Sauder students in action at the grassroots level

The United Nations was founded in 1945 as an intergovernmental organization.  Its mandate is to maintain international peace and security, uphold human rights, and foster economic development. It is an organization with nations dealing with nations and big bureaucracies dealing with big bureaucracies. As a result, there will be political influences and alliances. The UN cannot relate to the problems of a small business on a localized level.

On the other hand, social entrepreneurs and the ARC Initiative are not big government bureaucracies.  Therefore, they are not influenced by political agendas or alliances. They work at the grassroots level with small businesses such as Salem’s Ethiopia Craft Boutique and Shega Shero Eatery.  These small businesses would never hit the radar of the United Nations, but are the exact type of businesses that will foster sustainability and self sufficiency for developing countries.  By providing micro-financing and facilitating the exchange of knowledge and business skills, such initiatives are building a better, sustainable world. By providing ARC participants with hands on experience in the real working environment, it truly is a mutually beneficial partnership that will grow.  The UN will never replace the indispensable role of social enterprise and ARC because it does not see the potential in small businesses and does not share the same vision and entrepreneurial spirit.