2010-07-14
Sida has entered a new and relatively unexplored arena to the authority. In fact, it is a collaboration with the private industry - Business for Development, B4D. This is a collaboration that not only leads to growth in general, but also to that the people living in poverty will find work or become entrepreneurs themselves.
Our goal is to work for poor people. I know that there is a great potential in working together with the industry and our job is to ensure that more opportunities arise.
It is just so much fun and so exciting! We have the opportunity to make connections with new employees - an industry that has great innovation, skills, flexibility, speed and money. A business that has a lot to learn, but which also want to take advantage of our experience. As in all relationships, the ability to listen is essential.
We work together in order to develop a sustainable business enterprise in poor countries. This is something that seriously can change the living conditions for the people living in poverty.
We go from a situation where we - easily simplified - not have seen the potential for a good cooperation. It has rather been characterized by the opposite ... if I win, you lose. Now we see that there are situations where we both can from benefit from a cooperation. Win - win is possible!
Many countries are crying out for participation on the global market and entrepreneurship is the tool that will bring the countries there. It allows development on more equal terms. Swedish aid is a subsidy that gives poor people the opportunity to get out of poverty. But aid is not enough. More good forces are needed in order to find solutions to global challenges and reach the goals.
Many companies are beneficial for poor people today. To stimulate new initiatives, Sida has created a set of valuable tools. Here are some of them:
Innovations Against Poverty - support for small goods and services
The issue of hygiene is essential. In many countries there is one toilet for 500 people. At Globe Forum conference in late April, an example was shown: a simple bag that functions as a toilet. The material of the bag is biodegradable and can also work as dung.
Market transformation - a changing market
A collaboration between NGOs and private enterprises to convert markets and production methods to be both ecologically and socially sustainable. An example is when the World Wildlife Fund is working with, among others, H&M and IKEA to support improved methods of cotton farming.
Corporate Sustainability - Sustainable development
A collaboration where Sida can support efforts to encourage companies to take responsibility for sustainable development - socially, economically and environmentally.