As one of many responses to the academic restrictions imposed by COVID-19, the Market Solutions of Inclusive Societies class will not be offered in 2021. Once the pandemic has cleared, we hope to be able to resume our class.  In the meantime, many thanks to the 50 project hosts who helped guide 150 students over the years in the challenges and excitement of social enterprise ventures. Particular thanks to the leadership and staff at the Macmillan Center and the Jackson Institute at Yale, without whose determination and creativity an experimental class like this would not have been possible.  Please stay tuned for updates or email Bo Hopkins directly at rkhopkins3@gmail.com.    

2020 - New Hosts Announced

In January 2020 we embark on our 8th year with this class with two new and three returning project hosts.  New to the class will be Veritas Consulting, an off-grid energy consultancy based in Ethiopia (our 17th country to work in).  Also new for 2020 is SE Ghana, a networking hub of 520 members in Accra and throughout Ghana.  Returning this year will be: Bridge International Academies, TechnoServe and Gulu Agricultural Develop Company.  We are particularly gratified to have GADCO return, where Rahim Haliminski (Yale 19 and former student of the class) will be leading this year’s summer project. 

Social Enterprise: Market Solutions for Inclusive Societies (2020)

Focusing on the African continent, this seminar class will use a case-based approach to promote active class participation. We will discuss and explore the many financial, political and cultural challenges faced by socially motivated organizations, their sponsors and collaborators.  In addition, students will be asked to form and work in small teams with one of several host organizations on the continent.   Introductory work with the host organizations will begin in January and students will be expected to spend 10 weeks of their summer between terms completing field research with the organizations they choose.  Funding for these trips will be provided by grants from the MacMillan Center and from other travel grants regularly available to Yale students.  Class resumes in the fall.

TechnoServe is a leader in harnessing the power of the private sector to help people lift themselves out of poverty. A nonprofit organization operating in 29 countries, TNS works with enterprising men and women in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. By linking people to information, capital, and markets, TNS has helped millions to create lasting prosperity for their families and communities.

TechnoServe uses the most rigorous, cost-efficient methods possible in measurement, aiming to report only the impact that is attributable to their work.  Transparency is the cornerstone of TechnoServe’s measurement approach and data is shared on the impact all projects, regardless of whether it looks good or bad.  In this way, TNS helps to inform greater and more effective programs aimed at reducing poverty, both within TechnoServe and in the broader development community.

The Yale team of three students will be based in Johannesburg, South Africa working with Regional Program Manager, Daniela Amosun, on (1) a broad-based strategy for Southern Africa and (2) an implementation plan for furthering TNS presence in South Africa’s agricultural sector.  Team members will be asked to conduct research and interviews as well as to evaluate TNS strengths, weaknesses and donor interest for market expansion in specific industries/sectors.

Selection to this team will based on demonstrated interest in Southern Africa, agri-business and strategic planning.  No specific language requirements necessary

Veritas Consulting advises public and development sector partners by conducting research and assisting private sector facing public institutions develop policies, regulations and capacity to create a strong, enabling environment for growth.  For public policy engagements, Veritas addresses the complexity of Ethiopia’s economic development challenges and provides policy options that catalyze systemic amelioration of the nation’s developing sectors.

With over 30 years of experience in public policy, Veritas’ partners assist clients to develop public policy solutions that meet the needs of stakeholders and the community at large. Consulting expertise provided by Veritas includes program evaluation, policy and legal recommendations and policy drafting.  For private clients, Veritas advises leading multinational and local companies in Ethiopia on a wide variety of research, transactional, and legal issues.

The Yale team will be working from Addis Ababa with Managing Partner Omer Mohammed on policy implementation work for Ethiopia’s off-grid energy needs, both commercial and residential.   The work will be an analytical approach to mini-grid, costing, pricing and demand forecasting.  Team comfort with excel, pivot tables and presentation software required.

Selection to this team will based on demonstrated interest in Ethiopia, energy and modeling.  No specific language requirements necessary

SE Ghana is the network for high impact social entrepreneurs in Ghana. SE Ghana has a membership base of 520 organizations in Accra and throughout the country.  As a membership organization, their mission is to promote learning and innovation across members (mostly through events) as well as to contribute to research and policy advocacy to support.  The organization is led by Executive Director Edwin Zu-Cudjoe

As a young network organization, SE-Ghana has many ambitions and aspirations.  There is much research available on the SE ecosystem in Ghana and the student team will want to familiarize themselves throughout the first term with his research.  SE Ghana also has many fund grant opportunities which may support their members as well as their own operations.  Students should expect to help this organization refine its mission, concentrate on the highest value-added activities to support the membership.

The Yale team of three students will be based in the capital city of Accra working directly for Edwin and his 5-person team.  Principal activity will be developing the services and events for members with specific emphasis on members with capacity to increase employment. 

Selection to this team will based on demonstrated interest in grass roots networks, West Africa and Ghana specifically.  No specific language requirements necessary.

Using innovation and technology to transform learning outcomes for children, Bridge creates world-class lesson plans based on national curricula and develops in-depth teacher training. Bridge schools empower teachers and communities by being data driven and evidenced based.

With more than 100,000 students enrolled across 5 countries, Bridge measures success by learning outcomes.  Pupils take national exams and, in each country, demonstrate an ability to outperform national averages.

This will be the third Yale team of three students to work with Bridge and will likely be based in Monrovia, Kigali or possibly Nakuru, working under the leadership/direction of Bridge’s shared services and teacher training groups based in the US.  The specific project scope will be developed with Bridge as term begins.   Students should expect to travel to their Cambridge office for at minimum a full day of onboarding, prior to departure for Africa.

Selection to this team will based on demonstrated interest in education, technology and East Africa.  No specific language requirements necessary

The Gulu Agricultural Development Company (GADC) was established in Uganda in the aftermath of the LRA-instigated war which devastated the Northern region for nearly 20 years.  Under the direction of owner Bruce Robertson and with a small capital injection, the company revived and took over the COO-ROM ginnery in Gulu to establish agricultural buying and processing operations which have grown organically ever since. The company has expanded to include a second ginnery in Kitgum and is currently active in the cotton, sesame, oil milling and maize milling businesses, while also participating in the chili and sunflower markets. GADC’s products are sold on national and international markets.

Rahim Haliminski (Yale 2019) completed the AFST/GLAB class in 2018. With his interest in agricultural development, Rahim applied to GADC and is today area coordinator for Rhino Camp operations working directly for Bruce.  Rahim will lead the Yale project from Rhino Camp in 2020.

The Yale team of three students will be based in Rhino Camp, Uganda working on working on a plan to streamline data collection and efforts.  The specific project scope will be developed with students during term 1.   Rhino camp is a remote outpost in northwestern Uganda and conditions will be “rustic”.

Selection to this team will based on demonstrated interest in agricultural development, East Africa a willingness to self-manage with limited local resources . No specific language requirements necessary