Giving back to society. ValuStrat Pro-Bono Advisory works with foundations, philanthropists, companies, non-governmental organisations, social entrepreneurs and social investors to help them rethink their goals and realign their strategies to achieve greater social impact. We offer our full suite of strategy services to social organisations, working in all sectors. And we do it all, free of cost.

The ValuStrat Pro-Bono Advisory division was founded in 2012 as a part of ValuStrat’s commitment to society and its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts. The division represents ValuStrat’s core values and commitment towards the improvement of community.

We help non-profits drive social impact, free of cost. Only 1 out of 10 NGO’s deliver real significant value. The two main reasons why non-profits fail to make a difference are:

> The goals of the board, management, staff, investors and founders are not aligned

> They do not have a clear direction towards their goals while trying to manage stakeholders expectations


We help non-profits set clear objectives, understand their environment, evaluate available resources and devise suitable strategies for them to achieve superior social returns. We aim to replicate structures from the for profit world into the non-profit world to drive and measure social value.

If you are a part of a foundation, philanthropist organisation, non-governmental organisation or are a social entrepreneur/investor, and would like to engage our Pro-Bono Advisory team, please get in touch with us at probono@valustrat.com.

Anyone can become a pro-bono consultant. If you have a good skill set and are willing to use it to help us better the world, fill in the simple application below and become a Pro-Bono Consultant on our next project. Our hand-picked team of Pro-Bono Consultants, work with social organisations globally to solve complex challenges. The great thing is, everyone can become a consultant. Our Pro-Bono Consultants work almost 5-7 hours per week (1 hour per day), to help non-profits and social ventures rethink their strategy to drive social impact.

To become a Pro-Bono Consultant and help us change companies who are changing the World, click on the link below and fill out the simple form. This will help us assign you with the most suitable project and the causes you are most passionate about. It does not restrict you however to any specific cause or projects, your skills are important to us and will be matched with the requirements of our next pro-bono project. Join us to help those in real need.

Enviu – Micro Pensions

Social security is a fundamental right of each citizen. The International Labor Organization has identified nine major aspects that should form a part of any social security system; one of them being ‘old age benefits’. In a lot of developing countries there are no (inclusive) social security systems at all. Also, dozens of countries around the world lack a social security net for the informal sector, which often comprises around 70% of those economies.

In 2010 a first Micro Pensions pilot started in India, developed by the Dhan Foundation. Jan Nijssen, board of inspiration Enviu, was involved in this pilot and suggested Enviu to follow up on this first pilot by investigating the possibilities for the concept of micro pensions in other countries. ValuStrat was engaged by Enviu to help them with the strategy for launching the product in Pakistan.

Micro Pension is a unique concept which aims to create a pension plan for the people employed in the informal sector with the help of mobile banking.

Pakistan’s economy grew by 4.1% to $ 245 bn with income per capita growing to USD 1,386 exhibiting an increase of 3.4% in 2014. Regionally, Pakistan has one of the lowest national savings to GDP ratio less than half the level in Bangladesh and approximately one-third of India. Pakistan‘s population is expected to reach 203mn by 2020 and 271mn by 2050. The informal sector plays a pivotal role in Pakistan’s economy, 74% of people employed work in the informal sector.

ValuStrat worked with Enviu to create a business plan for micro pensions in Pakistan. The project includes the following aspects:

  • Economy and demographics
  • Ageing and dependability of the old aged
  • Concept validation of the micro pension product
  • Income distribution and poverty
  • Government policy relating to pensions and non-profits
  • Analysis of Pakistan’s labor force by sector and employment
  • Pensions system comparisons and policies
  • Mobile and mobile banking penetration
  • Existing saving products
  • Business model for the micro pensions
  • Resource Planning
  • Financial modelling and Analysis
  • Market entry strategy

Only Six Degrees – Sustainable Travel

Only Six Degrees (OSD) is a project aimed at creating a positive impact in the travel industry. The organization, founded by Gilad Goren, is aimed at disrupting the $6.3 trillion industry with aim creating a concept around sustainable tourism, positively impacting local communities and the environment. UNEP states that out of every $100 spent on trip, only $5 stays within the local economy. They also believe that travel is one of the least environmentally and socially friendly sectors. To address these 2 major issues, OSD plans to build global communities of NGO’s and work with to curate trips with a social impact.

Like any tour company, OSD will tailor travel packages to select cities. These packages will include all the same features as other package but with an emphasis on local and more environmentally sustainable solutions e.g. hotels, local travel, leisure activities etc. OSD will also give a percentage of their earnings to a local charity, which the people on the tour will spend a day with. Only Six Degrees (OSD) sets to use travel as the currency for positive change. OSD aims to create a global network of qualified nonprofit organizations will curate experiential travel opportunities that blend the touristic highlights of their host countries with their own perspective and involvement. Each OSD trip offers:

  • A fully inclusive itinerary curated by OSD and the partner NGO
  • Touristic highlights of the destination country
  • An experiential component: hands on cooking class, a role in an English class, a school bus safari, etc.
  • A set donation to the partner NGO for a specific project or goal.
  • A carbon tax, meant to ensure the trip as carbon neutral.
  • Concierge services for extending or customizing the trip.

 

ValuStrat Pro Bono Advisory is working with OSD to put together a strategic business plan and financial analysis. This will assist the company with strategic decision making and pitching for potential patient capital and investment for the project. Apart from creating the financial model and advising on pricing, product offering and other strategic business decision, a key component of ValuStrat Pro-Bono’s work for Only Six Degrees is the calculation and substantiation of the Social ROI of the business. The SROI is a key indicator considered by social investors, while making investment decisions relating to social ventures.

Red Eye Inc – Community Development

Red Eye provides a 24/7 COMMUNITY for Culture Creators, Influencers and Leaders to EMPOWER their lives, SUPPORT their dreams, and DEVELOP their talents as well as those of the next generation. While reaching out to help humanity and MENTOR those in need, we CONNECT one cultural extreme with another, and CHANGE THE WORLD along the way.

Red Eye has been actively involved in providing a conducive and collaborative platform for the influential young leaders from the world of arts and entertainment to mentor at-risk children and youth within their local communities and help serve those ranging from homeless families, kids impacted by HIV/AIDS, to the elderly. The organization, founded by Justin Mayo in Los Angeles, offers a unique proposition by leveraging the social capital of culture creators, influencers and leaders and empowering them to mentor, coach and hone the creative ambitions of those such as at-risk youth within their local communities.

Red Eye has furthered its ambition and initiatives to create positive culture and social environments through its presence in Los Angeles, New York City, Las Vegas, London, Paris, Sydney and intend to set up camp in Milan also.

ValuStrat shares Red Eye’s growing concern about the increasing number of youth at-risk to substance abuse and criminal activities. With an aim and hope to move the needle on the issue of mentoring and providing a positive and conducive environment to at-risk youth, kids impacted by HIV/AIDS, and senior citizens we work closely with the Red Eye team, providing them with calculated advice on their initiatives. By employing our strategic approach to community involvement and sharing our innovative thinking and counsel with the organization, we aim to help Red Eye in their initiative of fostering the creative ambitions of the under-privileged to give individuals not a “hand out” but a “hand up” in life.

Shelter Wakadogo – Education

Mirroring Uganda’s passion to erase the destructive impact of the country’s conflict ridden years; Shelter Wakadogo (“for the little ones”) was established in 2005 to provide hope and opportunity to the future of Uganda – the little ones. The school was founded by Farah Williamson (Chief Executive Officer, The Social Investment Consultancy UAE), Andrea Charbonneau and Nilmin WIliamson with Peter Baltussen (Chief Executive Officer, Commercial Bank of Dubai) as an advisor to the management.

Good things come in small packages and the small yet ambitious team behind Shelter Wakadogo proved this true for the people of Gulu. The three founding members initiated a nursery school for 80 children between ages of 3 to 6 years. The dynamic trio raised USD 87,000 to launch the first school of its kind in the Acoyo village of Gulu. Shelter Wakadogo now has over 300 students and provides them with a nutritious school meal every day so that they can learn on full stomachs; along with free health care facility to treat common diseases like malaria.

The management of Shelter Wakadogo has focused on providing affordable early childhood and primary education and based on a community census, the fee for students was agreed on 25,000 Ugandan shillings per term (USD 9.98).

In order to expand focus on taking the developmental focus to the whole of community and attain sustainability of the project beyond donations, ValuStrat’s Pro-Bono Advisory is eagerly assisting the Shelter Wakadogo management in developing a strategy focusing on:

  • Community empowerment
  • Sustainable ecosystem
  • Human Resource Strategy
  • Operations and Accountability
  • Renewable Energy Strategy
  • Marketing Strategy

Three Wheels United – Microfinance

Three Wheels United (TWU) is an initiative focused on improving the lives of India’s estimated five-million auto-rickshaw drivers, initially in Bangalore. TWU was started by Dutch social enterprise Enviu, which promotes positive social and environmental impact through innovative public and private sector collaboration.

Bangalore’s estimated 100,000 drivers are among the city’s poorest urban inhabitants. Earning between 150-200 rupees (3-4 US dollars) daily, of which more than 20% goes to auto-rickshaw rental, drivers are ineligible for credit to purchase their own vehicles. Auto-rickshaw use in India is exploding, stimulating increased vehicle production. The auto rickshaw is therefore a fixture in urban Indian landscape and of source of employment. However, it is also a cause of increased pollution, hence harming the environment.

Acting as a channel between local banks and drivers, TWU is already offering loans to auto-rickshaw drivers at fair interest rates for drivers to replace “dirty” rental vehicles for their own clean, “green” ones. Based on classic microfinance, TWU also aims to increase driver’s revenues – thus, their standard of living – and target other Indian cities, but was facing challenges in meeting the same.

At this stage, ValuStrat Pro Bono entered into partnership with TWU to provide strategic advice on revenue generation, which boosts driver income between 70 – 400% and provides them better access to basic needs such as food, education and healthcare. TWU has facilitated 120 “green” auto-rickshaws and is steadily growing, expecting to reach break – even in 2013 and expand to new Indian cities. Social return on investment (SROI) – combined TWU net income, economic, social and environmental benefit is current at 261.4%.

Transparent Hands – Healthcare

Transparent Hands is a global crowdfunding platform for the betterment of underprivileged patients in Pakistan. The organization helps needy patients by providing them free treatment while creating an opportunity for donors to contribute in a transparent and informed manner.

Transparent Hands was founded by former university lecturer Rameeza Moin. Since its inception in June 2015, the organization has treated 200 patients across Pakistan with further hopes to grow within the country and eventually expand overseas.

The platform allows donors to browse through a list of patients, take a look at their medical requirements, urgency and associated costs in order to decide which cause to fund. Donors may then transfer funds to Transparent Hands using an online payment platform.

ValuStrat’s Pro-Bono Advisory team worked closely with the Transparent Hands team on growth and marketing strategy to help them increase credibility, reach more people, spread awareness and raise funds.

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