Meet Temple Grandin

© Epic, 2011

Prized for Developing Better Treatment for Cattle

"I think using animals for food is an ethical thing to do, but we've got to do it right. We've got to give those animals a decent life and we've got to give them a painless death. We owe the animal respect."

When Temple Grandin was diagnosed with autism as a young girl, professionals suggested that she be put in an institution.  But Temple's mother refused.  Instead, she worked hard to give Temple the education and support that she felt Temple deserved.  

Though Temple was considered odd throughout her early school days, she found her niche in  college: she loved cattle.  More than that, she felt that her autism gave her  special insight into their minds.  After receiving a bachelor's degree in psychology, Temple switched her focus to cattle and went on to earn masters and doctorate degrees in animal science.  

Eventually, Temple developed revolutionary systems and equipment for handling cattle.  She advocated more humane processes that gave cattle a better quality of life with reduced stress.  Now half of the cattle in America use her animal-friendly designs.

Today, at age 63, Temple is arguably the most accomplished and well-known adult with autism in the world.  Over her lifetime, she has authored numerous books on both cattle and autism.  She is currently a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University, and she spends significant time travelling the world to increase awareness of autism and cattle treatment.

Sources

Temple Grandin's Personal Website

The 2010 Time 100: Temple Grandin

Check Out This Video!

BBC's The Woman Who Thinks Like a Cow

*Also, check out the HBO's award-winning Temple Grandin, based on her life and starring Claire Danes.  You won't be disappointed.

Meet Jordan Kassalow

© Epic, 2010

 Prized for Founding Vision Spring

"A little investment in a pair of glasses goes a long way." 

As a young optometry student, Jordan Kassalow traveled to rural Mexico with an organization that provided eye care to under-served populations.  While there, he was stunned to find that many of the patients' eye problems could instantly be fixed with simple reading glasses--the kind that you can easily buy for $10 at most grocery stores in the United States.  Jordan realized that there must be millions of people with the same predicament around the world, and he wanted to help.  Seventeen years later, Jordan created an organization to do just that.  

In 2001, Jordan created Scojo Foundation (later renamed VisionSpring).  The organization aimed to make affordable eye exams and eyeglasses available, particularly to the poor.  Using a business in a bag model, VisionSpring armed rural women with affordable business start-up kits and vision screening training.  These new vision entrepreneurs then spread out to conduct vision tests, sell reading glasses, and refer customers who need prescription lenses to a VisionSpring optometrist or partner eye institution. 

From its inception, VisionSpring has been a revolutionary organization.  The results are instantaneous and impact is significant.  A recent study by the University of Michigan, showed that on average VisionSpring's customers experience 35% increased productivity.  That's like adding two and a half extra work days to the user's week!  For the rural poor, this is a life-changing investment. 

To date, VisionSpring has expanded to work with ten partners on four continents.  They have trained more that 9,000 vision entrepreneurs and sold over 613,000 pairs of glasses. 

Sources

VisionSpring Website

Acumen Fund Portfolio Page

Check Out This Video

VisionSpring 2009 Global Video

Meet Wangari Maathai

© Epic, 2010

Prized for Starting the Green Belt Movement
"The planting of trees is the planting of ideas. By starting with the simple act of planting a tree, we give hope to ourselves and to future generations."

In 1971 Wangari Maathai became the first woman in East and Central Africa to earn a doctorate degree.  Her education in biology and anatomy had instilled in her a passion for environmental preservation and sustainability.  After completing her schooling, Wangari taught veterinary anatomy at the University of Nairobi.  But Wangari was also active in many community organizations including the National Council of Women in Kenya (NCWK).  In 1976 Wangari first introduced and developed her idea to plant trees using womens groups.  

On World Environment Day in 1977, NCWK members marched to a park in downtown Nairobi.  There they planted seven trees to honor community leaders.  This was the first of many "green belts" in Africa.  Wangari saw planting trees as a way to fight deforestation, soil erosion, and drought in Kenya.  But there was more.  She also viewed planting trees as the first step in creating empowered womens groups who could come together to fight for equity, good governance, and peace. 

As time passed, Wangari's small idea evolved into a large organization called the Green Belt Movement.  In the 1980s, the Green Belt Movement started to train people from all over Africa in their approach to conserving the environment and empowering women. Green Belt Movements started to spring up all over the continent, then all over the world.

Thanks to Wangari's Green Belt Movement, over 40 million trees have been planted at homes, schools, and churches around the world.  Forests have been restored.  Soil erosion has been reduced.  Thousands of women and families have taken a stand for their environmental and human rights.  The Green Belt Movement hopes to plant one billion trees in the next decade.

Sources

The Green Belt Movement Website

Nobel Prize Biography

Check Out This Video
PBS's Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai Trailer

Meet Martin Burt

© Epic, 2010

Prized for Creating the Self-Sufficient School

"We would like to consider rethinking all the programs that have to do with poverty alleviation and really start thinking about programs that deal with poverty elimination."

Warm.  If I had to use one word to describe Martin Burt, that would be it.  The first time you meet, he treats you like an old friend.  He can kick back, smile, laugh.  Perhaps its this warm presence that has helped him to accomplish so much.

After studying in the United States, Martin Burt returned to his home country of Paraguay.  Excited to put his education to practice, he soon founded Fundación Paraguaya to offer microfinance and entrepreneurship education to Paraguay's poor.

But it is his self-sufficient school that has won him global attention.  In 2002, Fundación Paraguaya acquired La Escuela Agricola San Francisco, a small agricultural school in Cerrito, Paraguay.  The idea was to try to make the school self-sufficient by selling the school's products and services to pay for the costs of running the school.  It was a daring experiment, but Martin hoped that the school could provide Paraguay's poor with a relevant education at an affordable price.  The amazing thing is that it worked!  Since 2007, the school has able to cover 100% of its operational costs, making it the first self-sufficient school in the world.

Today Fundación Paraguaya owns two other Paraguayan agricultural schools that are working towards self-sufficiency.  Martin Burt travels the world working with Fundación Paraguaya's sister organization Teach a Man to Fish to coach other schools throughout the world in their efforts to become self-sufficient.  He envisions the self-sufficient school as an important answer to the global problem of rural education.

Sources

Fundación Paraguaya Website
WISE Website 2009 Laureate

Schwab Foundation Profile

Social Edge Blog

Check Out This Video 

Martin Burt, an uncommon hero starts microcredit in Paraguay (Skoll Foundation)