Be! an Entrepreneur is a multi media project to inspire millions of young people from low income groups to choose to become entrepreneur's to create businesses that solve the social, economic and environmental problems they face in their lives.

1
(No Transcript)
2
(No Transcript)
3
(No Transcript)
4
(No Transcript)
5
(No Transcript)
6
(No Transcript)
7
Be!
Be! an Entrepreneur is a multi media project to
inspire millions of young people from low income
groups to choose to become entrepreneur's to
create businesses that solve the social, economic
and environmental problems they face in their
lives. Be! is created by Going to School, a non
profit media trust in New Delhi.
8
To create Be! we are mapping the Entrepreneurial
skills that children and adult Entrepreneurs use
in their everyday lives, as well searching for
sustainable business solutions that can be
pioneered by young people from low income
groups. Be! will be 50 books, 30 part radio
series and 13 epic movies.
9
Be! an Entrepreneur
OUR MISSION 1. To find Be! Business models
economic solutions to social problems 2. To
inspire millions of young people from low-income
groups to choose to become entrepreneurs and to
create businesses that solve the social, economic
and environmental problems they face in their
lives. 3. To invest in young peoples business
ideas (submitted as a result of the media
initiative) to make their ideas a reality.
HOW WE WILL ACHIEVE IT 1. Research in two parts
a. India-wide social enterprise/business model
search b. mapping of entrepreneurial skills of
children and entrepreneurs from low-income
groups. 2. Mass media Be! is a large-scale
multi-media project 50 - 100 books, 13 epic
films and a 30 - part radio series. 3.
Entrepreneurial fund Be! comes full circle with
a linked Fund to invest in new business ideas
for social change submitted by young people as
result of the media.
Be! Businesses score high on both social
economic returns
Be! investments will be made in young people
once they have completed their education and are
at least 18 years old.
6
10
Be! Progress to date

• Bringing together a strong, eclectic,
  multi-talented team of 15 individuals to work
  with GTS for Be!
• Funding partners for Be! commit Nike
  Foundation, ICICI, and very soon, LGT Venture
  Philanthropy for the media research first
  investment in the Be! fund
• Be! fund model defined, financial model
  confirmed, work begins to set up the entity in
  India in partnership with Intellecap with a goal
  to raise US2 million to invest in 75 young
  entrepreneurs and their businesses for social
  change

11
Be! Progress to date

• Research with 110 children through workshops and
  interviews in 5 sites across three states i.e.
  New Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan
• Research for entrepreneurial models across 5
  states, 9 models found, 6 Nike partners visited
• Invitation from Ministry of Youth Affairs
  (Government of India), to see if Be!
  books/movies/radio can be used with their youth
  groups that directly work with 75,000 young
  people age 10-16 in rural urban areas
• Financial plan for Be! for three years including
  Be! fund investments

12
Key learnings

• Research agencies unable to match Be! goal of
  mapping entrepreneurial traits that children use
  in their everyday lives. Entrepreneurial traits
  too abstract for agencies to be able to
  comprehend or create new tools of enquiry for. We
  learned the GTS team is best able to conduct
  the research with children through interviews and
  workshops, as the GTS team understands
  entrepreneurship and its application to media
  creation.

13
Key learnings

• Be! funds challenge was to show that young
  people from low income groups and their
  businesses for social change are worth investing
  in. We were told it was too high risk. That it
  had never been done before. That it did not make
  economic sense. That these young people should
  only be given grants. Be! funds innovation is to
  make investments in young people that have
  demands of social and economic returns, and are
  treated on par with other financial investments.
  We learned that while people talk about investing
  in social ventures, the end goal is purely
  economic returns, and social impact is never
  measured beyond creating livelihoods, jobs and
  income generation. So Be! businesses therefore
  have to DIRECTLY solve a social problem.

14
Key learnings

• We realized once again, that structural poverty
  (caste roles determined through centuries) plays
  a crucial role in limiting the opportunities of
  young people, so when we talk about
  opportunities to become an entrepreneur we
  have to look at every model through the prism of
  caste.

15
Key learnings

• We learned that many of the models that we were
  exploring could not be pioneered by young people
  from low-income groups for several reasons.
  Perhaps they needed too high of an initial
  investment, or when you think of replicating the
  model, starting from the beginning, the ONLY
  option for someone from a low income group to be
  a part of this model was as a salesperson i.e.
  selling a solar lamp. We learned that Be!
  business models should be based on lower
  investments so that they can be replicated, and
  taken to scale.

16
Key learnings

• Sometimes social investments/models are not 360
  degree solutions they are not holistic in their
  social aim for instance, in one case we of
  water purification there was more waste water
  generated than water purified, other businesses
  that are supposed to improve the lives of
  rag-pickers did not, they continued to work in
  hazardous conditions at the mercy of contractors
  and low wages.

17
Key learnings
f. Extended Project TimelineAs we have begun
Be! we have realized that we do need an extended
timeline to make the project as wonderful and
complete as it can be. We know that our media
will be seen for the next 5 years in India in
many ways on TV networks, in Government Schools
and heard on radio channels, and it is for these
reasons (reach and longevity) that we have
planned an additional 12 months to make the media
perfect, and start the Be! fund and how it will
invest.
18
Key learnings
g. New research, new spaces Simply the
research on the entrepreneurial skills that
children in India have, and use in their everyday
lives, is revolutionary, and we know that over
500 interviews with children will be its own
invaluable resource, both for showing the
Government the skills that girls and boys already
have, and building on what on what we discover,
what new investments should be made in young
people. The online database will be a vital
resource for understanding children in India
(both girls and boys), their potential, values,
restrictions and skills. And so because a
research agency could not do this, we find
ourselves in a wonderful space exploring what has
never been explored before in India but with an
extended time line for our team to be able to
make this project come true.
19
Whats new Be! Fund
50 of investments will be in young women
entrepreneurs their businesses for social
changePlease find enclosed a memo for the Be!
fund, and how it will make investments of
US5,000 US30,000 in young people from
low-income groups and their businesses for social
change. 50 of these investments would be made in
young women. Be! fund is a very important part
of the Be! project as the mass media would
drive millions of young people to the potential
of the fund. And, the Be! fund makes the messages
of the media, real, and possible. It fills a
giant gap in India, of making investments of
small amounts in young people from low-income
groups for businesses for social change.
20
Whats new Be! Fund continued
To date, young people would only ever have been
able to receive micro-finance loans and the
restrictions of caste and class mean that young
people from low-income groups would never receive
such investments due to discrimination, and a
perception of high risk. Be! fund provides a
new opportunity to 75 young people across India,
as well as positively investing in young women.
And perhaps what is most exciting, is that after
the investments are made, we would make small
videos about each investment, so young people
across India know that they too, can become
entrepreneurs and change their lives.
21
Entrepreneurs
Content Highlights 01a
Interviews with Adult Entrepreneurs from low
income groups. Quotes that exemplify
entrepreneurial skills.
22
On Failure...
Failure simply means you have to try again.
Someone has to win, but that doesnt mean it
cant be you next time. Jigar, Young Innovator,
Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Adult entrepreneurs
23
(No Transcript)
24
Maintaining relationships foresight...
One has to learn how to deal with people. Thats
a key thing. Especially in a business like mine
there is a lot of value that is placed on
relationships. So one has to learn how to talk
people. One has to learn how to read people.
Apart from that one has to learn to be aware of
all thats happening that can affect the
business. For instance I have to keep a close eye
on the stock market in order to know what the
prices of various things are on the market. One
has to be constantly alert and try and get
information from wherever one can. Santosh
Kumar, Waste Segregating and recycling unit,
Delhi
Adult entrepreneurs
25
Intention of a social entrepreneur...
It is the intention that is important. It is
important to remember that the intention is to
make social change and not make profits. Once it
is clear that the priority is to make social
change it is acceptable to make a nominal profit
a remuneration for your services. Deepinder
Mohan, Reverse Osmosis water purification
business, Ahmedabad, Gujarat
Adult entrepreneurs
26
Challenges perseverance...
In the beginning it was difficult. The bills for
rent, electricity and salaries kept piling up. I
had only four students. My confidence levels were
low. But I decided to take it step by step and
not give up this time. Anita Sharma, Computer
Kiosk, Shipachar, Assam
Adult entrepreneurs
27
Earning respect from the community...
It wasnt so easy in the beginning. I was laughed
at for the contraption I was building. To avoid
all the teasing I carried the prototype in to
the field in the middle of the night. Me and my
family even lied to all the villagers this is
just our new scarecrow, nothing else fearing more
ridicule from the village if it didnt work. But
fortunately it did and then there was no stopping
the constant praise and appreciation from the
villagers. Mehtar Hussain, Wind mill innovator
and entrepreneur, Darrang District, Assam
Adult entrepreneurs
28
Perseverance to overcome lack of finances...
I tried many times but was not granted a loan. I
had requested a loan for rupees 100,000 but was
constantly turned down by the bank. They asked me
to provide documents that I didnt have and asked
me to deposit rupees 50,000 against the loan. If
I could have put together that much money why
would I have asked the bank for a loan.
Eventually I just gave up on the bank loan and
decided to work and save in little increments. It
took me a long to save but I was persistent and
eventually I reached the goal amount. Milan
Jyoti Das, Egg incubator innovator and
entrepreneur, Kamrup District, Assam
Adult entrepreneurs
29
Seeing humanity in others...
Its inhuman that the drivers and helpers dont
have a place to sleep and wash. I have rented a
room at the first pick up point where they can
rest. Ramesh Kumar, Milk Truck Business,
Chitradurga, Karnataka
Adult entrepreneurs
30
Business models
Content Highlights 01b
Three examples of business models for social
change.
31
(No Transcript)
32
(No Transcript)
33
(No Transcript)
34
Children
Content Highlights 03
Interviews with children from low income
groups. Quotes that exemplify entrepreneurial
skills.
35
On receiving an opportunity...
I feel sad when I get an opportunity to work
because I will have to go out for work/training
and I dont know if I will get
permission. NSGG, Tuglakabad
Children
36
On security savings...
I do dihaadi work all the time, meaning daily
wage labour outside a temple one day, sometimes I
sell flowers, or vessels, I buy clothes in bulk
and sell those, and sometimes I sell shoes and
slippers. I can earn more money per day but
whats the use, there is much of it getting
stolen at night. So I earn only what I can spend
each day. Rakesh, Salam Balak, New Delhi
Children
37
Barriers for girls ...
We cant go anywhere. We just stay at home and
work in the field. We dont know anything about
what is happening outside. How will we talk to
anyone if we dont know anything. Shahista,
Non-School Going Girl, Mirzapur
Children
38
Problems - infrastructure...
We have to get water from far away. Papa gets
late for work because he has to go far to get
water and the road is not good. At times we are
not able to go to school because there is no
water. In some houses there are only women, it is
difficult for them to do house work and also go
out and get water. Rajni, School going girl,
Tughlakabad, New Delhi
Children
39
Problems - New forms of discrimination...
We would make friends only with those who go to
school and those who are clean. Those who dont
go to school are not clean. Aashiq, School
Going Boy, Mirzapur, Rajasthan
Children
40
Supporters in childrens lives...
We live in a village and we get the support of
the community, when we need anything people help
us. Neha, School going girl, Goyla, Haryana
Children
41
English - enabling equality...
If I can speak English then I can talk to
everyone. I can listen and share ideas with the
big people we will be on the same plain.
Tamanna, School Going Girl, Gole Kuan, New Delhi
Children
42
(No Transcript)
43
www.goingtoschool.com