Social Entrepreneurship and its Impact on Society

 Social entrepreneurship is a rapidly growing field that combines the innovative spirit of entrepreneurship with the desire to create positive change in society. Social entrepreneurs identify social problems and develop innovative solutions that have the potential to create sustainable and positive impact. In recent years, social entrepreneurship has gained widespread recognition as a powerful tool for creating social change. It is no longer enough for businesses to focus solely on maximizing profits. Today's consumers and investors are increasingly demanding that companies take a more active role in addressing social and environmental issues. Social entrepreneurship is about creating businesses that are not only profitable but also address important social and environmental challenges. These businesses can take many forms, from non-profits to for-profits, and can operate in a variety of sectors.

In addition to creating positive change, social entrepreneurship also has the potential to be a powerful force for economic growth. Social enterprises create jobs, generate revenue, and stimulate economic development in communities that need it most.

However, social entrepreneurship is not without its challenges. Social entrepreneurs often face significant barriers to entry, including lack of funding, regulatory hurdles, etc. Despite these challenges, social entrepreneurship continues to grow in popularity and importance. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the need for innovative solutions to complex social problems has never been greater

Some of the Social Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurs are discussed below 

AMMOOMMATHIRI

AMMOOMMATHIRI is the first project which was implemented by Lakshmi Menon. She initiated this project in her own home to engage with her grandmother. Her grandmother Bhavani Amma is very energetic even at her age. She made cloth wicks to light the lamp during their evening prayers. They began thinking that they could gift them to their relatives if she made more. Their grandmother was happy when they told her that. They began gifting cloth wicks to their friends and relatives who visited their home. They named it ‘Ammoommathiri’. One day, she asked them whether the wicks had any demand. Amma was really enjoying it. Later it moved to a business model and began to grow, and those thiris went on to provide livelihood to several elderly and poor people.

Courtesy: Google Images

SHEF (Study Hall Education Foundation)

When discussing the most exceptional social entrepreneurs in India, Urvashi Sahni undoubtedly stands out. As the founder and CEO of SHEF (Study Hall Education Foundation), a non-profit organization committed to providing education to underprivileged girls in India, she has helped over 150,000 girls directly and 270,000 girls indirectly through her program, working with more than 900 schools. Her selfless dedication and passion earned her the well-deserved 'Social Entrepreneur Of The Year' award in 2017.

Courtesy: Google Images

Selco

Harish Hande is a dedicated and pioneering social entrepreneur from India, who has made significant contributions to the sustainable energy sector. As the CEO and Founder of Selco, he is popularised by implementing sustainable energy sources to rural areas of the country. In fact, Selco was the first company to introduce a rural solar financing program in India, and has since facilitated over 120,000 installations across the country. With more than 25 operational retail and service centers in Karnataka alone, Selco continues to make a positive impact on the lives of many people.

Courtesy: Google Images

Goonj by Anshu Gupta

Anshu Gupta was born into a middle-class family in Uttar Pradesh. He chose media as his profession and during an internship, he observed the pressing need for adequate clothing among the rural poor in India. To address this issue, Anshu established Goonj, a social enterprise that collects used clothing from urban areas, sorts and repairs them, and then distributes them to those in need. Goonj's relief efforts during natural disasters in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala have been widely recognized.

Courtesy: Google Images

Goodfellows

Mr. Shantanu Naidu, an entrepreneur and general manager in the office of Ratan Tata, founded a start-up named Goodfellows. The start-up offers valuable companionship to elderly individuals through their "grandpals,". Start-up aims to provide companionship to senior citizens and the startup received an undisclosed amount as seed investment from Mr. Tata. Goodfellows operates on a freemium subscription model. The initial month is offered for free to allow Grandpals to experience the service. Starting from the second month, a base subscription fee of Rs 5,000 per month is charged.

Courtesy: Google Images

Pipal Tree by Santosh Parulekar

Santosh Parulekar endeavors to generate job opportunities for unemployed youth residing in rural India. In pursuit of this goal, he founded ‘Pipal Tree’ in 2007, a company dedicated to offering formal training to young individuals and connecting them with reputable job positions throughout the country. Over the years, Pipal Tree has successfully trained over 1,500 workers, and it plans to establish training centers pan India in the forthcoming years.

Courtesy: Google Images

Frontier Markets by Ajaita Shah

Ajaita Shah is a visionary leader dedicated to empowering rural communities in India. Starting from scratch, she has pursued a mission to provide high-quality technological solutions to remote villages at the most affordable prices possible. As the Founder & CEO of Frontier Markets, Ajaita has overseen the distribution of solar-powered products to rural India, improving the lives of thousands of people in the process. To date, the company has sold over 10,000 solar solutions, and its commitment to lighting up the remotest corners of the country remains steadfast.

Courtesy: Google Images

Suhaib. P, Asst. Professor of Commerce, Al Shifa College of Arts and Science, Kezhattur, Perinthalmanna.