Stanford Social Innovation Review Podcast

Hagar was the biblical woman who became the victim of neglect and violence when she was cast out of the fold of Abraham and Sarah. In Cambodia, Afghanistan, and Vietnam, thousands of "Hagars" and their children suffer poverty, trafficking, and other human rights abuses. Janet Tafel, who was invited by the Center for Social Innovation at Stanford, discusses how her organization, Hagar USA, helps individuals restore their lives through holistic healing, community integration, and social entrepreneurship. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/janet_tafel_-_healing_human_rights_abuses_with_social_enterprise

Kiva has created an online marketplace that allows ordinary citizens to help specific entrepreneurs around the world to thrive with as little as $25. In this Stanford Center for Social Innovation sponsored audio interview, Kiva President Premal Shah discusses how the social enterprise relies on bazaar management techniques to carry out the organization's everyday functions. He describes the benefits of cost reduction and execution time and talks about the possibilities bazaar management opens for social entrepreneurship and the for-profit sector in general. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/premal_shah_-_scaling_a_social_enterprise_through_crowdsourcing

Let there be light! That's Sam Goldman's motto, and he's taking it around the world. The founder of d.light design talks with Stanford Center for Social Innovation correspondent Sheela Sethuraman about how he is bringing affordable, ecologically sustainable electricity and lighting to billions who are now operating in the dark. In this audio interview, he details aspects of the design, function, marketing, and distribution of the organization's products, as well as the kind of impact the social enterprise is having in some of the most remote, poor areas. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/sam_goldman_-_lighting_the_way_to_economic_development

How can a country like China, which is still relatively poor, balance economic and environmental concerns? In this audio lecture, Peking University Professor Lu Zhi, who was invited to Stanford by the Center for Social Innovation, offers thoughts on conservation and some of its broader implications. Her message is that reversing the negative effects of rapid industrialization is possible, even in a developing country. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/lu_zhi_-_environmental_sustainability_in_china

India has one of the highest child mortality rates in the world. This points to an underlying economic problem: poverty. Most poor women in that country simply cannot afford adequate health care. In this audio interview with Stanford Center for Social Innovation correspondent Sheela Sethuraman, Anant Kumar talks about how Lifespring Hospital in India provides quality care to women and children, regardless of their level of income. He talks about how the effort was launched, how it is sustained, and future goals. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/anant_kumar_-_healthcare_for_all_at_lifespring_hospitals

Navigating social networks could well be the ultimate nonprofit management tactic. In this audio lecture recorded at the Nonprofit Management Institute, Heather McLeod Grant discusses how individuals and organizations are using networked approaches to promote social change efforts. She focuses on the work of the Monitor Institute, in particular, and offers tips on how to use social networks effectively. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/heather_mcleod_grant_-_social_change_with_a_networked_mindset

In the late 1980s, when Barry and Andrea Coleman noticed that motor bikes intended for use in the delivery of health care in Africa were not being used because they had broken down—in some cases needing mere $3 oil filters—they knew they had to put their own pedal to the metal. Speaking at the 2009 Responsible Supply Chains Conference at Stanford, they share some of the successes and challenges associated with running Riders for Health, which administers vehicles to keep health supplies flowing efficiently throughout the continent. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/the_colemans_-_improving_healthcare_distribution_in_africa

A woman or child is trafficked for sexual exploitation every 60 seconds. In this audio lecture recorded at Stanford University, author Siddharth Kara, a former investment banker and executive, uses theoretical economics and business analysis to propose measures that could eradicate sex trafficking by undermining the profitability of the illegal activities associated with the crime. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/siddharth_kara_-_inside_the_business_of_modern_sex_slavery

How is New Orleans rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina? In this Stanford Center for Social Innovation sponsored presentation at the Social Enterprise Alliance 2009 Summit, Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu discusses the role of tourism in the city's rehabilitation with Root Cause founder, Andrew Wolk. Landrieu details his work to found the nation's first government-run Office of Social Entrepreneurship, and emphasizes how New Orleans and the entire state are being strengthened by the development of their cultural assets. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/mitch_landrieu_and_andrew_wolk_-_social_entrepreneurship_in_louisiana

With the Obama administration's focus on social enterprise as a means of solving some of our most pressing problems, the social entrepreneur has emerged as the chief change agent of our time. In this panel discussion, part of the Stanford 2009 Entrepreneurship Week, leaders of several vital organizations talk about the motivations, successes, and challenges associated with running a social enterprise. They consider what the economic downturn has meant to their missions, and they offer practical advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/jane_leu_chuck_slaughter_and_morgan_simon_-_starting_and_growing_a_social_e

Like Russia, China has been a huge and inefficient user of energy for decades. Now, however, the country is cleaning up its act. In this audio lecture, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, Mark Levine, Lawrence Berkeley Lab energy group director, dispels common American myths about China's energy and environmental practices, demonstrating that the country is becoming surprisingly progressive. He touches on areas such as subsidies, pricing, and emissions policies. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/mark_levine_-_chinas_environmental_sustainability_myths_dispelled

Technologies such as mobile phones and computers are increasingly becoming tools for philanthropic giving. In this Stanford Center for Social Innovation audio lecture, former Community Foundation of Silicon Valley president Peter Hero discusses how global changes in philanthropy are providing opportunities in the online giving space. He considers how online giving can be made more robust, and how trends in this arena may allow for the strengthening of civic engagement around the world. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/peter_decourcy_hero_-_innovations_in_philanthropy

A pluralistic society boasts many independent centers of power and foundations have an instrumental role in supporting such diversity. Online giving marketplaces are further democratizing philanthropy by empowering donors to support the causes they care about. In this panel discussion, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, experts in the field consider whether such online spaces are simply useful adjuncts to the work of philanthropy—or whether they promise to revolutionize the sector altogether. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/online_giving_marketplaces_-_online_giving_markets_niche_or_revolution

How do we know that the nonprofit organizations we support are actually effective? In this audio interview, host Sheela Sethuraman converses with Jeff Mason about his efforts, along with key organizational leaders, to develop an assessment tool that evaluates nonprofit management performances. Their work could become a major contribution to the world of philanthropy. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/jeff_mason_-_improving_philanthropy_effectiveness

Online giving marketplaces allow for the transfer of funds from interested donors and lenders to those who need them. In this new philanthropy space, it is as yet, unclear whether the donor is the "supply" or the "demand," and organizations are just beginning to experiment with the utility of such online functioning. In this panel discussion, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, philanthropy experts working at online marketplaces discuss how their organizations function and what differentiates them from others. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/online_giving_marketplaces_-_philanthropy_101_-_online_giving_markets

President Obama has sent a powerful message to the American public since taking office: Social innovation can play an important role in rebuilding a stronger country. With the passage of stimulus packages in areas such as clean energy, national service, and climate change, it's clear that the White House is approaching national challenges in new ways. In this panel discussion, hosted by Full Circle Fund and sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, key staff in the Obama administration provide the broad outlines for these exciting changes. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/sonal_shah_michele_jolin_and_greg_nelson_-_social_innovation_in_the_white_h

When it comes to online giving market places, the adage is: If you build it, few will come. So how do you drive enough people to such online spaces to make them work? In this audio lecture, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, William Meehan, McKinsey senior director, talks about the opportunities and challenges in making online giving marketplaces successful, and what lies ahead in this new philanthropy field for organizations dedicated to making a genuine sustained impact in communities. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/william_f._meehan_iii_-_making_markets_work_for_philanthropy

Kiva has created an online marketplace that allows ordinary citizens through responsible investing to help specific entrepreneurs around the world thrive with as little as $25. How did Kiva get the critical mass it needed to make its operations a go? How does it work with nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and lenders through the online format? In this talk, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, Kiva President Premal Shah talks about how the organization got started, how it functions, and how it plans to grow. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/premal_shah_-_a_wild_ride_-_creating_a_new_marketplace

Neither markets nor philanthropy alone are sufficient to help the world's poorest people. In this audio interview with host Sheela Sethuraman, Jacqueline Novogratz, founder of the Acumen Fund, describes how a combination of patient capital plus management support is making a difference in tackling poverty in Africa and Asia. Novogratz shares experiences and anecdotes from her recently published book, The Blue Sweater: Bridging the Gap Between Rich and Poor in an Interconnected World. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/jacqueline_novogratz_-_patient_capital_in_international_development

How do we create an efficient capital market for philanthropy? What are the best ways to marry program evaluation with powerful dynamics among online giving places? What role should public policy take in all this? In this free-ranging audio lecture, sponsored by the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, Randy Komisar offers a venture capitalist's perspective on these questions and more. https://ssir.org/podcasts/entry/randy_komisar_-_online_capital_markets_for_philanthropy