There has been a lot in the news recently about overseas aid budgets, at a time of great squeeze on other areas of spending by governments. Here is a new extremely cost effective approach to help entrepreneurs in developing countries to learn how to help themselves, at 3% of the cost of conventional methods.
Most economic development assistance has focused on the supply of capital (e.g. micro finance) rather than innovation. This is largely due to the high cost of development consultants. Grow Movement solves this by using free labour from highly skilled remote volunteers anywhere in the world with internet and phone access. These volunteers donate 2 hours of their time a week ensuring an ultra low cost base to help developing country entrepreneurs relieve poverty and create employment.
Grow Movement is managed by Violet Busingye, from Uganda, and was founded in 2009 by Chris Coghlan. With 120 remote volunteer consultants in 29 countries, operating mainly in Uganda but also Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria and Rwanda. Its first 40 projects helped create 100 jobs at thirty times less cost than conventional expatriate development consultants.