Microfinance – Steps Towards A Sustainable Future

Colleges and universities are a life stage the majority of teens and twenty-something’s in the U.S. go through. A recent study by TRU, a Chicago-based market-research firm, reports 80% of 18-19 year olds and 67% of 20-23 year olds are currently enrolled in a college or university. Given the time, knowledge, and influence higher education institutions provide teens and young adults, it makes them well-positioned to also teach this cohort about sustainable development. DePaul, a leading private university, recognizes this fact with its practices of sustainable development. DePaul’s efforts to educate on sustainability have ranged from environmental initiatives such as providing students a way to refill their water bottles, eliminating their use of plastic bottles, to building LEED certified green-buildings on its campuses.

An area that is of particular interest to me is DePaul’s investment in community development. According to the Green Report Card 2010, DePaul receives a ‘C’ for efforts focused on developing communities, which is below the average of “B+”. Once examining further, I found a particular community development initiative at DePaul in microfinance. This is a smaller partnership and was not mentioned in the Green Report Card of 2010, but should be taken into consideration as one of DePaul’s stronger leaps towards created a sustainable future.

In a partnership with Fonkoze, and The Haitian Hometown Associates Resource Group, DePaul has become a partner in a micro-loan program in Haiti called “Zafen”. “Zafen” is creole for “It’s our business” and allows ways for Haitian citizens to develop their communities through investment in their workforce and economy. One of DePaul’s role’s is marketing the organization, and an easy way to read more is through DePaul’s social-network sites. Here, those interested in “Zafen” can read up-to-date news on the organization. They are also able to read about DePaul’s efforts to promote “Zafen’s” mission, and can see photos of events being hosted, or even on-the-ground operations. Up top, you’ll see a photo of DePaul Day for Haiti which was hosted in April earlier this year (2010). The events proceeds were donated to Fonkoze, which would support “Zafen’s” projects.

DePaul’s involvement with Fonkoze and “Zafen” are a great way to promote sustainable development. Microlending is a means to promote community development, and in Haiti, invest in their workforce and economy. Helping the Haitian community sustain their businesses is a step toward securing a promising future. Being a higher education institution, it is important that DePaul not only continue to support such microfinance efforts, but also educate their students about their efforts. An initiative such as “Zafen” will not only inspire many students to become involved directly with the Haitian community, but it also educates the student body about workforce development, community development, developing nations aid, micro credit and micro finance, etc. DePaul’s partnership and involvement with Fonkoze and “Zafen” is also something that seems to differentiate them from neighboring Chicago-area colleges and universities. I wasn’t able to find much information on microfinance partnerships other universities have, and for many students and community members, it’s something to be proud of DePaul about. Please view a recent news release which covers DePaul's involvement with "Zafen". You can also check out these videos of efforts being taken in Haiti.

DePaul’s efforts in community development internationally make them a key player in creating steps to a sustainable and brighter future, especially for the Haitian community.

Posted by Nidhi Singhal
Photo Credit: DePaul Facebook Account - Woman Singing on DePaul Day for Haiti

Photo Credit: Zafen logo

DePaul’s Egan Urban Center Building Sustainable Communities through Local Partnerships

DePaul University is working through the John J. Egan Urban Center to partner with the local community to address critical problems within the surrounding urban area. The center was founded in 1994 through the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and The Chicago Community Trust. The goal of the center according to their website is to “channel community and economic development assistance to minority and underprivileged neighborhoods in a direct and concentrated way drawing upon faculty, student, and neighborhood resources.” The center is named after Father Egan for his work in bringing focus to people in distressed circumstances and communities on the west side of the greater Chicago area.

The center has also taken an active role in the Black-Latino Working Groups Initiative. The Egan Center’s Office of Neighborhood and Community Partnerships helps to foster a dialogue between Black and Latino leaders in the Humboldt Park, Chicago Lawn, and North South Lawndale for collaborative community projects. The overall goal is to develop a joint undertaking to benefit these communities through development projects, affordable housing, food co-ops, and credit unions. The center participated in 2006 Conference of Urban Ministries’ panel discussion on realizing the use of church assets to identify commonalities. They also are partnering with the Center for Latino Research to produce five events focused on the existing dialogue that has been built through efforts of the Black-Latino working Group Initiative.Photo Sources:http://euc.depaul.edu/About/index.html

One of the programs that the Egan Urban Center worked on was the West Humboldt Park Community Technology Centers (WHPCTC) through the West Humboldt Park Development Project. This project worked on the issue of “digital divide” which is a common topic in the sustainable development community. The Egan Center was awarded a 1.4 million dollar US Department of Education grant for the WHPCTC. The project was able to expand the already existing technology to create opportunities for the community to share information and expand computer access. The program also offers training in computer applications, systems support, and maintenance to expand the job opportunities for those in the community to provide longer term assistance. By training those in the community the WHPCTC establishes a program that can be sustained by those it has trained who can then continue to train others.

The Egan Center has taken their community involvement to education through a certificate program. This program shares the Egan Center’s approach to “creating sustainable institutional community partnerships by working in close collaboration with community leaders and residents to design and implement programs and initiatives,” according to the Egan Urban Center’s website. It is a program for those working in the communities to gain valuable skills in sustainability and effective responses will understanding the responsibilities to the local community. The Egan Center through the certificate program hopes to develop community leaders who can mobilize assets and resources, develop meaningful relationships with important actors, while also understanding their full potential and position within the community.

If you would like to volunteer with the Egan Center Click Here

Through the Egan Center, DePaul has a great asset in moving forward with sustainable community projects. By fostering important community relationships and providing critical need through neighborhood involvement the Egan Center is creating long term community partnerships. It is also educating those within the community to pay it forward.

Posted by Kristina Vitali

Image: Egan Center

Environmentally Sustainable Transportation at DePaul

In the 1940’s approximately 23.4 billion people used public transportation compared with only 9.4 billion today.  This is a large difference and in 1946 the population was a lot less then it is today!  With the increasing amount of people driving cars and less people using public transportation the amount of air pollution and impact on the environment is growing.

DePaul University is encouraging students and faculty to help eliminate air pollution by providing sustainable transportation programs.  They currently are getting a D grade in sustainability in the category of transportation which can be seen at the college sustainability report card.  From this website we can see that DePaul still has some work to do even though they have made a large impact already.

One program that has a large impact on air pollution and gas emissions is that all undergraduate students receive a free transit card for use on all Chicago Transit Authority bus, subway and elevated lines.  While this may come as a cost to DePaul, the environmental benefits are important to think about.  DePaul has a large undergraduate class and by providing free transit cards they are being encouraged to take public transportation instead of driving.  Students are given the change to eliminate pollution and gas emissions that they produce each day.  According to the American Public Transportation Association (APTA), “public transportation in the United States saves approximately 1.4 billion gallons of gasoline and about 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide annually. Yet only 14 million Americans use public transportation daily while 88 percent of all trips in the United States are made by car—and many of those cars carry only one person.”  Each person can make a difference and become a more environmentally conscience traveler.  DePaul also offers financial incentives to graduate students who buy a CTA pass each month.

Members of the university community also participate in a car-sharing program.  By contracting with the “I-GO” program DePaul is allowing students and faculty the opportunity to rent a hybrid car to get around campus or around Chicago.  According to their website, one I-GO car replaces about 17 cars on the road, resulting in an estimated reduction of more than 3,200 vehicles in Chicago since I-GO opened for business in 2002. By offering I-GO, DePaul is encouraging people to not only do this while they are in school but in the future as well.  

DePaul is also encouraging students to ride their bikes instead of driving or taking public transportation.  This is an even more environmentally sustainable option.  By providing secure bike corrals on campus DePaul is making it accessible and easy for students to ride their bikes to class and around campus.  DePaul has even established a bike intern position which will promote biking to and around campus and is renting bikes to those that do not have one.  Creating an intern position that encourages students to ride bikes is a great way to engage students with a person that is in the same situation as them.  The intern will know the daily struggles of the students and be able to relate the benefits that riding a bike can have on them and the environment.  By riding a bike to and from class a student is able to do something positive for the environment and do something good for their health while saving money.  The sustainable practices that DePaul has put into place around transportation are having an impact on the environment and also helping to shape the future behavior of students, their families and friends when they are thinking about how they will get from one place to another.

Here are some websites that may be of interest on sustainable transportation:

http://www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/transprt/trintro.shtml

http://www.itdp.org/

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/sustainable-public-transport-systems/

http://www.igocars.org/

http://www.zipcar.com/

http://www.carsharing.net/

http://www.environment.ucf.edu/bikepath/27%20Reasons%20to%20Bike.htm

http://www.alternative-energy-news.info/bicycle-environmental-hero/

Posted by Julia Jolliff 
Photo credit ISE Corporation