1. Rural Lives and Livelihoods: The Role of the SSE Andrea F. Schuman, Director Center for Scientific and Social Studies, Yucatán México Sept. 2015 Universities developing social entrepreneurship through cross- sector collaboration. International conference, York St John University, 1-3 Sept. 2015

2. Context- Yucatán’s Economic Profile Source: Centro para la competitividad de Yucatán, mayo 2015 State population approx. 2 million  Yucatán- Composition PIB per capita: agriculture: 3%; industrial: 31%; services: 66%.  Formal job losses 2013- 2014- 9,800  62.4% of employed persons are in the informal sector  96% of businesses have fewer than 11 employees

3. Context 2  49% of employed persons make “two minimum salaries” or less.  Average educational level of employed persons: 8.7 years

4. NEEMAYA  Endogenous Development (Garofoli 1992) Capital investment from outside Indigenous workforce Provide secure employment utilizing workers’ knowledge and respectful of their traditions Introduce new elements carefully chosen to enhance and broaden workers’ capacities

5. Work at the Factory Tasks include procurement of materials, fabrication and packaging of products, readying products for shipment, securing the needed paperwork for local and international sales and maintaining the facility in accordance with health department specifications.

6. The Evaluation  Research Questions  How do the workers experience and conceive of the business and their place within the community of workers?  Understanding this, can we develop strategies in various dimensions to strengthen the community?

7. Examples of Products

8. Roles for the University  Historical Roots in Latin America  1918- Student uprising, Universidad de Córdoba, Argentina  Demand for involvement with social problems affecting the poorest in LA societies  Development of triple charge for the university: teaching, research and extension

9. Technical Assistance vs. Partnership  TA- the vertical model  “ knowledge transfer ”  “ expert guidance ”  Partnership- the encounter based model  work with affected people  review together resources and strategies  build with them alternative structures

10. Water Transport, Example: Community controlled water testing and treatment protocol, Nicaragua

11. In Closing….. Question the nature of economic activity: Is continual growth necessary/possible? Is profit the goal? Question the organization of work: Is work separate from “life”? Is providing for consumption its purpose? Question the purpose of education: Competencies for what? Transmission of information or promotion of critical thinking?

12. Thanks for your attention. Yucatán Sunset, Summer 2014