We are pleased to share the outcomes of our Social Venture Challenge at the Harvard National Model United Nations. At HNMUN, we had an inspiring two days listening to terrific plans from 19 teams in the semi-finals and 11 teams in the finals. We selected four winning teams:
Ekky Hardiyanto and Hanifah Hasuri, are the founders of theCoconut Project in Indonesia, a social venture that will create light concrete utilizing discarded coconut husks. Their efforts will increase income for coconut sellers, while also decreasing the harmful effects that cement making has on the environment.
Lusekelo Nkuwi (who competed for the second time this year!) is the founder of The Gifted Farmer, a social venture he will launch in Tanzania to provide rural farmers with critical weather and crop price data, entrepreneurship training, and a business plan competition. Through the Gifted Farmer, Lusekelo will help farmers improve crop production, increase and diversify income, build wealth, and create new jobs.
Through their social venture, Open Defecation Free Surabaya, Galuh Sekar Arum & Darosa Elfrida will provide education and latrine building in Indonesia to end public defecation and related public health issues, ensuring that every home has basic sanitation infrastructure.
Irfanda Odytia & Karina Nur Arumsari founded Wetland Furniture, also in Indonesia, to harvest water hyacinths and empower unemployed women to learn how to build furniture from this freely available resource. The team will provide the women with resources, training, and designs, as well as a generous profit-sharing structure. Wetland Furniture also has a distribution deal with the largest retailer in Indonesia.