Essential Question

How can we make an impact on a social, economic, or environmental issue a country is facing and create a business opportunity at the same time?

Enduring Understanding

Every country in the world is dealing with some type of problem or issue that adversely affects its people. Issues range from extreme economic inequality, to drug addiction, to human trafficking, to sex trafficking and prostitution, to poor water quality, to environmental degradation, and so on, and so on, and so on.

You might think these issues only affect "3rd World Countries" when the reality is every country in the world is unique with its own set of unique problems.

While some of these countries' governments are equipped to deal with these issues, some are not. Some have the capability to address their problems but are unwilling to tackle or prioritize them.

Where there is a gap -- some might say a need -- there is opportunity.

An opportunity to create a solution with problem solving and innovation
An opportunity to make an impact on people's lives
An opportunity to create a business or non-profit organization

Check out the story of these two entrepreneurs, Randy Goldberg and David Heath, who saw an opportunity to help the homeless starting a sock company called Bombas. Watch the short Youtube video below.

What could you do to make an impact in another country in the world?

Description

The heart of the International Business Plan is to expand students' global cultural perspective and awareness. Today's global economy demands a solid understanding of the differences between countries and people.

Students will choose a country they are interested in and will engage in an in-depth analysis of an issue or problem affecting that country
After a focused study of an issue, students will form either a for-profit business or a non-profit organization that seeks to make a positive impact on the issue
To make a positive impact on the country, students will develop and design a prototype of a product or service that either:

- benefits people directly through employment
- or, raises money through sales or donations
- Students will determine a country's potential for supporting a business or a non-profit organization by researching the country's political, social, and economic systems
- To conclude the project, students will:

- make a prototype of their product
- design marketing materials for their cause/product
- and present their product or service to students, teachers, administrators, family, and business members in a "Global Fair"

*Please note: students may NOT select the United States as a country of study.

Inspirational Businesses & Organizations

Invisible Children

Started in 2004, Invisible Children set out to bring attention to a growing crisis in northern Uganda where children were regularly conscripted into the LRA against their will. It has since expanded its mission to CAR, DRC, and South Sudan.

In its early days, the organization relied mostly on a network of volunteers to spread the word and raise funds through donations. They also sold DVDs of their journey and bracelets. Like many non-profit organizations, it has turned to a monthly donation model to generate funds.

Parker Clay

Parker Clay is a "lifestyle brand" that designs and makes ethically sourced handbags. These handbags are made in Ethiopia where it's currently estimated that over 150,000 women are in prostitution in the capital of Ethiopia, Addis Ababa.

As of 2019, they have over 130 employees in their factory in Ethiopia. 96 of those employees are women, and 32 of these women have been hired out of prosititution through their partnership with Ellilta Women at Risk. Their goal is to hire over 100 more women by the end of 2020, with the majority of them coming from the Ellilta Women at Risk program to bring even more women out of prostitution.

Charity Water

Charity Water has funded over 44,000 water projects in 28 countries. These projects provide access to clean water for millions of people in Africa. What's unique about clean water is how a donor can see the direct impact of a water project through a tracking system.

After a decade of indulging his darkest vices as nightclub promoter, the founder, Scott Harrison, declared moral, spiritual, and emotional bankruptcy. He spent two years on a hospital ship off the coast of Liberia and saw the effects of dirty water first-hand, and went back to New York with a mission.

Indosole

Indosole sources tires in Indonesia and repurposes them into footwear.

In 2004, Kyle Parsons went to Bali for the first time. During his trip he purchased a pair of sandals with soles made from motorbike tires. The unique sandals prompted him to learn more about the worldwide tire problem and he found that over one billion waste tires end up in landfills every year. He became determined to repurpose tires into footwear and to help alleviate Indonesia's pollution problem.

ECOALF

#becausethereisnoplanetB

ECOALF makes clothing from recycled materials and donates a percentage of its profits to ocean clean up and currently to restoration efforts of Australia's forests that burned in 2020.

Javier Goyeneche was reflecting upon the world after his son's birth and found himself frustrated with the excessive use of the world's natural resources. His idea was to create a brand that is truly sustainable. By integrating breakthrough technology, the create clothing and accessories made entirely from recycled materials... without actually looking like they're made from recycled materials. ECOALF represents the fabrics for the future generations.