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Doberman and The Hunger Project Host Event on Self-Reliance and Social Innovation

On September 9th in New York City, Lisa Lindström, CEO of Experience Design Firm Doberman, and Hunger Project President and CEO Åsa Skogström Feldt, led an energizing, inspiring discussion around how their organizations are using social innovation and developing self-reliance to influence change around the world.

One might find the commonalities connecting a design firm and an international non-profit organization to be few. However, The Hunger Project and Doberman, a Swedish-based design firm share many. Some shared commonalities include:

  • Think in terms of developing sustainable processes rather than taking a project-based approach.
  • Develop self-reliance among village partners and clients, respectively, to create cultural change.
  • Take a grassroots-driven and inclusive approach to generate leadership and create a culture of ownership and accountability.
  • Share values of sustainability, interconnectedness and transformative leadership.

The evening’s discussion expanded on the lessons both Doberman and The Hunger Project have gleaned from their organization’s respective mission and business model, including:

  • Role of empathy for village partners and end-users in developing effective, sustainable approaches.
  • Importance of re-framing the question to understand the “root cause” of an issue–hunger or a business challenge–before moving forward with developing solutions.
  • Need for new, bold approaches that focus on value-driven, sustainable impact.

The budding partnership between Doberman and The Hunger Project represents an exciting convergence Åsa mentioned during the evening’s discussion of how new, cross-sectoral partnerships are breaking down silos and driving impact around the world.

For more information,  please contact Lindy Mockovak, Lindy.Mockovak@thp-transfer.flywheelsites.com or (212) 251-9115.