CIPE often hears from its partner organizations in the field how difficult it can be to get the local business community to support their work monetarily. This is a particular problem for groups that work to bring more people into the business community, focusing on encouraging youth and women to become entrepreneurs. One of CIPE’s partners in Nepal, Samriddhi, The Prosperity Foundation, found a simple and cheap way to start raising money within their local community for their work with youth, while at the same time building a brand for the organization.
Samriddhi’s logo is a pot. It was an image pulled from the local Buddhist practices, symbolizing prosperity. When Samriddhi had trouble getting the business community involved in its projects with youth entrepreneurs, they went to their board with a simple fundraising solution – piggy banks. Samriddhi got a local potter to make several of the terracotta pots with slits in the top and Samriddhi’s logo imprinted on the front. Board members then put these pots on their front desks to solicit donations from customers. The pot links recognition to Samriddhi’s logo and reinforces the ties between entrepreneurship and prosperity. Other businesses have now asked Samriddhi for their own prosperity pots – and Samriddhi’s budget continues to grow.
Samriddhi is CIPE’s partner of the month for February. Each month, starting this month, CIPE will pick one current partner to highlight in blogs, updates, and tweets. It is not a contest. Selections do not receive any reward or compensation.
Published Date: February 05, 2010