OSU Grads and Former UV Resident Start Nonprofit to Benefit Bolivian Village

Do you ever wonder what some of your fellow students and friends are up to after graduation?  Read this story on how OSU grads and former resident Huda Ahmed of University Village have started a non-profit organization all for the benefit of women in Bolivia.  Remarkable story and the partnership these students and their organization (IDC) has with Ohio State University to make this all happen.   

International Development Collaborative (IDC) is a non-profit organization that helps impoverished communities build the skills to drive their economic self-development by providing them access to produce collegiate licensed products.  IDC was formed by former OSU graduate business students in 2008 after returning home from an Emerging Markets Field Study expedition to Bolivia. The students examined the use of market-based economic development principles in a developing economy. 

 The students saw first hand the extreme poverty in the altiplano of Bolivia. In this area, living conditions are harsh at 12,000 to 13,000 feet above sea level.  Many lack access to clean water, electricity, and heat. Most live in abject poverty, on less than $2 a day. The students met with a group of women who gathered each week in their community center to weave alpaca wool hats, scarves, and clothing. Although these women struggled everyday to provide their families with the basic needs of food and shelter, they came together to support each other and wanted to understand how they could use their weaving skills to help themselves out of their poverty cycle.  In collaboration with the women, the idea of an OSU alpaca wool scarf was hatched. 

 After returning home from Bolivia, the students were inspired to apply their business skills on a non-profit effort.  Today, IDC sells officially licensed, fair trade OSU alpaca wool hats and scarves with plans to develop additional products while expanding to other universities and countries in the future. Proceeds from sales directly benefit women in Bolivia.  IDC items can be purchased on the IDC website, Global Gallery, Global Village, and SBX Bookstore.

 IDC is 100% driven by the efforts of volunteers.  The organization is still managed by founders and former students Amy Chin and Huda Ahmed who work full-time jobs in addition to IDC.  It has been almost three years since their first visit to Bolivia and they remain deeply committed to helping impoverished women develop micro-enterprises and the skills to end their poverty.

 To purchase a product or to find more information about IDC, visit www.idcvillage.org.