Martin Burt

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Martin Burt (born May 21st 1957) is a Paraguayan social entrepreneur. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Fundación Paraguaya, one of Latin America's largest non-governmental organizations (NGO). He is also co-founder of various other NGOs, such as Fundación Moisés Bertoni para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, Fundación Mbaracayú, Teach a Man to Fish, and Paraguay Educa. He is a pioneer in applying microfinance, microfranchising, youth entrepreneurship, financial literacy and technical vocational education to eliminate poverty around the world. He has also served in several public sector positions, including Under Secretary of Commerce (1991 - 1993), Mayor of Asunción, Paraguay (1996 - 2001) and Chief of Staff for the President of Paraguay (2012 - 2013).

Burt holds a Phd in International Development from Tulane University and has received several awards for his work on social issues. Early life and education

Burt was born on May 21st 1957 in Asuncion, Paraguay, as the third child of Maria Deidamia Artaza de Burt and Daniel Gordon Burt. He attended high school at the American School of Asuncion (Class of 1974) and Colegio Cristo Rey. He was the captain of the U-18 national rugby team and performed his year-long compulsory military service at the VI Infantry Division at the Mariscal Estigarribia, Chaco Army Base in 1975.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in public administration and Inter-American studies from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where he was student body president. After graduating from UOP, he went on to earn a postgraduate degree in Public Sector Economics at Spain's National Public Administration Institute (INAP) in Alcalá de Henares and then a Masters in Science, Technology and Public Policy from George Washington University in Washington D.C. He also holds a Phd in International Development from Tulane University. In addition to his development work, Burt has taught at various universities including the Universidad Catolica de Asuncion, the University of the Pacific, and the American University of Nigeria. He is currently a visiting professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts and the University of California, Irvine. Career

After completing his graduate work, Burt returned to Paraguay in 1983 where he briefly worked at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce before being fired for not joining the Colorado party - the political party of military dictator Alfredo Stroessner. In 1985, together with a group of local businessmen and professionals, he founded Fundación Paraguaya de Cooperación y Desarrollo, the country’s first economic development non-profit and microcredit program. In 1989, after the fall of the military dictatorship, he helped create CONCODER (National Council for Rural Development) and DIBEN, a government social assistance program. From 1991 to 1993 he was Under Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. In 1996, he ran for public office and was elected Mayor of Asuncion on the Partido Liberal Radical Auténtico (PLRA), a role in which he served until 2001.

He returned to Fundacion Paraguaya in 2002. Shortly after, the La Salle Christian Brothers transferred him their bankrupt agricultural high school (Escuela Agricola San Francisco) for the rural poor, in Cerrito, Benjamin Aceval, Chaco. In 2007, the school became one of the world’s first financially self-sufficient agricultural and tourism high schools. To promote the idea of education that pays for itself internationally, Burt co-founded Teach a Man to Fish in 2006 with former Fundación Paraguay intern Nik Kafka as a global network . The organization is based in London and partners with more than 50 organizations from 27 countries to establish self-sufficient schools, mostly in rural areas.

In 2007, Burt created the Poverty Stoplight, a new poverty measurement tool and coaching methodology that allows poor families to self-diagnose their level of multidimensional poverty and to develop customized plans for social mobility.

In 2012, he returned to public service for a year where he served as Chief of Staff to President Federico Franco until August 2013.

Burt is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship at the World Economic Forum and of the Global Foodbanking Network. He serves in the advisory board of the Peery Foundation and is president of Entrepreneurship & Education, a Tanzanian NGO. He is currently a Visiting Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Distinguished Visiting Professor of the University of California, Irvine. Previously, he was Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at the American University of Nigeria, visiting professor at the University of the Pacific, and adjunct professor of business administration of the Catholic University of Asunción. Recognition

Burt is the recipient of numerous awards for his work in development, education, and social entrepreneurship, including:

Latin American Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Perú, 2017) Prize for Excellence in Integrating Young People into the Workforce (Novia Salcedo Foundation, Bilbao, 2016) Albert Bandura Influencer Award (VitalSmarts Influencer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2014) Distinguished Alumnus Award (Eisenhower Fellowships, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2013) Shared Value Award (Nestle, New Delhi, 2012) Achievement Award (Opportunity Collaboration, Ixtapa, 2011) 2011 Changemakers Award 2010 Oikocredit Award 2009 Templeton Freedom Award Best Practice Award (Inter-American Development Bank and UNESCO, 2009) Most Innovative Development Project Award (Global Development Network, Prague, 2009) Best Educational Project Award (World Innovation Summit for Education WISE, Qatar Foundation, 2009) Social Innovator of the Year Award (Ballard Center for Economic Self-Reliance, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2008) 2007 Synergos Africa Fellowship Distinguished Alumni Award (George Washington University, Washington D.C., 2007) Distinguished Alumnus Award (University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, 2006) Outstanding Social Entrepreneur Award (Schwab Foundation, 2005) Entrepreneur Award (Skoll Foundation, 2005) Social Entrepreneur of the Year (Inter-American Development Bank, Washington D.C., 2004) Microfinance Award (Inter-American Development Bank, 2004) Medal Orbis Guaraniticus (UNESCO, 2000)

Personal life

In 1982, Burt married Dorothy Wolf (b.1960), whom he met during his time at the University of the Pacific. They have three children: Daniel (b.1986), Thomas (b.1988) and Marie-Claire (b.1990).

Publications Burt, Martin. 2013. “The ‘Poverty Stoplight’ Approach to Eliminating Multidimensional Poverty: Business, Civil Society, and Government Working Together in Paraguay (Innovations Case Narrative: Fundación Paraguaya).” Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization 8 (1–2): 47–67. doi:10.1162/INOV_a_00165. APEX: Plan de Acción de la Alianza Público-Privada para la Eliminación de la Pobreza Extrema en el Paraguay (Asunción: Presidencia de la República, 2012) Burt, Martín. La escuela agrícola autosuficiente. (Asunción: Editorial Tiempo de Historia, 2009). Ciudadanía (Asunción: Municipalidad de Asunción, 2001) Peroni, Guillermo and Burt, Martin. Paraguay: Laws and Economy (Asunción, Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 1985) Poemas Cartas de Lluvia (Asunción, Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 1978)

Martin Burt (born May 21st 1957) is a Paraguayan social entrepreneur. He is the founder and chief executive officer of Fundación Paraguaya, one of Latin America's largest non-governmental organizations(NGO). He is also co-founder of various other NGOs, such as Fundación Moisés Bertoni para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, Fundación Mbaracayú, Teach a Man to Fish , and Paraguay Educa. He is a pioneer in applying microfinance, microfranchising, youth entrepreneurship, financial literacy and technical vocational education to eliminate poverty around the world. He has also served in several public sector positions, including Under Secretary of Commerce (1991 - 1993), Mayor of Asunción, Paraguay (1996 - 2001) and Chief of Staff for the President of Paraguay (2012 - 2013).

Burt holds a Phd in International Development from Tulane University and has received several awards for his work on social issues. Early life and education

Burt was born on May 21st 1957 in Asuncion, Paraguay, as the third child of Maria Deidamia Artaza de Burt and Daniel Gordon Burt. He attended high school at the American School of Asuncion (Class of 1974) and Colegio Cristo Rey. He was the captain of the U-18 national rugby team and performed his year-long compulsory military service at the VI Infantry Division at the Mariscal Estigarribia, Chaco Army Base in 1975.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in public administration and Inter-American studies from the University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, where he was student body president. After graduating from UOP, he went on to earn a postgraduate degree in Public Sector Economics at Spain's National Public Administration Institute (INAP) in Alcalá de Henares and then a Masters in Science, Technology and Public Policy from George Washington University in Washington D.C. He also holds a Phd in International Development from Tulane University. In addition to his development work, Burt has taught at various universities including the Universidad Catolica de Asuncion, the University of the Pacific, and the American University of Nigeria. He is currently a visiting professor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts and the University of California, Irvine. Career

After completing his graduate work, Burt returned to Paraguay in 1983 where he briefly worked at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce before being fired for not joining the Colorado party - the political party of military dictator Alfredo Stroessner. In 1985, together with a group of local businessmen and professionals, he founded Fundación Paraguaya de Cooperación y Desarrollo, the country’s first economic development non-profit and microcredit program. In 1989, after the fall of the military dictatorship, he helped create CONCODER (National Council for Rural Development) and DIBEN, a government social assistance program. From 1991 to 1993 he was Under Secretary at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce. In 1996, he ran for public office and was elected Mayor of Asuncion on the Partido Liberal Radical Auténtico (PLRA), a role in which he served until 2001.

He returned to Fundacion Paraguaya in 2002. Shortly after, the La Salle Christian Brothers transferred him their bankrupt agricultural high school (Escuela Agricola San Francisco) for the rural poor, in Cerrito, Benjamin Aceval, Chaco. In 2007, the school became one of the world’s first financially self-sufficient agricultural and tourism high schools. To promote the idea of education that pays for itself internationally, Burt co-founded Teach a Man to Fish in 2006 with former Fundación Paraguay intern Nik Kafka as a global network . The organization is based in London and partners with more than 50 organizations from 27 countries to establish self-sufficient schools, mostly in rural areas.

In 2007, Burt created the Poverty Stoplight, a new poverty measurement tool and coaching methodology that allows poor families to self-diagnose their level of multidimensional poverty and to develop customized plans for social mobility.

In 2012, he returned to public service for a year where he served as Chief of Staff to President Federico Franco until August 2013.

Burt is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship at the World Economic Forum and of the Global Foodbanking Network. He serves in the advisory board of the Peery Foundation and is president of Entrepreneurship & Education, a Tanzanian NGO. He is currently a Visiting Professor of Social Entrepreneurship at Worcester Polytechnic Institute and Distinguished Visiting Professor of the University of California, Irvine. Previously, he was Professor of Management and Entrepreneurship at the American University of Nigeria, visiting professor at the University of the Pacific, and adjunct professor of business administration of the Catholic University of Asunción. Recognition

Burt is the recipient of numerous awards for his work in development, education, and social entrepreneurship, including:

Latin American Entrepreneur of the Year Award (Universidad San Ignacio de Loyola, Perú, 2017) Prize for Excellence in Integrating Young People into the Workforce (Novia Salcedo Foundation, Bilbao, 2016) Albert Bandura Influencer Award (VitalSmarts Influencer Institute, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2014) Distinguished Alumnus Award (Eisenhower Fellowships, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 2013) Shared Value Award (Nestle, New Delhi, 2012) Achievement Award (Opportunity Collaboration, Ixtapa, 2011) 2011 Changemakers Award 2010 Oikocredit Award 2009 Templeton Freedom Award Best Practice Award (Inter-American Development Bank and UNESCO, 2009) Most Innovative Development Project Award (Global Development Network, Prague, 2009) Best Educational Project Award (World Innovation Summit for Education WISE, Qatar Foundation, 2009) Social Innovator of the Year Award (Ballard Center for Economic Self-Reliance, Brigham Young University, Utah, 2008) 2007 Synergos Africa Fellowship Distinguished Alumni Award (George Washington University, Washington D.C., 2007) Distinguished Alumnus Award (University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, 2006) Outstanding Social Entrepreneur Award (Schwab Foundation, 2005) Entrepreneur Award (Skoll Foundation, 2005) Social Entrepreneur of the Year (Inter-American Development Bank, Washington D.C., 2004) Microfinance Award (Inter-American Development Bank, 2004) Medal Orbis Guaraniticus (UNESCO, 2000)

Personal life

In 1982, Burt married Dorothy Wolf (b.1960), whom he met during his time at the University of the Pacific. They have three children: Daniel (b.1986), Thomas (b.1988) and Marie-Claire (b.1990).

Publications Burt, Martin. 2013. “The ‘Poverty Stoplight’ Approach to Eliminating Multidimensional Poverty: Business, Civil Society, and Government Working Together in Paraguay (Innovations Case Narrative: Fundación Paraguaya).” Innovations: Technology, Governance, Globalization 8 (1–2): 47–67. doi:10.1162/INOV_a_00165. APEX: Plan de Acción de la Alianza Público-Privada para la Eliminación de la Pobreza Extrema en el Paraguay (Asunción: Presidencia de la República, 2012) Burt, Martín. La escuela agrícola autosuficiente. (Asunción: Editorial Tiempo de Historia, 2009). Ciudadanía (Asunción: Municipalidad de Asunción, 2001) Peroni, Guillermo and Burt, Martin. Paraguay: Laws and Economy (Asunción, Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 1985) Poemas Cartas de Lluvia (Asunción, Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 1978)

References

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