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A solution to Corruption? - Social Enterprise  The Social Enterprise model differs from a traditional charity model, as the recipients are paying a fair price for the good or service. As long as the customers continue to purchase the good, there is proof that the product is needed. The main benefit of this model compared to charity, is the sustainability and long-term impact. Charity donations are largely affected by the current economic conditions in the donor country, and as such, donation levels can vary drastically. In periods of strong economic prosperity, charities receive large donations that can be distributed to the developing nations in need. The problem arises when these funds are reduced. The services and goods that were being relied upon stop arriving from the charities and as a result, many individuals and families are placed in a precariously isolated situation. From a broad perspective, and from the arguments above, my team and I truly b...

A solution to Corruption? - Social Enterprise Please forgive the clickbait title, as there is no easy way to solve corruption. This trait has been ingrained in human society since the dawn of time, and no new business model can fix this. Yet this new relatively new business model, social enterprise, does have merit in contributing aid in areas particularly stricken with corruption. The company I worked with in Malawi, Project Everest, is dedicated to creating socially beneficial goods and services for the people who need them. By creating socially beneficial goods and services, in comparison to monetary and other forms of aid, there is no chance for corrupt government bodies and officials to act as a middleman in the distribution process. By providing sustainable and socially beneficial business straight to the consumers in need. The inherent problem with the charity model will be explored in the next blog post, as for a special treat, this topic deserves a more in depth a...

Why Malawi? As many of you have realised, Malawi is not the most traditional holiday destination. I will use this post to talk a little bit about the company I worked for and why we were situated in Malawi. The name of the company I worked for is called Project Everest. They are a social enterprise, which means they take aspects of a traditional business and charity model to create a sustainable business practice that provides much needed goods and services. Project Everest operates in multiple countries with Malawi being the newest addition to this suite. The business model relies upon University students to make up the largest portion of the labour, while offering an invaluable leadership and practical business experience. The reason why Project Everest chose to expand to Malawi was basically the fire need for assistance as well as the relative safety of the country. As mentioned in previous blog posts, Malawi is simultaneously ranked as the happiest yet poorest country i...