First School of Social
Business
When studying economics
at the University of Maryland, one of my courses in economic development was
required to read a book by Professor Yunus, called "towards a world
without poverty." Since that day, he called my attention and the way in
which he had realized that microfinance was the only solution to eradicate
poverty in developing countries. As my father, and all my family we were always
taught, from childhood not allow poverty if we could avoid it, reading this
book made a huge impression on me. Having finished studying economics in
college, I started working immediately at the World Bank, where I had the
opportunity to meet Professor Yunus, because it gave lectures during lunch hour
(Brown Bag Lunches), where staff at the
hour of lunch use and still go to hear experts to discuss relevant world issues,
with the talks he stated that large projects could not eradicate poverty in the
world, because the money never reached the poor, and that the World Bank,
should consider this new approach of microfinance that he was developing and
that money was going directly to the poor without a collateral involved. I was
always talking with my colleagues, and I really found it fascinating how much
adversity he had to go through to make this happen and convert him in the
authority that is in the world today. I think that there is no other person on
the planet who has received so many awards and many Doctorates’ “Honoris Causa”
worldwide. He really made me question myself in staying at the World Bank and
finally, when I took the decision to return to Chile in order to use all my
knowledge, and help eradicate poverty. I did stop working from the bank for the
rich and begin to work for the Bank of the Poor. The first Latin American
microfinance seminar in which Professor Yunus was invited, but could not attend
was organized in 1997. So I did sent an email asking, if he would send someone
to represent him. Indeed, he did send the second in command of the Grameen Bank
(bank for the poor) a public eminence in Bangladesh and very close to Professor
Yunus. Dr. Khalid Shams, also a Ph.D. in Economics and basically one of the people
of more confidence that Prof. Yunus had. When he arrived in Chile, the was immediately
a relationship of great empathy between us, and he gave me almost a complete
library as the bank worked the poor, inviting in fact to become a member of the
Editorial Board of the Grameen Bank Dialogue, representing Chile in the
Directory. After that day I was called to teach microfinance everywhere and how
was this new model that Professor Yunus had created. I spent a long time
explaining the model, but the truth of it, was a waste of time, because all the
people saw it, as a means of earning money through this model. In summary,
Yunus never recognized any entity in Chile because they were not doing and
replicating the model, he did ask to each institution, foundation or however
they wanted to call themselves. Doing things their way I would say in all Latin
America at its cost and that was, that the Peace Nobel Prize never recognize in
our country and other countries any institution dedicated to microfinance. For
my end, I dedicated myself to go in Latin America giving talks and lectures on
rural economic development based on the methodologies of Yunus. This made the
Argentine Senate recognize my work twice giving me an award for the work done
in Latin America for microfinance and economic development by injecting value added
to countries and regions in Latin-American. But in Chile for more than I wanted
to achieve the eradication of poverty, and these methodologies or remedies, it
was impossible. I must admit I felt very frustrated as people closed the doors
everywhere for me, and Yunus always wondered that he could not understand how
it was that such a rich country as ours we gave ourselves the luxury of having
poor people in the country. The truth of things, I was ashamed to give much of
an answer to him, because all I could say was that the greed of our people that
was so great, that there was no economic or political will to end poverty.
Having the ability to do so and having the chance to be the first country in
the world to realize such an important achievement. A pride that we must go
through, with the individualism, and selfishness of many people not only in
Chile but in many countries in the world. In fact, one day a big businessmen summit
was organized Portillo an exclusive place for the rich and in the end, it just
wanted to capitalize on the achievements of Yunus to say that they were doing
it too. It was such a hassle that I wrote to him and told him not to come and
that it was better to help the people of Haiti rather to come and take pictures
with employers who exploit Chileans. Notwithstanding all the difficulties, I
did continue to work in Chile and among other options I started plan “B” and
one of them was, that the only way to overcome underdevelopment was investing
in value added , i.e. investing in research, development and innovation in our
country. So I started to do battle with another strategy. So it comes the
second round and here is a little history in Chile, of the outcome of it.
"The Center for Innovation Technology Development Latino Americano (CIDTEL),
the idea was to create a small Silicon Valley, we all know that the need for
all countries must add value to develop the areas of Research, Development and
Innovation (R + D + i ) the magic formula that still is not understood in less
develop nations and less much less understood in underdeloped nations to become
and be able to a give the jump to become a developed country. Under that order,
CIDTEL began looking for a place to settle and partners to support it. The first
choice was a university campus in a small town of Rengo, Chile, where there was
abandoned, we thought this is the place and by all means we did get a loan in
Dubai, United Arab Emirates for USD$ 33MM to start the project and try to establish
a benchmark in Latin America, calling on all national and international actors
to participate. The first institution to supported us was a highly and respected
financial analyst from Hawaii, Randy Havre he also an academic at the
University of Hawaii got the support, then Prof. Maital from the Israel
Institute of Technology, then McGill University in Canada, with the help of
Professor Firas Alhafidh Director of department of continuing studies, and the
Yunus Centre in Bangladesh by professor Yunus himself. The letter offered support
us in starting the first MBA program in Social Business, a certificate and a
diploma, the first of its kind in the world. Meanwhile, professor Yunus in his
letter of support indicates that we will get all the Center support and
mentioned in his letter he also hoped that we could create a social fund, for
student scholarships Chile and other social assistance. During a long time,
dealing with all authorities in the region, scholars, and authorities in public
and private sector in the country trying to get ahead with this project, it was
impossible, then we tried in the Region of Maule, in Cauquenes and then Parral,
without success, so we finally decided to deliver the project in other
countries. The first country to pay attention was Bolivia and this project was
very enthusiastic and quickly made the impossible possible to develop this
initiative from the intangible ta a reality soon. Aquinas University (UDABOL)
and political authorities saw it and they said it was the project that they had
been waiting to be developed in Bolivia creating a Social Business school (ENS),
www.ensglobal.org, which would help
eradicate poverty being one of President Evo Morales goals he had as one of his
objectives to accomplish in 2025. 's school made every effort in Chile and saw
that it was the only way we could achieve this, was to provide for the first
time in Bolivia within the legal framework of the constitution and the
educational part of CIDTEL was within the mission of the institution CIDTEL, allowing
UDABOL handle a Yunus Social Business School (SBS) and/or Escuela de Negocios Yunus
(ENS), which could offer certificates, diplomas and MBA in social Business with
the support of Yunus Centre and especially UDABOL, supported by government
authorities. Thus, an agreement with CIDTEL, with the help of the university
was signed, and certificates were offered with the ENS-UDABOL, diplomas and MBA
in Social Business. Unfortunately, we did not carry out the project, due to the
fact that UDABOL did not follow the procedures and steps necessary to keep the
mission of the ENS. We assume, at that moment that the concept is very advanced
for Latin American countries, and this can take place in developed countries but
and against all odds, we are opening the first School of Social Business (ENS)
in www.ensglobal.org, Constitution Chile, led by Ing. Carlos Francisco
Letelier Albornoz, President of the Maule Institute of Technology, or Technical
Training Center Maule (CFTM) www.cftdelmaule.cl,
They have taken an important step in this initiative to support the ideas of
Prof. Yunus to solve global social problems. Better yet is the first to issue
an MBA in Social Business in the world. This step is historical is the First
Social Business MBA that is being issued on the planet. We should feel very
proud to be the first (founding fathers) to clone and capture the ideas of
Nobel Peace Prize winner Prof. Yunus and clone hundreds of students to
eradicate poverty and change the way we do business and make more human the
capitalist model that we have. But also it is spreading worldwide. Universities,
institutions, organizations and people are joining this cause. Constitution is
leaving a legacy to the Maule Region and humanity. This has been a tremendous
ordeal, which supported by a wonderful team, and carrying as north in the heart
and brain the example of Yunus and many more, we have designed and realized a
powerhouse of scientific and technological knowledge, which has been permanent
lighthouse to illuminate and forge a new and great destination for young. First
Constitution, after Chile and Latin America, and, why not say, in many other
parts of the world. All of this huge effort do, obviously invisible to many, is
palpable and visible to others, and covers only half of the equation that we
have taken into account in the creation of this noble and humanitarian
non-profit project. Our concept, every impulse that is aimed at uplifting the
human race, would represent by an equation that involves two bodies or defined
areas: the first, composed by men and women, and the other by the scientific
and technological material that those must learn to wield for their own good
and for of all humanity. If, by chance, the most advanced techniques and the
perfect knowledge are given properly not to form moral and ethical beings, then
science and technology will not be assimilated or, worse, it will be used for
purposes dwarfed or disordered to serve as a highly destructive means. Research
from various university Centers conclude that, at the fair of human abilities,
simply raise the share of working hours and application levels to transcend
mediocre violin performer and get to the level of great interpreter. It's all
about practice, practice. Of course it is, whenever it tries to merely repeat
musical patterns devised, created and performed by others. Continuing with this
example, we want to be not only correct interpreters, but also notable
creators. Although all respectable, there is a very large average distance
between Claudio Arrau, excellent performer and Vivaldi or Mozart interpreters
were also above all creators of tracks timeless beauty. We put and equal zeal
in structuring the first body of the equation, i.e. the intrinsic perfection of
our students, so that they have access to traditional instruction, allowing them
to break free of what they are, being dark or obsolete, and become visible all
those treasures useless and sleeping inside. It is the proper task of
Buonarroti, discarding the chisel that what is left in the block of Carrara
marble, gives birth to the Magnificent Moses or David also, ignored, and slept
on the stone. In short, we want students who can think who are aware of
themselves and turn into real and effective creators. Therefore, the equation
will be complete when the learners are also delivered notions of ethics and
morality, with courses in philosophy, art, history, human rights, anthropology,
environment and many more, then the equation is complete they will to begin to
understand Social Business. They all ask, and what is a Social Enterprise?
Social enterprise is a cause driven business. In a social business, the
investors / owners gradually recover the money invested, but cannot take all
the profits and / or any dividend beyond an ethical point. The goal of the
investment is purely to achieve one or more social through the operation of the
business objectives, no personal gain is desired by investors. The company must
cover all costs and make a profit at the same time achieve a social goal, such
as quality education, health care for the poor, housing, financial services, awareness
in poor nutrition, malnourished children, providing clean drinking water,
introducing renewable energy. In a normal way but business must benefit all of
us and society. Seven Principles of Social Business: 1. Business goal will be
to overcome poverty, or one or more problems (such as education, health, access
to technology and environment) which threaten people and society. 2. Financial
and economic sustainability 3. Investors recover investment 4. When investment amount
and the company profits are amortized stays with the company for expansion and
improvement. 5. Environmentally conscious 6. Workforce with better working
conditions and higher wages salaries from the Marketplace 7. And, must be it
enjoyable.
The concept of social
business, “By defining entrepreneurship in a broader sense we can change the
character of capitalism radically” - Prof. Yunus. Make more humane capitalism.
In our economic system, there are currently two dominant approaches in
organizations. The first is the private sector, where companies sell products or
services to make money. However, there are important issues in our society that
are not covered in the private sector because it does not offer opportunities
for profit. This usually leads to government interventions to create the legal
and institutional frameworks to promote the common good and to protect the
interests of the weaker members of society. When governments and markets reach
their limits, charities can fill the void. The problem is, of course, that the
system does not work well enough. We live in a world of terrible injustices and
widespread poverty. Governments and charities have the will to improve, but
lack the efficiency and capacity of private sector innovation. Why not combine
the two sides? We will follow normal business methods to the task of solving
social problems such as poverty and create - Social enterprises! It will be a
completely new type of doing business. So far it has always been self -
centered, founded with the purpose of making money. Unlike traditional business,
social business operates for the benefit of social needs that enables companies
to operate more efficiently and productive. The social enterprise provides the
necessary framework to address social problems by combining know how with the
desire to improve the quality of life. Therefore, instead of being
self-centered social business has to do with the other. Professor Yunus,
Mandela and many others have demonstrated the effectiveness of this new type of
business: its clear focus on the eradication of extreme poverty combined with
their status as economic sustainability has generated numerous models with
incredible growth potential specially protecting the abuses from human rights.
Constitution opted to replicate the paradigm that is being applied worldwide.
Argentina is next.
VP in Argentina: Lic
Edgardo Civit Evans
VP in Chile Ing. Carlos
Letelier
Representative in Bolivia:
program discontinued for non-compliance of the program
Representative in Colombia: Lic. Julio Gutiérrez
Representative Honduras:
Carla Flores Gomez
