For the Win: The Building Blocks of Service

Ryan Sarafolean (Photo courtesy of Points of Light)

For the Win is a guest blog series featuring the remarkable initiatives that young Americans are advancing to win the future for their communities. Each week we highlight a new young person and learn about their inspiring work through their own words. 

Ryan Sarafolean, 27, of Saint Paul, Minn. is a recipient of the 2012 Eli J. Segal Entrepreneurship Award for AmeriCorps Alums, Points of Light’s national network for all alumni of AmeriCorps service. Since 2002, the award is the highest award given annually to alums who demonstrate the essence of citizen service.

The story of establishing the KGSA Foundation began through a chance meeting in a bar deep in the Kibera slums of Nairobi, Kenya. There, I met a man named Abdul Kassim. Over a beer, he told me how he wanted to change the world, or at least the world around him and the inequalities that persisted for women. He told me about a soccer program that he had started as a way to get young girls off of the streets and into something productive. His dream was to create a free secondary school for girls as a way to promote self-awareness, empowerment and equality. His dream was contagious and inspired me to act. It became clear to me that if Abdul were given the opportunity and tools to lead, he could provide immense benefit to his community.

Kibera is a resilient, strong and vibrant community. Kibera also faces some of the most difficult challenges; they lack sufficient access to water, sewage systems, trash collection, health care centers, schools and adequate housing. Kibera extends 1.5 square miles and is a densely populated area, with estimates as high as one million people. Half of the population is under the age of 15. Due to extreme gender inequalities and poverty, only 8 percent of girls ever get the chance to attend school. The Kenyan government has deemed Kibera an “illegal settlement” thus it has excused itself from any formal responsibility for improving the lives of the people who call Kibera home. 

Innovative Financing: Creating Access and Opportunity For Small Business In America's Rural Economy

Ed. Note: This is cross-posted from the SBA Blog

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the creation of the White House Rural Council, an Administration-wide initiative to support and strengthen America’s rural economy. And our progress over the last year is detailed in a new report released today. 

As part of our efforts, we are making sure that more entrepreneurs who live in rural areas have the access and opportunity they need to start, build and grow their businesses.

We know innovation and entrepreneurship doesn’t just take place in New York and Silicon Valley. It’s happening in West Virginia, all along the I-79 High Tech Corridor, where I was last month. It’s happening in Iowa and Georgia and Nebraska.

And if we want to continue to grow our economy—and be more globally competitive—we need to make sure that we can harness the potential of entrepreneurs and small businesses in all of these communities.

To make that possible, the Small Businesses Administration is working to increase the flow of capital to rural areas. In fact, SBA has helped put more than $400 million in investment capital directly into the hands of high growth rural businesses through our agency’s Small Business Investment Companies (SBICs) since last October.

The First Anniversary of Let's Move! in Indian Country Brings Together Renowned Panelists and the Positive Accomplishments in Indian Country’s Quest for Healthier Living and Eating

Ed. Note: This is a cross-post from the Department of the Interior's Indian Affairs blog.

As the Acting Assistant Secretary-Indian Affairs, I have seen up close the wonderful progress that has been made regarding the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative and its specific engagement with Indian Country via Let’s Move! in Indian Country (LMIC).

Recently, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel discussion with White House Senior Policy Advisor for Native American Affairs Jodi Gillette. The panel showcased leaders from across Indian Country who have made significant contributions in addressing the health concerns of our nation. The event on June 1, 2012 commemorated the one-year anniversary of the Let’s Move! in Indian Country launch at the Menominee Reservation in Wisconsin and was streamed online from the White House.