“Can we build a world where everybody has purpose as a question that they consider for their career? Where it’s not just the province of ‘do-gooders’, but instead everybody thinks about that?”
Episode notes
Roshan is co-founder of the Amani Institute, which supports talent development for the social sector. Over the last seven years it has graduated some 450 students from its hubs in Nairobi, Bangalore, and Sao Paolo.
We talk about the merits of coming from an emerging market perspective when talking about social innovation, the gaps that Amani sees in the education market, and Roshan’s own journey with a startup.
Topics discussed:
[2:10] Why the co-founders felt there was a gap in the education market for the social sector.
[08:00] Why it’s more interesting and probably more productive to be located in emerging markets, for those interested in social innovation.
[13:30] The Amani Institute’s philosophy and curriculum for developing change-makers, including what kind of profile it attracts.
[21:10] Why it was worth the risks to start up a new offering, and a new way of contributing to social entrepreneurship.
[27:10] How Roshan’s own experiences with international education played into the design.
[39:30] What scale looks like: A world where everyone can both make a living and make an impact.
[47:40] Experience working with social innovation in large organisations, and with private sector organisations.
[55:00] The biggest challenges so far, including self-training to manage a growing organisation and an early security scare.
