Teachers: Join our movement!
Bring Real-World Global Business Consulting To Your Classroom
Global Business Squads
Developed with professional consultants from Accenture and Deloitte to be the highest impact experiential learning program for Business classes.
LEARN HOW TO GET INVOLVED
Empower Entrepreneurs Abroad in Developing Economies
Students work alongside mentors from Accenture and our on-the-ground teams to provide probono consulting to microenterprises in under-resourced community partners. Students work to create business deliverables using our frameworks, present their findings to the entrepreneurs, and help capitalize new ideas to foster financial growth.
New TeleBusiness Program
Global Business TeleSquads directly propels students into an international consulting setting right from their homes. The program creates an engaging virtual experiential learning environment leveraging to build cultural competency and gain real-world international consulting practice with a tangible impact on the lives of aspiring entrepreneurs abroad.
Each Global Business Squad Includes
Consulting Microenterprises
Each Squad selects their client(s) such as artisans, farmers, and community banks from our waitlist.
Improving Access to Capital
Students advocate for clients and strengthen their borrower profile to access loans from community banks.
Financial Literacy Training
Students learn and deliver financial literacy workshops to help foster a culture of savings and responsible lending within the community.
Start-Up Costs
Program expenses include support with start-up costs or investments for the clients.
BUSINESS SQUADS PROVIDE STUDENTS:
A local coordinator and translators to support the entire program.
Customizable consulting deliverable templates for client presentations.
A professional mentor and lectures from local economic development experts.
Cross-cultural competency training to improve client interaction.
Local language instruction with business terminology.
Enriching and interactive cultural activities to foster relationships.
Where We Work
PANAMA
HONDURAS
GHANA
ABOUT BUSINESS SQUADS
Global Business Squads empower students to develop and apply business skills to foster long-term economic development with clients in partner communities. International and virtual programs can range from 1-8 weeks and include enrichment activities that build cultural competence inspired by the local population.
Each group has a donation goal to cover the expenses of the program. Donation goals vary by country and whether it is in-person or virtual. It covers all logistical expenses to implement the project such as transport, local staff, meals, insurance, accommodations and the year-round follow-up by our teams to make the project sustainable.
Each Squad needs a minimum of 6 volunteers and one faculty leader. Leaders participate without financial requirements.
Impact Stats*
Community-Owned Banks
Microenterprises Supported
of Capitalization for Microenterprises
Business Volunteers Mobilized
Current Business Projects
Corn Processing Mill
Corn Processing Mill
– Ekumfi Adansemaim, Ghana
Business Overview
Motivated by spoiling crops and excessive travel to process their corn, the members of Adansemaim donated community land and invested in a corn processing mill.
Economic Challenge
The community of Ekumfi Adansemaim had a working corn mill over four years ago but it broke down and was not reparable. Upon the mill breaking down, community members were constantly inconvenienced by being forced to travel going long distances to get their corn processed effecting their profit margin on what they were able to sell. This travel was not possible to do often and the wait normally led to the crop going bad.
Business Solution
In January 2013, the community agreed to give up a portion of community land for a corn mill project and put in all the necessary labor, sand and water necessary to build the structure to house the mill. The structure of the business comprises an executive committee of committed community members that runs the mill. People in specific positions overlook operational, financial and marketing tasks. All additional costs were taken as a loan from the Community Development Fund, which include other structural materials with an addition of the motor and the mill. The corn mill processing is doing great making a lot of profit to help with community projects.
Bakery
Bakery
– Ekumfi Ebuakwa, Ghana
Business Overview
Seeing a market opportunity and to save their fellow community members time and money to obtain basic baked goods, the community of Ekumfi Ebuakwa established a bakery business in May 2014.
Economic Challenge
In general, baked goods are hard to come by in the Ekumfi district. Community members had to go either to Mankessim (45 mins away for 8 GHS) or to Kasoa (90 mins away from 12 GHS), which is far and expensive for a simple trip to get some bread. The community of Ekumfi Ebuakwa had some individuals that were already semi-skilled in baking and saw an opportunity to produce bread in the community.
Business Solution
The community members came together to establish the bakery in May 2014. The bakery has three basic departments – production, distribution and finances. The production team handles all aspects of the production process managed by trained bakers in the community. The community shopkeepers’ act as distributors and the bakery manager in addition to operations handles the finances. The community gave up a portion of community land for the project and put in all the necessary labor, sand and water needed to build the structure to house the bakery. The rest of the financing came as a long-term loan from the Community Development Fund.
Next Steps
1: Replenish working capital after bad flour purchase
2: Tricycle to aid in distribution
Chair & Canopy Rental
Chair & Canopy Rental
– Ekumfi Egyankwa, Ghana
Business Overview
To serve the market for cultural events in the region, the community of Ekumfi Egyankwa started a Chair and Canopy Rental business in May 2013.
Economic Challenge
In Ghana and specifically the Ekumfi district, festivals, wedding ceremonies, outdooring and funerals play a key role in the culture of the people. These cultural activities require a space and basic shade and seating like similar events around the world. Obtaining simple things like seats and canopies was difficult and expensive in the region.
Business Solution
In May 2013 with Global Brigades support the community of Ekumfi Egyankwa was able to establish a Chair & Canopy Rental business. The rental business has two basic departments – marketing and finance. The marketing team handles all advertisement and promotion of the business. They serve as the front-runners in the customer relationship management process. The finance manager is in charge of the finances of the business. The business is doing incredibly well since they have grown the business from only three (3) canopies and chairs to eleven (11) canopies.
Next Steps
1: Expand services based on customer demands
2: Explore chair and mattress rentals
