Inspired to create social change
March 3, 2017
Share
In late January, the Dunin-Deshpande Queen鈥檚 Innovation Centre (DDQIC) led a delegation of students from Queen鈥檚 University to attend the Development Dialogue 2017 Conference in Hubballi, India.
The delegation consisted of student alumni of the Queen鈥檚 Innovation Centre Summer Initiative (QICSI) program, representatives from student-led conferences and members of the DDQIC executive. The conference, hosted by the Deshpande Foundation, not only allowed the group to have the opportunity to engage in panels regarding global entrepreneurship but the delegation also had the chance to visit the sites of a variety of NGOs and start-ups that are leading social innovation in the region.
Included amongst the delegates was Kerry Readwin, a Queen鈥檚 student and co-founder of Northsprout, a QICSI initiative that is developing a soil additive to improve water efficiency and increasing crop yields.
鈥淭he entrepreneurial drive I saw to create an impact in people鈥檚 day-to-day lives reminded me of the importance of staying true to the mission of your business endeavours,鈥 says Ms. Readwin. 鈥淭he network of people all over the world trying to make our world a better place is truly inspiring. I can鈥檛 wait to take what I have learned and use it to drive my own startup forward.鈥
This sentiment was also shared by another Queen鈥檚 delegate, Louisa Walch, co-chair of Enactus Queen鈥檚, a community of student, academic and business leaders committed to using the power of entrepreneurial action to transform and build a more sustainable future at both Queen鈥檚 and the broader community.
鈥淭he challenges we face in Canada are different than in India, but there are still many that exist. The Deshpande Foundation inspired me to think positively about the ability to make change happen, and to commit time on eradicating identified issues,鈥 says Ms. Walch.
It is clear that the conference has motivated both young women to look beyond their immediate scope and advocate for ethical change to build sustainable initiatives and create social change within their communities.
For more information visit the .