It is hard to believe that our first class of fellows has been out in the field for two months, and we are now preparing to recruit the next class. As we reflect on the past four months, the fellows program has been an exciting way that we have been able to develop leadership – both professionally and personally – for our sector and provide on-the-ground support for our investees.
As you may have read in earlier blog posts from the fellows, the two months of training in New York was focused on discussing the variety of issues facing our work – from the perspective of entrepreneurs, development agencies, government as well as the private sector. The fellows were challenged by a variety of leaders to think about their impact as the next generation of leaders, as well as the legacies they would like to leave behind. They grounded themselves by thinking about their own moral compasses – where do they fall as it regards equality or liberty and community or efficiency? How will these views guide them as they think about their roles supporting entrepreneurs and as leaders more broadly? They reflected on balance and sustainability, questioning the ability to manage aspirational careers and their personal lives.
In addition to reflecting on their personal leadership and careers, the fellows also began to acquaint themselves with the challenges faced by business at the bottom of the pyramid. Each week, each fellow led a discussion on a certain element of the business model (e.g., marketing, supply chain, leadership) and how we must think about it differently at the bottom of the pyramid, always keeping the needs and desires of our customer base – those making under $4/day - at the top of their mind. They also recognized the scarcity of literature – academic articles, cases, or stories – on these topics and are committed to using their experiences to contribute knowledge to the field more broadly. They were professionally trained in storytelling by Katzenbach Partners, and they have spent time with case writers, radio journalists, and professors to understand what outputs can reach the appropriate audiences.
Out in the field for two months, the fellows are well integrated into their investee teams and have been quick to create impact. Nadaa has taken leadership of the rural pharmacy team at Medicine Shoppe and despite a language barrier, has been able to open a number of stores in the past few weeks. Adrien has been working on the business plan for the for-profit arm of IDEI’s drip irrigation product and is thinking about how to translate these lessons to TRDP, an organization focused on drip irrigation in Pakistan, and to organizations in Kenya. The fellows will also be contributing to the blog, so stay tuned for more updates from the field!  (Jocelyn and Keely maintain separate personal blogs, so you can read more about their experiences there.)
We have begun to recruit for the class of 2008 fellows and have been thrilled to see the appetite and excitement for the program on university campuses – it is clear that young professionals are seeking an opportunity to apply their skills to the developing world and we are excited to be able to provide such opportunities. Please do refer individuals who you believe will be a good fit for the program to apply.
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