Babson College’s Youth Entrepreneurship Program, offered through The Institute for Social Innovation, saw more than a dozen students, alumni and faculty spend their winter break in Tanzania, sharing their knowledge with students and communities in the Karatu area. As a Canon Solutions America (a wholly owned subsidiary of Canon U.S.A., Inc.) customer, this initiative was made possible thanks in part to Canon technology, keeping in line with the Kyosei philosophy of having all people harmoniously living and working together into the future.
Babson, located in Wellesley, Massachusetts, saw its dedicated contingent at work in the country from Dec. 31, 2023 through Jan. 8, 2024, where they taught the university’s Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® methodology. They documented the experience with Canon EOS M50 Mark II kits as well as the Canon PowerShot V10. Before the trip, Canon deployed Lisa Alford, vertical sales manager, to provide in-person instruction and tutorials for the cameras.
The Youth Entrepreneurship Program, offered through The Institute for Social Innovation, saw Babson volunteers (through a partnership with the Ganako School) work with more than 20 schools and more than a dozen communities in the Karatu area, providing instruction for under-resourced areas.
Additionally, the Babson students participated in a safari, providing real-world context to the educational mission. This entailed discussions regarding the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a workshop on managerial versus creative thinking, and, of course, seeking solutions for local issues in the community.
“We all know that teaching is one of the best ways to learn. Our Babson students and alumni give and gain so much throughout their time in Tanzania,” said Lisa Thomas, director, Social Impact and Sustainability at Babson College’s Institute for Social Innovation. “In addition to their support and instruction leading up to the trip, we are grateful to Canon for providing us with the ability to capture the profound experience and energy of both the Babson and Tanzanian students.”
Added Peter P. Kowalczuk, president of Canon Solutions America, “We are proud to contribute to the efforts of Babson College’s students in making an impact in the community. The photos taken during the trip can help provide greater perspective and context to their volunteer work and we are thrilled Canon Solutions America helped play a part in chronicling our customer’s efforts towards social innovation in Tanzania.”
