Google Foundation Working with TechnoServe in Ghana
Google has announced on the Google Blog that the Google Foundation is now working with Technoserve, an organization who’s mission is to help entrepreneurs organically grow businesses which boost fair wage employment in impoverished countries.
Google and Technoserve are launching a national business plan competition this week in Ghana, called “Believe Begin Become.” It’s designed to help Ghanaian entrepreneurs develop skills, obtain seed or expansion capital and establish the networks that help transform their business ideas into successful enterprises.”
Sounds like a legit plan, but does helping entrepreneurs build their businesses have a long term effect on helping the impoverished, or are such missions simply helping the company owners?
One harsh reality with International charity is that only a small percent actually goes to the needy and in third world countries there are a lot of greedy hands funds have to pass through. If Google and Technoserve successfully audit the businesses under their initiative, entrepreneurship can be a state & thought changing direction. Look what Deng Xiao Peng did for China in the 1970’s, his embracement of entreprenuership and the Social Capitalist market over Maoist or Soviet communism built the country into the world power that it is today.
In my opinion if a fair wage plan is implemented by such businesses and on the job training is a part of their employment plan, the long term effect can be much greater than handing out food or free supplies to the needy - which solves the poverty and hunger problem for about a day or two.
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1 response so far ↓
Hilton C. Robinson II on Mar 31, 2006 at 3:11 pm
Dear Loren,
You’re asking all the right questions. And you’re right that people need skills to complement any aid money, which is why TechnoServe’s founder Ed Bullard believed in the ‘teach a man to fish’ proverb. TechnoServe’s philosophy has always been to provide a hand up rather than a hand-out.
TechnoServe is committed to building small and medium businesses and working with individual farmer groups in developing nations. Our business plan competitions (BPCs) have immediate and direct impact on small- and medium-scale entrepreneurs. Our first two BPCs in El Salvador in 2002 and 2003 generated 131 new or expanded businesses. These businesses generated 761 new jobs and total sales revenues of $11.2 million in 2004 since the launch of the BPCs. Many of these businesses are based in poor areas and are now providing jobs and incomes to rural populations. Our two BPCs in Nicaragua, launched in 2004 and 2005, resulted in 34 new or expanded business, 250 new jobs and $1.28 million in total sales revenues in 2005 since their launch. TechnoServe’s most recent BPC in Guatemala included as an entry requirement that participants’ businesses create rural employment.
We are currently rolling out our BPC model in several new countries. A third competition is underway in Nicaragua and future BPCs are planned for Honduras, Kenya, Swaziland, and Nigeria this year. And of course you know about the ongoing Google Foundation-funded BPC in Ghana. As you can see, these competitions create positive economic development and distributive benefits to the rural poor.
In addition to these efforts, TechnoServe has also launched a large-scale youth entrepreneurship program in El Salvador, which in its five year history has created 70 businesses and 110 jobs. These businesses have resulted in a total of $511,607 in sales revenues. While not every participant successfully starts a business, approximately 5,000 youth have received training and entrepreneurial skill development. TechnoServe has run similar youth programs in Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa. We believe that these programs lay the foundation for budding entrepreneurs to eventually launch successful small and medium business.
TechnoServe believes the sustainable development process is largely, but not solely, driven by economic growth. Economic sustainability relies on market-based solutions, fueled by a competitive and vibrant private sector. This belief in no way demeans the importance of other developmental efforts focused directly on critical public services like healthcare, or on minority rights, gender, democratization, the environment, and other issues. The greatest lever for sustainable economic and social impact is helping people to help themselves.
Thank you for inspiring discussion on such an important issue.
Best Regards,
Hilton Robinson,TechnoServe
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