Devin Hibbard is the Founder and CEO of the Street Business School. This program is a tool for organizations to amplify their impact in the world. Currently, the organization is active in 21 countries around the world and is focused on Africa.
The idea for the organization started in 2004 with a woman named Molly Grace. Devin and her family discovered Molly making beads out of recycled paper. At the time, Molly's entire family was working in a rock quarry and the entire family earned $.65/day!
That all changed when a small article ran in Oprah magazine on Beads of Hope. Following publication of the magazine, Beads of Hope sold $90,000 worth of merchandise in six weeks! This business proved that women in business could create true, measurable impact that builds self esteem.
The Street Business School was launched and offers entrepreneurial training and confidence building to create transformation in the lives of women. Devin shared the story of Ruth, who started a street vegetable stand, and realized that if she had someone watch her children while she traveled three hours to buy directly from farmers, she could succeed. And, Ruth did succeed, increasing her monthly income from $22 to $177/month!
The Street Business School is headquartered in Niwot and tracks the success of its participants. On average, women enrolled in the program increase their daily earnings from $1.35/day to $3.20/day. And, two years after graduation, the average woman makes $4.19/day! The organization has a goal of reaching one million women by 2027. They currently work with 97 organizations and focus on women and helping people to survive as entrepreneurs.