Welcome to the 2012 South Africa Innovation Institute! You have made it through the rigorous application process, purchased your roundtrip ticket and you are off on a 747, headed for Southern Africa!  You arrive to Johannesburg Airport to the cheers of your new support team. The Advisors are led by the enthusiasm of Andile Mgiba (your new in-country director) and Kate Loose (Director of Logistics)…“Avuxeni! Welcome to South Africa!”

Your first week in South Africa is a blur. You become acquainted with the country through your port of entry…Johannesburg. Your advisors and in-country staff introduce you to the country’s history, culture, and people. You visit the Apartheid Museum where you learn about the struggle for equality and democracy that shaped this amazing country.  You drive through Soweto the largest township in Southern Africa, and get to know your fellow scholars over good food and conversation.

You begin an intensive training, ThinkImpact University (TIU) where you gain skills needed to thrive on the Institute. A typical day will touch on language acquisition and business basics while always leaving time for group reflection.

The day has finally come! Today the group will wind their way along dirt roads to the villages of Mpumalanga province, where you will be welcomed by the community members of your new home!

You are introduced to your homestay mother and the rest of her family. You throw your bags in your room and explore your new home. You begin the Immersion process by taking part in Shared Cultural Experiences like preparing food, collecting firewood, and washing clothes with your host family all the while taking careful note of what life is like here.

On the Institute observation is key. During the Fly on the Wall exercise you will take a step back from engaging in daily life and simply observe. You begin the day on your compound quietly taking in the movements of your neighbors. What do they do?  How long does it take them? What are their attitudes? You move around to different main areas in the community, meticulously recording movements and behaviors. You begin to wonder why they do things a certain way.

After taking a day to purely observe your surroundings, you head out with your partner and translator to do a little Fact Finding. Curiosity leads you into dark huts and school classrooms as you seek to understand the details of this amazing microcosm.

You now feel like you have the lay of the land. You start to feel a little more comfortable in your new home, joking with your host siblings in the morning and ending the day with a pick-up game of soccer with village friends. You have identified two community members who you will shadow for a Day in the Life They could be local farmers, businessmen, children or gogos(grandmothers).  The goal is to really see what it is like to live a day in their shoes. You become close friends with your shadowee, paying close attention to the small details that comprise a day in their life.

The real qualitative research begins with Capacity Inventories In small teams you begin to interview community members with the aid of a friendly translator. CI’s shed light on the skills and resources in the community and help you create an Asset Map.  This is the beginning of a transformative “Mindshift.” Community members start the process of self-actualization, seeing themselves as active agents in their own development.

Congratulations you have made it to the Inspiration phase of the institute. You have made it through the intense culture shock that undoubtedly hits during the second week of the program. You have formed relationships and learned a lot about this community. Now it is time to build your Design Team.  You want to pick people with spirit, people who have entrepreneurial qualities and vision. But you also want to pick people you connect with and who connect with each other. This will be your team for the rest of the Institute.

Your job is not an easy one. You must walk the fine line of a facilitator. This role requires great patience and incredible leadership. It is a silent leadership. You must start the conversation, but not run it. The innovation that you pursue must be a team effort and there must ultimately be great community buy in to get the enterprise up and running.  You give your team a classroom and some chalk and are nothing short of humbled by the results.

After long brainstorming sessions with your Design Team, you have narrowed your scope. You have identified some key challenges in the community that you would like to address with your design challenge. You chisel this down even finer until you have reached your one sentence, “How might we,” design challenge statement.  This statement has given you a focused framework with which to move into the Innovation phase of the Institute.

You are half way through the Innovation Institute.  While there have been plenty of setbacks, your team is more focused than ever. It is the perfect time to get some distance from the project. The group piles into the van and heads to Thornybush game reserve on the edge of the famous Kruger Park for a world class safari. You have your first close up encounter with African wildlife. You happen upon a family of elephants and the scene leaves you astonished.  After a little rest and relaxation (and a hot shower!) you can’t wait to get back to the village.

You have your design challenge and you have decided on a product or service worth prototyping. The $33 Prototype jump-starts your team’s innovation. Each team receives $33 to purchase the materials necessary to bring your vision to life. You fill out a budget and turn it in to your Advisor. Once all necessary supplies are purchased you get to work!

You have tested out the prototype and come to find that it is far from perfect, let alone ready for consumption. Your team returns to the drawing board where you explore mechanisms for Iteration.  You may even find that your innovation is not viable or feasible in the local market. That’s okay. You are encouraged to fail often and fast. You realize that it is only through failure that you are truly able to push your team forward.

Your team is smart, they are willing to take risks. But like most entrepreneurs they are not fully competent in financial literacy. Not to worry. The TI in-country team has fostered a collaborative relationship with SEDA (small enterprise development agency). Your team begins attending financial literacy classes right in your local community. You attend to boost morale and learn about different training methods.  After a couple of trainings, your team writes a constitution. They are being placed on a path for success should they decide to build a social business based on your innovation.

Time catches up to you and it is soon the final week of the Institute. Your team scrambles to wrap up the innovation and prepares for your departure. Your teammates are invested and ready to take the reins. You help organize a goodbye party for your friends and family in the village.  There is dancing and lots of picture taking as everyone reflects on the strong bonds created during your stay.

The morning of your departure arrives. You shed some tears and share some laughs with your friends one last time. You have left this community a changed person, ready to commit yourself to a lifetime of dedication to global development and unity.