Workbook Designed to Help Companies Build Disaster Resilience

The previous post on this forum focused on a conversation between Linton Wells II, Ph.D., an Executive Advisor at George Mason University's Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities (C-RASC), and Annie Mustafá-Ramos, who manages the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust's Resiliency and Business Innovation Program (RBI) about building sustainability and community resilience through local businesses in Puerto Rico. During his remarks, Dr. Wells referenced "The Business Disaster Resilience 101 Workbook," a tool jointly produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and The UPS Foundation. The workbook is part of the the Resilience in a Box program, a collaborative partnership between the two aforementioned organizations as well as the World Economic Forum (WEF), CENACED, and the Disaster Resistant Business (DRB) Toolkit Workgroup.

"Small businesses are both highly vulnerable and without adequate resources with which to focus on taking preparedness actions," the workbook notes. "After a disaster, about 40% of small businesses will not reopen. An additional 25% close their doors over the following two years. Resilience in a Box is designed to give businesses the information crucial to readying themselves for any event that may occur: to survive and thrive, so the communities can survive and thrive."

Developed in Turkey as a pilot to help small businesses get better prepared, and to develop tools and training that can be easily exported to other countries, Resilience in a Box is based on best practices and designed to educate newcomers on Business Resilience. Consisting of three elements: Tools, Training, and Resources, the Resilience in a Box provides resources that will guide a company "toward addressing preparedness issues while building in the flexibility to handle potential business interruptions." 

What is more, "Resilience in a Box tools are designed to lead every business--even one with no disaster experience or understanding--towards improved resilience. The tools were developed with three levels: Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced. The Intermediate level builds upon the Basic tools in order to get businesses better informed and able to readily determine specific actions that will enhance their resilience against all hazards and potential interruptions. The 101 Workbook is an Intermediate level tool as it provides more detailed business readiness guidance, tips, and resources to assist companies by addressing their own assets before a disaster occurs."

According to the workbook, "Every business, no matter what type or how large, consists of critical assets. These are the building blocks of every business that, if taken away, would cause disruption and potentially catastrophic losses. To simplify identification of the critical assets, all have been condensed down into six categories: People, Data, Operations, Inventory, Equipment, and Buildings.

"The various components of these assets will vary from one business to another, but these six critical categories exist in some form or another in all companies. Assets will differ between businesses, although same industry types share more commonalities."

Based on my experience of creating corporate risk mitigation strategies, I concur that "Understanding what your critical assets are will assist you in identifying where your business is vulnerable to interruption. If most of a business' revenue comes primarily from its inventory, then a business should prioritize protecting or fortifying this asset from damage and losses from disasters such as a flood, earthquake, or fire."

In addition to the 101 Workbook, I appreciate the "Top 20 Tips for Business Preparedness" document that is part of the Resilience in a Box program's Basic Level:

GETTING STARTED

1. Build a Team to create your plan

2. Get Top Level Buy-in

3. Keep your disaster plan simple

PROTECT OPERATIONS

4. Gather critical documents & information needed for decision-making

5. Identify and then prioritize your critical operations and processes

6. Identify your hazards – the potential disruptions to your operations

7. Build Your Plan and create a "Grab-n-Go" case

PROTECT PEOPLE & RELATIONSHIPS

8. Maintain Contact lists – Update emergency lists for your employees, vendors, suppliers, and key contacts

9. Recruit employee volunteers to become trained emergency responders

10. Stockpile essential emergency supplies

11. Take the message home: Develop a prepared workforce – business readiness doesn’t end at work

PROTECT BUILDINGS, EQUIPMENT & DATA

12, Back up and protect your vital records and data

13. Take action to mitigate potential impacts to your equipment, buildings, and facilities

14. Protect your inventory and storage before it is lost to the disaster and you have nothing to sell

PROTECT YOUR BRAND

15. Establish and maintain communication in a crisis to ensure that your employees, suppliers, customers, and the public are getting the facts directly from you

16. Cultivate Partnerships

PUT YOUR PLAN INTO ACTION

17. Exercise and test your plan

18. Keep your plan updated

19, Implement the plan

20. Connect with the local economy

The 101 Workbook states: "After a disaster, countless stories can be told of small-to-medium sized businesses who relate stories with one common regret, 'I wish I had done something in advance.' For them, it was too late. It is not too late for you and your business to take action. Read this 101 Workbook and pick one step, then do it! Your business will be better prepared. Start now!"

I invite you to share your experience on how your business is building disaster resilience.

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

Building Sustainability and Community Resilience Through Local Businesses: A Puerto Case Study

Through my experience working in Haïti, a country that shares the Caribbean island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic, I witnessed how some businesses remained operational despite the destruction caused by natural disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes, or humanitarian disasters resulting from political or economic crises. Building resilience against all potential hazards or disruptions is an underlining reason for the enterprises' survival.

While Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory located just over 400 miles east of Haïti, is more developed with a 2019 gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (PPP) of $36,054 compared to to latter's per capita GDP of $3,034, according to The World Bank, the former faces the same natural disaster vulnerabilities. Now the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the economies of all Caribbean nations and territories. I recently watched an informative discussion entitled "Be Prepared to Bounce Forward Better: Building Sustainability and Community Resilience Through Local Businesses: A Puerto Rico Case Study," which presents many useful points on understanding resilience and how a business can utilize it to withstand disruption.

Leading the discussion, Linton Wells II, Ph.D., an Executive Advisor at George Mason University's Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities (C-RASC), explained that "resilience is the ability to have coping capacity plus the ability to adapt, which in the long-term may be referred as the ability to anticipate something, to withstand a disaster, to recover from it, which is coping capacity, and then the ability to adapt." There are three kinds of resiliency, according to Dr. Wells: resilience for cultural (is the organization willing to stand up and keep fighting when its under stress?), operational resilience (networks and communication sufficient for transmitting key messages, internally and externally), and infrastructural (understanding the dependencies among communication, power, and water, and how those affect a business). "Resilience is not just bouncing back to the pre-crisis status quo. What you want to do is leverage the stresses and shocks so that you actually wind up stronger. Be prepared to bounce forward better and that's what we are trying to build through resilience."

Dr. Wells also points out some people combine or confuse security and resilience. "They are really quite different. Security is how you lock things up and hunker down to keep bad things from happening. Resilience says I know bad things are going to happen, so how do we achieve the organization's goals under any level of shocks and stress, how do we fight back, how do we emerge stronger."

According to Dr. Wells, resilient capacity, which should not be confused for a program or strategy, is "actually a capacity of an organization" and "a function of leadership and has to be build at all levels. You have encourage resilience among your people from the board of directors to the people on the shop floor. It needs to be nurtured. It needs to be made sustainable. And treat it as a positive business asset that should be resourced." I appreciate his assertion that a more resilient business will be a stronger one. And as a result, it will be more likely to withstand disruption.

How do you learn from when bad things that happen? "Learning only happens when behavior changes," said Dr. Wells. "It's not enough to write a report. It's not enough to write an after-action review, You actually have to cause people to change behavior if you're going to truly learn the lessons. And this means you have to be able analyze shocks and see what's going on."

During his remarks, Dr. Wells referenced "The Business Disaster Resilience 101 Workbook," a tool jointly produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and The UPS Foundation. The 101 Workbook provides more detailed business readiness guidance, tips, and resources to assist companies by addressing their own assets before a disaster occurs. I will publish a future post on this forum focusing on this useful tool.

In responding to Dr. Wells' question on how she is using education and mentoring to build a more resilient, sustainable commonwealth, Annie Mustafá-Ramos, who manages the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust's Resiliency and Business Innovation Program (RBI), said the courses and training sessions are helping Puerto Rican businesses to not just continue with their previous activities, but to pivot and adapt to other disasters they may encounter in the future. The program was created in 2017 as a result of disaster (Hurricane Maria) that devastated Puerto Rico.

According to the RBI's website, the program's mission and vision is "To foster a Resilient Business Community on the Island. Enhance the innovations that create business resiliency from entrepreneur development and SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) program applicants." Administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration, SBIR and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) are programs to support scientific excellence and technological innovation through the investment of Federal research funds in critical American priorities to build a strong national economy.

Among the work during the covid-19 pandemic, Ms. Mustafá-Ramos noted that over 1,500 individuals experienced the courses. Senior executives and lower-level employees alike, from represent businesses of all sizes, were able to create a resilience plan. In addition, the courses provided the opportunity to train professors, civic leaders, and nonprofit organizations and provide them with the tools to help businesses create a resilience plan.

As a result of the restrictions imposed by the Puerto Rican government to prevent the spread of covid-19, Ms. Mustafá-Ramos explained that service businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and retail shops were greatly impacted financially. However, the operational restrictions created an opportunity for businesses to adapt and pivot. Prohibited from serving customers in their establishment, restaurants pivoted to become a "ghost kitchen," which is a professional food preparation and cooking facility set up for the preparation of delivery-only meals. Brick-and-mortar retailers entered the world of e-commerce. Originally delivering in-person courses only, Ms. Mustafá-Ramos pointed out that people throughout the world were able to attend the resilience courses online.

Looking into the future, she said that investors should consider investing in Puerto Rico, which will generate much-needed jobs and stimulate economic development for the commonwealth." Puerto Rico "is a place to do business and this is the moment." I appreciate her enthusiasm.

Have you created a resilience plan to protect your business before disaster strikes?

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

14th Annual STAR-TIDES Capabilities Demonstration Focused on Converging Approaches to Sustainable Resilience

As noted in a posted entitled "Cheap and Effective Solutions for Humanitarian Emergencies," I had the opportunity to attend the second annual STAR-TIDES demonstration in 2008 at the Pentagon just outside of Washington DC. In outlining the program's background, the STAR-TIDES website says it "is a global knowledge-sharing network that focuses on building sustainable resilience, promoting human security (freedom from want and freedom from fear), and creating life-changing social and economic activities. These roles have evolved from original support by the U.S. Defense Department's TIDES (Transformative Innovation for Development and Emergency Support) program to four defense-related mission areas: (A) Building Partner Capacity, (B) Humanitarian Assistance and Foreign Disaster Relief, (C) Defense Support of Civil Authorities, and (D) Stability and Peace Keeping Operations."

In 2019 George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. established the Center for Resilient and Sustainable Communities (C-RASC), a transdisciplinary research center that addresses critical real-world problems through integrated approaches that build resilience. The C-RASC, which is led by Dr. Kathy Laskey, now oversees the global STAR-TIDES knowledge-sharing network. Dr. Linton Wells II, who founded the TIDES program, remains involved with STAR-TIDES as the C-RASC's Executive Advisor.

The knowledge in the STAR-TIDES network is organized into six platforms (technology areas): (1) Energy, Energy Storage; (2) Shelter, Heating/Cooling and Lighting; (3) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH); (4) Agriculture and Food Security; (5) Information and Communications Technology (ICT); and (6) Health, Nutrition and Integrated Cooking.

Image: STAR-TIDES

The six platforms are supported by the “keys to success” shown below:

• Narrative (and Story Telling) are essential parts of the "Listening" and "Learning" phases of a project, both to understand community needs in their cultural context and to translate technical analyses into terms that support their engagement. Systems Thinking is needed to link the various platforms together in ways that support the community's needs, and then narrative comes back into play to convey the technical analysis back to the community in ways that are consistent with their needs, cultures, and resources.
• Global Knowledge Sharing is facilitated by the STAR-TIDES network.
• All projects need Resource-Raising Strategies.
• Finance, Transport, and Logistics provide the glue to stand-up and execute real world efforts, and is a core part of "Lasting."
• Education also is a key part of bi-directional learning, and developing modes that can be extended to other circumstances
• Digital Enabling Technologies include geospatial information systems (GIS), identity management, distributed ledger technology (like blockchain) for accountability and transparency, climate science, big data analytics, etc.

I have enjoyed watching the STAR-TIDES program develop over the past several years and seeing its positive impact on distressed communities worldwide. As an e-newsletter produced by Dr. Wells dated Sept. 3rd, 2020 explains:

Over the years STAR-TIDES has made good use of focused teams on several occasions. For example, in late 2012/early 2013 team members helped a medical clinic that had been damaged by fire in Old Fangak, South Sudan. In 2015 nearly 80 members responded to a request to support refugee and IDP (internally displaced persons) camps in Iraq. In 2018 others supported George Mason graduate students in analyzing alternative shelters for use in Appalachia. Currently we have nearly 30 members who have signed up to support various aspects of rural broadband activities, from Native American communities, to dispersed towns in New England, to helping students return to classes in North Carolina. Going forward, I expect there will be many more opportunities, from geographic areas such as Puerto Rico, to STAR-TIDES core technology areas, to projects such as precision agriculture. As always, the teams will support those already working on the ground through our basic premise of Listening (to what they're trying to tell us), Learning (in both directions), and Lasting (to build local capacity).

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the 14th annual STAR-TIDES capabilities demonstration was held virtually from Oct. 20-22, 2020 under the title of "Converging Approaches to Sustainable Resilience." The STAR-TIDES e-newsletter dated Dec. 3rd, 2020 provided the following summary of the event:

22 separate events and 10 parallel breakout tracks focused on diverse areas including technology platforms (energy, shelter, water, etc.) plus key enablers such as narrative & storytelling, systems thinking, ethics, and Defense logistics. There were two sessions on "Puerto Rico Way Ahead." A career track offered students chances to interact with professionals for job search advice, as well as practitioners from areas such as geospatial information, emergency management, global health, development, and sustainable resilience. The conference featured 25 speakers and approximately 70 panelists, including several national and international figures. During his keynote address, Thomas L. Friedman, the distinguished author and New York Times Pulitzer-prize-winning columnist, discussed the fast, fused, deep, and open forces that increasingly affect our lives. Lt. Gen Michael Plehn, USAF, Military Deputy Commander of the U.S. Southern Command, and Claire Melamed, PhD, CEO of the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data, presented keynotes on October 21st.

Several participants showed how they applied their capabilities in real-world situations. These included perspectives on Navy operational energy, low-cost shelters, power grid cost reduction, and supply chain risk management for open source software, as well as a compelling example of how STAR-TIDES network members helped rebuild a medical clinic in South Sudan.

The sessions generated over 26 hours of content with more than 55 videos that may be viewed via the STAR-TIDES' YouTube page. Moderated by Dr. Wells, Mr. Friedman provided his insights on a variety of topics including U.S.-China relations, the emergence of black/green governments as the left/right binary approach of politics wane, education provided by the private sector including a company's role as an innovator and educator, and scaling community-based approaches.

Dave Warner, a medical neuroscientist with a MD/PhD researching new methods of physiologically based human-computer interaction to identify methods and techniques that optimize information flow between humans and computers, provided great remarks about information and communications technologies (ICTs).

And during the "Sustaining Cross-Cutting Solutions Across Silos" session, Bob Gourley, co-founder and chief technology officer of OODA LLC, moderated a discussion on sustainable resilience featuring the following panelists: Declan Kirrane, founder and managing director of ISC, Clare Lockhart, Director of the Institute for State Effectiveness, and Mike Tanji, Global Marketing Officer and Chief of Staff at the Global Cyber Alliance. For the purposes of this session, Mr. Gourley said resilience is defined "as an entity's capacity to prepare for disruptions, to recover from shocks and stresses, and to adapt and grow from a disruptive experience."

The STAR-TIDES team announced that the next demonstration is tentatively planned as a mixed physical and virtual event on Oct. 19th and 20th, 2021. The Pentagon Center Court event will immediately follow on Oct. 21st and 22nd.

The Dec. 3rd newsletter further notes: "A new initiative for 2021 will be a series of interactive online events throughout the year. For example, a session might be woven around a case study. STAR-TIDES always has been a community of doers, so this would give people with real-world expertise a chance to talk about what they'd have done differently, or how they might approach such a situation in the future with current or emerging capabilities, plus what persistent capacity gaps and blocks remain to be resolved, and why. We'll provide more info as the schedule solidifies and welcome your suggestions and inputs."

The newsletter concludes by saying "STAR-TIDES has always been about our world-wide network partners and the contributions they are making to uplift individuals and societies, not only to provide basic amenities but also to increase standards of living and build sustainable resilience. If you have anything you think might be of interest or use to the network, please share it via email star.tides.net@gmail.com."

The following words from my 2008 post remain relevant 12 years later: "For any sustainable social and economic development strategy to have a chance of succeeding, it must have the collaboration of the private sector, civil society, and government stakeholders. With adequate financial and logistical support, STAR-TIDES could make a difference to people worldwide facing the challenges of surviving a one-time natural disaster or the daily constraints of poverty." Impressively, the STAR-TIDES network has proven its success in making a positive impact on the lives of millions, if not billions, of people worldwide.

What effective solutions do you propose for addressing humanitarian emergencies or post-war reconstruction?

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

Solar Cookers: An Essential Tool for Better Health and Economic Benefits

During my travels to developing nations such as Haiti, Peru and Uganda, I witness the challenges and negative impact of cooking with fires fueled by wood or dung. The impact also applies to people who walk long distances to collect wood or spend their limited income on fuel. A solution to satisfying the need for cooking without breathing toxins or wasting time searching for cooking fuel lies within solar cookers. This entry provides a summary of this amazing tool.

"Solar cooking is the simplest, safest, most convenient way to cook food without consuming fuels or heating up the kitchen," according to Solar Cookers International, a nonprofit organization based in Sacramento, California and with an office in Nairobi, Kenya. "For millions of people who lack access to safe drinking water and become sick or die each year from preventable waterborne illnesses, solar water pasteurization is a life-saving skill. There are numerous reasons to cook the natural way — with the sun."

Solar Cooker International explains, "The three most common types of solar cookers are heat-trap boxes, curved concentrators (parabolics) and panel cookers. Hundreds — if not thousands — of variations on these basic types exist. Additionally, several large-scale solar cooking systems have been developed to meet the needs of institutions worldwide."

Box cookers, the most common solar cooker used worldwide, are made of cardboard, metal or plastic, with glass lids and aluminum foil or metal reflectors that trap heat from sunlight inside a sealed, insulated box and cook food in 2-3 hours at 250-350 F. Some box cookers can accommodate multiple pots. There are several thousand box cookers used in India and all solar cookers work with varying degrees of efficiency in hot or cool weather as long as the sun is shining. (Photos courtesy of Solar Cooker International)

Panel cookers incorporate elements of box and curved concentrator cookers. They are small, lightweight, foldable, portable and relatively inexpensive to purchase or manufacture by hand. They work like a crock-pot, with temperatures ranging between 225 and 275 F. Most panel cookers are made from cardboard and aluminum foil and they require a lightweight cooking pot painted black with non-toxic paint. Raw food is placed in the pot, which is put inside a heat resistant plastic bag and placed in the cooker. Panel cookers can cook food in 2-3 hours.

Curved concentrator cookers or "parabolic cookers," cook fast at high temperatures and are excellent for boiling and drying. Especially useful for large-scale institutional cooking, they require frequent adjustment and supervision for safe operation. Curved cookers may be used for indoor cooking by focusing sunlight through a hole in the wall.

Solar Cooker International provides a comprehensive list of health and nutritional benefits of using solar cookers:

• Moderate cooking temperatures in simple solar cookers help preserve nutrients;
• Those who otherwise could not afford the fuel to do so can cook nutritious foods — such as legumes and many whole grains — that require hours of cooking;
• At times many families must trade scarce food for cooking fuel. Solar cooking helps them to keep more food and improve their nutrition;
• Smoky cooking fires irritate lungs and eyes and can cause diseases. Solar cookers are smoke-free;
• Cooking fires are dangerous, especially for children, and can readily get out of control — causing damage to buildings, gardens, etc. Solar cookers are fire-free;
• Millions of women routinely walk for miles to collect fuel wood for cooking. Burdensome fuel-gathering trips can cause injuries, and expose women to danger from animals and criminals. Solar cooking reduces these risks and burdens, and frees time for other activities; and
• With good sunlight, solar cookers can be used to cook food or pasteurize water during emergencies when other fuels and power sources may not be available.

In addition to the health and nutritional benefits, solar cookers provide a variety of economic benefits. Many poverty-stricken families worldwide spend 25 percent or more of their income on cooking fuel. Sunlight — solar cooker "fuel" — is free and abundant. Money saved from purchasing cooking fuel may be used for food, education, health care, etc. Furthermore, solar cooker businesses can provide extra income. Business opportunities include cooker manufacturing, sales and repair, as well as solar food businesses like restaurants and bakeries.

Benefits to developing governments include reducing imports of — and subsidies on — biomass and fossil fuels. Where forests are disappearing and many people suffer from fuel shortages, solar cookers reduce families' fuel wood needs by 30-50 percent. Electric companies that have trouble meeting peak hour demand because of heavy use of stoves and air conditioners can reduce that demand by promoting use of solar cookers.

I support funding by industrialized governments or nongovernmental organizations to programs that help deliver solar cookers to the world's most vulnerable populations. Not only is delivering solar cookers important, but providing the necessary training to manufacture, use, and repair the devices is essential.

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

Shelterbox: Providing Immediate Relief to Victims of Natural and Other Disasters

I recently attended a STAR-TIDES research demonstration at the Pentagon, located just outside of Washington, D.C. STAR-TIDES is an acronym for Sustainable Technologies, Accelerated Research-Transportable Infrastructures for Development and Emergency Support, which is geared to organize inexpensive and effective solutions for humanitarian emergencies or post-war reconstruction. Several companies demonstrated fascinating technological products, which have an immediate impact in the developing world or in any humanitarian emergency. One such product is the Shelterbox, a large, rugged, green plastic container that holds a 10-person tent and a range of other equipment necessary in providing immediate relief to victims of natural and other disasters anywhere around the world.

Lakewood Ranch, Florida-based Shelterbox USA, Inc. is a nonprofit organization that provide victims of disaster with shelter and oversees the assembly and delivery of the Shelterbox. For disclosure purposes, this post is not a public endorsement of Shelterbox USA but a review of the Shelterbox and its components.

The nonproft organization explains, "Shelterboxes are sponsored by service clubs, (Rotary Clubs), school and church groups, businesses and individuals, etc. Materials are ordered from a range of suppliers selected for general use, long-life, quality and price. Shelterboxes are prepared and packed using all new materials as delivered from manufacturers, at the Shelterbox warehouse based in Helston, Cornwall. The standard Shelterbox weighs 110 lbs. and has approximate dimensions 2'3" x 1'4" x 11". They are sealed and banded for transit and security. Box contents vary depending on the nature of the disaster requiring their use. Boxes are sometimes packed with two 10-person tents in them, (to the exclusion of some smaller items, to maximize shelter capacity)."

Some of the selected items that are available for inclusion in the Shelterbox are:

• One 49 gallon box (The Shelterbox) initially the container for delivery of the materials listed below. Once delivered, can be used as water tank, food store, cot, table, etc.;
• One ten-person tent, including two fabric interior privacy partitions, outer fly-sheet and repair kit. These tents are considered 'winter suitable' by international relief standards;
• Vinyl insulated sleeping mats and lightweight thermal blankets. More compact than sleeping bags, these mats and blankets have multiple uses. The blanket can also be fashioned to catch water, as a tarp, etc. while the mat also serves as a ground 'table' for meals, or tent rugs;
• One pack of 180 water purification tablets or a water purification kit; and one 5 gallon flat-pack water container (each tablet will purify a full container of water providing 1,800 gallons of clean drinking water, which should be sufficient for a family of ten for up to three months);
• Two 2.1 gallon, collapsible, plastic water carriers;
• One collapsible trenching shovel;
• Rope, 164 foot;
• Repellant-treated mosquito netting;
• Ten PVC Ponchos/ten HD plastic bags;
• Tool kit in canvas bag: hachet, jack-knife, screwdriver, hammer, hoe head etc.;
• Multi-fueled cook stove;
• Eating utensils: enamel plates/cups; and
• Children's activity kit-simple school supplies, stickers and coloring book.

The contents are under continuous review. A small stock of wind-up radios (short-wave and FM) has been obtained to substitute a sleeping bag in every tenth box should such a requirement arise. For shipping purposes, a large container (40 feet) can accommodate up to 240 Shelterboxes, smaller containers would typically be half the size and quantities. The Shelterbox is designed to enable a family of up to ten people survive for at least six months. (Photo from Myanmar courtesy of Shelterbox USA)

According to the nonprofit's website, the first 140 Shelterboxes were sent to Gujarat in India following a devastating earthquake in 2001. Since then, ShelterBox has responded to more than 80 disasters in over 50 countries, sending out nearly 75,000 boxes worldwide – providing emergency accommodation for more than 500,000 disaster victims.

Aaron Rose is an advisor to talented entrepreneurs and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of Solutions for a Sustainable World.

The Role of the Private Sector in Stabilization: Providing Sustainable Employment in Afghanistan

On June 10, 2009, I attended "Role of the Private Sector in Stabilization: Providing Sustainable Employment in Afghanistan," a conference sponsored by the Afghan American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) in cooperation with the National Defense University-Near East South Asia (NDU-NESA) Center for Strategic Studies in Washington, D.C. I served on a panel titled, "Practices and Ideas for Financing SME Businesses and Economic Growth," which discussed sustainable solutions to Afghanistan's recovery and reconstruction through private sector development. While the focus of the conference was on private sector development, it was clear that any sustainable economic solution will require a collaborative effort of the governments, nongovernmental organizations, private investors, and the local population. Immediate needs include access to capital, capacity building in public sector, public infrastructure development and maintenance, and access to international markets to facilitate exportation of Afghan-made goods.

The one-day conference brought together several speakers representing government agencies, nonprofit organizations, Afghan entrepreneurs, and American investors. Major General Arnold Fields, USMC (ret.) Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), correctly said, "People want to live their lives well" and the people of Afghanistan should be more involved with redevelopment since they provide the best information and resources. Saad Mohseni, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Moby Capital Partners, elaborated further by claiming the private sector can do a better job at economic development than the government. He recommends a sector-by-sector approach and noted patience is needed since the government and people will make mistakes.

A repeated message throughout the conference was the need to improve access to capital. Bernie Carreau, Senior Research Fellow at National Defense University's (NDU) Center for Technology and National Security Policy (CTNSP) recommended that the Afghan Diaspora needs to be more engaged in private sector development and increasing foreign direct investment (FDI). Mildred Callear, Chief Operating Officer of the Small Enterprise Assistance Fund (SEAF), a Washington, D.C.-based global investment firm focused on providing growth capital and operational support to businesses in emerging markets and those underserved by traditional sources of capital, discussed SEAF's Afghan Growth Finance fund. Created in 2007, the size of the Afghan Growth Finance fund is USD $25 million and provides investments in the $500,000 to $2 million range. Several small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from a wide array of sectors including agro-processing, construction, media (local language), technology and Internet service providers are benefiting from SEAF. According to Ms. Callear, for every $1 invested generates $12 in the local economy.

Several Afghan entrepreneurs questioned the effectiveness of government-sponsored development projects. Mahmood Karzai, Chief Executive Office of Afghanistan Investment Company and First Vice-Chairman of the Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce & Industries (ACCI), noted that government contractors are compensated whether regardless of the project's success whereas Afghan entrepreneurs draw salaries only when their respective business generates a profit. David Beg of Barakat Group of Companies and president of Metro Pact Corporation, a Virginia-based company whose focus is international trade and government relations management, asserted that government contractors do not invest with their own capital and government funds should be directed to those who are willing to invest in themselves. In the panel, "Countering the Drug Cartels: Boosting the Legitimate Agricultural Economy," several of the speakers pointed out that increasing employment in the formal sector will have a direct effect on reducing the lucrative opium and related narcotic trade.

During the panel discussion on private sector finance strategies, Francis Skrobiszewski, an investment fund advisor and member of the AACC Board of Directors and chair of the AACC Working Group on Private Sector Investment and Access to Capital spoke about the need and opportunity to create a "US-Afghanistan Investment Fund" to finance Afghan private sector development and sustainable jobs supporting peace and stability, including the Afghanistan-Pakistan (Af-Pak) border areas. Mr. Skrobiszewski said, "Using private sector risk-taking and decision-making approaches with appropriate funding and proper mandate to complement traditional governmental initiatives such a Fund could creatively adapt and implement existing mechanisms and models to counter the drug cartels, which utilize their own commercial approaches in agricultural regions.

Philip Mistretta with the U.S. Department of Defense said Afghanistan's banking system has grown rapidly with 17 licensed banks, $2.4 billion in deposits, and $1.0 billion in loans as of January 2009. Furthermore, according to Mr. Mistretta, the Afghanistan Central Bank and Finance Ministry have established a market-oriented legal, policy and regulatory framework, and other non-bank financial institutions, such as donor-supported microfinance institutions, operate throughout Afghanistan. He noted that Afghanistan needs to develop financial markets for foreign exchange, debt instruments, and (eventually) equity securities.

Linton Wells II, Ph.D., Distinguished Research Professor and Transformation Chair at NDU explained information and communications technology (ICT) has not been utilized very well in Afghanistan and having access to ICT determines the winners and losers. There is a need for better collaboration between the Afghan government and private sector, according to Dr. Wells. This blog post, "Cheap and Effective Solutions for Humanitarian Emergencies," provides additional information about about Dr. Wells' work on STAR-TIDES, a research project focused on affordable, sustainable support to stressed populations.

My presentation focused on the need to develop a bottom-up approach to achieve sustainable social and economic development. For example, one of Afghanistan's greatest challenges is information (knowledge) sharing. I explained there are several investment and entrepreneurial opportunities in ICT (mobile solutions, including telemedicine, distance learning, and entrepreneur training), renewable energy to power villages, manufacturing and processing facilities. In addition, while I agree there is an immediate need to increase capital, there is an equally important need to facilitate access to export markets. My presentation further explained the need to create centers for entrepreneur development as a community resource and incubator for SME development. I ran out of time before I had the chance to explain the need to create investment vehicles such as private equity and enterprise funds (e.g., the US-Afghanistan Investment Fund) to support private sector development and SME growth.

An afternoon panel, "Reducing Corruption via Sound Economic Governance," focused on rule of law issues in Afghanistan. Clare Lockhart, co-founder and Director of The Institute for State Effectiveness explained the need to create a legal framework to facilitate business growth and handle legal disputes. Mariam Atash Nawabi, an attorney, television host, and co-founder of the Afghanistan Advocacy Group presented Afghanistan's comprehensive rule of law network through the creation of several administration agencies.

While the conference provided essential information regarding the role, challenges, and opportunities of the private sector in Afghanistan, there remain a few unanswered questions:

1. What are the entrepreneurship opportunities for women?
2. Is success in Afghanistan's private sector for American investors contingent on the U.S. maintaining a military presence?
3. What is the vision of a regional solution to Afghanistan's recovery and reconstruction?
4. How can Afghanistan become competitive in a global economy? What is Afghanistan's competitive advantage?
5. How will Afghanistan build an educated workforce necessary for sustainable economic development?

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.

Cheap and Effective Solutions for Humanitarian Emergencies

Photo: Department of Defense/
Fred W. Baker III

Under the leadership of Linton Wells II at National Defense University, STAR-TIDES promotes affordable, sustainable, support to stressed populations—post-disaster, impoverished, or post-war with or without involvement of the military. It is an international research project to promote unity of effort among diverse organizations where there is no unity of control. As such it seeks to build bridges across boundaries between business, civil society and government stakeholders who are working toward common goals. The principal means are: (1) trust building and social network development, (2) sharing information and “sense-making” approaches, and (3) low-cost logistic solutions.

On October 15, 2008, I attended a STAR-TIDES research demonstration at the Pentagon just outside of Washington, D.C. STAR-TIDES is an acronym for Sustainable Technologies, Accelerated Research-Transportable Infrastructures for Development and Emergency Support, which is geared to organize inexpensive and effective solutions for humanitarian emergencies or post-war reconstruction. Several companies were demonstrating some very fascinating technological products that would make an immediate impact in the developing world or in any humanitarian emergency.

For example, Windsor, Vermont-based Seldon Technologies designed the Seldon WaterBox™, which according to their data sheet, "uses Seldon’s unique carbon nanomaterial to absorb contaminants from water. The system creates drinking water by removing bacteria, virus, cysts and other contaminants without the need for heat, ultraviolet light, chemicals, electricity, or waiting time."

GATR Technologies, a Huntsville, Alabama-based defense and satellite company, produces the GATR-Com™ 2.4 Meter Inflatable Deployable Satellite Communication System, which "features a unique deployable design that provides high-bandwidth communications for transmission of secure and non-secure data, voice, and video."

Photo: STAR-TIDES

Additional companies demonstrating their products included the Hexayurt, a sturdy and efficient emergency shelter constructed of suitable materials including common building materials (fire safe insulation boards), hexacomb cardboard and plastic. Solar Stik™ manufactures a product that uses solar as a power generator that can be used in a wide range of applications.

During the demonstration at the Pentagon, the Saint Augustine, Florida-based company was using The Solar Stik™ Breeze (pictured next to the Hexayurt), which according to the company's website is the first truly portable hybrid solar and wind power generator, to provide electricity to a number of generators to run electronic equipment (laptops) and a satellite system.

Although these technologies may have been designed primarily for military use or humanitarian crises, their applications could provide solutions in the developing world to support a broader sustainable social and economic strategy.

For any sustainable social and economic development strategy to have a chance of succeeding, it must have the collaboration of the private sector, civil society, and government stakeholders. With adequate financial and logistical support, STAR-TIDES could make a difference to people worldwide facing the challenges of surviving a one-time natural disaster or the daily constraints of poverty.

Fred W. Baker III with the American Forces Press Service provides additional information about the STAR-TIDES demonstration on his article entitled, "Network Works to Help Interagency Crisis Response."

Aaron Rose is a board member, corporate advisor, and co-founder of great companies. He also serves as the editor of GT Perspectives, an online forum focused on turning perspective into opportunity.