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The 'Brave New World' of social investment

O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!

- From 'The Tempest' by William Shakespeare

What does a 'Brave New World' mean to you?  A question put to those at recent London conference.

The phrase may be found at the end of a letter to USAID and the Council on Foreign Relations from a social enterprise seeking their support in making social enterprise part of international development policy and a missive which aligns with this 95th anniversary of armistice.

"I and others shall continue to think positive and look for aid budgets and funding spigots to be opened much more for people and NGOs in silos, foxholes and trenches, insisting on better than ordnance, and who understand things and how to fix them. We can do that. We can even do it cost-effectively and with far better efficiency than the ordnance route.

Welcome to our brave new world. Except it’s not so new: learn to love and respect each other first, especially the weakest, most defenseless, most voiceless among us, then figure out the rest. There aren’t other more important things to do first. This message has been around for at least two thousand years. How difficult is it for us to understand?"

Aptly titled 'Genesis' it called for a social investment strategy, some months before the economic crisis, saying:

"There is increasing congruence and synchronicity in play now, to the point of attunement. What Ms. Fore is describing has been central to P-CED’s main message, advocacy and activity for a decade. That, and helping establish an alternative form of capitalism, where profits and/or aid money are put to use in investment vehicles with the singular purpose of helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people."

The 'investment vehicle' in this case, is a national scale social innovation fund as described in Part 2 of the 'Marshall plan' proposal for social enterprise where it is referred to as "a social-benefit fund under oversight of an independent board of directors, particularly including representatives from grassroots level Ukraine citizens action groups, networks, and human rights leaders".  

The letter which may be read in full here, draws their attention to organised crime ops within Ukraine's childcare institutions and the matter of arborted foetuses being trafficked for stem cell therapy. The story had come from a member of the civic action network for which financial support was requested and says:

"At least one mass grave was located and disinterred, showing babies chopped to pieces with brains, internal organs, and apparently bone marrow having been removed. This was exposed by way of extraordinary bravery on the part of one young lady affiliated with Kharkiv Human Rights Group (KHPG). Why there is no criminal case about this, I do not know. Ask Kyiv, and observe what happens. BBC and PACE have all evidence."

The author also draws attention to his own vulnerability in having spoken out.

"Whacking me would make a much more difficult mess than whacking a Ukrainian citizen, not least due to the nature of the work I’m doing in childcare reform and poverty relief according to and protected by Ukraine’s own laws – most especially the human rights section (section two) of Ukraine’s own Constitution. If I get whacked, there is only one organization in Ukraine with motive and hutzpa to take that chance: “UkrCosaNostra.” That would be the folks who stand to lose lucrative black cash flows."

We make a call to support the civic activists and political allies who are poised for action 

"The network is ready, including key players in Ukraine’s upper echelons aiming to protect and defend. I will work directly with other network partners in Ukraine and provide them with what they need. That network exists under the watchful eye of specific people in Ukraine whose job it is to know such things and to protect Ukrainian citizens as well as legal foreigners going out of their way to protect Ukraine’s people and legally insisting that Ukraine’s own laws be obeyed by more than mere foreigners. I have been assured that this particular governmental organization are my/our guardian angels. The network now needs cash and resources to help move things along. That is the P-CED Foundation that I am asking you to help get started."

 

That's what a Brave New World of social investment means to me. I'm not so sure these people have the same interpretation as we who risk our own funds and lives in "silos, foxholes and trenches".

 

These "Brave and Bold" it seems,  are terrified of open dialogue.  

It's perhaps not suprising that the head of Big Lottery Fund isn't sure. After all they've funded Ukraine's oligarchs    

"Social first, money second" is another way of saying 

'This is a long-term permanently sustainable program, the basis for "people-centered" economic development. Core focus is always on people and their needs, with neediest people having first priority – as contrasted with the eternal chase for financial profit and numbers where people, social benefit, and human well-being are often and routinely overlooked or ignored altogether. This is in keeping with the fundamental objectives of Marshall Plan: policy aimed at hunger, poverty, desperation and chaos. This is a bottom-up approach, starting with Ukraine's poorest and most desperate citizens, rather than a "top-down" approach that might not ever benefit them. They cannot wait, particularly children. Impedance by anyone or any group of people constitutes precisely what the original Marshall Plan was dedicated to opposing. Those who suffer most, and those in greatest need, must be helped first -- not secondarily, along the way or by the way. '

That's the new bottom line.

Update

A few days ago, USAID Brazil announced a social business partnership with Muhammad Yunus

In an interview with the BBC a few hours ago, JK Rowling describes  how she learned of caged children in institutions through an undercover article from another source.

The Death Camps for Children story had sent ripples through Eastern Europe and encouraged others to speak out. One of these was Albert Pavlov whose revelations about a place called Kalinovka would lead to a 90 minute BBC4 production on Ukraine's Forgotten Children. Commenting on the article, journalist Chris Rogers who had reported on orphanages in Romania, says he finds it hard to believe   .

Returning from a visit to Kalinovka, Terry told me "Many seem to develop inexplicable digestive disorders. It's as if they stare into the abyss and simply decide that they don't want to be here any more".  

A Senate committee which included Joe Biden and Barack Obama had disregarded the 'Genesis' letter.  It was written 3 months after applying for a USAID funding program for community initiatives which promised a response within 30 days . After 6 months, we would be informed by letter that there was 'no budget' for this group of children

 

"Welcome to our brave new world. Except it’s not so new: learn to love and respect each other first, especially the weakest, most defenseless, most voiceless among us, then figure out the rest. There aren’t other more important things to do first. This message has been around for at least two thousand years. How difficult is it for us to understand?"

Written 6 months before the economic crisis it also said: 

"What Ms. Fore is describing has been central to P-CED’s main message, advocacy and activity for a decade. That, and helping establish an alternative form of capitalism, where profits and/or aid money are put to use in investment vehicles with the singular purpose of helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people."

The letter which was aptly titled 'Genesis' may be read in full  

https://p-ced.com/1/node/204

- See more at: http://www.pioneerspost.com/pp-tv/20131106/good-deals-13-what-does-the-b...

The phrase may be found at the end of a letter to USAID from February 2008, calling on their support for social enterprise in international development.

"Welcome to our brave new world. Except it’s not so new: learn to love and respect each other first, especially the weakest, most defenseless, most voiceless among us, then figure out the rest. There aren’t other more important things to do first. This message has been around for at least two thousand years. How difficult is it for us to understand?"

Written 6 months before the economic crisis it also said: 

"What Ms. Fore is describing has been central to P-CED’s main message, advocacy and activity for a decade. That, and helping establish an alternative form of capitalism, where profits and/or aid money are put to use in investment vehicles with the singular purpose of helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people."

The letter which was aptly titled 'Genesis' may be read in full  

https://p-ced.com/1/node/204

- See more at: http://www.pioneerspost.com/pp-tv/20131106/good-deals-13-what-does-the-b...

The phrase may be found at the end of a letter to USAID from February 2008, calling on their support for social enterprise in international development.

"Welcome to our brave new world. Except it’s not so new: learn to love and respect each other first, especially the weakest, most defenseless, most voiceless among us, then figure out the rest. There aren’t other more important things to do first. This message has been around for at least two thousand years. How difficult is it for us to understand?"

Written 6 months before the economic crisis it also said: 

"What Ms. Fore is describing has been central to P-CED’s main message, advocacy and activity for a decade. That, and helping establish an alternative form of capitalism, where profits and/or aid money are put to use in investment vehicles with the singular purpose of helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people."

The letter which was aptly titled 'Genesis' may be read in full  

https://p-ced.com/1/node/204

- See more at: http://www.pioneerspost.com/pp-tv/20131106/good-deals-13-what-does-the-b...

The phrase may be found at the end of a letter to USAID from February 2008, calling on their support for social enterprise in international development.

"Welcome to our brave new world. Except it’s not so new: learn to love and respect each other first, especially the weakest, most defenseless, most voiceless among us, then figure out the rest. There aren’t other more important things to do first. This message has been around for at least two thousand years. How difficult is it for us to understand?"

Written 6 months before the economic crisis it also said: 

"What Ms. Fore is describing has been central to P-CED’s main message, advocacy and activity for a decade. That, and helping establish an alternative form of capitalism, where profits and/or aid money are put to use in investment vehicles with the singular purpose of helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people."

The letter which was aptly titled 'Genesis' may be read in full  

https://p-ced.com/1/node/204

- See more at: http://www.pioneerspost.com/pp-tv/20131106/good-deals-13-what-does-the-b...

The phrase may be found at the end of a letter to USAID from February 2008, calling on their support for social enterprise in international development.

"Welcome to our brave new world. Except it’s not so new: learn to love and respect each other first, especially the weakest, most defenseless, most voiceless among us, then figure out the rest. There aren’t other more important things to do first. This message has been around for at least two thousand years. How difficult is it for us to understand?"

Written 6 months before the economic crisis it also said: 

"What Ms. Fore is describing has been central to P-CED’s main message, advocacy and activity for a decade. That, and helping establish an alternative form of capitalism, where profits and/or aid money are put to use in investment vehicles with the singular purpose of helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people."

The letter which was aptly titled 'Genesis' may be read in full  

https://p-ced.com/1/node/204

- See more at: http://www.pioneerspost.com/pp-tv/20131106/good-deals-13-what-does-the-b...

The phrase may be found at the end of a letter to USAID from February 2008, calling on their support for social enterprise in international development.

"Welcome to our brave new world. Except it’s not so new: learn to love and respect each other first, especially the weakest, most defenseless, most voiceless among us, then figure out the rest. There aren’t other more important things to do first. This message has been around for at least two thousand years. How difficult is it for us to understand?"

Written 6 months before the economic crisis it also said: 

"What Ms. Fore is describing has been central to P-CED’s main message, advocacy and activity for a decade. That, and helping establish an alternative form of capitalism, where profits and/or aid money are put to use in investment vehicles with the singular purpose of helping the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people."

The letter which was aptly titled 'Genesis' may be read in full  

https://p-ced.com/1/node/204

- See more at: http://www.pioneerspost.com/pp-tv/20131106/good-deals-13-what-does-the-b...