Leila Janah & Marie Forleo: Fighting Global Poverty Through Technology

TL;DR

Sama Group, a non-profit organization, uses impact sourcing to fight global poverty by providing job opportunities to individuals in poverty-stricken areas through the digital economy.

Transcript

Hey, it’s Marie Forleo and you are watching MarieTV, the place to be to create a business and life you love. An idea that I hold close to my heart is the fact that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. And we’ve recently begun working with Sama Group, an organization whose mission is to fight global poverty through technology. If you’ve ever... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫒 Talent is universal, but opportunity is not. Sama Group aims to provide job opportunities to individuals living in poverty through impact sourcing.
• 💦 Poverty is often misunderstood, and many people living in extreme poverty have the potential to work in the digital economy and improve their lives.
• 💨 Impact sourcing is a way to address social problems through business decisions, emphasizing the importance of outcomes and social mission.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Leila Janah become inspired to create Sama Group?

While working on an outsourcing project in India, Leila met a young man from a poverty-stricken area who was able to work in the new digital economy. This experience challenged her understanding of poverty and inspired her to create Sama Group.

Q: How did Leila Janah turn her idea into a reality?

After receiving funding and support from her employer, Leila spent two years developing a business plan and securing partnerships. She eventually received a grant, which allowed her to quit her job and launch Sama Group.

Q: What is impact sourcing?

Impact sourcing is the practice of making sourcing decisions based on social impact in addition to quality. It involves deliberately choosing vendors with a social mission, and it helps address social problems through business decisions rather than relying solely on donations.

Q: What metrics does Sama Group track?

Sama Group focuses on outcome metrics, such as the number of people moved out of poverty and the impact on their quality of life. They aim to measure the effectiveness of their programs in terms of the positive outcomes they bring.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Sama Group, founded by Leila Janah, connects women and youth living in poverty to microwork opportunities that generate life-changing income.

• SamaSource has moved over 20,000 people out of poverty by providing them with computer-based tasks that build skills and provide income.

• Sama Group also operates SamaHope, a crowdfunding site for medical treatments in developing countries.