Unsung Heroes Profiles from the Master in Social Entrepreneurship

In Hult’s Master of Social Entrepreneurship (MSE) program, individuals from all over the world come together to learn how to solve critical social issues, do good, and hone their business savvy. These students have made the decision to â€Å"go down a road not yet taken†. Along the way, they face challenges, get far out of their comfort zones, and push their limits to make an impact on the lives of others. This series is about their stories. Artur Sousa is from Rà ­o de Janeiro, Brazil. Sousa has extensive experience in NGO management, and working with under-represented communities to raise leprosy awareness, also known as Hansen’s Disease, in his native country. RQ: Artur, I know you pretty well. You are a hard worker, and have an interesting background. Please tell us about it. AS: I began my career in a couple of different fields—baked good sales, running errands as an office worker, and acting. As my acting gigs improved, and I got better, an NGO selected me to raise awareness about leprosy, tuberculosis, and STDs using theater as a medium. I was part of a team of actors that put on sketches in underserved communities, anywhere we could get space. I fell in love with using my acting skills to improve other people’s lives. In time, I became a project manager at the NGO. I provided workshops on leprosy, and had the chance to pay it forward by coaching others on using theater to educate people on domestic abuse, family values, and other topics. RQ: For our readers, it is important to mention that leprosy is still a major healthcare issue in many developing countries, although the majority of the cases are in India and Brazil. In Brazil, 36,000 new cases develop annually. Some of the contributing factors for this include the fact that many educated people lack awareness of the disease; people still believe it no longer exists. Theres also a lack of commitment by the government to raise awareness and eradicate it. Education and proper treatment are the only ways the disease will disappear. Artur, you worked for quite awhile with a highly-esteemed NGO called MORHAN (a direct translation is â€Å"Movement to Reintegrate People Affected by Leprosy†), which has been widely recognized, and won a series of awards. Please tell us more about it. AS: Working with MORHAN was my first experience educating people on healthcare issues. It’s an impressive organization, and I’m lucky to have worked with them. I managed projects for them even before I began my undergraduate program, which taught me a lot before I started school. For example, I was in charge of procurement, which required me to generate legal documents that defined the bid process for suppliers; I also managed those relationships. In 2009, I received a sizeable grant to organize the first national conference on youth and leprosy. I also managed the â€Å"International Congress of Leprosy and Human Rights,† in its first year. Essentially, I wore many hats, working with suppliers, planning events, and coordinating speakers and logistics. Having a lot of responsibility early on helped me gain skills and confidence in my abilities. It was pretty exciting. One of the highlights of my time with MORHAN was leading a team that organized a fundraising event in 2010, which brought in about $2.5 million. We got a famous Brazilian singer, Ney Matogrosso, to sing for free at the Municipal Theater of Rio, which is quite a classy venue. It was a two-day event, pretty novel for the time. On the first night of the event, Ney sang for Rio’s elite, and on the second night, to patients of leprosy, allowing them to enjoy the spectacle and feel the support. It was a great success, and it allowed us to fund other projects all over Brazil. RQ: That’s impressive! You’ve shown me pictures of the event. How did it feel to go from being onstage, as an actor, to being the mastermind behind the scenes? AS: I hadn’t thought about it before, to be honest. A lot of recognition goes to the â€Å"faces† rather than to the â€Å"hands†, or the coordinators. I’m usually too into the event to worry about that while it is happening. I did miss a bit of the recognition for me and my team. But when I stop to reflect after the fact, I’m comfortable with it. As an actor I saw that a production’s success depended on the cameraman, or the spotlight operator, for example, and they hardly ever get the recognition they deserved. RQ: This is an important point to bring up, since social entrepreneurship has a lot to do with â€Å"behind the scenes† coordination. AS: True, and there’s a lot of thankless work. People don’t see the process. Generally, they just see the finished product. And when it comes to results of social impact projects, whether fundraising or projects like outreach and awareness, the social enterprise sphere is subject to even harsher criticism. We had serious problems when we raised a lot of money. People would say, â€Å"You’re an NGO, you don’t need that kind of money.† Even patients were frustrated sometimes, thinking that we could solve all their problems at once. And while I’m proud of the work we did on diagnostic clinics for leprosy, hospital renovations, among other things, sometimes these projects unearthed   even more problems. It was a real challenge to maintain transparency, as there was always the presumption of guilt and corruption rather than integrity. RQ: Keeping in mind that people working toward social impact might face challenges, criticism, and thankless work, what advice would you give to keep them going through the rough patches? AS: Passion. When you lose passion, you just can’t handle the criticism. You need the love for what you’re doing. Because we’re social entrepreneurs, we sometimes assume that anything that’s social is enough for us. But there’s a necessity to work on what you’re passionate about. If you love working in education, you might just burn out trying to do your best in healthcare, for example. Play to your strengths, keep the passion going, and love what you do every day. RQ: I’ve never heard wiser words coming out of your mouth. Thanks so much! Ramà ³n Quià ±ones is part of the MSE Program at Hult San Francisco, and is a part of the Hult Global Ambassadors team. His passion lies in storytelling and technology in education, and hopes to do his classmates justice with these profiles. Kickstart your career right next door to Silicon Valley by studying at Hults San Francisco business school. To find out more, take a look at our blog Hult scores in top 20 in The Economist’s Which MBA? ranking for 2019. Download a brochure or get in touch today to find out how Hult can help you to learn about the business world, the future, and yourself. Related posts Academics Beyond (narrow) business concepts: â€Å"Soft† skills turn out to be critical skills News Building success: Dual Degree students win at USASBE Community How going beyond business at Hult helped me launch my company Admissions Accepted Students Weekend: A weekend to remember Careers Career mapping: How to become an executive in the next 5 years 0 Thought leadership How to prepare for an uncertain future in a world of AI Instagram Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Hult Rotation offers you a chance to study in a truly global way. Our rotation program allows you to study and be immersed in some of the finest cities in the world. 📠¸: @jasminmanzano . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . Each year, Hult seeks to enroll a talented and ambitious incoming class from all over the world. We look for diverse students with a wide range of experiences, perspectives, and interests—students who will thrive in our unique educational atmosphere. Are you ready for a truly global experience? 📠¸: @iambrunadiniz . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . We’re excited to start 2020 on a ranking high! Hult is proud to have been placed #28 in Poets Quants 2020 rankings for Best Undergraduate Business Schools in the US. Taking a huge leap of 32 places from our 2019 position, we’re also very happy to have secured top positions in key categories like: life-changing experience, practicality of the degree, and global immersion. . With five global campuses, a student body of over 130 nationalities, and a learn-by-doing approach—Hult offers a student experience like no other. . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . â€Å"I’m from an engineering background and needed a whole new skill set for the industry I wanted to switch to. I learned a lot about myself and how I deal with being out of my comfort zone. I learned both soft and hard skills, from how to work in very diverse teams to key accounting metrics and strategy. I was surprised by how weak I was at certain tasks in English or how strong I actually was in other areas. Hult gave me opportunities to try new things and meet people from places I never thought I would have friends. . My internship experiences gave me the chance to broaden my view of different cultures and different companies. I had the opportunity to work and live with people whose values differed from people in my home country. I thought that this would be difficult, but it gave me the chance to reflect on my own values and assess if they were a result of my home country environment or if they were intrinsically mine. . Diederick ter Kulve (@diederick.terkulve) Netherlands Masters in International Business . Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021 Say a big hello to our Bachelor of Business Administration program cover star, Elisa Orus Plana âÅ" ¨ . â€Å"I’m excited for the future—especially that I cant predict whats going to happen. Maybe Ill end up in Mexico working for a trading company or maybe in Africa, developing my own business. Everything is possible, and the options are constantly changing. I love the idea that Im never going to be stuck doing the same job until the end of my life if I dont want it to be like this. . Hult really supports me and my ambitions and truly believes that we deserve to be considered as professionals as well as students. Here, I get to express not just my opinions but all elements of myself. From my creative side with the Fashion Society to my finance and business sides in Trading Club and the Management Consulting Club. We get a different type of learning here. Not just essential knowledge and theory, but practical skills and mindset. The school is always evolving. We’re encouraged to innovate and to always look for new ways of doing traditional things. We learn how to be more confident and become aware of how we can impact our environment. The school aims to help you become a better version of yourself and to stand out from the crowd.â€Å" . Elisa Orus Plana French Bachelor of Business Administration Class of 2021"> During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. During the final days of 2019, you probably reflected on what you’ve accomplished this year—and even this decade—and what you’d like to achieve in 2020. Let us know in the comments below. â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"The first time we did group work on the program, I went head-to-head with a colleague. It taught me a lot about how I see people, how people see me, and how conflict can be resolved in a kind and productive way. The best feedback you get, when delivered constructively, is the most critical because it really feeds into how you lead. I’ve completely reversed my leadership style—the result is so much richer and more powerful when you lead from behind and lead with strength. . Studying in tandem with working, whilst challenging, gave me the perfect platform to directly apply learning concepts into my business environment, the competitive landscape, and the real-estate industry as a whole. When I started the program, I was very happy in my corporate role. But my courage and aspirations grew to the point that I took on a whole new direction. Having my career coach, Joanna, as a sounding board allowed me to really be strategic and get to know myself. She coached me thro ugh all the interviews, the research, and the questions. It went in parallel with what I was doing academically and after six months everything just clicked. . I went into the EMBA knowing I had nothing to lose and I’ve come out with everything. Great strength, global friends, amazing learning, mentors from professors, a job I love, and the knowledge that I can set my mind to achieve anything and with the right support and resources I’ll get there.† . Kashani Wijetunga British, New Zealand Sri Lankan Associate Director Senior Strategy Consultant CBRE EMBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . â€Å"It was now or never. I knew that I’d have likely stayed in my neighborhood for years to come if I didn’t take this opportunity. I’d not lived or studied outside of the U.S. before. So I left my job as a global strategist at an advertising agency and moved halfway around the world. I’ve come back a more culturally aware, well-versed person. I’ve realized that everything is a learning experience and an opportunity for growth. Ill definitely carry this mindset with me into the future. Technology and social media allow us to be different people in several places at once. Im excited to see how I can establish myself in whatever city Ill be lucky enough to call home and still maintain deep connections with people all over the world. I’m inspired by my classmates every day. Hearing some of their life stories and how getting this degree fits into their greater mission has been very humbling. My biggest challenge has been finding the ‘right’ path for me. There have been rooms Ive felt like I shouldnt be in, but now Im proud to feel as though I truly belong, wherever I am.† . Dwayne Logan, Jnr. American MBA Class of 2019 . Happy New Year, Hultians! . Happy New Year, Hultians! .