Frontline World Assignment

Jacky Leung
English 201B, MW 1-2:50

India: Design Like You Give A Damn

The social entrepreneur is Purnima McCutcheon. She was an American-trained architect that was designing buildings in India after the tsunami in 2004. The organization group’s name was Architecture for Humanity. Architecture for Humanity were in India to design buildings such as the village hall and the youth media center the way the people wanted. The relationship with the community was to lead them in this project. Purnima McCutcheon addressed this issue because it has always been her aspiration to work with a community and do something that was meaningful. The local component is to restore what was lost and build a community where history will be made. The community own the process by having everyone help build this community. Although it was Purnima McCutcheon’s designs, it was the people in the village that built them.

Cambodia: The Silk Grandmothers

The social entrepreneur profiled is Kikuo Morimoto. Morimoto found the craft of Cambodian silk is in danger of disappearing after decades of violence. In 1996, Morimoto opened an silk production studio in the town of Siem Reap which was on the main tourist route to Angkor Wat. He started this studio with seven “silk grandmothers.” The relationship between Morimoto and the community were like family. He made the women who made the silk to be well known. The local component was to restore the tradition of Cambodian silk craft and to let people recognize the skills that a very few individuals ha.. The community owns the process by having the people in Cambodian making these traditional silks. One month’s wage was almost a year’s wage in Cambodia. This made life better for over 400 employees working in the studio.

Ecuador: Country Doctors

The social entrepreneur profiled is Dr. Rodas. The problem he identified was Ecuador's lack of health resources for poor people. The name of the organization they started is called the Cinterandes Foundation. The relationship to the community that they serve were doctors and patients. The medical services were free. The local component was to help people who needed medical attention since Ecuador didn’t have the health resources to help poor people. The community owns this process by getting back to good health. When you’re not healthy, you can’t work or gain anything at all.