Redefining Approach for
Achieving Scale
The
desire to create social and environmental impact at scale is central to
the mission of many social purpose organisations. Their ability to do so
on the strength of grant funding has become constrained in recent years.
In such a scenario, how do traditional Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs) or other not-for profit entities continue to pursue their
mission; and thrive themselves without the support of generous
philanthropic funding?
Several organisations have found an answer
in “social entrepreneurship”. They have moved into spaces where societal
or environmental challenges in fields such as health, education, waste
management etc. are inadequately addressed by both government and the
private sector. Successful social entrepreneurs have combined
development goals with business like methods to leverage resources and
create significant outcomes. They have however, found it difficult to
attain even a small fraction of the scale of a mainstream public sector
initiative or corporate business model. Impact is limited and the
original objective of creating systemic change is rarely fulfilled. Are
there lessons here for us to learn?
Some organisations have been able to
“step-back” and “step out” of a conventional understanding of what it
means to ‘go to scale’. They have moved from linear, directed action
based projects to creating impact to more systemic approaches and in the
process, have carved out catalytic roles for themselves as “System
Entrepreneurs”.
In this issue, we highlight how partners of
the “la Caixa” Foundation supported Work 4 Progress (W4P) initiative - a
social innovation approach – based on principles of collaboration,
continuous learning and community led action – to accelerate the rate at
which micro-enterprises are set up and jobs are created in
underdeveloped village communities. The initiative operates as an open
innovation platform to create a diverse portfolio of “entrepreneurship
enablers” from a small amount of catalytic resources. W4P effects deep,
transformational change by breaking silos, building shared narratives
and capitalizing upon multi-stakeholder ‘equity’, thereby ensuring that
no aspiring entrepreneur is left behind.
A coalition of actors has discovered how new
enterprise prototypes can be co-created by re-framing questions related
to the purpose, nature and ownership of a local business. The coalition
adopts signals from the ground to come up with design solutions for how
it might provide multiple benefits to the community in which it
operates. For example, an ‘e-rickshaw’ model was co-designed within
local communities. Women entrepreneurs, who now run the transport
service have broken several stereotypes, some as pervasive as that of
traditional gender roles. In addition to providing a much needed
service, earning a profit for themselves and creating local jobs; the
e-rickshaws ensure safe transportation to young school girls and offer
an alternative supply chain logistics option for farmers.
Articles in this newsletter talk about W4P
prototypes that are evolutionary in nature, such as decentralized
information kiosks and a micro credit facility. They offer accessible,
efficient alternatives for critically needed enterprise support
services. It also talks about systemic solutions such as a digital
platform, which will provide a one-stop-solution for micro
entrepreneurs. In order to transform local entrepreneurial ecosystems,
W4P is building interconnections between its prototypes. For example –
entrepreneurs using the information kiosks are getting connected with
the micro credit facility, and enterprise solutions on the digital
platform are accessible though information kiosks.
Reflecting the collaborative nature of its
engagement with external stakeholders, W4P requires team members to go
through ‘individual and collective transformation’. In doing so,
Development Alternatives is experiencing how, as an NGO, it can make
efficient use of grant funding to leverage a wide spectrum of resources
and unleash deep-rooted processes of transformation for impact at scale.
■
Shrashtant Patara
spatara@devalt.org
Back to Contents
|