Working collaboratively to propel entrepreneurship in the developing world: ANDE two years on

Post written for Business Fights Poverty by Randall Kempner, Executive Director, Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)

Alleviating global poverty is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today. Despite the progress of the international community to find solutions to help end poverty, it continues to persist. Many will agree that there ought to be more innovative ways of helping the world’s poor beyond providing aid, which has proven in many cases to be ineffective. Put simply, the best way for a poor individual to prosper is to have a decent job. And I believe best way to support job creation is to help the millions of entrepreneurs around the world that manage small and growing businesses (SGBs), as they create jobs and develop their communities.

That is what the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) is working to do. ANDE is a global network of over 115 members that are working together to help propel entrepreneurship in the developing world. We believe that empowering entrepreneurs in poor countries is the best way to provide people with the opportunities to pull themselves out of poverty. Our members work in 150 emerging and developing countries and are making strides to help build an investment community that is committed to both social and financial success. Over the past ten years, ANDE members have invested $900 million across 2,500 investments. We target businesses that have the potential to create jobs and expand—rather than to support a single family. Through capacity development and direct equity or debt investment, ANDE members have supported more than 11,100 SGBs.

In late March, ANDE celebrated the 2nd anniversary of our launch with the release of our 2010 Impact Report and new organizational video that highlights the power of SGBs to transform economies in Africa, and around the world. We will continue to spearhead the movement of investors and funders, capacity development organizations, foundations and other organizations and individuals that want to support entrepreneurs that will one day alleviate poverty throughout the world. We hope you will join us in building this movement.

Tags: #Enterprise Development, #Top Stories, ANDE, Aspen, Development, Entrepreneurs, Impact, Investing, Kempner, Network, More…Randall

Comment by Jason Gonzales on April 18, 2011 at 5:04: Great Video. Kudos!

Comment by Shahira Fouad on April 18, 2011 at 11:55: it one of the most valuable information I read, very useful, trying to learn from these ideas and applying it in Egypt

Comment by Shahira Fouad on April 18, 2011 at 12:37: very very useful video, remarkable

Comment by TANGEM ELVIS PAUL NFOR on April 18, 2011 at 18:07: Tihs is great work ANDE, as your rightly said, job and wealth creation is the way to go than aid. Fortunately many Donor agencies have realised the futility of continous aids. I work for/ with rural Women involve in the collection, processing, value addition and marketing of forest products in the sahel region of Africa, I have seen poor neglected and abandoned women transformed by simple capacity building, information and very small amount of money. I believe strongly that poverty is in the minds and aid only help to keep the poor , poor and dependent. Great stuff ANDE. For more of our work go to www.treeaid.org.uk

Comment by Randall Kempner on April 19, 2011 at 22:45: Colleagues,

Thanks for your positive response and kind words. Here at ANDE we are looking forward to working with Business Fights Poverty to promote market based solutions to poverty -- especially those that leverage the power of small and growing business to address social and environmental challenges. We want to create a movement like microfinance -- but aimed at the next level up. Join us! Randall

Comment by JF Li on April 20, 2011 at 14:51: Thanks Randall for this blogpost and video. It is extremely useful to spread the ANDE mission. Development entrepreneurs around the world are making a difference with the support of patient capital and supporting ecosystems. I will join you! Julia.