In the spring of 2012, 23 groups of Middlebury students applied to our Social Entrepreneurship Grant Challenge with proposals for testing solutions to a range of social problems. Five were selected to launch their projects in summer 2012.

The projects included developing a composting system in a local high school, training youth changemakers in Mexico, initiating GIS mapping in Rwanda to aid a grassroots health organization, helping street children in Africa, and creating insect-based food products to help at-risk populations in developing countries. The summer in the field was a challenging experience as the groups faced bureaucratic roadblocks or political issues, but proved to be rewarding as many of them felt they left a legacy of changemaking in the communities they worked in.

For a video summary of the grants pitches, visit this Middlebury Magazine post. The grant recipients presented on their summer experiences on November 1, 2012; read more about their projects.

To learn more about each of our 2012 grant recipients, click on the images below.