GW MBA Making a Difference
The George Washington School of Business is proud of its reputation as an institution known to cultivate entrepreneurial minds of its students and incubate their start-ups.
In the summer between the 1st and 2nd year of his MBA, GW’s Josh Pavano went on CAP, a required consulting abroad for all GMBA students, to Rwanda. The experience he found in with Africa and the people of Uganda and Rwanda altered the course of his MBA career and sparked his own entrepreneurial spirit.
Upon returning stateside, Pavano started Jonas Umbrellas. Jonas LLC., is a limited edition umbrella company that funds clean-water wells in Sub-Saharan Africa whose mission is to make stylish umbrellas that help people make an enormous impact in lives of others.
The company has partnered with Drop in the Bucket, a non-profit organization to place clean-water wells at schools in South Sudan and Uganda, to save over 1,000 children per well, increase school enrollment, and promote sanitation education.
Jonas Umbrellas doesn’t stop once you’ve received your umbrella, though— you can use the serial number on your umbrella to register on the company’s website and receive updates on the progress of the well and the lives of the children your purchase has impacted.
“I never would have started Jonas without the support of the GW community,” Pavano said. “The professors, administrators, and students at GW have been an invaluable resource, many of whom have gone above and beyond to help me be successful. If you are an aspiring entrepreneurial mind with a great idea or someone who just hopes to find that idea, GW is the place for you!”
If you wish to purchase a Jonas Umbrella or want to learn more the company, check out their Indiegogo Campaign.
