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Visionaries |
| There are many visionaries
who have been an inspiration to spark the work of social entrepreneurs,
philanthropists and ethically inclined companies. Social entrepreneurship
emphasises the synergies and benefits when
personal principles are integrated with business principles. Here are
a few examples of well known social
entrepreneurs, philanthropists and business initiatives: |
Muhammad Yunus
MuhammadYunus
was born in 1940, Chittagong, Bangladesh, where he grew up to become
a banker and economist. He has been the recipient of many awards and
international honours, most notably the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006.
He is most famous for his successful application of the concept of
micro-credit, which is the extension of small loans to entrepreneurs
too poor to qualify for traditional bank loans. |
Vikram Akula
Vikram Akula
is the CEO and founder of SKS Microfinance, an organisation that offers
microloans and insurance to poor women in impoverished areas of India.
Today, SKS is one of the fastest growing microfinance institutions
in the world, having provided over $72m in loans to nearly 300,000
women in India. Vikram was recently named one of Time Magazine’s
100 people of the year 2006. |
KickStart (www.kickstart.org)
KickStart
was founded in 1991 by Martin Fisher and Nick Moon. It is a non-profit
organization that develops and markets new technologies in Africa.
These low-cost technologies are bought by local entrepreneurs and used
to establish highly profitable new small businesses. They create new
jobs and wealth, enabling the poor to climb out of their poverty forever.
To date, the initiative has started over 50,000 new businesses, with
800 new businesses per month across Kenya, Tanzania and Mali. |
Freeplay
Foundation (www.freeplayenergy.com)
Freeplay
Energy plc develops and advances the use of sustainable energy globally
and the Freeplay Foundation applies these technological advances to
redress the results of energy poverty. Freeplay Energy's clean, patented
technology harnesses human, solar and rechargeable energy and converts
it into electricity to power unique portable, consumer products replacing
conventional disposable battery-powered systems that are environmentally
toxic and expensive. The current product range includes radios, torches,
lanterns, mobile phone chargers and standalone foot powered generators.
Freeplay Energy's "Lifeline" radio is distributed throughout
the developing world by The Freeplay Foundation and other AID and Humanitarian
organizations such as Unicef and other United Nations' agencies. |
Mel
Young, Homeless World Cup (www.homelessworldcup.org)
The
Homeless World Cup, founded in 2002 by Mel Young, exists to be a
catalyst for lasting change through
the development of street soccer worldwide in a way that that creates
a maximum social impact for the players involved – socially excluded,
homeless people and people living in poverty. Many homeless people
find regular employment, break their dependency on drugs and alcohol,
pursue education and find better housing. Young is also the co-founder
of the Big Issue in Scotland and of the New Consumer magazine, which
encourages individuals to use their purchasing power to create a positive
world change. |
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew
Carnegie was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist,
who built one of the most powerful and influential corporations in
the US. Later in his life he gave away most of his riches to fund the
establishment of libraries, schools and universities throughout the
world. |
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