15 March 2017 (Wednesday) 3.30pm at SIA
Jack Sim is the founder of World Toilet Organization and the BoP HUB and a leading global advocate for sanitation. Formerly in the construction industry, he founded the World Toilet Organization in 2001, after attaining financial independence at age of 40, and deciding to devote the rest of his life to social work.
In 2001 World Toilet Organization (WTO) declared its founding day 19 November as World Toilet day. In 2013, 19 November was designated as UN World Toilet Day – the day is now celebrated globally each year as a day raise awareness of the need for action to end the sanitation crisis.
For ‘creating good will and bringing the subject into the open’ and ‘mobilizing national support in providing on-the-ground expertise’ Jack Sim received the Schwab Foundation award for Social Entrepreneur of the Year in 2001. In 2007, Jack became one of the key members to convene the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance composed of key players for sanitation. He is an Ashoka Global Fellow, and was named one of the Heroes of the Environment for 2008 by Time Magazine. He was most recently awarded the President’s Volunteerism and Philanthropy Award 2016 in Singapore for his dedication to social good.
Widely known as Mr. Toilet, Jack broke the global taboo around toilets and sanitation by bringing it to centre-stage with his unique mix of humour and serious facts.
This talk will revolve around the concept of human centered design. Jack, a.k.aMr. Toilet would take the example of toilets and focus on how to create designs for the bottom of the pyramid/poverty line. He will push the audience to imagine ideas that nurture lifestyle aspirations of the poor. In this day and age where 1 billion people still open defecate, the opportunities are tremendous leaving room for out-of-the box thinking. This may be a serious issue but don’t forget the importance of the simpler things in life, such as humor.
