Sustaining Life, One Kite At A Time

            When accounting for an organization’s triple bottom line, the relevant stakeholders are not just looking at profits, but also considering the overall good and are encouraging for the support and advancement of a social good.  After recently reading one of the class assignments, the one that most caught my attention was focusing on global demographic trends.  In particular, they identified the key findings in dealing with the health aspect with regards to the United States.  For example, there are continuous pressures for the United States to be able to provide assistance on a global level; however, if the main factors affecting the mortality rate are firstly being considered, then there will more people to join the crusade for creating and maintaining a healthy world.

Having a child of my own and being so close to my immediate family it’s very difficult for me to grasp the reality that many people lose their loved ones daily.  There may be many measures in place that could make them live longer, healthier lives, but turn up failing this precious population.  Malaria is an epidemic that kills a child per minute.  It’s heartbreaking and it’s a fact.  This statistic is one that is increasingly growing despite many efforts made in the past with medication, treatment, preventive measures, and ongoing efforts to educate many and protect all.

In the developing world, priorities are emphasized in terms of need, and in these populations, food prevails while malaria is often overlooked.  Children make up a big part of this segment and they have the potential and right to grow and add value to their communities - they are tools for economic development.  Unfortunately, the malaria epidemic is causing a trend of regression that is preventing these children to participate and contribute to their communities, and more importantly experience a quality of life they should have the right to.  

http://www.kitepatch.com/

Three individuals have taken an innovative approach in the past three years to transform millions of villages worldwide into healthier living conditions.  Kite has developed a simple patch that is made up of all natural and biodegradable materials to create a shield and ultimately make a person invisible to mosquitoes.  Kite Patch believes that by reducing any contact between humans and mosquitoes, it will impact the malaria transmission rates.

  

Being socially innovative should not only account for a driver of human centered design thinking, there should also be an element in which roadblocks can be dissolved and lives can be saved.  

Kite Patch identified how to prevent malaria and this organization is trying to be scalable and sustainable for people everywhere.  They have been given a strong identity after Bill and Melinda Gates originally funded the research and study, they continue to be its supportive backbone.  Kite Patch is sustainable because it is showing that it can be a part of daily life in avoiding this plague and scalable because it is being tested in all environments to ensure the product is effective.  This is the type of organization that will work with tripled bottom line and can partner with hospitals and certain governmental groups to not only impact the environment but to sustain our world’s human capital.