ThinkImpact’s Innovation Institute is a full-immersion experiential learning program in rural Africa, rooted in philosophies of asset-based community development and design-thinking. Over the course of a summer, American students – known on the Institute as “scholars” – live in rural communities, learning about social entrepreneurship and innovation through intensive qualitative research and exploration. The Institute is based largely on values of empathy, curiosity and open-mindedness, and relies on strong cross-cultural relationships to unleash the potential for social innovation. Ultimately, scholars and community members prototype social products and services that may be sold through social businesses, which are managed and sustained locally.

Through the interaction with scholars and curriculum, community members are able to shift their mindsets, moving from a self-identity of dependence and deficiencies to one of innovative, self-sufficient entrepreneurs.

The summer curriculum is broken down into three main components:

Immersion

During the initial phase of the program, scholars begin to learn about the communities in which they live. Through a lens of asset-based community development, scholars partake in activities that allow them to gain an understanding of the community’s culture, assets, social fabric and more. Through asset-mapping, capacity inventories, observation and self-documentation, scholars become aware of the diverse, multi-layered resources that exist within the community.

Inspiration

The inspiration phase of the Institute is the qualitative research for social business development. Through IDEO’s “HCD Toolkit”, method cards and philosophy, scholars practice design-thinking, and seek to find local, sustainable solutions to the community’s challenges, together with local community members. By working as co-researchers and designers, scholars and community members engage in research and brainstorming sessions that allow them to consider numerous ideas and solutions to social issues.

Innovation

The final phase of the Institute is innovation, during which scholars and community members prototype their ideas and put the innovation in a business framework. Through a process of iteration, the products/services become viable business options. Also during this phase, scholars work with community members on how to best proceed in the business sense, from writing a plan to accessing loans/seed capital.