Indonesia
Economic Development, Environment
Bank Pohon
Over half of Indonesia’s tropical forest is considered to be “degraded” as a result of commercial timber practices and conversion to agriculture coupled with inefficient reforestation programs. Paris Sembiring, a paddy-cab driver turned nursery entrepreneur, has created a business model that empowers and provides economic incentives for people to get involved in seedling development to drive a more in support of the reforestation movement in...
Thailand
Economic Development
Huay Pla Lod Agricultural Cooperative, Ltd.
By creating a supply chain system for agroforestry products completely owned and operated by Thailand’s highland ethnic communities, Jakkapong Mongkhonkeeree is enabling highlanders to be recognized as guardians of the forest and to maintain their cultural heritage as forest inhabitants.
India
Health
Bibhu Kalyan Mohanty is establishing an industry with small farmers, healers and government to create a healthy and sustainable industry of Indian natural herbal and plant-based medicine and remedies. The “Healing Heritage Producers Company” owned by local producers, organic farmers, medicinal plant collectors, and women’s Self Help Groups, is increasing the availability of remedies, preserving oral tradition and knowledge threatened with...
India
Economic Development
In Bihar, the poorest and most underdeveloped state in India, vegetable farmers are locked into an inefficient and extractive system currently controlled by middlemen. But Kaushlendra has re-engineered the value chain so that small-scale farmers organized as majority shareholders in their own producer companies bring vegetables to local collection points where his organization transports the produce to refrigerated distribution centers...
India
Economic Development
Muthu Velayutham orchestrates a diverse, integrated suite of development programs in rural India that enable poor communities to build wealth through coordinated business ventures and the stewardship of natural resources.
India
Economic Development
Pranjal Baruah is organizing farmers in Assam around mushroom cultivation. He puts farmers in control of their produce through his land-to-lab strategies and training and support for "mushroom entrepreneurs." In addition to creating new livelihood opportunities for thousands of unemployed youth and landless families in Assam, Pranjal is developing a new market for mushroom consumption. By federating farmers, he is creating systems that aim to...
India
Learning/Education
Santosh Choubey sees the IT and mobile revolution connecting all of India in the next ten years and wants to ensure that rural youth will be equipped to take the opportunities that come with it. An avid author of books and poetry, he is committed to bridging the skill and IT gap between urban and rural India and creating local opportunities for rural youth.
India
Learning/Education
Sunanda Mane is bridging the gap between education imparted in secondary schools and real-life skills required in rural India. By introducing trained local entrepreneurs into schools, Sunanda creates an environment where students are able to develop entrepreneurial skills. As a result of her work in over sixty government-aided schools in rural Maharashtra over the last four years, absenteeism and dropout rates have significantly decreased.
India
Economic Development
Though cotton farming as widely practiced in India today is a high-risk, low-profit, resource-intensive, and even dangerous endeavor, Gijs Spoor has created a way for farmers to raise the crop to meet fair trade and organic standards and increase their incomes, improve their health, and protect the environment. His organization, Zameen, coordinates a large network of producer companies and extension workers who bring the control of...
Pakistan
Civic Engagement
There are over 10 million gypsies living in Pakistan that face deep prejudice, hostility, and exploitation. Nazir Ghazi and his organization, Godh (meaning ‘lap of the mother’ in Urdu), provide education, health services, and job opportunities to the growing number of gypsy communities in urban Pakistan. Nazir also encourages gypsies to participate in street theater productions and public outreach to help educate mainstream society about...
Pakistan
Economic Development
Mashal
Arif Khan is empowering women artisans and craft makers in tribal Pakistan by leveraging their hand-made products to a marketable level and selling them under a label associated with high quality and authenticity.
India
Environment
Dishari
Kamal Kanti Banik links river conservation to the livelihoods of local nearby residents. He is restoring fish populations in the Muhuri River in northeastern India by motivating local fishermen to preserve freshwater diversity and the river’s health while improving their own economic outlook.
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