Hannes Schmid is the co-founder of Smiling Gecko, a sprawling 1,500-hectare social enterprise in Cambodia housing a school, farm, fish farming, carpentry workshops, and 34 small businesses. All built to create genuine, lasting change rather than dependency.
In this premiere episode, we trace the full origin story of Smiling Gecko, listen to Hannes’ case for why NGOs need to take a different approach, and dive into how sustainable this sort of program really is. This is a podcast about philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and giving back, by and for people working that much harder to make a difference.
Learn more about Smiling Gecko: https://www.smilinggecko.ch/en/
The Giving Habit is brought to you by The Majurity Trust: https://www.majurity.sg/
CHAPTERS:
00:00 The Genesis of Smiling Gecko
05:50 Building a Holistic Community
12:00 Education as a Foundation for Change
18:01 The Role of Trust and Cultural Sensitivity
23:57 Balancing Philanthropy and Social Enterprise
29:59 Financial Sustainability and Quality Education
36:05 Philosophy of Architecture and Long-term Vision
36:21 Building Sustainable Structures in Challenging Environments
39:10 Design Philosophy: Integrating Tradition and Modernity
42:35 Cultural Heritage and Community Identity
45:53 The Role of Art in Society
48:26 The Importance of Shared Identity through Art
51:15 Questioning and Evolving Community Practices
54:03 Environmental Sustainability: A Complex Challenge
59:46 Future Aspirations and Community Growth
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