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Can Soup Change the World?

Can an innovative community crowd-funding project from Detroit work in Kathmandu too?

Detroit Soup is an innovative crowd-funding dinner which is bringing people together to raise thousands of dollars for community projects in Motor City.

Since it launched five years ago, it has raised more than $85,000 for a range of start-ups working in areas such as urban agriculture, social justice and education - projects funded by, and for, the people. But could this model work in other cities?

For the 大象传媒's A Richer World season, the 大象传媒 takes Detroit Soup founder Amy Kaherl to Nepal, to inspire a new crowd-funding culture Kathmandu-style.

Amy meets a team of kindred spirits in the Nepalese capital, intent on improving their community for the better. This results in the launch of the inaugural Idea Fest Nepal - but is such grass-roots activism sustainable in one of the world's poorest countries?

50 minutes

Last on

Sun 22 Mar 2015 12:05GMT

Detroit Soup

Detroit Soup
Amy Kaherl is the founder of 聽- a crowd-funding dinner which has raised more than $85,000 for community projects since it started in 2010.

From Detroit to Kathmandu

From Detroit to Kathmandu
Brabim Kumar took Amy Kaherl's Detroit Soup community crowdfunding project and kick-started the first

The Empowerment Plan

The Empowerment Plan
Veronika Scott had a bright idea to help the homeless: a coat which turns into a sleeping bag. She won funding at Detroit Soup in 2011 and today聽聽produces thousands of coats each year.

Shakespeare in Detroit

Shakespeare in Detroit
Samantha White was given the complete works of Shakespeare by her mother, who disapproved of her listening to hip hop. Today, Samantha is running - a theatre company dedicated to the bard.

Sit on It Detroit

Sit on It Detroit
Kyle Bartell and Charles Molnar used the money they won at Detroit Soup to build benches for bus stops - with a difference. 's benches have a built-in free library, giving passengers something to read on their journey. 聽

Rebel Nell

Rebel Nell
Detroit Soup helped kick-start jewellery business . Today it employs three previously homeless women, who design wearable art made from one of Detroit's most abundant resources - graffiti.聽

Broadcasts

  • Sat 21 Mar 2015 19:05GMT
  • Sun 22 Mar 2015 12:05GMT

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