Want to be inspired? Check out this collection of videos about social entrepreneurs from around the world. It’s called the FRONTLINE/World series. Here’s a description:
“…we have searched for stories about people who innovate in ways that truly transform our interconnected world. This special site will feature the stories of people whose ideas and organizations create new and sustainable markets and services that benefit underserved communities everywhere in the developing world. In a nutshell, these are stories about individuals whose ideas leap beyond charity to find systemic solutions to poverty, education, health and social justice.”
Thanks for the link, Guy!
But now something else:
I’ve been reading your blog since about two years and now that I’ll have in my last year of studies in Paris, my Professor of Entrepreneurship recommended your book as essential reading. How great’s that?
Keep it up :-) !!
I would add to the list from Frontline Guy (the best kept secret for documentaries), this one, DVD is tough to find but well worth it.
http://kids-with-cameras.org/home/
Basically, give children who are destitute to a life of prostitution a camera to show that there are possibilities beyond their generational fate. There are entrepreneurs big and small, each in their own way trying to make a change in this world.
Jon
It’s a wonderful series. The third video featured at the Frontline site, “Nepal: A Girl’s Story,” is about a Nepalese girl who benefited from Room to Read, the nonprofit founded by John Wood, who authored the book, “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World.” If you like the movie, you’ll love the book!
Hey Guy,
I found this blog entry to be very interesting on a personal level, because I’m about to begin a project that I would say probably revolves around social entrepreneurialism, and trying to leverage my own ability to create value for other people.
Basically, at the risk of being wordy (and it seems like other commenters have already jumped in head first in that respect!) I want to use my interests in Philosophy, Internal Martial Arts, and some related subjects, as well as the fact that I live in Asia and work as an English teacher to help what basically is my parents generation –
A greying, super demographic (in every developed country, really) who face the possibility of neglibible government funded health care in the next 20 years, and depending on their children, of my generation who are the first to do WORSE than their parents in the last couple hundred years.
I decided too start working on this (and to move from Korea to China where I can work for 3 hours a day teaching and dedicate my full time too this project) because of my mom.
She’s a divorcee, and close to 60 at this point. My grandfathers step children gouged her out of her inheritance, and she’s basically living paycheck to paycheck, and has been for years. She faces failing health in the coming years, a lack of of money to sustain herself, and a health care system that is already badly overburdened, and will only become moreso.
While thinking about this, and my own responsibility to my mom, I realized that there are millions of people – maybe billions in the same predicament, and that led me to a sense of responsibility for them, too.
I’m just leaving this comment to say that I appreciate you blogging and other people covering these types of stories, and that while I am certain that you’re a busy guy, I would love any suggestions that from a guy (zing! I bet that got old in elementary school) like you.
That’s a great idea!
As the author of a popular luxury blog, Good Luck Deluxe, I also emphasize charity and philanthropy quite heavily on my site – from my sidebar links to my posts.
I think social responsibility and contribution are so, so important.
I try not to beat my readers over the head with it, but if they want me to release the “bling,” they have to consider the less fortunate, as well.
This is wonderful!
Social Entrepreneurship Videos Worth Watching
Guy Kawasaki clued me into these great social entrepreneurship videos, labeled the FRONTLINE/World series and are from PBS. The Series highlights:
stories of people whose ideas and organizations create new and sustainable markets and serv…
What is an “underserved community”?
That is great that social entrepreneurs are getting wide coverage on blogs like yours.
A couple of other sites that might be worth checking out:
http://www.socialenterprise.tv/
http://www.globalgiving.com/ggfilmfest.html
Great initiative. It is often easier to find material realting to commercial enterprises on the net than to find successful case studies of businesses and enterprises doing community work. This would also serve as a platform for those businesses that are hoping to engage in CSR related activities.
Personally, I am excited by the power of community on the bottom lines of businesses and have continuously advised clients on designing and executing sustainable CSR programs. Still exploring how the evolved social media scenario can impact the non profit sector.
Would be grateful if you could provide some leads for studying purposes.
It’s great to see others helping to promote the GlobalGiving FilmFest – thank you!
The FilmFest brought together real footage from projects around the world with creative filmmakers. Now, we’re asking worldly-minded action takers like you to help decide which videos are the best.
Voting doesn’t close until tomorrow night, so you still have time to make your voice heard – www.karmatube.org/ff
Guy, I think you’re doing a great job. Social Enterprises need public exposure. People love social enterprises once they hear about it. It makes sense. And they love to support these ideas. And more important: people get inspired and start making the world a better place themselves too. Now’s a great time to do business, because all the new technologies just make it so much easier to make business transparent.
Hi Guy,
What you are doing is phenomenal. It’s great that your putting a face on social entrepreneurship…I would like to invite you to i-genuis.org – a place where you could meet other social entrepreneurs. It is a place to network, help other in need of advise, mentoring..etc. Let me know what you think. I think it would be awesome if you could join.
We have a huge event scheduled at the Rose Bowl on April 27th, 2008 called CelebrateLA. It is part of the EmpowerLA Program as we plan to empower 250,000 new volunteers during Volunteer Recognition Week, April 27th thru May 3rd, 2008. On April 27th we are having our First Annual Empowerment Film Festival and we woul like to see how we can work together. On this day, we plan to give away 50,000 Presidential Service Awards, and we will have over 1,000 nonprofit and other organizations involved. Please call Arlan Berglas (818) 517-1007 about how we can work together.