is not giving any treatment to the sewage, which pollutes rivers, lakes and wells.
- According to the Ministry of Public Health and Social Welfare, during 2006 there were 356,668 cases of diarrhea in the country. Of these, 1,225 ended in the death of patients.
- Studies in recent years show that 90 % of freshwater bodies in the country are contaminated with fecal material, says Yuri Melini, director of the Center for Legal Action, Social and Environmental
The Sol Com water purifier was designed to offer a practical solution in response to the everyday need for safe water in rural communities. Congrats to the Sol Com rural entrepreneurs for their recent success!
May 2008: In the months of February, March and April, Sol Com entrepreneurs sold and built 135 stoves in the Ixil Region.
Demand for Soluciones Comunitarias first product, the energy efficient stove , reached an all time high over the past few months and rural entrepreneurs and families alike reaped the benefits.
The majority of people in Guatemala cook with open bonfires on dirt floors inside their homes. There is often no chimney and the only way that the smoke can escape is through the door and through a permanently open space between the roof and the walls. In this way, the interior of many homes is covered with thick layers of black soot covering all surfaces. Here are some statistics for you to consider:
- Around 70% of all deaths in the Third World are due to respiratory illnesses. This means, smoke and dust.
- 75% of Guatemalan families use wood as their main source of fuel.
- Wood represents 72% of all the consumed energy.
- In Guatemala, 90% of chopped wood each year is used for energy
- 60000 hectares of forestry are lost annually.
The Sol Com Energy Efficient Stove was designed to offer a practical solution in response to the everyday need for safe and economically efficient stoves in rural communities. Congrats to the Sol Com rural entrepreneurs for their recent success!
August 2008: Soluciones Comunitarias hired by USPECS to conduct feasibility analysis and pilot for new vision product in Guatemala.
Soluciones Comunitarias rural entrepreneurs will be put to the test over the next few months after being chosen by USPECS, an international aid organization working on developing field adjustable reading glasses for children, to both analyze the feasibility of and pilot their newest product line.
Sol Com entrepreneurs have already begun holding village awareness and sales campaigns to promote the new USPECS glasses and are working hard to find both a solid market position and price point to maximize the product's impact at the local level.
We look forward to presenting the results of this investigation and pilot program in a news article in the upcoming months. Congratulations to Soluciones Comunitarias for being chosen to lead this effort!
June 2008: CE Solutions sponsors 3rd National Entrepreneur Conference.
CE Solutions was proud to sponsor for the third straight year a National Conference in Antigua, Guatemala for rural entrepreneurs working with Soluciones Comunitarias and using the MicroConsignment model to provide access to products and services in their communities. Every year entrepreneurs are invited to come together in Antigua, Guatemala to participate in two days of training and sharing. For many of the entrepreneurs it is the only opportunity that they have to travel outside of the department (state) where they live. Entrepreneurs not only benefit from participating in breakout sessions, best practices and lessons learned lead by CE Solutions senior staff during the training, they also have the opportunity to learn about their fellow entrepreneurs and gain a sense of unity and pride. This year over 70 entrepreneurs from 8 different departments (states) attended the conference in addition to over 30 Social Entrepreneur Corps volunteers and interns.
July 2008: Soluciones Comunitarias entrepreneurs break monthly sales record by selling 290 energy efficient light bulbs.
Soluciones Comunitarias rural entrepreneurs shattered previous monthly sales records this July when with the support of Social Entrepreneur Corps volunteers and interns they managed to sell an overwhelming 290 energy efficient light bulbs in rural communities throughout Guatemala.
The compact fluorescent light bulb (energy saving light bulb) offered by Soluciones Comunitarias rural entrepreneurs is a fluorescent light manufactured by General Electric that can be used in standard sockets commonly used by incandescent light bulbs such as lamps or ceiling fixtures. These energy saving light bulbs can save up to 80% of energy consumed by traditional incandescent light bulbs, thus reducing energy consumption and electric bills. It is a product that saves money and conserves the environment. Congratulations to Soluciones Comunitarias for providing such great access to a product with such a postive impact.
Please click here to access more articles in the Rural Entrepreneurship Archive.
January 2008: Centro Explorativo hires Benito Raymundo as first full time teacher for La Pista initiative.
The Association El Centro Explorativo took a very positive step this month by hiring Benito Raymundo as the first teacher and supervisor of its newest branch located in the rural community of La Pista. Benito is a young, local Ixil man who recently graduated as a professional teacher, a goal that he had been striving for for years. But he is more than that...Benito is an outstanding overall success story very close to our hearts as he was one of the very first employees involved in our original rural tourism initiatives in Nebaj, Quiche.
Benito has worked his way up through the ranks, starting as a waiter in our small restaurant "El Descanso", moving up to work the cash register eventually earning a position as a manager never giving up and always doing his best for his family and community. Benito always placed his studies in high priority often doing his homework in the evenings at the restaurant after the doors were closed and the clients had left. When Benito finally graduated this summer as a certified Guatemalan teacher, it was a great source of pride for many of our team. We could not be prouder of Benito for his effort and we wish him the best of luck in leading this new educational initiative in his hometown of La Pista.
February 2008: 50 children enrolled in free afterschool classes.
The Centro Explorativo celebrated the enrollment of over 50 children in afterschool classes being offered during the upcoming year during a week long registration campaign. Afterschool prgrams have become more and more important in the area as the rise in youth gangs and voilence reaches even the most rural of communities. Afterschool programs are just one of the four main initiatives run from Centro headquarters in Nebaj. Combined with adult education, computer and internet and literacy and the resource center, afterschool programs complete the Centro Explorativo Model.
One of the strongest determinants of the state of education in Guatemala can be found in the percentage of the annual budget allocated to education. UNESCO recommends that 7% of a country’s overall budget be reserved for education. Guatemala, however, falls way below this norm, devoting less than 2% of its yearly budget to educational expenditures. In comparison to other Central American countries, Guatemala devotes the least amount of its annual budget to education. It is for this same reason that CE Solutions continues to support the Centro Explorativo and its educational initiatives.
February 2008: Centro Explorativo President Miguel Brito finalizes agreement with all teachers and school directors in the town of La Pista making computer classes offered at the Centro a regular part of every students coursework.
Miguel Brito, President of the "Associacion El Centro Explorativo", took matters into his own hands and made sure that local teachers and school directors in the town of La Pista were taking full advantage of the new community resource, a recently opened branch of the Centro Explorativo complete with 6 computers and free internet service. Miguel personally visited school faculty and made formal agreements with ALL local schools to include basic computer classes at the Centro as a mandatory part of each student's curriculum. Over the upcoming months the Centro will provide free computer and internet literacy classes to over 300 local youth. For many, this will represents their first opportunity to touch a computer.
Congratulations Miguel, onward and upward!
July 2008: Educational Director, Ashliegh Smith, helps to update Centro Explorativo curiculim.
The teachers of the Centro Explorativo enjoyed a very meaningful visit this summer from Educational Director, Ashleigh Smith, who now lives in Tampa, Fl and teaches in a Bilingual emersion program full time. Ashleigh was just finishing her service as a Peace Corps Volunteer working in education in Guatemala when she joined the CE Solutions team in 2005 and began to create a curriculum to be implemented by the teachers working in the Centro Explorativo Model. Through her continued support of the educational initiatives not only the students, but the teachers continue to learn and improve. In fact, much of this years curriculum was elaborated directly by the local teachers under Ashleigh's guidance, a long way from where we started just a few years ago.
Please click here to access more articles in the Rural Education Archive.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |