Innovative solutions to social challenges can come from anywhere, and no longer from just traditional actors, such as governments, nongovernmental organizations or development agencies. As technology becomes more readily available and funding becomes more democratized, social enterprises are figuring more and more prominently in the global development landscape.
Often born from an urgent need to solve real social problems in the same communities where they are founded, social enterprises are still businesses that strive for financial sustainability. Whether this means bringing in profits or simply breaking even depends on the enterprise’s unique business model, but one thing all of them have in common is a commitment to maximize social impact.
Social entrepreneurs are disrupters — often engaging with communities and stakeholders to find and create solutions from the ground up. They can tackle a range of issues, including youth unemployment, environmental degradation, education, poverty, health, energy and the empowerment of women and girls.
About the author
Liana Barcia
Liana is a former Manila-based reporter at Devex focusing on education, development finance, and public-private partnerships.
