This document discusses promoting social entrepreneurship and innovation among African youth. It defines key terms like social entrepreneur, social enterprise, and social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurs apply business skills to create social value, often focusing on marginalized groups. They generate income through for-profit ventures to sustainably address social needs. Examples of successful social entrepreneurs are provided, along with their characteristics like being visionary, opportunity-seeking, and accountable. Ways for youth to become social entrepreneurs include identifying unmet social needs and developing innovative solutions. The document also lists various funding and incubation opportunities available across African countries to support social entrepreneurship.

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Promoting creative minds and
innovation among the youth
Marc Lepage, Africa knowledge & innovation advisor
UNDP Africa Regional Service Center, Addis Ababa

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Large scale initiatives…

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…entrepreneurship..

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..Government scheme…

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Governments need
to encourage
entrepreneurship
and provide job-
focused training to
help the millions of
young unemployed
people on the
continent, says
OECD
Mix!

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Agenda
•Mind of an entrepreneur
•Social innovation in
Africa
•What more can we do –
way forward

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Entrepreneur

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Social Entrepreneurs
-The social entrepreneur harnesses
entrepreneurship skills to do social good
-Combines the passion of a social mission
with an image of business-like discipline,
innovation, and determination

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Definition of “Social Enterprise”
•A social enterprise is a business
with primarily social
objectives whose surpluses are
principally reinvested for that
purpose in the business or in the
community, rather than being
driven by the need to maximize
profit for shareholders and owners.

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Social Entrepreneurship (1)
What is it? What do they do?
• Applying practical, innovative and
sustainable approaches to benefit society
• Focus on marginalized and poor
• Starting for-profit or earned-income
ventures by not for profit organizations

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Social Entrepreneurship (2)
How different from NPO and NGO?
• NPO and NGO
→ make social values mostly by donations.
• Social Entrepreneurs
→ make social values mostly by BUSINESS.
=SUSTAINABLE

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Role of Social Entrepreneurs
• To develop employment
• To make social and environmental Innovation
• To create new goods and services
• To promote Equity
• To serve the poor and marginalised
• To open new areas
• To make financial models work for users
• To offer wider social benefits
• To Assist the government

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Program areas of Social Entrepreneurs
1. Economic & Job Opportunity creation
2. Community & Rural Development
3. Environment & Nature Protection
(Eco)
4. Market & Microenterprise
Development
5. Institutional & Organizational
Development

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Examples of Social Entrepreneurs
• Prof Mohamad Yunus
– Grameen Bank, Bangladesh
• Bill Drayton
– Ashoka Foundation-Innovators for the public, USA.
• David Kuria
– Ecotact Kenya (Ikotoilet), Kenya
• Ingrid Munro
– Jamii Bora MFI, Kenya

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Characteristics of Social Entrepreneurs (1)
• Social Catalysts
Are visionaries who create fundamental social
changes by reforming social systems and creating
sustainable improvements.
• Socially aware
Social improvement, as opposed to the creation of
profit, should be the ultimate goal
• Opportunity-seeking
Pursue their goals relentlessly, seeing every
obstacle as an opportunity

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Characteristics of Social Entrepreneurs (2)
• Innovative
They are creative, willing to think outside the box
and ready to apply ideas to new situations.
• Resourceful
Acting boldly without being limited by resources
currently in hand
• Accountable
“Am I creating value for the people I am serving?
Do I understand their needs?”

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Ways of becoming a Social entrepreneur
Most importantly…
Love your society & environment
and
don’t give up to change it in a
good way!!

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Are you?
Let’s look at
few examples

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Innovation is
about Needs
and
Solutions
Innovation = New approach + Unmet social
need

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THE NEED
Cheap, affordable
and clean
electricity for low
income families
Access to Energy

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THE NEED
Differentiating
between genuine
and fake drugs
Health Security

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THE NEED
Decent toilets in
low-income urban
centres
Urban Equipments

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THE NEED
Basic financial
services get to
people in the
rural areas
Mobile Banking

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THE NEED
Decent &
affordable
housing for low-
income urban and
rural dwellers
Housing

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THE NEED
Improving access
to clean water
Hippo Water Roller Project

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Steal with pride…and learn!
Knowledge is
outside.
Work with young
people.

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Skills matching: Concree

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Funding opportunities

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Innovative funding

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Malawi innovation fund

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Rwanda: YouthConnekt

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Incubators

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Innovation hub: IceAddis

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Ethiopia: entrepreneurship development center

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Technology Innovation Agency

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Rwanda: mobile app contest

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partnership approach: engage with
social Innovation hubs in Africa
& Centers across Africa.

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Where will you go tomorrow?

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THANK YOU! Questions?
marc.lepage@undp.org