MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: The Microenterprise and Development Institute (MDI) Moves to the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire (UNH), Program Renamed the Sustainable Microenterprise and Development Program (SMDP)

The Microenterprise and Development Institute (MDI), a US-based microfinance training program, has moved from Southern New Hampshire University to the Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire (UNH). The program is now called the Sustainable Microenterprise and Development Program (SMDP). The program will continue to offer microfinance and enterprise development field training, as well as introducing sustainable development concepts. SMDP will be offering training programs in 2010 in the US and Tanzania.

The new institutional sponsor, the Carsey Institute, conducts national and regional policy research on vulnerable children, youth and families and offers training programs on sustainable community development.

By: Christine Chang, Research Associate

Source press release submitted by the Sustainable Microenterprise and Development Program:

ANNOUNCING THE SUSTAINABLE MICROENTERPRISE AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (SMDP)

The Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire (UNH) is pleased to announce that the Microenterprise and Development Institute, known as the MDI, has moved from Southern New Hampshire University UNH and Bill Maddocks has been named the Coordinator of the new initiative. Our new program is called the Sustainable Microenterprise and Development Program (SMDP) and will carry on the eleven year track record of providing high quality microfinance and enterprise development training for the field.

The goal of the SMDP is to pioneer a curriculum that reaches across disciplines and silos to build an orientation to sustainability that engages practitioners, entrepreneurs and communities into becoming leaders in the response to economic, social and environmental challenges. We will continue to offer a solid microfinance and enterprise development training curriculum and we will be introducing sustainable development concepts as well.

We will be offering training programs in 2010 – Click here to view postcard (PDF):

  • May 31- June 12, 2010, Durham, NH
    (on the University of New Hampshire campus)
  • October 11- October 23, 2010, Zanzibar, Tanzania

 

Our new institutional sponsor the Carsey Institute conducts national and regional policy research on vulnerable children, youth, and families and offers training programs on sustainable community development. The University of New Hampshire has a very significant commitment to environmental sustainability through its Office of Sustainability and is nationally recognized as a Sustainable Learning Community — a land grant, sea grant, and space grant university that unites the spirit of discovery with the challenge of sustainability across its Curriculum, Operations, Research and Engagement (CORE) through initiatives designed around four key systems that underpin our ability to define and pursue quality of life:

  • Biodiversity Education Initiative (BEI): Committed to being a Biodiversity Protection Campus that promotes ecological and public health through the protection of biodiversity and ecosystem integrity.

 

  • Climate Education Initiative (CEI): Committed to being a Climate Protection Campus that pursues a sustainable energy future through emissions reduction policies, practices, research, and education (we actually pump methane through a 13 mile pipeline that is used for much of the university’s heating and other energy needs).

 

  • Food & Society Initiative (FAS): Committed to being a Sustainable Food Community that promotes healthy food systems from farm to fork to health and nutrition outcomes.

 

  • Culture & Sustainability Initiative (CAS): Committed to being a Cultural Development Campus that promotes a culture of sustainability through a dedication to community, diversity, citizen engagement, public arts, and the conservation and sustainable development of cultural and natural resources.

 

The SMDP offers a global faculty of the most experienced practitioner trainers in the field including: Mr. Hugh Allen, VSL Associates; Mr. Jeffrey Ashe, Oxfam USA; Mr. Alejandro Escobar; Mr. Kadry Furany, CARE Canada; Dr. Malcolm Harper, Cranfield School of Management, Ms. Fiona Macaulay, Making Cents International, Mr. Lemmy Manje, MEDA; Ms. Rose Mwaniki, Ms. Aba Quainoo; Mr. Vinod Parmeshwar, Oxfam USA; Ms. Beth Porter, Making Cents International; Ms. Alexandra Snelgrove, MEDA; Mr. Michael Spingler, Chemonics; Dr. Michael Swack, Carsey Institute/UNH; and many more. 

Additional Resources:

Sustainable Microenterprise and Development Program website: http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/smdp

Carsey Institute at the University of New Hampshire website: http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu/

University of New Hampshire website: http://www.unh.edu/

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