The document summarizes information presented at the 2015 Rotary International Convention about the social enterprise Solar Ear. Solar Ear manufactures solar-powered hearing aids by and for deaf people to make hearing aids more affordable and accessible. They aim to provide employment for deaf people and hearing aids for millions of people in developing countries who cannot otherwise afford them. Their sustainable business model and products have been implemented in several countries worldwide to improve health, education, and facilitate peace-building efforts.

1. 2015 ROTARY INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
Break the silence
Harnessing the
power of the social
business model as a
bridge to
peacebuilding.

2. #ricon15
Sustainable profits.
From activity to impact.
Find meaning in your work.
Develop new business
models.
Social Enterprise: building change

3. #ricon15
The scale of silence: the problem
626 million people with hearing loss and 2/3 in
developing countries
9 million hearing aids are manufactured a year
Average price of hearing aid in USA is $1,800
Price of one battery is $2 and need is 1 a week
Dearth of professionals
50% hearing loss can be prevented
181 million
children with
a hearing
loss
70% of USA
and
88% of
developing
countries are
underserved

4. #ricon15
Our business model
We are a sustainable social business
manufacturing solar powered hearing aids by
people who are deaf for people with a hearing
loss

5. #ricon15
What We Do
Our products
provide a child
the ability to
learn to develop
speech therefore
an opportunity to
go to a public
school.

6. #ricon15
Solar Ear’s mission: M 8 goals
1) Millennium goals but for people with
disability.
2) Offer training and employment to
young people who are deaf,
especially women.
3) Provide education programs on
issues of HIV-AIDS and
maternal health programs.
4) Showing society the special abilities
of people with a disability.
5) Develop new methods for people in
conflict to find common ground.

7. #ricon15
Solar Ear throughout the world
Botswana, 2002
HIV-Aids Education
for children
Brazil, 2006
Free therapy for
5,000 children a year
China, 2012
Change public policy
Palestine-Israel,
2015
Peace building
India, 2016
Peace Building
First Nations-
Native
Americans,
2015
Cross border
cultural
leadership
training
10 more places in
next 5 years
10 more social
missions

8. #ricon15
Invented by people who are deaf.
Maintains capability or capacity for 2-3 years.
Can be used in 80% of 50 million hearing aids
on the market today.
Can be charged via sun, household light or using
Nokia cell phone plug.
Three-month break even for consumer.
Environmental Savings : 200,000,000 disposable
batteries used per year.
First rechargeable hearing aid
battery

9. #ricon15
Solar Ear Awards
Ashoka
Fellowship
Lemelson
Foundation
Fellowship
Tech Award
Economic
Empowerment
American Academy
of Audiology
Humanitarian
Award
Marion Downs -
Souring Heights -
China
Alex Graham Bell
Museum Permanent
exhibit
Smithsonian
Museum
Design for the
other 90%

10. #ricon15
Solar Ear in the media

11. Teachers from Solar Ear from go
to new Solar Ear Center
Select employees to be trained
Invent common language
Inspire the new workers by
showing them that a person
can do anything, and go
anywhere
Teach HIV- AIDS
South to South Training

12. #ricon15
Improving Health and Education Outcomes
VIRTOUS
CYCLE
VICIOUS
CYCLE

13. #ricon15
Kahlil Gibran once said:
“ When you work, you are a flute through
whose heart the whispering of the hours
turns into music. To love life through
labor is to be intimate with life's inmost
secret.
All work is empty save when there is love
made visible."

14. Impacts
Increased wealth of population due to more children
going to school and more adults being employable
Reduced social and economic costs
Self-sustaining Solar Ear programs
Changed civil society perception about the skills of
people.
Programs can be scaled to other countries and other
health problems, e.g. diabetes, dyslexia.
Peace- Building

15. #ricon15
howard@solarear.com.br