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Newsletter - May 2009
Dear Schwab Social Entrepreneurs,
We would like to share with you some highlights of the past months and provide some useful resources.
1) World Economic Forum on Latin America Meeting
From 14 to 16 April, 22 Schwab entrepreneurs from Mexico to Argentina participated in the World Economic Forum on Latin America, held in Rio de Janeiro. Most social entrepreneurs took part in one or more private meetings, which were held prior to the official programme. Different World Economic Forum industry clusters and initiatives organized the meetings. They included a meeting on sustainable consumption, agriculture, healthcare delivery, climate change and a meeting of the metals and mining industry. We, at the Schwab Foundation, have increased our collaboration with World Economic Forum colleagues to ensure that you are invited, which provides an opportunity to contribute to a global issue in your sphere of activity.
 2) Learning Journeys
Participants in the Latin America meeting participated in half-day learning journeys to see the Center for Digital Inclusion (CDI) and Renascer in action. Rodrigo Baggio and his team took the participants to two different favelas and computer schools that are operating as CDI franchisees. Vera Cordeiro welcomed her group to the Renascer headquarters, where participants learned about the  Renascer model for holistic healthcare for children and met several of the Renascer families. The learning journeys were co-organized with the Global Education Initiative, the Young Global Leaders and the Health Initiative. The participants appreciated the tangible experience of the trips. Several social entrepreneurs and other participants were so “infected” that they are interested in taking the models and bringing them to other parts of the world.
3) Four New Schwab Foundation Members from Latin America
During the Opening Plenary, following the addresses of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and President Uribe of Columbia, Professor Klaus Schwab introduced four new social entrepreneurs from Latin America, who received warm congratulations from the presidents.
 Andre Cavalcanti de Albuquerque, Founder of Terra Nova, had previously been recognized as Social Entrepreneur of the Year Brazil in November 2008. The other winners included Veronica Abud, who had been nominated “Social Entrepreneur of the Year Chile” just days before boarding the plane to Rio, Marta Arango, Founder of CINDE and Martin von Hildebrand, Fundacion Gaia Amazonas. The latter two were selected through the first regional competition spanning Latin America. A warm welcome to them.
4) “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” winners 2008/2009
We would also like to congratulate the following “Social Entrepreneur of the Year” winners who have been selected over the last four months since our last update in November:
Nihat Gokyigit, Tekfen Holding, Turkey
TEMA is Turkey’s largest environmental organization with more than 100 projects in the fields of environmental education, reforestation, fighting soil erosion and provision of policy recommendations.
Dája Kabátová,Letohrádek Vendula, Czech Republic
Letohrádek Vendula is a non-governmental, not-for profit organization providing alternative social services. It is a crafts manufacturing workshop employing people with mental, physical or combined handicaps.
Csaba Kovács, Félúton Alapítvány, Hungary
The Félúton Alapítvány (Halfway Foundation) heals people suffering from alcohol and gambling addictions, and people in need of psychiatric treatment. Beyond healing, the initiative plays an active role in the education of the people.
Sarah Mavrinac, aidha, Singapore
Aidha provides migrant workers with financial education, skills development, hands-on business training and accountability groups to implement savings plans, so that these women can spearhead new enterprises upon returning to their home countries.
Sari Revkin, YEDID, Israel
Through its Citizen Rights Centres in Israel, YEDID seeks to turn the personal struggles of individuals in poor neighbourhoods into active initiatives that have a personal impact on their lives, while also advocating changes in public policy that will affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people who find themselves in similar circumstances.
Jean-Louis Ribes, Distribution Services Industriels (DSI), France
DSI employs disabled people to perform industrial and tertiary services for corporate clients, changing the perceptions of the value of the work undertaken by disabled.
Ambrosius Ruwindrijarto and
Silverius O. Unggul, Telapak, Indonesia
Telapak promotes ecological justice, cultural integrity and economic empowerment through its cooperatives and community enterprises, while raising public awareness for sustainable logging and sustainable marine farming.
Ramazan Salman, Ethno-Medizinisches Zentrum, Germany
The EMZ helps migrants to access healthcare systems in Germany and other European countries by training migrants that are already well integrated as multipliers.
 5) Welcome to WELCOM: The World Economic Leaders Community
The World Economic Forum is rolling out an online interactive communications space for the world's top leaders and decision-makers. WELCOM facilitates networking, knowledge sharing, multistakeholder dialogue and collaboration in addressing global challenges in real-time. The platform is designed to actively engage 10,000 members in the future. The Schwab Foundation is delighted to invite our community of social entrepreneurs to test pilot WELCOM. A follow-up email with access information will be sent out shortly.
6) Young Global Leaders: Searching for Social Entrepreneurs under 40
Do you know an exceptional social entrepreneur that is not yet 40 years old? We are identifying and selecting social entrepreneurs for the Forum of Young Global Leaders, a multistakeholder community of extraordinary young leaders all committed to shaping the global future. Each year, a total of 150-200 people are selected from business, politics, media, civil society and academia. We would like to include 10% social entrepreneurs. If you know of suitable candidates, please send their names to one of us directly or on e-mail at info@schwabfound.org.
7) Upcoming Events
15-17 May - World Economic Forum on the Middle East - Dead Sea, Jordan
10-12 June - World Economic Forum on Africa - Cape Town, South Africa
18-19 June - World Economic Forum on East Asia - Seoul, Republic of Korea
10-12 September - Annual Meeting of the New Champions 2009 - Dalian, People’s Republic of China
8-9 November - India Economic Summit - New Delhi, India
8) Other news
The World Economic Forum’s Global Education Initiative launches Entrepreneurship Education report
We will provide more news in periodic updates. In the meantime, we always look forward to hearing about your current projects, successes and challenges.
Warmest regards,
Hilde Schwab Mirjam Schöning
Chairperson and Co-Founder Head and Senior Director
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