Acumen Fund's Community
The New Recruits – Share your thoughts
The New Recruits is a one-hour documentary that aired on PBS on Jun 15th.
The film follows the experience of three Acumen Fellows as they spend one year
with D.Light in India, Micro Drip in Pakistan, and Ecotact in Kenya.
The documentary highlights the conviction and optimism of Heidi Krauel, Joel
Montgomery and Suraj Sudhakar as they work to apply their professional
experience and business education to address issues like marketing, customer
service and expansion for enterprises that aim to serve low income constomers.
In the process, the Fellows grow more confident in Acumen’s model of development,
as well as more humble and aware of the complexity of poverty, lessons they
pass to the next class of Fellows.
There are some elements of the film that do not fully capture the essence of
Acumen Fund’s philosophy. For example, the early references to one of the fellows’
religious beliefs, since we don’t see our work as a religious mission. Also, the
oversimplified premise that the Fellows are meant to bring capitalism to solve the
problems of poverty. We hope that our message comes through that neither markets
alone nor development alone will solve problems of poverty – but that we need both.
We also believe that this film tells just a few of the many stories from across the
44 Fellows representing 16 countries and many faiths that truly make the Fellows
program a unique leadership development opportunity. Blair Miller, who runs the
program, writes about some of these stories here.
If you caught the show, we would love to hear your reactions to it and how it might
relate to your experiences and aspirations. Some questions to consider:
1.If you are working or have worked in international development, it is clear that
the work is not always easy and that good intentions are often insufficient to
make effective change. What challenges have you faced, how have you
overcome them and where have you found the energy to keep on going?
2.The film depicts a good amount of idealism and confidence from the Fellows, and the
invaluable lessons they learned in the process of trying to share their
expertise. If the fellows are meant to be developing as leaders, what do their
experiences and lessons teach us about leadership, and specifically the
qualities required to address poverty effectively?
3.The Fellows in the film were asked to make sacrifices and face significant personal
challenges. What moments in your life have left you inspired to leave your
comfort zone to make a difference in the world? How can we encourage
others to extend themselves for the benefit of others?
Tags: Blair, Fellows, Miller, New Recruits, Yasmina, Zaidman
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alexis Ditkowsky on -
Hi Yasmina,
Thanks so much for your thoughtful questions. I just finished watching the film and thought I'd take a moment to respond....
1. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I haven't yet worked in the developing world since the past two years have been one long process of trying to work abroad. While everything is finally coming together for the fall, the process has been one long exercise in using both patience and stubbornness to work the system. And of remaining professional and genial regardless of how frustrated I've become. I've also appreciated the time I've had to reflect on the challenges I will likely face as an American, as a woman, and as someone who has never worried about the basics like food, water, housing, education, or sanitation. I feel as mentally prepared as I can be and now I'm just looking forward to diving in.
2. One aspect of the film that jumped out at me was the need for flexibility. What works in the States or in a corporate setting might backfire in a different environment. Heidi's struggle to connect with and be taken seriously by some of the D.light salesmen is one example. While the film didn't follow the outcome specifically, I wonder if her growth in understanding the customer and the product eventually inspired more respect.
I also found Suraj's conversations with David about the marketing strategy for IkoToilet fascinating. While Suraj was clearly passionate about bringing sanitation to the slums and was perhaps frustrated that this wasn't happening fast enough, he approached David about the issue humbly and thoughtfully. Thanks to his gentle approach, he learned something incredibly valuable about marketing services to the poor: they have aspirations that you need to tap into in order to successfully sell a product or service. As Acumen Fund mentions again and again, the poor are customers, too, and they need to be treated with dignity and respect not just for moral reasons but because it also makes business sense.
3. As I mentioned in the first question, my husband and I are still in the process of "making a difference", although last summer we quit our jobs, packed up our apartment, and hit the road. Things ended up getting delayed and changed but in the best possible way. Maybe I'm suffering from the idealism and confidence of the "New Recruits" but what we're planning to do doesn't feel like a sacrifice. Staying in New York while wishing to be in the developing world working on social enterprise projects - now that would be a sacrifice.
In terms of encouraging others to extend themselves in new ways, stories that personalize the issues while providing accessible ways to get involved are important. Jacqueline Novogratz's The Blue Sweater and Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's Half the Sky are two books that had a big impact on me but short videos are a great way to connect with people while extending your network. Organizations also need to make it easy for people to feel engaged with their work while providing a range of opportunities for getting involved. To their detriment, many organizations don't have an active strategy for channeling the energy of would-be supporters and end up with a weaker base and a more limited reach because of it.
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Permalink Reply by Yasmina Zaidman on -
Wow - incredibly thoughtful response. Amazing how hard it is just to GET there, and then face the challenges of making a difference once you do. It pains me that there is often more interest than there are opportunities for people to bring their passion, skills and creativity to global challenges. But in some ways, the tremendous effort required to secure one of these scarce opportunities can serve as a screen to find the people that are most dedicated, and maybe the most willing to accept whatever challenges or sacrifices lay ahead. I hope you'll continue to share your adventures and lessons with the opportunity you have created for yourself. You will certainly serve as an inspiration to many others. And my big takeaway from your comments is to remember that the challenges begin the second you DECIDE to play a role in solving global challenges, and often well before you set foot on the ground of some new geography.
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Permalink Reply by Brittany Boroian on -
Thanks for posting this Yasmina!
Just finished watching the documentary. Wow. I feel that I learned a lot in the span of an hour. It aired at 4 AM, and by that time I was exhausted and wondering whether I would be able to stay awake- yep. My eyes were wide open the whole time, taking in everything. I appreciated that the documentary highlighted the challenges of social enterprise, because I think it's really easy to get idealistic with perfect-sounding ideas-- but it's all in the testing method where it comes to fruition what really works, and what doesn't.
So, the questions.
1. While I've had experience working with micro-finance in developing countries, I feel that I'm still just on the cusp of beginning to understand the many inherent challenges within the field of development- especially since I am about to start a Kiva fellowship, where the work will be much more intense! The biggest challenge I think that I've been facing more recently is this switch from an idealistic 'I can save the world and it will be so easy,' attitude, to a more realistic 'wow, the entire field of development is MASSIVE, very complex, and riddled with issues,' feeling of dread. Hearing about foundation after foundation, thousands of tiny NGOs all over the place, SO many agencies and corporations trying to do the same things, and still not efficiently carrying them out- is draining.
But whenever I get into this funk, I think about the exciting things that ARE going on in development today, how the rising generations are becoming more attuned to social issues, and how an incredibly well-thought out and tested idea can bring benefit to millions of people-- and I think being a part of that movement is SO exciting that I get all wound up with energy just thinking about it, which propels me past all of the nonsense.
2. I REALLY liked Joel's approach to getting the micro-drip employees to sell their products. He was funny, engaging, very creative (I thought the shirt-off approach was hilarious), while not going over the top, and teaching lessons along the way. Most importantly, you could tell that the employees connected with him and respected his expertise. You could tell that they learned a lot from him. I think this is the most important barrier, since they are the ones interfacing with clients every day.
3. The moments I've felt most inspired to make a difference to the world were encounters with people who did not have basic needs, such as housing, food, and adequate clothing. One encounter that really moved me and made me question what giving really means, was when I volunteered at the Mother Theresa Center in Calcutta, India. I did this through a gap semester program, which completely changed my life, my goals, and my career path. I think that the first step in others extending themselves is providing them with a first-hand experience to see with their own eyes.
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Permalink Reply by Brittany Boroian on
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Alexis, I think you and I need to be real life friends. We are very similar, and I read your blog post about the Blue Sweater through three generations, and loved it.
Alexis Ditkowsky said:Hi Yasmina,
Thanks so much for your thoughtful questions. I just finished watching the film and thought I'd take a moment to respond....
1. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I haven't yet worked in the developing world since the past two years have been one long process of trying to work abroad. While everything is finally coming together for the fall, the process has been one long exercise in using both patience and stubbornness to work the system. And of remaining professional and genial regardless of how frustrated I've become. I've also appreciated the time I've had to reflect on the challenges I will likely face as an American, as a woman, and as someone who has never worried about the basics like food, water, housing, education, or sanitation. I feel as mentally prepared as I can be and now I'm just looking forward to diving in.
2. One aspect of the film that jumped out at me was the need for flexibility. What works in the States or in a corporate setting might backfire in a different environment. Heidi's struggle to connect with and be taken seriously by some of the D.light salesmen is one example. While the film didn't follow the outcome specifically, I wonder if her growth in understanding the customer and the product eventually inspired more respect.
I also found Suraj's conversations with David about the marketing strategy for IkoToilet fascinating. While Suraj was clearly passionate about bringing sanitation to the slums and was perhaps frustrated that this wasn't happening fast enough, he approached David about the issue humbly and thoughtfully. Thanks to his gentle approach, he learned something incredibly valuable about marketing services to the poor: they have aspirations that you need to tap into in order to successfully sell a product or service. As Acumen Fund mentions again and again, the poor are customers, too, and they need to be treated with dignity and respect not just for moral reasons but because it also makes business sense.
3. As I mentioned in the first question, my husband and I are still in the process of "making a difference", although last summer we quit our jobs, packed up our apartment, and hit the road. Things ended up getting delayed and changed but in the best possible way. Maybe I'm suffering from the idealism and confidence of the "New Recruits" but what we're planning to do doesn't feel like a sacrifice. Staying in New York while wishing to be in the developing world working on social enterprise projects - now that would be a sacrifice.
In terms of encouraging others to extend themselves in new ways, stories that personalize the issues while providing accessible ways to get involved are important. Jacqueline Novogratz's The Blue Sweater and Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn's Half the Sky are two books that had a big impact on me but short videos are a great way to connect with people while extending your network. Organizations also need to make it easy for people to feel engaged with their work while providing a range of opportunities for getting involved. To their detriment, many organizations don't have an active strategy for channeling the energy of would-be supporters and end up with a weaker base and a more limited reach because of it.
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Permalink Reply by Luke Barbara on -
1+2. In my experiences working in international development the challenges that I faced were myriad, but one that stands out in my mind is being able to gain a true understanding of the aspirations, challenges, needs, and general situation of the very people who are living in poverty. In The New Recruits, Joel faced an example of this challenge when applying his Yale Business School training of using spreadsheets and graphs to convey data in an attempt to convince rural farmers in Pakistan to buy Micro Drip irrigation systems. The film gave an example of a banana farmer who had success using drip irrigation farming techniques, yet still used traditional flooding techniques because his "heart doesn't feel right if he doesn't do it." Furthermore the Pakistani farmers did not even think of their farms as a business, rather as a way of life. My initial reaction to that behavior and perspective is that they don't make sense, but that's my problem not the farmers!
In terms of overcoming the challenge of lacking a true understanding there's no silver bullet solution, but as The New Recruits themselves demonstrated it starts by listening to the customer and, as Jacqueline Novogratz often says, listening to the market. I think a crucial part of being able to effectively listen to the customer is to be aware of my own cultural biases and perspectives and, more often than not, to mute them to allow me to gain new understanding. There is no replacement for actually trying this in practice (and failing, trying again, etc,), but an insightful book I would recommend to learn more is A Framework for Understanding Poverty.
3. The key experience in my life that cemented my resolve to make a difference in the world was a three-week volunteer trip to Honduras that transformed into a year living in Central America working alongside people living in destitute poverty. I recently had the opportunity to see social enterprise author David Bornstein talk at TEDxAshokaU. Bornstein said that "Changemakers have an exposure that allows them to see the world in a different way. These exposures help you think of different pathways than you would have thought of otherwise and give you the relationships that create energy and capability to make things happen."
We can encourage others to make a difference in the world through creating opportunities to be exposed to situations, knowledge, and opportunities that they would not have otherwise. It could be a documentary on PBS such as The New Recruits, a student-organized event such as the Alleviating Poverty Through Entrepreneurship (APTE) Summit, a trip to the developing world, volunteering in your community, or simply a conversation over a cup of tea.
Everyone has a unique exposure that will resonate with them to make them a changemaker. Similarly, everyone has a unique way to effectively recruit others to create social change. What's yours?
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Permalink Reply by Khuram Hussain on -
Please find my response to the film as follows:
http://healthyarcher.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/the-new-recruits-%E2%...
Regards,
Khuram
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Permalink Reply by Jocelyn Wyatt on -
I'm so glad I had an opportunity to watch this film and see the experiences of Joel, Heidi, and Suraj in Pakistan, India, and Kenya. I was in the first class of Acumen Fund fellows (2006 - 2007) and the experiences of the three resonated with me in many ways.
One of the things I liked most about the film was that it showed the frustrations of being a fellow in a very real way. For me, the experience was truly a life-changing one and one that I recommend to anyone who is interested. That said, it was not without challenges. Coming in to an organization (and a culture) as an outside who doesn't speak the language and is around for less than a year, can be quite difficult, especially at the beginning. It takes a long time to gain the trust of the organization and an even longer time to figure out how to work with the team to introduce change or innovative approaches.
I wish that the film showed the fellows in the field towards the end of their time as I would guess their team members would have quite different reactions to them and their suggestions than they did when these scenes were filmed. In my experience working with social enterprises in India and Kenya, a significant amount of progress happened at the end of my time there, because I had finally figured out how to work effectively in a new culture and had finally won the trust of my colleagues.
As others have commented, I loved Suraj's approach to the question of how Iko Toilet was serving the poor. Before jumping to conclusions, Suraj asked a number of people about his concerns. He spent time in the community to understand their needs, and then approached David to discuss the strategy with him. Suraj was humble and listened well and ultimately was able to accomplish what he believed was right. Rather than bringing an outside perspective, he developed deep empathy for both the community and the entrepreneur and helped develop a solution.
I know Joel, Heidi, and Suraj quite well personally and have heard many more stories about their time as fellows than the film was able to cover. They are truly inspiring people who are humble, deep listeners, and serious about making positive change in the world. Like Acumen's, their perspectives on poverty and capitalism are far more complex than the film portrays and their effectiveness was far greater than viewers of this film could see. I have deep appreciation and respect for Acumen, the fellows program, and the social enterprises and am so pleased to see some of the messages about this work get out into the world.
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Permalink Reply by Tanya Hannah Rumble on -
Greetings from the heat-wave that is Toronto.
Haven't yet had the opportunity to see the documentary, though I did see the trailer today and was blown away. Likening the Fellows to new-age Gordon Gekko may have been sensationalizing, but am curious to understand the perspective of the film-maker, and how the three Fellows profiled in the film felt about their portrayal. Will be ordering a copy for my own (normally I don't purchase many DVDs, but anything that was produced by public media is worth investing in!).
Tanya Rumble
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Permalink Reply by Yasmina Zaidman on
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I look forward to hearing what you think, Tanya. There was some sensationalism, but also a real-world look at what is difficult about doing this kind of work, especially as an outsider. If you decide you don't want to wait for your copy, you can watch the whole thing online here: http://video.pbs.org/video/1522507636/
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Permalink Reply by Yasmina Zaidman on
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Thanks for sharing your take on this, Jocelyn. It means a lot coming from someone who went through this experience as a complete pioneer.
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Permalink Reply by zahid ali on -
As we have all known the long loneliness and we have learned that the only solution is love and that love comes with community
In terms of overcoming the challenge of lacking a true understanding there's no silver bullet solution, but as The New Recruits themselves demonstrated it starts by listening to the customer and, as Jacqueline Novogratz often says, listening to the market.
I think encouraging others to extend themselves in new ways, stories that personalize the issues while providing accessible ways to get involved are important
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