How an iron fish can change a huge health problem

Anemia is a huge problem in the developing world. In many countries. Iron deficiency is the cause of weakness and impairs cognitive development in children. The Lucky Iron Fish™ is a social entrepreneurship organization implementing a simple health innovation to alleviate iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in Cambodia, especially in women and children. How?…

Luxury and social change in Zermatt – dare to care

Zermatt, Switzerland. Sounds luxurious. Somehow a destination for a few people at the top of the pyramid. Impressive mountains that seem to be accessible just for a few people – too far away for all those living in poverty. But in these days Zermatt is also the location of changemakers, of people who want to…

Change the world – on the streets working with kids

During the Ashoka changemaker week in Paris last week there was one particular social entrepreneur that still remains in my mind. He gave a short intro during one speaker session. His name is Arnoud Raskin, Founder of Mobile Schools and Streetwize. Mobile Schools develops innovative education programs that enhance the qualities of resourcefulness that underprivileged…

Envision the World Cup in Brazil to make more social entrepreneurship happen

Brazil? If you mention Brazil in these days people start to discuss and talk about the World Cup: football games, teams, players, interviews, discussions on goal decisions … How many of us would like to be there and to support our teams and enjoy the atmosphere of Brazilian lifestyles, parties, dancing. Vivid discussions, colorful pictures…

From Nimby to Pimby – 6 recommendations make change happen

During the Ashoka changemaker week in Paris I heard great things from very successful social entrepreneurs: 1. Everything goes through people. It is not the organization, not the plan, not the initiative, but just the people who make it happen 2. You can change only if you think that you are not in a traffic…

Project planning should include the waste effect

Just watching a few minutes the News is enough to comprise that there is a really big issue we all have to deal with: waste, tons and tons, mountains of waste, waste even in the most rural parts of the world. Alternatively, we can take also a short walk in the surroundings and we will…

Core business and its little sister called social

When I talk to colleagues about social needs and social entrepreneurship, about making profit not just in terms of money, but also social profit, the reactions are most of all very positive. People like these ideas, independent from which kind of career level they have reached. The meaningfulness of acting and changing for a better…

Good solutions found. But what if there are better ones?

There is a huge number of meetings, conferences and daily discussions everywhere – just around needs: the needs of creating better conditions, setting up new infrastructures, restructuring, implementing new systems and machines. Organizations, cities, governments take decisions every day on how to solve problems and often these solutions are cost- intensive. The process of finding…

Good business needs good investors

Deciding whether a business is good or bad seems to be simple. At a first sight, but then…But what does it mean, a ‘good’ business? Good return, responsible handling? How much of what? 50:50? 20:80? 80:20? Ever thought what kind implications a ‘good’ business have? Thoughts around the good and bad business A business without…