Chicago Global Citizens Group Makes an Impact in Developing Countries

Global Citizens Group Makes an Impact in Developing Countries
Reach Across Continents and Make a Difference
by Krisztina Kohlhaas, '08
Issue date: 4/19/07

Welcome new admits! The Co-Chairs of Chicago Global Citizens (CGC)
welcome you to the best two years of your life at the GSB. If you are
an internationally-minded philanthropic individual who wants to make a
positive impact on the world, CGC is for you. Not to mention, we take
a fabulous spring break trip every year to exotic destinations like
Kenya and Cambodia!
CGC was formed two years ago to address social and economic needs in
developing countries. Utilizing the skills and resources of the
Chicago GSB community, CGC has since organized several programs that
make a concrete, measurable impact in the developing world. In its
first year, CGC partnered with the non-profit Room to Read and raised
$30,000 to build libraries and other facilities for a school in
Cambodia. In addition, CGC members completed a micro-finance
institution consulting project to help Cambodian entrepreneurs secure
loans to grow their businesses.



Africa was CGC's geographic focus for the 2006-2007 academic year, and
what a year it was! Last fall, in partnership with the Millennium
Promise Foundation, CGC members designed an investment strategy for
ten African countries with the goal of balancing social impact with
financial return. Working with the Clinton Foundation, another CGC
team generated a business model for the roll-out of male circumcision
clinics, which have been shown to dramatically reduce the transmission
of HIV. Our activities culminated with a spring break trip to Kenya,
during which we met with several non- and for-profit businesses, as
well as government entities. We spent one day of our trip volunteering
at the Neema's Children's Home, an orphanage to over 50 youths. Thanks
to the generous donations of the GSB community, we collected over $500
in cash, which we used to paint the orphanage inside and out, and
donated almost 25 full backpacks of clothing, games, and school
supplies, for which the kids went absolutely wild! We topped off our
trip with a safari to Amboseli National Park, where we came face to
face with a vast array of animals, Maasai warriors, and Mt.
Kilimanjaro. It was the play hard to our work hard, and the grand
finale to CGC's impact on Africa.
CGC is a club that is going places and now is an excellent time to get
involved. We have tremendous amount of support from the Deans and the
GSB administration and are looking forward to great things in the
coming year. We will soon be announcing our geographic focus for the
2007-2008 year and determining our consulting projects for fall
quarter. Stay tuned!
For more information on Chicago Global Citizens and their work in
international development, please see www.chicagogc.org. Your Co-
Chairs:

Jessica Kieliszak - Andy Colmone - Krisztina Kohlhaas - Shariff
D'Souza - Shane Meredith

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