Entrepreneurship and Agriculture

Entrepreneurial innovations to help feed our growing population are great, yet there are no simple solutions to this complex problem. This is Africa, a report funded by Rockefeller Foundation, examines cutting edge ideas which could bring on Africa's agricultural revolution.

Food for further thought, Oxfam recently released "The Future of Agriculture". This compilation from two weeks on on-line debate to develop a creative and positive vision of global food production to ensure everyone always has enough to eat.

Madi Sharma’s Global Entrepreneur Envoy

Honored as Asian Woman of Achievement and UK’s Best Boss, Madi Sharma has used her passion and experience to create a global portal for entrepreneurs. At Global Entrepreneur Envoy like-minded individuals and organizations turn ideas into action, promote sustainability and celebrate success.

To blog or not to blog?

Shared from Duncan Green's "From Poverty to Power" blog.

Happy International Youth Day!

In 2010, there were an estimated 27 million international young migrants. Today, International Youth Day, is raising awareness of the opportunities and risks associated with youth migration, which too often results in a life of squalor, discrimination and exploitation. The UN shares this story of a Sudanese migrant's life in Greece. Click here to learn more.

Entrepreneurship and Education

Should entrepreneurship be taught at school? By incorporating entrepreneurship at an early age, children may develop real problem-solving, creativity and innovative thinking through project-based learning in the classroom. Click here to learn more. Source: Grasshopper As educators, we want to open the minds of our youngest learners to the idea that they could change the world.

Mugabe stays

the MDC ........ went into the election like sheep to the slaughterhouse. By participating in the flawed poll, the MDC gave it legitimacy and had no backup plan as to how to challenge Zanu-PF if the election swung in its favour. And now that it did, moaning about flaws in the process and challenging the results in court can do little to reverse Zanu-PF’s massive 76% of the parliamentary vote. See full story

Mugabe out?

The Election in Zimbabwe is imminent and polls say that the old dictator is finished.  We've heard all that before but one never knows.  This could be the year.  For the whole article click here.

A New Kind of Documentary

Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer, the new documentary film, The Act of Killing portrays the aging men that orchestrated the genocide in Indonesia. The unique portrayal, "with gangsters, cowboys, dancing girls, men in drag and splashy musical numbers". Never held accountable, the regime founded on crimes against humanity may never be punished because"War Crimes are defined by the winner".

Remember to keep Zimbabwe in your thoughts and prayers as the country braces itself for another presidential election on July 31st.

Turn Your Miles into Smiles

Show your compassion for our world.  Help 'Circle Our World With Love" this summer.  Together we will travel 24,900 miles and circle the world.  Every mile counts.

It's easy to join. Take the 'Circle Our World With Love'
challenge on dailymile.com.  Click here. Update your miles each day. Run, walk, cycle, swim, fitness and more .... post pictures, routes, goals, motivations....it's all there. Then download the Electric Miles app for your android or iPhone and update your dailymiles from anywhere.

Your friends will be able to sponsor your individual miles on ASAP’s web site or become a ‘Circle Our World With Love’ sponsor for the campaign.  Our goal is to raise at least one dollar for each mile dedicated to provide ‘Tools for Empowerment’ for entrepreneurs in Haiti. 

Help ASAP 'Circle Our World With Love'

Intention is everything. Dedicate your mileage goal for the next three months to help ASAP 'Circle Our World With Love' by September 30th. Every mile is powerful.

Click Here and submit your registration form today.

Internal Savings & Lending in the USA

According to Frank DeGiovanni, director of financial assets at the Ford Foundation "... more than 30 million low-income families across the U.S. lack access to traditional banking and financial systems". The U.S. Financial Diaries Project is tracking 200 families in order to understand how best to help these families and develop "reliable tools to absorb economic shocks". To read more click here.

Many low income families are forced to be very creative when it comes to accessing funds in times of hardship. Click here to view "When people make their own banks", which aired on NPR's All Things Considered Friday, June 14.  ASAP is proud to be working in collaboration with the Northern Lights, to share ideas and learning on how best to adapt IS&L to countries in the "North". Click here to learn more.

Increase Your Good Today

Donations for these ASAP projects on the Global Giving website will be matched beginning at 9:00 am EDT Today. Thank you for your interest and compassion.

Donate Tomorrow at 9:00 am EDT!

School Fees for 40 Young Girls in Zimbabwe

Donations for ASAP's projects on the Global Giving website will be matched tomorrow beginning at 9:00 am EDT. Timing is everything - donations will only be matched until the available funds are gone. Remember to increase the good of your gift tomorrow.

Tools for Empowerment for Artisans in Haiti

UN May Leave Haiti

Delegates from around the world will converge on Port-au-Prince May 31 to take part in a two-day Continental Conference aimed at bringing an end to the United Nations Mission to Stabilize Haiti or MINUSTAH, which marks its ninth anniversary on Jun. 1.

The military occupation force, which now comprises about 9,000 armed soldiers and police officers from some 50 countries and costs some $850 million per year, was deployed by the UN Security Council at the behest of permanent members U.S. and France following the Feb. 29, 2004 coup d’état (which Washington and Paris fomented) against former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. At the time, the world public was told that the mission would be deployed for only six months, time enough to hold new elections. Instead, MINUSTAH is now entering its 10^th year. Its latest one-year mandate ends Oct. 15, 2013.'

For the full story click here.

Up Your Impact On June 12th

ASAP's new Tools for Empowerment for Artisans in Haiti is now featured on the Global Giving website. Click here to view the project. Your donation to kick-start this project will go even further on June 12. Beginning a 9:00 am EDT, Global Giving will match your donations 50%. Please mark your calenders. Help even more families become self-reliant by donating on June 12th. Click here to learn more.

Over 9 Million Households Out of Banking Loop

It’s amazing that about 8% of US households don’t even have a checking or savings account. And in the case of an emergency, someone without credit cards must often turn to triple-digit interest rate payday loan companies! This group of society may want to give consideration to Savings Groups as an alternative to formal banking as is being promoted by the Northern Lights coalition.

To read the full article click here. 

Education for All

Attending school is not enough.
Education quality and learning outcomes
must be addressed in post 2015 framework

 The 2015 deadline for achieving the MDGs is fast approaching. Global development education and finance leaders came together recently to discuss concrete steps to accelerate progress toward ensuring that all children go to school and learn. The MDGs, with their focus on education access, do not put sufficient attention on education quality and learning outcomes, which must be be addressed in the post-2015 development framework. Click here to read more.


The ministerial meeting ended with the premier of “Girls Rising”.(see previous post).  

Educate Girls - Change the World

Richard Robbins' new film, Girl Rising  is a testament to the  strength of the human spirit and the power of education to change the world. This film is a MUST SEE. For show times in your area click here.

UNDP 2013 Human Development Report

The 2013 Human Development Report,  "The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World", is now available. It identifies more than 40 developing countries that have performed better than expected. China has overtaken Japan as the worlds second biggest economy, India and Brazil are reshaping their economies. Turkey, Mexico, Thailand, South Africa, Indonesia and many other developing nations are also becoming leading actors on the world stage.
Click here to download the important information in this new free report.

A New Constitution for Zimbabwe?

Last week-end Zimbabweans voted in a referendum to ratify a new constitution. The new Constitution limits the president to two terms, a crucial provision given that Mr. Mugabe, 89, has ruled Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980. But Mr. Mugabe’s previous terms will not count, so he is free to run twice more.
To learn more click here.