An Entrepreneur is a person who organizes and manages an enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk. Social Entrepreneurship is using business methods to solve social problems. For example: creating a business to solve a bullying problem around a small town. Entrepreneurship was first used through the 1960’s and 1970’s, but became more popular during the 80’s and 90’s promoted by Bill Drayton, the founder of “Ashoka: Innovators of the Public.” Social Entrepreneurs work to create businesses/use business methods to help the society’s problems.
One example of Social Entrepreneurs is the team of Dr. V and David Green who created a trust in Madurai, India whose goal is to providing accessible health care technology and services to the local community around that area. It was started in 1976 and it was a small business back then, but today it is one of the biggest facilities for eye care in the world. Since it was started, it has expanded to 4 other cities in India and now attracts patients from all over the world.
Another example of a Social Entrepreneur is the social entrepreneur Vikram Akula who created a business to help the poor “power through” micro finances. Over the past few years, his business has expanded and increased the economic opportunities for the disenfranchised in India. The foundation gives them access to financial services and has helped (and will continue to help) many poor families turn their lives around by starting small businesses.
