By Ithiel Egambaram
I have had a wonderful experience working with Spes Nova since I started this past September. Spes Nova, meaning “New Hope” in Latin, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to help establish sustainable and inclusive development in the poorest regions of the world by collaborating with an extensive global network of academic institutions. The organization is built upon its proprietary “Three Pillar Approach” to economic development: market development, micro-credit, and micro-insurance.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has definitely slowed down some of our operations, but we remain resilient in our efforts and have used this time strategically for planning and spreading awareness. We have presented Spes Nova at prestigious conferences such as the Ignatian Family Teach in for Justice (IFTJ) 2020, the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU) Fall Conference on International Education, and we will be presenting at the Ashoka U Exchange Conference in March.
My duties include, but are not limited to, coordinating market development efforts with partner universities, managing the Spes Nova website, presenting Spes Nova to potential partners and performing relevant logistical and events related tasks. During the Fall, I also assist Dr. Rengifo (co-founder of Spes Nova) during his Fair Trade Entrepreneurship class. I look forward to the rest of my time that I will spend at Spes Nova!
