Books take you places. To distant lands and strange cultures, with people you would never come across in your day to day life. They open your eyes to the world, they widen your perspective. And for many, they’re a do-it-your-own learning method to teach yourself things like businesses, art history, even mathematics. But for many living in the city of Bukavu, where the Asili head office is located, books aren’t always readily available. “Good books are hard to find here,” says Abraham, Asili’s Country Director. “But people are always looking to learn, in any way they can.” So for Day 304, we’re focusing in on the Asili team in Bukavu, and kickstarting their very own in-office library. We grabbed some classics – like the Count of Monte Cristo and Pride and Prejudice – and some new fiction, too. We also purchased business books, history books, atlases, and more. We set them all up on a bookshelf, added some finishing touches, and voila, a library was born. When the library … [Read more...] about A Page Turner

Mama Salome is a woman on a mission. But she doesn’t see it as impossible – in fact, for her it’s very doable. It just takes time, supplies – and an incredible amount of determination. What is Mama Salome’s mission? To teach all the kids in Eastern Congo the importance of handwashing, and how it can save lives. And, most importantly, to spread a message of hope and inspiration, one lesson at a time. Every weekend, Mama Salome and her crew head up into the rural areas of Eastern Congo. She holds “Sunday Schools,” where sometimes even hundreds of children gather, listening to the proper ways to wash their hands. She gives out pamphlets to the kids too, so they can keep their lesson and show it to their friends. So for Day 303, we decided to give Mama Salome’s lesson a little boost – by getting bars of soap for every child who comes to learn. Standing in front of the kids who had gathered, Mama Salome went through the lesson step by step, demonstrating the safest way to … [Read more...] about Asili Kids

As he walks through the gardens he’s worked so hard to sculpt, it’s clear that Gaston takes great pride in working with the earth. “I like the sense of nature that it gives,” he says. “It increases the beauty of the clinic and helps patients to breath easily.” Gaston is the lead gardener for the land around Asili clinics. They’ve become an oasis of greenery, community, and a breath of fresh air. They’re a point of pride for the neighborhood, where people take wedding and family photos. As our gardener, Gaston has played a huge role in making the gardens so stunning. And he’s right in the middle of work for Asili’s newest clinic location, planting seedlings and shaping the land. So for Day 302, we’re doing a little something to show our appreciation - and to make his work a little easier. We got Gaston a tool bag, new tools, knee pads, new gloves, and other goodies that a gardener needs. Gaston’s smile grew wider and he looked through his new things. “This will be … [Read more...] about How Does Your Garden Grow?

On Day 298, we wanted to find out what kinds of things people might buy at an “Asili Marketplace” – a small shop setup outside of one of the Asili water kiosks. During that test, we learned that there’s a huge demand for something called mososo. It’s a nutritional porridge that mothers can make themselves. “We have a big problem with malnutrition here,” explained Mama Salome, one of the women on Team Asili who’s passionate about helping Congo’s next generation grow up strong and healthy. That’s why mososo is so great – it’s a simple, cost-effective, and nutritious way to get young ones the things they need to stay healthy. So for Day 301, we decided to do a “mososo taste test,” a lesson for moms on why mososo is beneficial to their kids, how to make it, and what it tastes like. Equipped with the right skills, they can make mososo on their own – and they just might be encouraged to purchase one of Asili’s "just add water" mososo kits the next time they’re available. We … [Read more...] about Mamas Mososo

For the past few days, we’ve learned that a simple test – just getting out there and trying something new – can do wonders. Prototypes help kick start new ideas. They build energy, they allow for iteration. And most of all, they help us learn what the people we serve want and need – what works and what doesn’t. The Asili team knows that one of the things people want is increased financial services. There aren’t many reliable banks, or banks that are easily accessible in rural areas. People don’t have great ways to save. But, the team wanted to learn more. What types of financial education or services would suit them best? What are some of the creative ways that people save? So on Day 299, Team Asili and our visiting friends from Minnesota set out to speak face-to-face with families living in the areas Asili serves. The goal? Learn as much as we can today, so that we can design something new tomorrow. The team split into groups and set out on foot. They climbed the hills … [Read more...] about Knowledge is Power

For the past couple of days, we’ve seen how the Asili team and some friends from the U.S. are working together to try out new ways to serve the Asili community. And today, the group is taking another small step toward testing yet another idea that could change how Asili does business – the Asili marketplace. Asili water points are natural gathering places. And the Asili team has always been curious about the potential of these water points to sell more products, bringing needed supplies closer to home. But what could we sell? Is the Asili brand strong enough to attract attention at the market? And how can we be sure that our products meet Asili quality standards? On Day 298, the team decided to find out. They wanted to test the Asili marketplace in an area that’s already an economic hub – near the water kiosk at a bustling nearby market. People already come to the area for their shopping needs, but Asili’s products would stand out – they would be sold under the Asili … [Read more...] about One Stop Asili Shop

Yesterday, Team Asili and friends from Minnesota put their heads together to come up with new business ideas that could strengthen our services, and the Asili brand. Today, we’re going out into the community and testing those ideas with real Asili customers – starting with the idea of home healthcare for our hardest to reach patients. “There are some patients that want to come to the clinics, but they have no way to get there. Or they’re too sick to leave the house,” said Mama Salome of Team Asili. “But they still want to try Asili services.” Dr. Ange, Asili’s Medical Director, added “some people won’t go all the way to the clinic to have a consultation, especially when it’s for preventative healthcare.” So for Day 297, we’re bringing the clinic to them. The medical team from Asili – including Dr. Ange and our head nurse Adrienne – worked with the Minnesota team to come up with a plan to test their idea. They wanted to test whether there’s a demand for this type of … [Read more...] about Clinic in a Backpack

Two heads are always better than one. And on Day 296, we're putting that idea to the test. Asili is our social enterprise project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. And from the very beginning, Asili has been all about letting people in – co-creating with businesses, organizations, and individuals to make what we do better and more relevant. So for the next few days, and in the spirit of co-creation that’s made Asili what it is, we’re doing the doable in Congo – with the help of some friends. Five visitors with a breadth of experience and knowledge – in business, marketing, finance, and more – hopped on a plane from Minneapolis, Minnesota and journeyed across the ocean to spend some time with the Asili team. Their goal? To work together to come up with some breakthrough business ideas – and then go out and test them with real customers. But to start, they needed big ideas. What ideas did the Asili staff have to reach more people, in better and more effective ways? … [Read more...] about Lightbulb Moments