Social Entrepreneur Information:
Name: SIR EDWARD A. ARTIS
Organization: KNIGHTSBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL
Email Address:
Telephone Number: 818.903.9945
Fax Number: 818.716.9494
Physical Address: P.O. Box 4394, West Hills CA 91307
What problem is the social entrepreneur addressing?
Hunger, poverty, health care, education, ravages of war on children and women, sustainable energy for remote clinics and schools, human trafficking, severe medical issues/suffering re children…
What makes this individual a social entrepreneur?
Read the following narrative (below) … this individual doesn’t have the office, staff, administrative overhead (or support)… but is the VERY definition of social entrepreneur to have done an astounding amount of humanitarian work throughout the world, under the most dire and challenging circumstances. In fact, Knightsbridge has gone places no other organization would consider.
As of Monday, January 3, 2005, 3 members of the Knightsbridge International team, Robert Marcarelli, Dr. James Laws. and Ed Artis departed on a two-week relief mission to India, Sri Lanka and Sumatra. Knightsbridge International has been invited to participate in this massive long-term relief effort by Mission Organizers Dr. K A Paul of The Global Peace Initiative (www.globalpeacenow.com), owners and operators of the only privately owned 747 and Larry Jones of Feed the Children (www.feedthechildren.org) in the delivery of a private 747 full of relief items, including medicines donated by Knightsbridge and partner NGO, MedPharm, (www.medpharm.net) as well as coordinating the future delivery of at least four additional shipments to the region, also by air.
Relentless, oppressive and ongoing lack of basic food items, cursory shelter, necessary medical care, and education has been identified a serious human rights issue by Knightsbridge International (and others). It is difficult to encourage people to pursue and maintain any sort of basic human rights agenda without the most essential and critical elements of survival.
Knightsbridge International’s main objective is to provide relief through their efforts to allow for basic human rights. Their missions are often provoked by the end result of human rights violations – i.e., war, government discord (overthrown leaders, rise of religious fanaticism), corruption, misappropriation of public funds/resources, denial of rights (working, voting, education, healthcare), as well as natural disasters.
Many groups spend time, money and efforts analyzing (qualitative/quantitative research) crisis scenarios which can result in valuable information and statistics, however, Knightsbridge is about action – determining a need, setting objectives for a mission, collaborating with other groups, pooling various resources, and getting something done – often within a timeframe of mere days - getting in quickly, when the need is the greatest and when their efforts will have the most impact. Not just identifying a need, but doing something about it – just not enough to recognize hunger – people need to be fed, and be provided the resources to feed themselves. If you feed and shelter people, provide basic medical care, educate them – essentially give them the tools to survive and sustain life, this is what allows not only for survival and dignity, but for human rights issues to be addressed.
There is no set “litmus test” and areas selected for Knightsbridge International’s attention are not necessarily front-page news. Aid can be prioritized through various sources – contact people in regions of need (doctors/clinicians, teachers, other aid groups, politicians, village leaders), as well as other aid groups calling attention to a situation and contacting Knightsbridge for assistance. Sometimes the media will play a role in bringing to our collective attention a crisis in a remote region, but often it is a direct plea for help (to Knightsbridge) that sets into motion the intricate and labor-intensive steps which must be taken to carry out a successful mission and effect positive change.
Knightsbridge has involved in the following ongoing missions:
· Afghanistan. Water wells, solar panels for schools, medical clinics and newly established (post Taliban) businesses; also facilitating interaction between domestic and international women’s groups to aide Afghanistan women
· Nicaragua. Schools and medical supplies as well as solar power panels (sustainable energy source) to provide energy for schools and clinics
· Philippines. Great need for medical supplies as there have been recent and ongoing aggressive human rights violations due to extremist (competing) groups
· Nepal. Medical supplies (extremely difficult given their current and ongoing political situation of unrest and violence)
· Viet Nam. Building rural medical clinics and providing initial supplies
· Cambodia. Medical and education supplies
· Mongolia. Medical and education supplies
What could be MORE innovative than limitless opportunity to do the work of a knight? To have not have to negotiate an endless labyrinth of conformist middle management-types who want to discourage? At Knightsbridge it is always "why not?" instead of "why?"
Innovation is a common theme as it is the foundation of what they OFFER to the children and people they seek to help. Critical to their work is NOT to come in an offer some one-time, stopgap, "feel good/photo op" moment, but to provide lasting change - the idea of not just a meal, but enough wheat to last months, not just roaming doctor providing some on-the-go health service, but a clinic with donated equipment and supplies to continue to provide long after the knights leave. What could be more innovative to co-joined infants or a child with a catastrophic disorder to receive the medical attention/surgery they need to not only survive, but to have a life?
Please visit www.kbi.org for more information.
For a DVD of media clips re KBI, please contact me.
Does the social entrepreneur have a project on www.globalgiving.com? No.