Introducing Entrepreneurship Education to an Indian Orphanage: Babson’s Thought & Action

The Anjuman Orphanage School in Chennai, India, is not your typical orphanage. It is a place where orphaned and homeless children are not only provided with shelter but also with education and hope for a better future. Recently, Beth Goldstein from Babson’s Youth Impact Lab visited the school to teach an entrepreneurship program, and what she found was truly inspiring.

The school, which has been serving the impoverished children of the Muslim community for over 130 years, is home to about 800 students from kindergarten through high school. Goldstein worked with a group of 40 students aged 14 to 18, teaching them the principles of entrepreneurship through a program called Youth Entrepreneurship in Action. The goal was to help the students understand that they have the power to make positive changes in their communities.

Initially, the students were unsure about what it meant to be an entrepreneur, but as Goldstein guided them through the program, they began to see themselves as changemakers. The teachers at the orphanage school also embraced this new way of thinking, realizing that they too could make a difference in the lives of their students by adopting a more student-centric teaching style.

The entrepreneurial training at the orphanage school was made possible by a generous donation from Babson alumnus Iqbal Mecca and his family’s Farida Foundation. The Mecca brothers’ gift brought a piece of the Babson spirit to the school, broadening the reach of entrepreneurship education to disadvantaged communities.

Goldstein’s efforts at the orphanage school were transformative, not only for the students but also for the teachers. By showing them that they have the power to be entrepreneurial changemakers, she instilled a sense of hope and possibility in a place where it is often lacking. The program helped the students and teachers alike evolve their mindsets and see the value of thinking and acting like entrepreneurs.

In a world where education is often seen as a privilege, the work being done at the Anjuman Orphanage School is a reminder that everyone, regardless of their circumstances, has the potential to be a changemaker. Through programs like the one led by Beth Goldstein, students and teachers are empowered to make a positive impact in their communities and create a brighter future for themselves and those around them.