The Eghtirab Affairs Committee plans increase the participation of community members overseas in multiple Social Impact Investments Initiatives that will be implemented in collaboration with other Council Committees. Social Impact Investments are those that target specific social objectives along with financial return and measure achievement of both. There are large opportunities to do “Social Impact Investing” Projects in our communities. These types of development projects allow community members to carry out a service, with good economic return, while making needed positive social impact on improving the welfare of other members of the community.

The Organic Farms Initiative (OFI)

The OFI is a Social Impact Investment Initiative that seeks to expand organic farming and food packaging in our communities, and market it locally, in the Gulf region and internationally. The initiative will create a sub-committee of volunteer experts to aid in developing the technical aspects of projects, as well as creating the packaging systems and developing marketing networks and distribution systems locally and abroad.

 

Global Village Store Initiative (GVSI)

The GVSI is a Social Impact Initiative to facilitate “Cottage Industries” in the villages of our community and enhance their ability to make artisan items and specialty foods at home, receive a quality endorsement from an independent body, creatively package it, and market locally, in the Gulf and around the world. The initiative will provide a special committee of volunteer experts to help in production, quality control, creative aspects and packaging, developing marketing networks and distribution systems locally and externally.

 

impact investment fund via a “Crowd Funding” Platform. These types of platforms, that the community can use to fund its projects include the likes of KickStarter (with over 16 million participants pledging 4.1 million, for 158,153 projects). The projects funded on this platform can serve the interests of shareholders as well as deliver a social impact benefit at the same time.
https://www.kickstarter.com/charter?ref=about_subnav

On the other hand, non profit projects can be launched on platforms such as “Crowdwise” (now owned by gofundme), that is dedicated for non-profit causes (over 5 billion raised, over 50 million donors use it, as well as over 1 million campaigns launched). https://fundraising.crowdrise.com/onlinesocial-fundraising

The use of these platforms and gateways to our initiatives from our global portal will scale up the involvement of our community around the world and their contributions to both Social Impact Investing, and Non- Profit support projects. These platforms can then be used to “crowd fund” non-profit projects. The methods can vary from direct donations to online sponsored sports events like runs, with contributions from around the world. The benefits can go to fund programs like “No Needy Village is Left Behind”, such as communities in need of free, or inexpensive solar energy micro grids, clean drinking water, elderly subsidized local transport, children without access to educational computing technologies, etc…