Investor Presentaiton
ARTICLE
6|7
ON LIVING
(FROM/BY
AND FOR)
MOVEMENTS
By Camila Martinez Lima and Max Nolan Shen,
of Dervish Cultural Insight
We were invited to help Alana embody the concept of social
entrepreneurship to its essence; we ended up broadening
our view by understanding that everything springs from
the same source: Alana lives for transformation
Dervish
In 2014, we had the opportunity and the privilege of seeing Alana
up close. What we saw was an organization that is quickly trans-
forming itself in order to become the future of institutions and
NGOs. Alana called so we could learn its culture and study the best
way to incorporate the latest concepts of social entrepreneurship
to its essence. We wound up doing much more than that.
We spoke to many people and learned from the passion and
desire for transformation that each one of them has. We learned
that it is possible to work doing something we believe in, that
moves us and can change the world. And we discovered that the
organizations that will have a global impact from now on will be
those that manage to meld the pragmatism of impact from results
with a caring spirit.
We concluded at Alana that, in the future, a vision of sustain-
able business and generosity can – and should – walk hand in
hand. This Alana that unites what many still see as separate and
solves the dualities of our era is the fruit of the maturity of a seed
that was planted long ago.
When Alana emerged, it was understood that one had to take
care of people in order to take care of the world. And that, above
all, it was necessary to care for children and preserve the cul-
ture of childhood. This vision became complete when the differ-
ence that can be made by producing content and disseminating
beautiful messages in order to express new forms of relation and
broaden our conscience.
The Alana of today brings all this experience and the belief
that we are on the path towards a Purpose Economy, through which
projects are being transformed into businesses and gain lifelong fi-
nancial sustainability within Alanapar. In this sense, Alana wants
to be a partner in the most incredible social innovation projects.
The interaction and appropriation of public spaces and cit-
ies is another of Alana's interests, and they are rethinking these
concepts in order to improve our quality of life. As we saw these
changes, we understood Alana's new essence. From this essence
arises a feeling that unites everyone that passes through here, one
that is Alana's raison d'être: to create and nourish MOVEMENTS.
Movements that are meant to improve the lives of everyone.
Movements that happen from within and without, connecting
people through common beliefs. Movements that have the power
to awake and involve in people an encounter with their own caus-
es and purposes. Movements that transform realities and environ-
ments. It is not a coincidence that Alana lives off moments, off
change, off innovation and off forward-looking visions.
It is also not a coincidence that Alana is following the movement
that gives reason to the existence of an NGO: to cease to exist in 40
years. We believe that setting a date to shut its doors is a courageous,
audacious and disruptive attitude. Beyond this, we believe that set-
ting an end date is Alana's duty, since it creates and feeds the move-
ment in which most NGOs are created to solve a problem and once
this problem is solved it no longer feeds this same NGO.
To us, every end is a new beginning. A new beginning de-
mands that we adapt, reinvent ourselves and keep moving. At
Alana, we understand that this is the house rule. We are certain
that this "end" will bring about a new vision in order to think of
new ways to impact the world, and to innovate for a better world.
Ana Lucia Villela, Alana's president, told us something that
encapsulates this entire journey: "Alana's role is to illuminate
what needs to be illuminated."
We wish Alana a lot of light for the next 40 years, which, we
are sure, will be beautiful.
Camila Lima is a publicist by training and a re-
searcher by curiosity. She did her post-gradu-
ate at Yunus Social Business Brasil/ESPM and
is the creator of the project Sou Brasileira,
which is dedicated to bringing to light the di-
versity and plurality of Brazilian women.
Max Nolan Shen is a cultural hacker dedicated
to curating culture, community and entrepre-
neurship. He started the Dervish network in
order to promote cultural changes that seek a
more realized society. Did his post-graduate
in communications strategy at Miami-Ad-
-School/ESPM and management at FGV.View entire presentation