A new colleague I met on Monday this week told me what he does outside of his work activities. Unlike many young people of his generation, he looks after 500 children who have been orphaned by AIDS. He is a special one because he sponsors all these kids from his own money. To date, he has had no sponsors from either individuals or corporations.
Orphans have a higher chance of turning to criminal activity, prostitution, exclusion from school, and other social implications. Their health suffers due to poor diets. They are a vulnerable group who can be abused by adults.
The African Tradition itself is failing some of the orphans because the surviving adult relatives are themselves finding it extremely difficult to cope with their own livelihoods. AIDS, poverty and other diseases are weakening the collectivist power of the African Tradition.
The governments find it difficult to assist orphans as they have other social and economic ills such as high unemployment, crime and massive corruption to deal with.
Then, where does Corporate Social Responsibility fit in? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development in its publication "Making Good Business Sense" by Lord Holme and Richard Watts, defined Corporate Social Responsibility as "the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and contribute to economic development while improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the local community and society at large".
Different societies and cultures view CSR in different ways. The Philippines define CSR as
“business giving back to society", according to the world business council for sustainable development. For me, the Philippine definition suits me just fine. There are many profitable corporations around the world, despite the downturn. A tiny proportion of the profits would go a long way if corporations donated funds to causes that help orphans in the poor countries who reel from crisis to crisis and are denied their childhood by AIDS or other diseases.
If Brighton Mumvuri (http://www.hopehousefoundation.co.uk/) can look after 500 AIDS orphans, what more can a corporation do.
Thursday, 19 February 2009
Friday, 6 February 2009
The born-entrepreneur..
I must hasten to comment that i have been extremely lucky to spend a couple of days with a true entrepreneur. I think we all know someone who has some business somewhere who is probably doing ok or is luckily wealthy. Well, this person is in a league of his own.
I had some interviews in the last quarter of last year interviewing entrepreneurs for a research but none of them displayed the characteristics borne by this man. I did not even know he was entrepreneurial, how surprising..because i would have interviewed him. It could also be that my research was prejudiced towards healthcare businessman because of accessibility to contacts.
The other reason i did not know of his entrepreneurial being is because he is particularly down to earth. Usually, as we all know, most entrepreneurially successful people make it known to others, somehow, that they have made it. You'll know..they can be flashy too! Not with my new entrepreneur colleague..he is different.
Every conversation i had with him, i learnt something. Every conversation added value to my future. I wish i could write everything down but that is rather embarassing. I also wanted to play cool! When he opened his mouth, he suggested a new deal..a new busines idea..a new contact..a new life! I just wondered how come he never boasted about being who he is or indeed that he has the world at his feet. Interestingly enough, he has many other traits which my research last year failed to conclude as existent in many entrepreneurs.
The man has a high need for achievement. This character trait is prevalent among many entrepreneurs although they may lack a commitment to work. He has it! He has a desire for responsibility coupled with a locus of control. He has high level of energy which i admired tremendously. His skills at organising are second to none. He has tenacity and a propensity for taking risk, calculated of course, for which i wished 'osmosis' would favour me in transferring some of it to me. In fact, i wished 'osmosis', which moves particles from areas of high concentration to areas with low concentration, would apply the above attributes in my favour.
It is crucial to note that the most inspiring people in life are not necessary the vocal ones. They may be hidden amongst the very vocal! Two years ago, i never knew Barack Obama. Two years later, he holds the most powerful office in the world. His neighbours in Chicago must be wondering how they missed the opportunity to learn from such a knowledgeable man of many inspirational attributes. Maybe they judged him! In this world of glitter and fast cars, we are forgetting that its not the glitter and fast car that matters..it's whats underneath it or the character of its driver!
I knew this man, but i did not know that he has such entrepreneurial traits and knowledge that could inspire not just me, but many others.
I had some interviews in the last quarter of last year interviewing entrepreneurs for a research but none of them displayed the characteristics borne by this man. I did not even know he was entrepreneurial, how surprising..because i would have interviewed him. It could also be that my research was prejudiced towards healthcare businessman because of accessibility to contacts.
The other reason i did not know of his entrepreneurial being is because he is particularly down to earth. Usually, as we all know, most entrepreneurially successful people make it known to others, somehow, that they have made it. You'll know..they can be flashy too! Not with my new entrepreneur colleague..he is different.
Every conversation i had with him, i learnt something. Every conversation added value to my future. I wish i could write everything down but that is rather embarassing. I also wanted to play cool! When he opened his mouth, he suggested a new deal..a new busines idea..a new contact..a new life! I just wondered how come he never boasted about being who he is or indeed that he has the world at his feet. Interestingly enough, he has many other traits which my research last year failed to conclude as existent in many entrepreneurs.
The man has a high need for achievement. This character trait is prevalent among many entrepreneurs although they may lack a commitment to work. He has it! He has a desire for responsibility coupled with a locus of control. He has high level of energy which i admired tremendously. His skills at organising are second to none. He has tenacity and a propensity for taking risk, calculated of course, for which i wished 'osmosis' would favour me in transferring some of it to me. In fact, i wished 'osmosis', which moves particles from areas of high concentration to areas with low concentration, would apply the above attributes in my favour.
It is crucial to note that the most inspiring people in life are not necessary the vocal ones. They may be hidden amongst the very vocal! Two years ago, i never knew Barack Obama. Two years later, he holds the most powerful office in the world. His neighbours in Chicago must be wondering how they missed the opportunity to learn from such a knowledgeable man of many inspirational attributes. Maybe they judged him! In this world of glitter and fast cars, we are forgetting that its not the glitter and fast car that matters..it's whats underneath it or the character of its driver!
I knew this man, but i did not know that he has such entrepreneurial traits and knowledge that could inspire not just me, but many others.
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
Monetisation of a former breakbasket of Africa..
I just learnt from a fellow business colleague that his goods are held at the main Zimbabwe- South Africa Border, BeitBridge, because Zimbabwe's currency is being 'monetised'. For me, somewhat, and others, this has different implications.
Two of my close friends told me their secondary school kids had to pay tuition fees in the range 800 to 1000 US Dollars. At the current sterling rate, that converts to about £700. Mind you, thats a term's fees. Shocking, at the very least, are these fees. First, one has to psychologically adjust to these figures. Secondly, you have to adjust financially to the fact that, not so long ago, you just had to convert your £50 into Zimbabwe dollars and the kids' fees were paid, maybe with some change for uncle's Castle beers.
Surely, the diaspora has been caught out unaware. No one had warned us that the purchasing power of £50 would be quickly eroded at that pace.
The diaspora probably has to change its strategy. Whilst, Zimbabweans living in Zimbabwe have been continually adjusting to perpetual changes, we have been basking in the routine and glass-ceilings of these lands. The guys in Zimbabwe have grown wiser, more entreprenuerial and clearly do not require business school rhetoric to learn about change management. They are at another level...
I think change is always great. Although, of course, we manage it differently. I have to contend with the fact that i have to adjust the amount of sterling i need to start sending my mother. Gosh, the pound has just had its pounding at the wrong time!
Two of my close friends told me their secondary school kids had to pay tuition fees in the range 800 to 1000 US Dollars. At the current sterling rate, that converts to about £700. Mind you, thats a term's fees. Shocking, at the very least, are these fees. First, one has to psychologically adjust to these figures. Secondly, you have to adjust financially to the fact that, not so long ago, you just had to convert your £50 into Zimbabwe dollars and the kids' fees were paid, maybe with some change for uncle's Castle beers.
Surely, the diaspora has been caught out unaware. No one had warned us that the purchasing power of £50 would be quickly eroded at that pace.
The diaspora probably has to change its strategy. Whilst, Zimbabweans living in Zimbabwe have been continually adjusting to perpetual changes, we have been basking in the routine and glass-ceilings of these lands. The guys in Zimbabwe have grown wiser, more entreprenuerial and clearly do not require business school rhetoric to learn about change management. They are at another level...
I think change is always great. Although, of course, we manage it differently. I have to contend with the fact that i have to adjust the amount of sterling i need to start sending my mother. Gosh, the pound has just had its pounding at the wrong time!
Monday, 2 February 2009
Day that London cried..
Moved to Coventry in September last year from the hustle and bustle of London. Kinda missed that buzz of London until today..when the the media reported that London had ground to a standstill. The reason, of course, being the heavy snow which meant the roads, rail and air could not operate as anticipated. For me, however, it brought bad memories.
Six years ago, I left work at 21.30hrs and boarded a bus home to Kingsbury, London. That day had witnessed some heavy snow and there was a limited bus service in parts of London. The bus struggled somewhat but i was confident that we would make it to Kingsbury. The snow became too heavy when we got to Wembley and the bus halted...it could not go any further. The bus driver shouted through his intercom that everyone had to disembark. I thought for a minute how i was to get to Kingsbury when there were no ordinary cars, except certain 4 by 4s, nor buses that were operating. I could not even afford to worry my wife, who was then heavily pregnant, to come and pick me up as there was no way our car could get there.
I had to brace the cold...there should another word for 'cold' to describe the chill on that day! I started walking..it was 5 miles! The pavement was extremely slippery and my shoes were not gripping well. I slid from side to side. I had not dressed warm..when i left home, it was a normal London day in winter. I started feeling the chill through every part of my body. For a moment, i thought i was dying! I knew that if i didn't get home in 10 minutes or so, that would be the end of me. I phoned wifey to eh..wish her..eh..some goodbyes..but before i could utter any words, i saw a few cars driving slowly about 1.5 km from my home. I asked wifey to pick me up. Getting into the car and seeing my pregnant wife was the best thing that could ever happen. My wife gave birth 2 months later to a beautiful baby girl. Well, we have another daughter now 6 years later.
I am sure there are many people today who are re-living my ordeal of 6 years ago and would not be as lucky as i was. I am also sure that this can be prevented through gritting of roads by the councils concerned. The preparation can save lots of lives. Lack of preparation can also have economic repercussions. Today, the economy lost about 1.2 billion pounds. I am sure gritting does not amount to that figure.
Six years ago, I left work at 21.30hrs and boarded a bus home to Kingsbury, London. That day had witnessed some heavy snow and there was a limited bus service in parts of London. The bus struggled somewhat but i was confident that we would make it to Kingsbury. The snow became too heavy when we got to Wembley and the bus halted...it could not go any further. The bus driver shouted through his intercom that everyone had to disembark. I thought for a minute how i was to get to Kingsbury when there were no ordinary cars, except certain 4 by 4s, nor buses that were operating. I could not even afford to worry my wife, who was then heavily pregnant, to come and pick me up as there was no way our car could get there.
I had to brace the cold...there should another word for 'cold' to describe the chill on that day! I started walking..it was 5 miles! The pavement was extremely slippery and my shoes were not gripping well. I slid from side to side. I had not dressed warm..when i left home, it was a normal London day in winter. I started feeling the chill through every part of my body. For a moment, i thought i was dying! I knew that if i didn't get home in 10 minutes or so, that would be the end of me. I phoned wifey to eh..wish her..eh..some goodbyes..but before i could utter any words, i saw a few cars driving slowly about 1.5 km from my home. I asked wifey to pick me up. Getting into the car and seeing my pregnant wife was the best thing that could ever happen. My wife gave birth 2 months later to a beautiful baby girl. Well, we have another daughter now 6 years later.
I am sure there are many people today who are re-living my ordeal of 6 years ago and would not be as lucky as i was. I am also sure that this can be prevented through gritting of roads by the councils concerned. The preparation can save lots of lives. Lack of preparation can also have economic repercussions. Today, the economy lost about 1.2 billion pounds. I am sure gritting does not amount to that figure.
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