Here’s your Daily Brief for October 12th through October 13th:

Can ‘The Simpsons’ Really Improve Lives in Africa? (via SocialEarth) – This is an awesome look at a startup in Kenya selling “Hand Made African Stone Sculpts” as Simpsons memorabilia. I think it’s awesome what 20th Century Fox saw the social benefit associated with the merchandise and agreed to grant the rights to sell and distribute the products! This is also an awesome opportunity to begin bringing artisans from the informal sector into the formal economy.

The lives of these artisans have drastically improved since the company started. The artisans are paid 450 shillings or $6.50 per statue, which has allowed many workers to put their children to school. But the one the biggest improvements for workers is the regularity of work. Prior to Craft Village, artisans would go for weeks without work, but now there is a steady flow of work for not only the sculptors, but also the miners who dig up the soapstone rocks for carving, and the female assistants.

Did You Know: BMW Has Been In South Africa Since 1968!? – Well it’s true! Since 1968 BMWs have been assembled in Rosslyn, South Africa! If you have a 3 Series, it may very well have come from that plant! Africa Business Source reports that BMW will invest around ZAR 2.2 billion to increase production in SA by 45% from 60,000 to 87,000 cars.

Women in Social Enterprise: Sweta Mangal, CEO “Dial 1298/108 for Ambulance (via Beyond Profit) – The social enterprise magazine Beyond Profit is running an awesome series on “Women in Social Enterprise”. This post takes a look at Sweta Mangal, the CEO of a venture called “Dial 1298/108 for Ambulance”. What I particularly like about this post is that it takes a look at an even larger question that is often asked: What makes a social entrepreneur?

Portfolios of the Poor – a great new book (via Poverty to Power) – One of the keys to BOP business strategy is truly understanding the dynamics of poverty. Duncan Green does a good job of summarizing “Portfolios of the Poor” — an examination of poverty that goes beyond the stereotypes and takes an honest perspective on how the poor manage their money.

Kagame Praises China’s Role in Africa (via BBC) – It’s interesting to see Rwandan President Paul Kagame praising the role China is playing in Africa. I’ve written frequently about this topic (most notably here and here), and I agree with Kagame when he states that Africa needs business investment rather than sympathetic aid.

“The Chinese bring what Africa needs: investment and money for governments and companies,” he told business newspaper Handelsblatt.

“China is investing in infrastructure and building roads,” he said, adding that European and American involvement “has not brought Africa forward”.

But where I strongly disagree with Kagame is that China’s role in Africa is one to be praised. It’s exploitative and does nothing to stimulate local economies. Business investment in African and the whole of the developing world needs to be responsible and ought to seek to promote local economic development.