FAQ

How can I Get Involved?
What does ‘Ayllu’ mean?
Why Brazil?
How do we Define ‘Social Enterprise’?

• Have another question? Post a comment!

How can I Get Involved?

To volunteer, email me at melissa@aylluinitiative.org.

Our team is 100% volunteer-based and there are differing levels of involvement from helping us write thank you notes to hosting fundraisers or doing pro bono work.

• Fundraising: You can do an Ayllu Challenge Grant, challenging friends and family to raise a set amount ($500, $1,000, etc). Or you could Host a Fundraiser at your local place of worship, school, community center, etc.
• Projects: We always have a need for various volunteer projects. Examples include graphic design, accounting, or outreach.
• Do you have a Good Idea? If you have a specific skillset or project in mind, let us know! We are very open to different kinds of volunteer engagement!  top

What does ‘Ayllu’ mean?

Ayllu means ‘community’ and it is pronounced ‘i-you’. Indigenous communities in the Andes are called Ayllus. We named ourselves after the ingenuity, sustainability, and solidarity that characterizes the Ayllu community system.

The Ayllu structure helped people survive in the harsh Andean climate. The community set aside percentages of land, goods, and livestock for community use. These reserves were distributed as a subsidy to needy individuals and they were also used in times of hardship. This redistribution system acted as a buffer against deep poverty. The community members lived at different altitudes, raising crops and livestock that could only survive at certain heights. The Ayllus came together throughout the year to trade goods and this enabled the community to produce enough resources to prosper in the region. The most famous Ayllu is the Inca who lived in modern-day Peru and dominated Ayllus throughout the Andes. Today, Ayllus still exist, but their structure has changed significantly.  top

Why Brazil?

Brazil is an enabling environment for proof of concept and for expanding to other parts of the world.

• Brazil is at the forefront of the sustainability movement, which has permeated all levels of society from the federal government to education to the private sector. It is also one of the most advanced climates for microfranchising.
• Unlike many countries struggling with poverty, Brazil has a well-functioning infrastructure for business, healthcare, technology, etc. Brazil has one of the largest gaps between rich and poor, so there are services aplenty for those who can pay. This infrastructure will bolster Ayllu even though the low-income people we target have limited access to it.
• Given its diversity and leadership in sustainability, Brazil is a great incubator for expansion to other environments from India to The Philippines to low-income communities in America.
• For the past 10 years Melissa has studied and worked in Latin America. She has a strong personal and professional network not only in Brazil, but throughout the continent. top

How do we Define ‘Social Enterprise’?

Our criteria for social enterprises to be considered for our portfolio:

We are looking for profitable businesses in which the product or service solves a social and/or environmental problem at the root.

We are interested in what the business produces, not just who it employs. We are looking for business models in which profit and social impact are fully, even seamlessly, integrated. top