So glad to hear from the social entrepreneurs on their ideas.
Once again brought me back to the thought : how do you hold yourself up to the name of being a social entrepreneur or for your business to be a social enterprise?
Is the criteria as long as you give back to the community?
Then isn't that what most businesses are doing. Secretly though. I mean we all give in huge sums back to charity and physically be there where the community needs us most - and use our business in one way or another contribute back to the society - in terms of hiring ex-convicts, handicaps etc; donate sums of money for causes we too believe in and many others. Specially for Singapore because the community in need is relatively within our reach.
To me at least, people only have the right to say they are a social enterprise if they have to take the extra effort to go into the villages and give up their job for a specific cause, at no pay. That's the extreme sacrifice deserving of that name. But well. this is my take.
So here's a download of a few of the ideas.
Reach - I had my questions about this.
Because its just like a job employment company.
So I asked if they would charge.
And they said in the long term they would but the main thing was low cost and to get those who have benefited to pay it forward and teach the rest.
I don't know - seems like a business model to me.
She won the money.
And next, gosh i forgot the project name. But their idea is to loan out sums of money to needy university students in Philippines. Problem: Alot of students have to quit school but of the lack of funds. So their solution is to loan the money to the needy university students while also assisting them to find part time jobs so they can work and study at the same time.
The default rate though is quite a risk.
And the next 2 are a combination of business idea and empowerment of women by providing them a living. Finding out most women in Africa are home-locked and suffer from 'abuse' at times from their working husband is because they do not have the money to be independent. Hence this project have seen the skills that these women can do and put it into good use.
canning and drying is a key thing in Africa it seems.
And speaking to candidates from developing countries always amazes me because they really have to use their brains to produce things that we usually take for granted. Example drying of the tomatoes or pumpkins, we just purchase a dryer online. Yet no, for them, they build it from scratch and using some metal strips and fix it with solar panels and glass to magnify the heat from the sun during the day to dry the items. Amazed.
And for this guy, kudos. took on period menstrual problem in India. But because he is a manufacturer of sanitary pads alot of people had doubt if his was more of a branding cause.
And next is about building education in Children.
pay it forward solution as well.
And some showcase of the items!
Coming back after the break, was Mr professor sharing on his mobile application selling. Sounds like MLM to me though. But yes it might work in Africa. Idea is rather than getting people to come to class to hear on how to sell things, one does the lesson in mobile form and can assist step by step via mobile so one can save time and money.
And next, the most common way that is done.
Handicraft by minority groups and sold online.
Viola!
Q&A
And our very own Singapore social enterprises.
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