3 SDG 1 – No Poverty – Team 3

Team Reflection

What: The AIM2Flourish stories on businesses addressing SDG 1: No Poverty were examined by our group. We came across many compelling stories about a microfinance organization in Bangladesh that offers financial services to underprivileged people, especially women, enabling them to escape poverty (AIM2Flourish). The innovators emphasized the work they are doing to lower poverty rates by empowering vulnerable groups financially and economically. We were shocked by how much of an impact companies can have on reducing poverty as we engaged ourselves in these stories. We found inspiration in the creative methods these businesses were using to address one of the most important global issues. In addition to touching upon this, the stories also sparked feelings of optimism and promise for a more equal future.

So what: Our awareness of the critical role businesses play in fighting poverty has grown as a result of our analysis of these stories. It highlighted ideas related to inclusive economic growth and sustainable development that we have studied in our courses. We came to see how critical it is for companies to implement inclusive business models that put the needs of low-income communities and chances for social mobility first. These stories challenged the ideas we had about business and poverty. Even though we already knew that businesses could help reduce poverty, it was eye-opening to see real-world instances of businesses actively fighting this issue as part of their daily operations. It got us thinking about how companies could be effective in changing and building a more equal society.

Now what: After analyzing these AIM2Flourish stories, we have been motivated to implement practical steps to address poverty in our future careers/life. Each of us has a good sense of purpose and motivation to support inclusive business practices. We are also more away of businesses that are already following good practices and we wish to support them. We talked as a group about how these reflections will guide our choices and actions going forward; we intend to fight for inclusive business practices in our future workplaces. We understand how critical it is to use our knowledge and abilities to help achieve SDG 1: No Poverty and bring about significant global change. In conclusion, reading the AIM2Flourish stories has been a significant educational experience that has expanded our knowledge of how business can fight poverty. We are determined to contribute to the progress of SDG 1: No Poverty since it has motivated us to work toward a day when companies value social impact in addition to profitability.

Cross-Cultural Learning in the Context of Course Material:

Our group learned a great deal about the complexity of approaching SDG1 (No Poverty) from a cross-cultural perspective. The experience highlighted how crucial it is to comprehend the many socioeconomic settings, cultural viewpoints, and structural difficulties related to initiatives aimed at reducing poverty. This is in line with the concepts covered in our classes, which include social justice, global development, and the complex relationship of the several causes of poverty.

Integration of Course Learnings into Teamwork:

Our relationship was firmly established by the knowledge we gained from our classes. In our encounters, we were able to put ideas like teamwork, effective communication, and cultural awareness to use. Gaining a theoretical awareness of the depth of poverty issues enabled us to approach our project conversations with a greater degree of empathy and understanding.

Conducting Work and Task Sharing:

We mostly used Zoom meetings to perform our discussions because it made it possible for us to connect even if we were in different countries. We distributed the work evenly among the team members, making use of their individual skills and strengths. In order to ensure an equal division of the workload, tasks were assigned based on preferences, skills, and availability. To keep track of developments and work together effectively, we made use of shared documents and exchanging documents.

What Worked and What Didn’t Work:

What Worked: Organizing meetings ahead of time worked well for us to guarantee attendance from people in different time zones. We were able to remain organized and on schedule throughout the project because of this. Furthermore, the utilization of technological tools like Zoom and shared documents allowed for smooth communication and teamwork.

What Didn’t Work: It was difficult to schedule meetings across time zones, despite our best efforts. It was challenging to arrange times for meetings that would work for everyone due to time differences. Occasionally, this resulted in delayed conversations and scheduling issues. If we had to do this again, we might investigate meeting time rotation or scheduling tools to better suit a range of schedules.

Individual Reflection

Leah

            Despite language limitations, the diverse team I worked with was incredibly cooperative and understanding, which made for an amazing experience. Although at first it was  difficult, the chance to learn how to engage with those in which English wasn’t their first language as well as explore different cultures was really fulfilling. Even if some members were unavailable, it was a pleasure to work with the flexible ones as well as be able to be a support system for the others. Our ability to efficiently coordinate across time zones improved our teamwork and communication, which produced positive results. Interacting with students around the world broadened my viewpoint, encouraging inclusion in this world of division. We also emphasized the value of flexibility and morality in international collaboration. My understanding of the value of cross-border collaboration and context-specific solutions was strengthened by this experience, which also increased my appreciation of the beauty of diversity and the effectiveness of international cooperation in problem-solving.

References

Homepage. AIM2Flourish. (n.d.). https://aim2flourish.com/