By : Jenny Berg
Source : http://www.sctimes.com
Caetgory : Small Business Grant
St. John's University seniors John Burns and Cole Schiffler, both 22, recently returned from a monthlong stay in Uganda. They traveled to Africa in December to set up a chicken farming business that will pay for the local teachers' salaries at a school.
Burns, a business management major, and Schiffler, an economics major, created the perfect pair to design a project of this magnitude. Now they hope to raise awareness about their endeavor and inspire others to help.
"Slowly but surely, we're hoping they will create enough so that the whole school will run on its own profits," Burns said.
In 2005, John Mary Lugemwa, a St. John's alumnus, established Hope Academy, a school that offers rural Ugandan children an inexpensive education with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. Hope Academy is in Kyetume, which is near the larger city of Masaka.
A little over a year ago, a professor challenged Burns and Schiffler to create a project to not only raise funds for Hope Academy, but also to make the school self-sustainable.
Burns and Schiffler knew with the help of student organizations such as SIFE, Students in Free Enterprise, they could raise money for Hope Academy, but they wanted to take the project to a much larger scale.
"We thought, 'We can actually go over there and make a difference,' " Burns said.
Through research and talking with Lugemwa, Burns and Schiffler discovered a market for selling eggs in Kyetume. Lugemwa said locals will know how to build coops and raise chickens, they just need the capital to start the project.
Burns and Schiffler planned to create a sustainable business for the school to run so Hope Academy will not need to rely on foreign funding and grants.
Burns saw many half-built projects in the town; many endeavors lose funding before they are done. To prevent this, Cole and Schiffler helped build two chicken coops. They bought 600 chickens, plus the medications and feed to keep the chickens healthy until the project is sustainable.
Burns said they shared their practical business knowledge to help the school reinvest in the business. They also donated $500 worth of school supplies.
The chicken farm is located on the Hope Academy campus. The students will run the chicken farm with the help of a chicken coop manager.
"For students in the area, there is a really strong sense to learn vocational skills, so we incorporated it into their education," Burns said. "Now they will learn how to raise and sell their own chickens so they have sense on how to run their own small businesses."
Burns described the overall experience as humbling and fulfilling.
"We experienced unforeseen poverty. You see it on TV, but seeing it firsthand, we both were truly thankful for what we have in the U.S," Burns said. "It was kind of cool to see how $4,000 impacts a society, and it will impact them forever."
Hope Academy will send weekly chicken farm updates to Burns and Schiffler.
Burns said everything was coming together at the chicken farm: The chickens will start laying eggs next week, and the school can start selling eggs the week after.
Burns and Schiffler are currently conducting interviews for another group of students to continue working with Hope Academy.
"A lot of people doubted us, just two people pulling this off," Burns said. "We put our minds together, got it done, and look at the effect."
Source : http://www.sctimes.com/article/20120212/NEWS01/102120051/Along-Way-Students-set-up-business-help-school-Africa?odyssey=nav|head
Source : http://www.sctimes.com
Caetgory : Small Business Grant
St. John's University seniors John Burns and Cole Schiffler, both 22, recently returned from a monthlong stay in Uganda. They traveled to Africa in December to set up a chicken farming business that will pay for the local teachers' salaries at a school.
Burns, a business management major, and Schiffler, an economics major, created the perfect pair to design a project of this magnitude. Now they hope to raise awareness about their endeavor and inspire others to help.
"Slowly but surely, we're hoping they will create enough so that the whole school will run on its own profits," Burns said.
In 2005, John Mary Lugemwa, a St. John's alumnus, established Hope Academy, a school that offers rural Ugandan children an inexpensive education with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. Hope Academy is in Kyetume, which is near the larger city of Masaka.
A little over a year ago, a professor challenged Burns and Schiffler to create a project to not only raise funds for Hope Academy, but also to make the school self-sustainable.
Burns and Schiffler knew with the help of student organizations such as SIFE, Students in Free Enterprise, they could raise money for Hope Academy, but they wanted to take the project to a much larger scale.
"We thought, 'We can actually go over there and make a difference,' " Burns said.
Through research and talking with Lugemwa, Burns and Schiffler discovered a market for selling eggs in Kyetume. Lugemwa said locals will know how to build coops and raise chickens, they just need the capital to start the project.
Burns and Schiffler planned to create a sustainable business for the school to run so Hope Academy will not need to rely on foreign funding and grants.
Burns saw many half-built projects in the town; many endeavors lose funding before they are done. To prevent this, Cole and Schiffler helped build two chicken coops. They bought 600 chickens, plus the medications and feed to keep the chickens healthy until the project is sustainable.
Burns said they shared their practical business knowledge to help the school reinvest in the business. They also donated $500 worth of school supplies.
The chicken farm is located on the Hope Academy campus. The students will run the chicken farm with the help of a chicken coop manager.
"For students in the area, there is a really strong sense to learn vocational skills, so we incorporated it into their education," Burns said. "Now they will learn how to raise and sell their own chickens so they have sense on how to run their own small businesses."
Burns described the overall experience as humbling and fulfilling.
"We experienced unforeseen poverty. You see it on TV, but seeing it firsthand, we both were truly thankful for what we have in the U.S," Burns said. "It was kind of cool to see how $4,000 impacts a society, and it will impact them forever."
Hope Academy will send weekly chicken farm updates to Burns and Schiffler.
Burns said everything was coming together at the chicken farm: The chickens will start laying eggs next week, and the school can start selling eggs the week after.
Burns and Schiffler are currently conducting interviews for another group of students to continue working with Hope Academy.
"A lot of people doubted us, just two people pulling this off," Burns said. "We put our minds together, got it done, and look at the effect."
Source : http://www.sctimes.com/article/20120212/NEWS01/102120051/Along-Way-Students-set-up-business-help-school-Africa?odyssey=nav|head
