What's IN: Acumen Fund's Jacqueline Novogratz In Tokyo

 Novogratz speaks in Japan April 20-24, 2010.

This Spring, Japan Society and the Tokyo Foundation cosponsored two public speaking events in Tokyo featuring Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder and CEO of Acumen Fund and a member of the Society's U.S.-Japan Innovators Network (IN).  At the sold out events, Jacqueline spoke about Acumen Fund, the organization she founded in 2001, and its work to break the cycle of poverty by enlisting the market and its tools to achieve long-term social change.

Transcripts from the symposium, Where the Market and Morality Intersect: A New Approach to World Poverty, on April 21 have been posted on the Tokyo Foundation website in both English and Japanese.  Japan Society also hosted an intimate breakfast with Japanese IN members.

Jacqueline’s visit to Japan coincided with the recent release of her book, The Blue Sweater in Japanese.  Featured at a Japan Society public lecture in New York, the memoir follows her transformation from a young idealistic woman working in Africa to one of today’s most inspiring social entrepreneurs.

The number of media outlets who interviewed Jacqueline while she was in Japan is a reflection of the great interest in social entrepreneurship in Japan.  In addition to numerous interviews with print media, she was also interviewed by NHK and was a featured speaker at the Japan National Press Club.

B.B.

News Blast

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Slime Mold Grows Network Just Like Tokyo Rail System

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Poverty in Japan (Editorial)

Now that the administration has announced its base figure for the first time, it will have a clear, public benchmark. Once ministries start announcing statistics, academic researchers, independent organizations and the press can check these figures. That will help to hold the current and future administrations accountable. Admitting the problem is the first, big step, but finding solutions is the more important second step.