180DC Hits the Mark: 180 Branches Worldwide!

3 minute read

Our network has reached a significant milestone: 180 branches worldwide! The success has been made possible with the onboarding of our first branch in sub-Saharan Africa: 180DC ALU! Spread across campuses in Rwanda and Mauritius, this new branch marks the 180th addition to our global network: a monumental step toward empowering the next generation of African social impact leaders. This achievement reflects the relentless drive for growth and impact shown by the dedicated individuals who make up the organization. Blessing, 180DC ALU’s Founding President states:

“I envision creating a supportive community where members grow professionally, collaborate creatively, and make a tangible difference in our local and global communities”.

The Growth Team, responsible for managing new applications has, since its establishment, secured branch applications initiated through organic, inbound submissions. While this approach has been successful and continues to thrive, the Global Leadership Team (GLT) recognized the need to evolve. Understanding the untapped potential in key regions, the Growth Team has set out to innovate how and where we grow.

Over the past three years, the Growth Team has dedicated extensive time and effort to developing a proactive, outbound strategy. Specifically; developing a geographic footprint in underrepresented regions where we may have clients, but no 180DC branches. Through this initiative, they identified underrepresented regions that have yet to benefit from 180DC’s presence. One such focus has been Sub-Saharan Africa, a region rich with opportunity, yet previously without a 180DC branch. 60% of the region’s population are below the age of 25, offering a dynamic, innovative, and mission-driven pool of students to empower. The increased rate of urbanization as well as growth in startup and social-impact investment offers real-world consulting opportunities to students, and will support our mission in developing the next generation of African social impact leaders. 

Our recent success in expanding into the Middle East—especially in Saudi Arabia and the UAE through our partnership with Strategy& Middle East—has been another significant chapter in our story. With the expansion into new regions, the GLT is realising the power of partnerships to help break down barriers to entering new markets. On the ground knowledge and networks from local partners is becoming an avenue for sourcing projects for new branches and developing a greater awareness of 180DC. Ultimately, this has helped to secure new branch applications from universities in regions we are aiming to grow into. 

But we’re not stopping here. 180DC’s Global Operations and Growth teams continue to push boundaries, with innovative initiatives like the newly launched Branch Pairing Scheme. This program is designed to connect established branches in the 180DC network with emerging ones, providing mentorship and support to foster growth in underrepresented regions across the globe. A key benefit of this program will be its ability to ensure new branch founders have all the tools to run a sustainable and effective branch over the long term. Having already committed 860,000 volunteer hours and delivering over 1,200 projects worldwide, the scope to expand our empowerment of students and support social causes 

Having reached 180 branches, our expansion does not stop here. The Growth team continues to target sub-Saharan Africa and several other underrepresented regions around the world. If your university is yet to establish a 180DC branch, reach out to our Growth team at: 180DC Growth Team.

Stay tuned for more exciting updates as we continue to expand and evolve!

Quote from the founding president of the 180th branch - Blessing Akpan when asked about her thoughts on the branch application process

The branch application process was thorough and well-structured, which I really appreciated. It pushed myself and my team to clarify our vision for the club and demonstrate our potential impact at ALU. While it was detailed, I found it to be a great opportunity to reflect on the value 180DC can bring to our community. However, simplifying some parts like the proposal stage could make it less intimidating for future applicants.