Team:Calgary/Entrepreneurship
Overview
Objectives
Empowerment
Bioreactor
Training
Partnership
Finances
Crowdfunding
Non-Profit/Charity
OVERVIEW
How to take over the world?
None of your business
OBJECTIVES
After speaking with anthropologists Dr. Warren Wilson and Dr. Charles Mather, it became clear that many humanitarian initiatives fail even with the best intentions. With the expertise and experience of (insert people's/corporation's names here), we identified three key issues relevant to the Oviita design that we plan to address to avoid similar pitfalls.
1. Failing to address local issues adequately:
Sometimes, the best intentions create problems. In one example, a humanitarian group decided to build a fish pond for a village along the Amazon river. The villagers used the river as a source of food, so the initiative already lacked purpose. Even worse, the stagnant water provided a breeding ground for mosquitoes, bringing malaria to the villagers.
Addressing local issues:
Every step of our process is in conjunction with data. Before going to an area, we will first compile data from our partners and sources like The Demographic Health Survey Program. Also, with our Randle Cell Testing Device, we can then work alongside community health workers and policymakers to determine where Oviita can do the most good. Only when we have identified all of the facets affecting a community’s health can we begin work on implementation.
2. Unsustainable Aid:
A significant hurdle for providing aid to a large number of people is logistics. As soon as a supply chain experiences a break or funding becomes sporadic, a ripple effect travels until the end-user becomes affected. If the proposed solution requires more effort than the perceived value, there will be no motivation to maintain that solution.
Sustainable Aid:
Oviita’s entire model is designed around sustainability. Our network of partners alleviates the overhead costs of operation and implementation, Oviita is recultureable allowing continuous batches to be produced from the same source, the bioreactors are very simple and require little maintenance, and the use of microenterprises encourages locals to continue to consume and distribute our product.
3. To narrow a solution:
Often, a solution isn’t as straightforward as it seems. A group might solve one part of the problem and still fail because it was only one piece of the puzzle. For instance, nutrition deficiency isn’t just about nutrients; sometimes, parasites and other organisms can disrupt the gut microbiome to the point of ineffective micronutrient uptake.
A broad solution:
Oviita doesn’t just provide a source of vitamin A; it also produces an deworming compound. Also, by working with organizations that can provide clean drinking water, fermented food, solar panels, and workshops, we can ensure that we address all facets and the solutions tailored with the local’s best interests in mind—everything from health to hygiene, and resources to training.
EMPOWERMENT
Through microenterprises
In many parts of the developing world, gender inequality pervades the environment to a harmful extent, and female oppression can have many detrimental effects on society. An initiative that we found inspiration comes from Western University called “Western Heads East.” One of their founders had this to say:
“We hypothesized that Societal change could occur if women received training on the production of probiotic fermented food as a means to allow them to generate income and financial independence, and provide nutritious, health-promoting food to their family and community.” - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7242885/
By providing the training, resources and a small wage, these women can use the monetary value of the yeast to start a self-sustainable microenterprise.
While creating positive societal change, and rather than developing a complex distribution network, these microenterprises can act as a means of distribution. Considering there is also monetary incentive to sell this yeast, it will also encourage populations to sustain the consumption of our project.
BIOREACTOR
Growing yeast in the field
Since it is not economically feasible to provide the resources for a bioreactor to
everyone individually and to ensure our product can reach as many people as possible,
our bioreactor will have two implementation divisions.
The first division will be bioreactors that will be available for the women’s microenterprises.
The second division of bioreactors will be placed in schools and work alongside programs
to feed children. The children can also act as a means of distribution by bringing it to their families.
We will present locals with design suggestions and requirements for the bioreactor and supply them
with the capital to buy the resources. They will then be able to build it in a way they best see fit.
TRAINING
CAWST
PARTNERSHIP
Current Partners
Finances
Current Partners
Crowdfunding
Current Partners
Non-Profit/Charity
Current Partners
