Ripples from the Zambezi: Passion, Entrepreneurship, and the Rebirth of Local Economies

n nNot your average (boring!) book on economic development, this is an inspired account of a revolutionary approach to revitalizing urban and rural economies, one person at a time. Through Enterprise Facilitation, depressed communities can build lasting hope and prosperity by first helping individuals recognize their talents and their business passion, and then provide the skills necessary to transform their dreams into meaningful and rewarding work. nAfter six years of economic development work in Africa, Ernesto Sirolli witnessed how little most foreign aid programs were actually doing for the people they hoped to help -- from creating a communal tomato field on the banks of the Zambezi river (only to be demolished by the river's hippos at harvest time) to donating snow-ploughs to African nations! However well intentioned, Sirolli points out, inappropriate development often creates more problems than it solves. Thus was the genesis of this exciting and unique alternative to traditional economic development termed 'Enterprise Facilitation' -- where depressed communities can build hope and prosperity by first helping individuals to recognise their talents and business passion, and then providing the skills to transform their dreams into meaningful and rewarding work. n nNot your average (boring!) book on economic development, this is an inspired account of a revolutionary approach to revitalizing urban and rural economies, one person at a time. Through Enterprise Facilitation, depressed communities can build lasting hope and prosperity by first helping individuals recognize their talents and their business passion, and then provide the skills necessary to transform their dreams into meaningful and rewarding work.