Category: Social Entrepreneurship

Business Ideas, Innovation, Social Entrepreneurship

From Waste to Watts

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From Waste to Watts: The Innovative Way One City Converts Trash Into Energy

Energy & Water

Turns out, yard trimmings and sewer sludge can be used to power electricity plants.

By Paige Brettingen

Covington plant

Even for the most environmentally conscious residents, it’s not always easy—or possible—to recycle everything. From dead tree limbs to busted tires, most people have had to occasionally resort to using the garbage bin. But in Covington, Tenn., hard-to-recycle items are bypassing the landfill and being converted into electricity.

Though Covington has a population of just over 9,000, its biomass waste—which includes tree trimmings and sewer sludge—was adding up enough for David Gordon, who was mayor at the time, to start worrying about storage space. Also, the massive amount of waste required vehicles to transport it, putting an extra strain on the city budget.

While brainstorming solutions, Gordon learned that Covington’s 360 tons of monthly biomass waste could be repurposed thanks to a waste-to-fuel gasification system developed by Nashville-based PHG Energy.

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Innovation, People / Stories, Social Entrepreneurship, Technology

From No Electricity to WiFi and CCTV

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From No Electricity to WiFi and CCTV: How One Man Transformed This Gujarat Village

All India | Reported by Rohit Bhan, Edited by Anindita Sanyal | Updated: November 19, 2014 21:50 IST
PUNSARI, GUJARAT:  Punsari village, barely 100 km from Ahmedabad, could be a textbook case of development. Closed-circuit cameras, water purifying plants, air-conditioned schools, Wi-Fi, biometric machines – the village has it all. And all of it was done in a matter of eight years, at a cost of a mere Rs. 16 crore.

The man behind the transformation is its young sarpanch – 31-year-old Himanshu Patel. A graduate from North Gujarat University, Mr Patel had won the panchayat polls in 2006, at the age of 23.

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Innovation, Social Entrepreneurship

A Simple Technology That Can Solve India’s Clean Water Problem In Just Rs.3,000/-

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Worldwide, around 10,000 people die every day due to lack of clean drinking water. The situation is alarming, but bio-sand filters offer a simple and affordable solution. This low cost model purifies water, is locally manufactured and can also help the local community with various livelihood options. And, all of that in just Rs.3,000! Read along to know how it is done.

Water borne diseases are the number one  cause of deaths worldwide, with WHO and CDC estimates pinning 3.5 million deaths every year to contaminated drinking water. In India alone, around 2,000 people die every day due to lack of clean drinking water, and out of these, children under the age of five are most vulnerable.

Most villagers consume unsafe drinking water on a daily basis. Some of these families opt for boiling the water prior to drinking which can be costly. Those who can afford it, buy bottled water to reduce the risks of such diseases, while economically and financially weaker people continue to consume impure water which eventually causes disease and death.

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Motivations, Social Entrepreneurship, Startups

India Innovation Initiative 2014

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India Innovation initiative 2014 is now accepting applications from Innovators, NGO’s and Companies for development of break-through technologies that will benefit society. The objective of this initiative is to strengthen the entrepreneurial eco-system in the country and short-listed projects stand a chance of receiving funding from government agencies to take their ideas to the market.

 

This year , the initiative is accepting applications under the following Innovation Categories and Submissions

Education
Healthcare
Water
Energy
Transportation
Agriculture
Sanitation
Infrastructure
Environment
IT & Communication
Skill Development
Others

Important Dates

Last date for Online Submission of application form : 15 Oct 2014
Announcement of shortlisted projects : 25 Oct 2014
National Fair at Knowledge expo 2014 : 20-22 Nov 2014
To know more and submit your applications visit : http://www.i4c.co.in/cii

Courtesy : India Microfinance

Motivations, News, Social Entrepreneurship

A Simple Solar Oven Makes Salt Water Drinkable

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It functions by filling the black boiler with salty sea water in the morning, then tightening the cap. As the temperature and pressure grows, steam is forced downwards through a connection pipe and collects in the lid, which acts as a condenser, turning the steam into fresh water. Once Diamanti established the fundamentals were sound, he experimented with a series of concepts for the aesthetic of the object.

“My goal was to design something friendly and recognizable for the users,” he explains. “The process developed quite naturally to determine the current shape; every detail is there for a reason, so the form, as well as production techniques, represent a compromise between technical and traditional.”

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Calendar, Education, Social Entrepreneurship

Evaluating Social Programs – Free Online Course

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Jameel Poverty Action Lab at MIT and Edx have announced the launch of a free online course with certification from MIT on how to evaluate social programs for NGO’s, development practitioners, international development organizations, economists, academics, social workers, impact investors and students. The course begins on the the 1st Oct 2014 and will last for 5 weeks.

Course Introduction Video :

Register for this course at

https://www.edx.org/course/mitx/mitx-jpal101x-evaluating-social-programs-3026

About this Course

This four and a half-week course on evaluating social programs will provide a thorough understanding of randomized evaluations and pragmatic step-by-step training for conducting one’s own evaluation. Through a combination of lectures and case studies from real randomized evaluations, the course will focus on the benefits and methods of randomization, choosing an appropriate sample size, and common threats and pitfalls to the validity of the experiment.

While the course is centered around the why, how and when of Randomized Evaluations, it will also impart insights on the importance of a needs assessment, measuring outcomes effectively, quality control, and monitoring methods that are useful for all kinds of evaluations.

This course is designed for people from a variety of backgrounds: managers and researchers from international development organizations, foundations, governments and non-governmental organizations from around the world, as well as trained economists looking to retool.

Courtesy : http://indiamicrofinance.com/evaluating-social-programs.html

Social Entrepreneurship

Making drinking water safe

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How Eureka Forbes brought about a change with their Community Fulfilment Initiatives, formed to provide responsible drinking water solutions for rural Indians

Whereas most companies in Eureka Forbes’ place would have made one-time local investments to provide free drinking water and leave it to others to take the game ahead, the company did the reverse. It created a scalable model that was fair to its commercial interests, the community’s consumption interest and the government’s social interest.

Why this is model is fascinating is because it has addressed a basic human need, linked that need to income generation, created entrepreneurs, addressed customers from within the community and generated hidden savings (lower health care costs). This then could be a model waiting to attract financiers for onward replication across the country.

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Business Plans, Education, Legal, Mentoring, Social Entrepreneurship

FAQ on Trusts Act Income Tax and FCRA

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FAQ on Trusts Act, Income Tax and FCRA

Are you planning to start a new NGO and wondering what would be a good choice of registration – Trust, Society or Company and also wondering what should be the minimum and maximum number of trustees you should have on your Board?

 

Are you already registered but wondering how unspent income of your organization can be carried forward to the next year or accumulated for up to 5 years?

 

Are you planning to receive funds from a foreign source but confused if funds received from an NRI would be allowed even without FCRA registration?

 

If these and a myriad other questions keep cropping up in your mind in the course of running your NGO and if you ever wondered or prayed if there would be a handy reference book to refer to at such times or just simply to brush up your working knowledge of the Trusts Act, Income Tax (exemptions and deductions) and of course the FCRA, … the answers are all there in Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy’s latest book “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) – the all new and revised 2014 Edition.

 

Written by Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy’s CEO, Mr. Noshir H. Dadrawala and a foreword by Bahram N. Vakil (Founding Partner, AZB & Partners) this book has been written keeping the layperson in mind. However, professionals would also find it to be of value. Devoid of legal jargon and written with clarity and depth, this book should be on the bookshelf of every NGO/NPO seeking ready answers to common questions pertaining to the Bombay Public Trusts Act, Income Tax Act and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

 

Price: Rs. 300/- (Postage Rs. 50/- extra)

Mode of Payment:

1) Demand Draft or Cheque payable at par for Rs. 350/- drawn in favour of “Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy”

2) Bank transfer (NEFT):

Name of the bank: Central Bank of India

Bank Address: Central bank of India, Mumbai Main Office Branch, Mumbai 400 023.

Name of Account Holder: Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy

Account No.: 1721311396

IFSC: CBIN0280621

(Please let us know as soon as the payment is made via NEFT)

We will send you the book and receipt for the payment via speed post/ Courier immediately on receipt of your payment.

We would also offer 20% discount on bulk purchase of 20 or more books.

 

Our contact details:

Centre for Advancement of Philanthropy

Mulla House, 4th floor,

51, M G Road

Flora Fountain

Mumbai 400 001

Tel: 022 22846534 / 22029945

 

Innovation, Social Entrepreneurship

Zayed Future Energy Prize 2015 – Rs. 24 Crores

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Zayed Future Energy Prize 2015 Submissions now open logoSubmissions and nominations for the 2015 Zayed Future Energy Prize are now open . The Zayed Future Energy Prize is an annual US$4 million (Rs 24 Crore) award which recognizes individuals, organisations and schools who have made significant strides to advance the fields of renewable energy and sustainability.

Zayed Future Energy Prize 2015

This year submissions will are being accepted across five categories:

  • Large Corporation,
  • Small and Medium Enterprise (SME),
  • Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO),
  • Lifetime Achievement
  • Global High Schools.

To submit your nominations and applications visit the award website at: www.ZayedFutureEnergyPrize.com.

Last Date for Submissions : 14 July, 2014.

The Zayed Future Energy Prize now in it’s 7th year has awarded 30 winners across six continents and impacted millions of lives. Over the years, Prize winners have trained thousands of women as green technicians; delivered solar home systems to millions in Bangladesh; created access to safe drinking water to millions in Africa; and funded university scholarship to students around the world.

Winners of the 2014 Zayed Future Energy Prize, announced in January this year include ABB, Abellon CleanEnergy, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems, Wang Chuanfu, the founder and chairman of BYD Co Ltd, the Chinese auto and battery maker, and five high schools from across the globe.

Courtesy : http://indiamicrofinance.com/zayed-future-energy-prize-2015-submissions-now-open.html