What is Social Entrepreneurship?
Essentially, social entrepreneurs identify public problems and apply their business acumen to solve them. Instead of using a company solely for profit, their goal is to simultaneously impact a society and regulate positive change. Therefore, the success of such an effort is measured not only on the basis of balance sheets, but also by the effect it has had on a community.
Social entrepreneurship demands the same trust, motivation and innovation as any other business, but in a way that prioritizes social development and the simultaneous creation of social and economic value. Therefore, more than making a profit, it is about executing social change through unique solutions that help a community overcome established obstacles.
By definition, most social entrepreneurs face problems that, ideally, fall within the purview of the government. Instead of waiting for problems to be resolved or sweeping them under the rug as many governments and societies tend to do, they see them as opportunities to bring about positive change. Therefore, social entrepreneurship is about combining a vision of a brighter future with the understanding that achieving long-term goals requires drastic effort and creative solutions.
Like any other business venture, social entrepreneurship programs cannot be isolated exercises. Most entrepreneurs, for example, promote a nonprofit organization in the hope that other people and agencies will join in supporting the cause and help multiply its benefits to broader sectors of society. The degree of success of such efforts is often based on the amount of grassroots collaboration and participation they can generate.
In addition, and like commercial companies, social entrepreneurship projects depend on a certain degree of risk taking. Only, in this case, the risk is not limited to financial security but involves social activism and passion. In this context, social entrepreneurship activities may seem incredibly dangerous, but the risks are many times more outweighed in terms of benefits to society.
The impact on society
Social entrepreneurship is as important to a growing society as commercial entrepreneurship is to a developing economy. Both are essential for sustainable development and accelerated inclusive growth.
The importance of its impact on societies can be measured from the contributions of some eminent social entrepreneurs who are feted for positively and permanently impacting our world. In 19th century America, Susan B Anthony led the fight for women’s suffrage and helped establish equal rights for women. In 20th century India, Vinoba Bhave founded the Land Gift Movement which brought about the redistribution of over 700,000 acres of land to the poorest in the country. Italian physician Maria Montessori (1870 – 1952) identified the deficiencies in the early educational system and developed a new approach that is still relevant throughout the world today. Before her, her compatriot Florence Nightingale helped establish the first nursing school and fought to improve hospital conditions. Birth control activist Margaret Sanger encouraged family planning around the world with her Planned Parenthood Federation of America. These and other social entrepreneurs have made extraordinary contributions to shaping the modern world.
Examples of Nigerian Social Entrepreneurship
Not surprisingly, social entrepreneurship is highly relevant to Nigeria, a country of paradoxical economic realities, with booming oil revenues on one side and decrepit poverty on the other. Civil conflict, political turmoil and religious upheavals have all contributed to turning this resource-rich nation of 148 million people into a landscape of economic malfunction and some of the worst human development indicators on the entire African continent. The return of democracy at the end of the last century and the installation of progressive policies have begun the process of reorienting growth along more sustainable paths. Nigeria is now seen as having stepped back from the abyss of economic and social disaster and is on the verge of a resurgence projected to take Africa’s second largest economy into one of the world’s top twenty economies by 2020.
A host of Nigerian social entrepreneurs are actively helping to achieve this goal by alleviating social ills and driving positive change through innovative solutions.
Durojaiye Isaac established DMT Mobile Toilets in Lagos in 1999, an organization that strives to make a difference to the economic and environmental health of Nigeria. His social enterprise produces, rents and maintains portable toilets, promoting sanitation and creating job opportunities for hundreds of local youth. For his innovative contributions, Isaac received the Schwab Foundation’s prestigious Social Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2005.
Joachim Ezeji is the founder of the Rural Africa Water Development Project (RAWDP), an ambitious program dedicated to improving access to clean water in remote communities in Nigeria. Founded in 2000, the project continues to train new members in an effort to develop community water infrastructure throughout the tropical country. Since its inception, RAWDP has provided millions of Nigerians with access to clean drinking water.
Ada Onyejike launched the Girl Child Art Foundation (GCAF), which promotes education and social change by empowering young women through the performing arts and creative writing. This pioneering company focuses on issues such as child marriage, trafficking and polygamy through art, music and dance and strives to bring about progressive change in Nigerian society. Beginning as a small volunteer operation in 2000, the Onyejike Foundation currently reaches thousands of women in the age group 8-25 in hundreds of communities across the country.
Cletus Olebune runs a team that informs the world about events happening in Africa in an effort to boost tourism and open up the continent to the world. This passionate social entrepreneur uses the power of the written word to help Nigerians in various aspects of their lives, imparting knowledge and education to drive productive engagements and improve the country’s position in global rankings.
Gbenga Uriel Ogunjimi, a pioneer of social entrepreneurship, works to promote employment opportunities for young Nigerians. He directs Landmark Internship International, which uses the Internet to connect with social enterprises around the world in need of local talent, as a means of meeting the nation’s social and economic challenges.
Rochas Okorocha is a rich businessman. He established the Fundación Rochas which was born out of a simple commitment to help the underprivileged and poorest in society. The foundation also focuses on breaking the cycle of poverty so that children can become self-sufficient and contributing members of their societies.
These are just a few examples of social entrepreneurs and their impact on Nigeria’s comprehensive growth prospects. In addition to generating employment, innovative goods and services, and fostering equitable growth in society, they help build much-needed social capital that is crucial to Nigeria’s emergence as a valuable economic power.