Annual Report 2012

PLAIN INK

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M ISSION

At Plain Ink we want to fuel a better story.

Working at the place where education, inspiration and action meet, we ignite imaginations to create a new narrative for the world; one in which we all have a chance to thrive, wherever we are.

Compelled by the transformative potential of storytelling, we harness the power of books, multi-media and imagery to spark change.

Through the stories that we tell, we help people gain new skills, increase literacy levels and engage communities around the world in finding their own solutions.

In our book, we want a happy ending. At Plain Ink, we believe our stories will help to take us there.

STAFF

Selene Biffi Founder and Executive Director

A humanitarian and social entrepreneur, Selene has founded and chaired a number dynamic organisations and

initiatives prior to Plain Ink, including Youth Action for Change – a global, youth-led organization inspiring and

empowering young people in over 130 countries to become active agents of change in their own communities –

Forgotten Diaries and the Young Innovations Europe magazine. She has been a speaker, consultant and trainer

for organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, Oxfam, OSCE, the Council of Europe, Columbia

University and Microsoft among others. In addition she has received several awards and fellowships for her work,

and has been selected as a ‘Young Global Leader’ by the World Economic Forum. She holds a BS in International

Economics and Management from Universita’ Bocconi (Italy), a NOHA Masters in International Humanitarian Action

(Ireland and Spain), and diplomas in Leadership and Public Policy from Harvard University (US) and Social Entrepre-

neurship from INSEAD (France).

Luca Magnoni Strategy & Development Coordinator

Luca Magnoni is a designer, musician, journalist and digital artist. He is the founder and creative director of Hydro-

gen, and Creative & Design Director at Ninja Group.In 2004 he became the National Director of both Computer Arts

and Computer Arts Special magazines. Under his leadership the publications became leading magazines for the Ita-

lian creative industry. Luca’s deep knowledge of technology and his approach to communication were acknowled-

ged when he was invited to become a member of IADAS (International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences), a

prestigious organisation gathering the brightest creative minds from around the world.

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Fabrizio LoveriArt Coordinator

Fabrizio Loveri is the Co-Founder and a Graphic Director at Hydrogen, and Graphic Director at Ninja Group.

His work is characterised by finding a balance between art and design integration across digital platforms. A brand,

logo and web design expert, Fabrizio facilitates and supervises the creative process behind campaigns for several

large international brands.

Emanuele PisapiaWebmaster

Emanuele Pisapia is co-founder of Lenus Media Agency, a communication firm specializing in digital development.

A strong believer in “good communication”, Emanuele turned his passion into a job, integrating web development

with innovative web marketing strategies.

BOAR DProf. Aleh Tsyvinski - Full Professor of Economics, Yale University (USA)

Dr. Francesco Galtieri - Portfolio Manager for Central and North Africa Region, United Nations Volunteers (UNV)

Dr. Harsha V. Singh - Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organisation (WTO)

Mr. Luca Magnoni - Founder and Creative Director of Hydrogen and IADAS member

Dr. Raffaele Mauro - Senior Analyst, Annapurna Ventures

Mr. Paolo Petrocelli - Musiacian and Lecturer

Dr. Veena Jha - Director, UNCTAD India formerly, consultant

PROJECTS

ITALYINTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE AND UNDERSTANDING

Plain Ink has always believed in the power of stories to create bridges among people of different cultures, ages and

backgrounds.

That is why it started its work by creating bright, engaging and captivating books that tell original stories with a strong

multi-cultural focus. Available in bilingual versions, they include educational games and activities to entertain, inspire

and inform readers.

Our publications aim to create a bridge between different cultures by promoting intercultural dialogue and under-

standing, respect and integration. Our projects are the result of a team of experts and professionals coming together

to create the best books we can. The team is diverse comprised of cultural mediators, teachers, parents, psycholo-

gists, educationalists, writers, illustrators, graphic artists and anthropologists.

LUNA

Looking for a better life, Ahmed and his family leave

Morocco for Italy. It will not be easy for any of them,

but Ahmed is lucky enough to have Luna with him,

the most beautiful marble ever. And thanks to the

game of marbles, a game he used to play each

day in Casablanca, Ahmed is able to make new friends

and enjoy a new beginning.

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BOOKS FOR MIRANDOLA

In July Plain Ink organised a book drive to collect children books for

Tutti a Bordo!, an association located in Mirandola (MO), that was

asking for support after the earthquake had hit the town, along with

many other sorrounding villages.

Plain Ink enlisted the support of several libraries to collect and sort

out a total of 669 books – many of which, bilingual – and stationery,

and then delivered them directly to ‘Tutti a Bordo!’ and the ‘Piemonte

2’ tent camp in Mirandola to allow the creation of a mobile library

inside the camp.

Supporting libraries:

• Burago Molgora

• Basiano e Masate

• Busnago

• Concorezzo

• Gorgonzola

• Grezzago

• Mezzago

INDIATHE VILLAGE CHANGEMAKERS

According to UNESCO statistics illiteracy is widespread in India, af-

fecting a total of 400 million people. In the light of this, Plain Ink has

devised health-related comics – with messages presented in Hindi,

English as well as pure graphics – as a simple and effective way to

share knowledge and skills with people with limited literacy.

Plain Ink has reached out to and involved the community of Jalilpur

– a slum of 10,000 people in the outskirts of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

– to create comics that would be context-relevant, appropriate and

be reflective of the needs and wants of that community itself, starting

with the participation of the pupils of the Aghoreshwar Gurukul.

After several pilots, revision rounds and talks with community members, local development experts, doctors, teachers

and students, Plain Ink locally produced and printed The Village Changemakers, a comics book that aims to:

• communicate ideas that empower rural children and communities to take care of and improve public health locally;

• relay health-related, life-changing concepts in a visual manner, overcoming economic and illiteracy barriers and

engaging communities in finding their own solutions;

• instill the importance of education and literacy for both, boys and girls and promote children’s participation;

• cultivate local talent and contribute to the creative economy of the area through localised production and distribution.

The Village Changemakers comics cover five topics:

• clean water access

• food security

• communicable diseases prevention

• personal hygiene

• sanitation.

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In 2012 Plain Ink has locally printed and distributed 2,000 copies free of charge to beneficiaries – including children,

schools and clinics – living in slums and villages in four states: Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

Local partners include:

• Bal Ashram, Varanasi

• Bose public school, Mirzapur

• Find the Cure clinics, Meenthulli and Theresapura

• Government School, Ranchi

• Mirzapur government school, Mirzapur

• Shri Aghoreshwar Gurukul, Jalilpur

Plain Ink worked with the Shri Aghoreshwar Gurukul school pupils for one month in November, with the aim to start

an experiential curriculum based on the content of its comics.

This resulted in lessons and practical activities about water preservation, waste management and community deve-

lopment, seeing the participation of 86 children from classes 3°- 4°- 5° which devised activties in the slum they live in.

The activities organised by the children included the clean up of the Ganges river banks, picking garbage and cle-

aring sewage channels within the slum, reaching out to approximately 100 people during their activities also thanks

to posters and signs they had drawn.

MEMORY CARD GAME

Games have a long history and tradition in a country like India, where Pachisi – the national board game – is first

mentioned in the epic book of Mahabharata, written around 500 BC. Today, not only do games entertain and provi-

de a favourite pastime for children and adult alike, they are also credited with the power to engage and even teach.

The first 200 card decks were locally printed and distributed in Jalilpur in November.

With this in mind, Plain Ink has developed a card game to teach so-

cial innovation, civic engagement and participation.

The card game, which functions as a memory card game requiring

players to match a problem with its solution, specifically aims at:

• teaching basic notions of issues related to local development, like

public health, food security, income generation, financial literacy,

clean water access creation and others linked to the Millennium

Development Goals;

• involving children in understanding their local context better,

helping them identifying issues and come up with creative ways

to tackle them;

• encouraging children to translate their knowledge into simple

actions that can effectively improve various aspects

of the village life.

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AFGHANISTANTHE QESSA ACADEMY

After over 30 years of war, Afghanistan suf-

fers from a 75% illiteracy rate, making oral

communication paramount in addressing

poverty, peace and stability. Both the go-

vernment and development organisations are

experimenting with different ways to pass on

information, including comics, posters and

billboards.

The Afghan culture is however predominantly

oral, and it is hard to overstate the importan-

ce of storytelling and the extent to which it

pervades all levels of society. As such, ma-

ster storytellers are held in high regard as re-

pository of values and information. As most

of them are also elderly people, their skills may soon vanish with them. At the same time, Afghanistan is country

where 68% of its population is composed of youth aged 18-25, who face an unemployment rate of 40%.

To take advantage of traditional storytelling to promote employment and development solutions, Plain Ink is working

to establish The Qessa Academy in Kabul, Afghanistan.

The Qessa Academy is a dedicated space to keep the ancient art of storytelling alive. It is a place for master storytel-

lers to pass on their traditional craft to a new generation of young storytellers. Both entertaining and educational, the

stories which are shared help to preserve the social and cultural heritage of the country. In doing so, the academy is

a place where valuable life lessons and legacies are kept alive.

Open to unemployed youth aged 18-25, the Academy offers students a chance to acquire vital skills in storytelling,

communications and community development. Our curriculum encompasses formal lesson in English, Community

Development Practice, and the Art of Storytelling.

At the end of the course Plain Ink helps students develop their CVs and then link them to NGOs and international

organizations to help increase their employment opportunities.

In 2012, Plain Ink carried out a two-month assessment in Kabul, speaking with a number of stakeholders including

development professionals, UN and NGO officers, officers at the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women’s Affais

and Ministry of Culture, teachers and pupils.

The assessment proved positive and prompted Plain Ink in initiating the activities requested to establish Qessa,

which included the formal registration of the organisation, the creation of a dedicated website and curricula and

lesson plans.

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LEARNING fr om PLAIN INK

C OURSESIn the fall of 2012, Plain Ink partnered with Cactustudio to offer aspi-

ring authors the chance to enroll in two online courses on “Writing

books for children and teens” to hone their skills and come up with

ideas and works that can be more easily picked up by publishers.

The courses were run by writer Manuela Salvi, author of over 25 children’s books published

by well-known presses such as Mondadori (Italy), and winner of the White Raven award.

The courses were composed of 8 practical and theoretical lessons, and included both the-

oretical as well as practical modules.

C ONTENT PROVIDINGPlain Ink was asked to collaborate with Prelios to prepare comic panels to insert into their annual report, covering

themese of their interests such as waste management, sustainable transport and solar energy.

The concept stories were developed by Diego Cajelli

and the artwork is by Daniele Di Nicuolo.

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HONORS and ACHIEVEMENTS

Awards and Fe llowship

Regione LombardiaPremio per la Pace

Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and CommerceFellowship

Rolex Awards for EnterpriseYoung Laureate

Friends of EuropeTop 40 Under 40 EU Leaders

Fondazione Marisa BellisarioYouth plaque

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Honors and Achievements

Celebrity endorser:

Tiziano Ferro (singer)

Among the 12 members of the Task force on Innovative

Startup created by Hon. Corrado Passera, Italian Minister

of Economic Development (April - September)

Column writer (monthly) for Che Futuro!, the most-read Italian

blog with articles on social innovation and tech for education

European Institute of Design – final exams examiner, took part

in evaluating KUNE, a project by prospective graduate students

about ways to leverage arts to help the Chinese community in Milan

integrate more easily

Participating at Expo 2015 focus group of experts

on the social sector

Launched the regional law on volunteerism for Regione

Friuli-Venezia-Giulia

Plain Ink as a case studies: Università Bocconi, Università LUISS,

Politecnico of Milano

Arianna Huffington talks about Plain Ink in her blog at the launch

of The Huffington Post Italia

Featured in the book ‘How to build a social enterprise

that makes money’, by OneLeap link

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EVENTS

University lectures • Università Commerciale L. Bocconi, Milan • LUISS Guido Carli, Rome

Public readingsAt libraries in: Basiano (MI) - Bellusco (MI) - Cassano (MI) - Mezzago (MB)

Rome• Ministry of Education - MIUR• TransEuropaExpress, European Commission

Milan• Fare Futuro, European Institute of Design – IED• Non-profit roundtables, Expo 2015• The Craxi Foundation

Pavia• CNA Lombardia

Treviglio• Don Bosco high school

Mezzago• Spaventamaggio village fair

Cremona• Zonta club

Treviso• H-Farm

Trieste• Friuli-Venezia-Giulia region Reggio Emilia• Province Ferrara• The city of culture festival

Viterbo• Medioera Cult

Lecce• Bollenti Spiriti camp

London• IBBY Congress

New Delhi• Rolex Awards press conference

Presentations

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PARTNERSHIPS

Corporate Partners

C harity Partners

AcademicPartners

Ne tworks

Foundations

Friends

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MEDIA COVERAGE

PL AIN INK has be en promine nt ly f eatured in :

10 Righe dai Libri‘LUNA’ link

Attimo Fuggente‘I libri sono le armi migliori, anche in Afghanistan’

Che Futuro‘La rivoluzione della scuola è un filo tra il dorso di un asino e il web’ link ‘Arte, cultura e crowdsourcing in Afghanistan: così ho vinto i Rolex Awards’ link

Comics Blog‘I fumetti continuano a cambiare il mondo’ link ‘Plain Ink – il fumetto fonte di cultura nei Paesi in Via di Sviluppo’ link

Corriere della Sera‘Io, la mia start-up e 150 euro di investimento iniziale’ link ‘La start-up sociale per l’Afghanistan’

Corriere Viaggi‘Selene Biffi e la scuola afgana di cantastorie’ link

Danik Bhaskar‘Plain Ink’

Engagement Design‘Storytelling across cultures’ link

F (effe)‘Grandi donne del 2012: ci hanno fatto fare un passo avanti’

Fast Company‘Comics without Superheroes but with a mission’ link

Fumetti10‘Fumetti didattici per bambini: ecco Plain Ink’ link

Goodnet‘The power of storytelling’ link

GQ‘Happy List: Selene Biffi e le idee (condivise online) che possono cambiare il mondo’ link

Newspapers, Magazines and Blogs

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How Matters‘The Village Changemakers’ link

Huffington Post‘Benvenuti a L’Huffington Post!’ link

Il Giornale‘Rolex Awards for Enterprise, premio dedicato ai giovani imprenditori. Per la prima volta vince un’italiana di 30 anni’ link

Il Piccolo‘Volontariato, ricchezza per ogni territorio’

Il Sole 24 Ore‘Premio Bellisario’

INK Newsletter‘Selene Biffi and the Village Changemakers’ link

La Repubblica‘Genius Loci, in rete l’archivio dell’Italia che genera valore’ link ‘Giovani e visionari: con le nostre idee cambierà il futuro’ link

La Stampa‘Il fumetto che insegna ad amare il diverso’ link

Le Formiche‘Plain Ink, quando l’istruzione sconfigge la povertà’ link

Leiweb‘Giovani talenti per lo sviluppo sociale’ link

Libero‘Idee innovative giovani. Rolex premia un’italiana’

Linkiesta‘Plain Ink, quando l’analfabetismo e la povertà si combattono con i fumetti’ link

Mamme Online‘Fumetti didattici per donare un futuro ai bambini in Paesi in Via di Sviluppo’ link

Marie Claire‘Innovazione Under 30’ link

Medioera‘La Plain Ink di Selene Biffi ottiene il Rolex Awards for Enterprise’ link

MireMari Blog‘Plain Ink’ link

Mondo Rosa Shocking‘Plain Ink, un mondo aperto per superare le differenze culturali e crescere l’alfabetizzazione’ link

OneWorld‘War-ravaged Afghans learn of new things through stories’ link

Panorama‘Vita (e miracoli) di Selene, che a 30 anni ha insegnato l’abc a 4,000 bambini del mondo’ link

Sandbox‘From the Sandbox: Plain Ink and Selene Biffi’ link

Smemoranda‘Plain Ink: fumetti per lo sviluppo, la pace, la libertà’ link ‘Plain Ink cerca volontari per fare cose belle & giuste’ link

Social Enterprise Buzz’16 ways to build a social enterprise that makes money’ link

Supermamma‘Favole per favorire l’integrazione e fumetti e giochi per sconfiggere la povertà’ link

Tafter‘Con i Rolex Awards l’istruzione arriva in Afghanistan’ link

Terre di Mezzo‘Memorie di un popolo’ link

TGcom‘A Selene Biffi il Premio Rolex 2012: l’Italiana che aiuta i cantastorie in Afghanistan’ link

The Guardian‘How to build a social enterprise that makes money’ link

The Time of India‘The storytelling senorita’ link

Unexus‘An interview with Selene Biffi from Plain Ink’ link

Venerdì di Repubblica‘Giovani star crescono. Il loro X-Factor? Le buone idee’

Vita‘Le 50 donne del non profit’

WIRED‘Plain Ink, fumetti didattici per i Paesi in Via di Sviluppo’ link ‘Un’italiana vince il Rolex Awards’ link

Yalla Italia‘Integrazione: per Plain Ink un libro può cambiare le cose’ link

Archivio della Generatività‘Plain Ink: un nuovo equilibrio tra interesse e dono’ link

Bollenti Spiriti‘Intervista a Michela Bettinelli di Plain Ink’ link

Huffington Post Italia‘Non c’è bisogno di essere straordinari per fare cose straordinarie’ link

Piattaforma Infanzia‘La partecipazione come innovazione sociale’ link

RAI‘Plain Ink’ link

TRS‘Publica’

TV and Video interviews

Radio 24‘Startups’

Radio YANG‘Un modello di istruzione’ link

Radio

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F INANCIAL STATEMENTS

REVENUES

GRANTS

OTB Foundation Euro 15.000,00

Rolex Award - first instalment Euro 12.405,71

Rolex Award - second instalment Euro 12.365,67

Total Grants Euro 39.771,38

DONATIONS

Donations Euro 11.517,26

Total Donations Euro 11.517,26

MEMBERSHIP FEES

Memberships fees Euro 216,21

Total Membership fees Euro 216,21

SHAREHOLDER LOAN

Shareholder Loan Euro 783,32

Total Shareholder Loan Euro 783,32

BANK

Interest accrued Euro 2,89

Mistakes in account handling Euro 177,62

Total from Bank Euro 180,51

TOTAL REVENUES Euro 52.468,68

| F INANC IAL STATEME N TS |

29Financial Statements prepared by Studio Corbella - www.stu-corb.it

PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT

Research Euro 734,24

Grantwriting Euro 1370,28

Teach a man to Fish online course (to be recovered in 2013) Euro 1.500,75

Total professional support Euro 3.605,27

WEBSITE

Graphics, updates and strategy Euro 4.884,36

Maintenance Euro 150,00

Total website Euro 5.034,36

MARKETING MATERIALS

Plain Ink bags Euro 1.748,45

Plain Ink poster Euro 115,00

Thank You Cards Euro 150,75

5x1000 cards and comics printing Euro 163,35

PPT graphics Euro 735,28

F24 tax on PPTs and Qessa graphics Euro --

Total graphics and marketing materials Euro 2.912,83

ACCOUNTING

Yearly expenditure for 2011 and 5x1000 expenses Euro 925,49

Total Accounting Euro 925,49

TAXES

Taxes on services 2011-2012 Euro 4.633,20

Total Taxes Euro 4.633,20

BANK ACCOUNT

Account handling and general management Euro 79,48

Missing wire transfer funds AFG October - December Euro 129,50

Total Bank account Euro 208,98

PROJECTS

ITALY

‘The pink elephant gang’ book - texts Euro 300,00

Prelios comics Euro 1.136,36

Morocco book ‘LUNA’ - rhyme Euro 100,00

Plain Ink rhyme Euro 100,00

Mirandola book drive Euro 200,00

INDIA

Comics printing Euro 354,70

Memory cards game - artwork Euro 250,75

Memory card game - printing Euro 76,29

Food for children Euro 27,93

AFGHANISTAN

Qessa logo Euro 408,43

Qessa illustrations Euro 434,00

Assessment 1 Euro 342,50

Assessment 2 Euro 343,50

Human resources - 1 local project manager Euro 4.673,45

Qessa Website Texts Euro 300,00

Qessa programming Euro 800,00

Qessa website - graphics Euro 3.151,20

Total Projects Euro 12.999,11

| F INANC IAL STATEME N TS | | F INANC IAL STATEME N TS |

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EXPENSES

PROVISIONAL TOTAL BALANCE Euro 22.149,44

TOTAL EXPENSES Euro 30.319,24

Financial Statements prepared by Studio Corbella - www.stu-corb.it

Pla i n I nk wo u l d l i ke t o t hank a l l t he i nd i v i d ua l s wh o , t hr o ugh t he i r ong o i ng s upp ort , have made o u r work p oss i b l e t h i s year :

Alessandro Rimassa

Alessandro Totoro

Alessio Pieroni

Alice Masinara

Andrea Galvani

Andrea Trevisan

Anna Palastanga

Annalisa Falace

Annalisa Piersigilli

Antonio Orrera

Barbara De Rossi

Beatrice Sartini

Cameron Middleton

Claudia Arlati

Daniela Giacometti

Davide Burattin

Diego Cajelli

Diego Rancati

Elisa Gianni

Emanuele Mandelli

Emilio Bettinelli

Emilio Chiodo

Emily Boothroyd

Enrico Fiore

Fabrizio Di Campli

Federica Bellè

Federica Grebello

Filippo Tramelli

Francesca Perego

Francesco Galtieri

Giacinto Mingione

Giorgio Scolozzi

Giovanni Angioni

Giulia Ferrero

Giulia Valente

Giuliana Vitassovich

Glenda Catarame

Graziano Gallitto

Guido Belgeri

Ilaria Fortini

Isabella Paglia

Laura Giuntoli

Laura Mariani

Letizia Elsa Romanini

Lisetta Bozzato

Lorena Andena

Luca Fracasso

Luca Zuccotti

Lucia Salemi

Luciana Gnatta

Maddalena Bordogna

Manuela Salvi

Marco Omar Harb

Maria Hermoso

Maria Luisa Marieni Saredo

Massimo Randone

Matteo Fini

Mattia Cerato

Mattia Tavella

Maurizia Rubino

Michela Bettinelli Rossi

Michele Mozzati

Monica Lucarelli

Nadia Dibilio

Natalie Lane

Nicola D’Amico

Paola Adami

Paolo Minucci

Paolo Santin

Piero Camber

Riccardo Quadrelli

Rosanna Spolzino

Sabrina Crespi

Sakis Lalas

Stefano D’Alessi

Stefano Frasca

Sauro Legramandi

Valentina Belloni

Valentina Guerrera

Valeria Gallo

Vanessa Icareg

Viviana Bianchessi

Viviana Solcia

©2013 Plain Ink - All rights reserved.Is prohibited the reproduction of the work, including recording and computer processing, without the prior written permission of Plain Ink.

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