Acumen Monthly Newsletter - Extra Credit

 Acumen Monthly Newsletter - Extra Credit

1. Lessons from Community Based Companies in Colombia

1. I chose this article to read because I was interested in learning about what a “community based business” was. When I first read the words, it seemed pretty intuitive, like something that resembled one of the AMDP proposals. However, I still wanted to learn more, and I was surprised by what I read in this article! Community based businesses are for-profit entities that are wholly owned and operated by local communities to provide sustainable livelihood solutions to local farmers. The overview for the article said that these are a growing endeavor, and that they have been so efficient that they could one day replace the traditional government aid structure that we see today. From an IR perspective, this is so cool because one of the constant issues that I learn about is sustainable development, and I had never heard of this solution before (I will definitely be telling my economic development professor about this article)! I am actually working on a 20 page thesis about how to solve issues regarding wars breaking our over resources, and I am going to fully incorporate this into my solutions section.

2. I read about all 7 CBBs mentioned in the report, and the one I found most interesting was the Campo Dulce. I love honey and thought it was so cool that the central plant helps provide market access to smaller farmers. I also liked seeing how Campo Dulce was one of the projects that received the most funding, and collaborated with a global development fund to start the initiative to provide cash, land, and tools. I think that this blended funding technique, involving an outside organization, is key to he;ping development in these rural areas because it deters them from seeing funding from criminal groups or elites, which tends to fuel conflict. In my IR research, I also learned that hiring and payments are one of the greatest reasons that normal people join rebel/war groups, so the fact that these CBBs help create other ways of making a living is key to promoting peace.

3. Overall, I loved this article and am so happy I stumbled upon it. If I do end up using it in my research (which I am thinking I will) I will definitely send you the final essay!

2. Acumen Healthcare Report

1. Next, I did a deep dive into their healthcare report to learn more about what kinds of healthcare initiatives they are working on. I was interested in this because I am doing Tia Healthcare for my AMDP proposal, which is a private concierge women's clinic. Although Tia’s main goal is a bit different from the Acumen projects (which serve low income communities mostly), it still focuses heavily on accessibility and inclusivity in medicine, which is something that I am passionate about. As I browsed the different cases, I loved seeing how diverse they were, and how Acumen seeks to support innovative programs that coordinate across the Medicaid ecosystem to serve patients.

2. The report taught me so much. I had no idea the extent to which healthcare debt and lack of access affected the American population, and was so shocked to learn that 79 million Americans depend on Medicaid. This shows how important it is to boost the quality and accessibility of healthcare in the U.S. and beyond. My favorite part of their overall healthcare initiative was the “centering the consumer voice” section. I, personally, don't enjoy going to the doctor because I feel like my needs and concerns are never really heard or taken seriously. I can only imagine that this feeling is worse for others, and the fact that Acumen works to center the patient and the clinic needs in all of their projects and partnerships is so important. 

3. Within the report, there were a handful of case studies to read. My favorite one to learn about was the “Our Family Clinic” page that focused on Acumen's support of a convenient and accessible clinic in India. To me, the coolest thing about this clinic was the fact that it offered such a range of services that included holistic care, as that was important to the target population. It was inspiring to see that the company was innovating to make healthcare accessible, but that it was also adapting to the needs and wants of the population, in order to get them the treatments that that needed along with the holistic care that is often not included with government funded clinics.