Projects

A pilot project is running in Asia, called "BROADENING THE ALOE DIALOGUE IN ASIA: PILOT TEST OF THE ALOE STRATEGY"

Here is a quick presentation:

The project aims to pilot test in Asia a methodology for contextualizing and implementing the three main strategies of ALOE in Asia. It shall involve 18 project stakeholders in 11 Asian countries and the members of the ALOE Coordination and Facilitation Committee who shall collectively design and implement sustainable RPSE (responsible, plural & solidarity economy) models.

The attractiveness of the RPSE models to socially responsible investors (SRIs) shall be tested by submitting them for funding support to the Asia Pacific Solidarity Invest Program. Project stakeholders shall reflect on the reactions of SRIs by sharing their thoughts through the ALOE website. The electronic discussions shall be open for participation by ALOE members and non-members who register for ALOE discussions in the ALOE website. The project completion report shall highlight the lessons learned.

(i) ALOE Network of Thinkers and Influencers

A rich source for the ALOE network of thinkers and influencers in Asia are the organizations and individuals from 27 countries (15 of which were from Asia-Pacific region) that participated in the Asian Forum for Solidarity Economy (October 2007, Manila, Philippines).

Among the Asian countries represented in the Asian Forum, one or two participants from each of the following countries shall be encouraged to join the ALOE network: South Asia - India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka; Southeast Asia – Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand; East Asia – China and Japan. This number comprises more than half of the Asian countries represented in Asian Forum 2007, thereby promising a great diversity of prospective ALOE thinkers and influencers in Asia in terms of culture, language, socio-economic and political orientation, and lifetime experience.

(ii) Elaboration and Testing of RPSE Business Models

Each project stakeholder shall identify and elaborate one (1) RPSE business model in his/her locality, following a standard format for reporting/case writing to be developed through the project. The RPSE business model should be realistic and have great potential for sustainability, significant contribution to social development as well as to environmental justice. The viability of the RPSE business model shall be put to a “market test” by submitting it to the Asia Pacific Solidarity Invest Program for possible support by socially responsible investors (SRIs).

The Asia Pacific Solidarity Invest Program is an initiative of CSRSME Asia which is currently being promoted among SRIs in Europe, the U.S., and Asia.

(iii) Dialogue, Exchange of ideas, & Communication

An important consideration for disseminating the RPSE business models to SRIS is to elicit broader discussions on these models not only among the project stakeholders but also between them and the stakeholders of the APSI Program. Such discussions will be driven by the need to understand why certain RPSE business models attract SRI support and why others fail to convince the SRIs about their sustainability. Discussions that are driven by concrete need are the wellspring for innovations.

It is quite likely that the interface between the project stakeholders and the APSI Program stakeholders (including the SRIs) would trigger the development of effective tools and field practices that could provide evidence and affirm that “another economy is possible, not only as a complementary, but as an alternative to the prevailing economic order”.

The project stakeholders shall convene as a team for the first time at the CSRSME Asia regional conference scheduled on March 10-13, 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is expected that, by the time of the regional conference, each project stakeholder shall have prepared a RPSE business model to be scheduled for conference presentation and discussion.

At the conference, there shall be one consolidated presentation of the RPSE business models. It shall highlight the main features of the RPSE business models which set them apart from non-RPSE business models. What makes the RPSE business models unique and sustainable? How do they provide an alternative approach to prevailing profit-oriented business models.

An electronic dialogue shall run for 6 months afterwards.

(iv) Dissemination of Pilot Project Results– Implications for ALOE

The electronic discussions of the pilot project shall be open not only to the project stakeholders and APSI Program stakeholders but also to other ALOE network members, as well as to non-members who register for participation in the electronic discussion. This open-dialogue approach generates several beneficial results. First, the project enables the ALOE dialogue circle to become larger as it extends discussions to a broad number of interested parties. Second, while the project itself is being subject to discussions, there will be an opportune time for participants to know the project processes and procedure adopted by ALOE in its Call for Proposals, oversight of ongoing projects, and project closure.

Third and finally, discussions of concrete RPSE business models are themselves an attraction for other donors to seriously consider support to ALOE. Even as it is being implemented, the pilot project can therefore serve as a model for other members who wish to submit a proposal for ALOE funding support. The ALOE CFC can refer to the pilot project when it explains the format for writing a project proposal , the processes/procedure for oversight of ongoing project, and project closure.