Tim Spittle began his summer of 2011 biking across the country on the Ride Against AIDS to raise money and awareness for FACE AIDS, an organization devoted to fighting HIV/AIDS by building a movement of young leaders dedicated to global health equality and social justice. Tim first linked up with FACE AIDS through Esther Chou, the assistant director of the Social Enterprise Institute, who had worked with the founders in a refugee camp in Zambia. A month before the FACE AIDS ride was over, “I was interviewing for my co-op while on the road in the Midwest,” Tim said. The fifth year social entrepreneurship and finance student found a job at Esperanza International, a microfinance institution based in the Dominican Republic.
For the rest of 2011, Tim traveled across three continents while he pursued his passion and drive for global health equality and microfinance.
While on co-op at Esperanza, Tim was assigned an important independent research project to compile data from 365 surveys in order to evaluate the overall effectiveness of the business training programs which borrowers went through after receiving a loan. During his time there, Esperanza had recently initiated business-training programs to serve the borrowers and teach business skills. Tim discovered that while branch managers led these programs, each manager used varying teaching techniques throughout the training programs. This project allowed Tim to travel all over the country, speaking with branch managers, interviewing borrowers and compiling four months of data. “The research was very independent, I was able to create my own surveys and analysis,” said Tim.
Tim found that in order to improve the effectiveness of the program, Esperanza needed to create one solidified curriculum, with a consistent schedule and unified teaching techniques. As part of his research ,Tim also compiled an analysis of best practices within the training and suggested that these programs focus on tangible business skills over business theory. His suggestion was to use realistic and relatable story books within the curriculum, explaining real business skills that the entrepreneurs and borrowers could all directly use. “Teaching the 3 C’s of marketing is not as effective in this setting as teaching the importance of separating business funds from personal expenses.”
Tim presented his findings in front of Esperanza’s President and senior managers of the organization in Spanish. “The senior management staff was extremely receptive,” says Tim. Esperanza is now expanding on this research and Tim’s findings, taking advantage of the Social Enterprise Institute’s field study program in the Dominican Republic this coming summer, 2012. Students in the program will build upon Tim’s data collection and continue to evaluate the MFI’s training program.
After biking across the country to raise awareness for HIV/AIDS and his international co-op at Esperanza, Tim’s journey was not yet complete. After a short 10 hour stint of being back in the U.S., allowing for much needed sleep and a failed laundry attempt, Tim flew to Rwanda on the FACE AIDS Student Leadership Trip. In Rwanda, Tim was able to visit the organization’s many initiatives that he fundraised for while on the Ride Against AIDS, which raised over $50,000 for Partners in Health’s Butaro clinic. In Rwanda, FACE AIDS organizes projects in coordination withPartners In Health that help foster development. FACE AIDS also hosts youth chapters that run their own community health programs, such as teaching agricultural skills to help fight malnutrition in rural communities.
Tim was also able to stay with a group of 37 HIV positive women who are paid to make the famous FACE AIDS beaded pins, which the organization uses to fundraise in the U.S. The earnings the women receive from crafting these pins create a rotating savings and credit program for the women within this circle. To date, FACE AIDS has garnered a student movement that has helped to raise over $2 million for PIH programs in Rwanda.
Tim was accompanied by a group of FACE AIDS advocates in Rwanda, identified by the organization as leaders within the organization and great advocates of global health equality.
If you are interested in working with the FACE AIDS Northeastern Chapter, please email Tim Spittle at spittle.t@husky.neu.edu.
For more information about Tim’s co-op experience and the organizations he worked with check out the following links:
Tim’s Blog: http://timspittle.blogspot.com/
