There's an exciting new opportunity for people looking to enter the social entrepreneurship world. From April 22 to 28, 2013, the Gawad Kalinga (GK) Enchanted Farm in Bulacan is hosting a Summer Business Camp that gives people a chance to explore different industries and discuss case studies of social enterprises ranging from small and medium to large-scale.
Industries covered include:
Health and Wellness
Social Tourism
Food and Beverage
Personal Care & Cosmetics
Apparel and Toys
Architecture & Interior Design
Participants will also get a chance to undergo mentorship from both Filipino and European social entrepreneurs.
Something worth checking out from NYU Stern, Wagner and Law: 3rd Annual NYU Social Innovation Symposium.
Join us for the NYU Social Innovation Symposium 2013: Rethinking Impact -- a collaboration between the Social Enterprise Association at Stern, Bridge at Wagner, and LSEA at the Law School. This year’s fantastic keynote speakers are Charles Best, founder of DonorsChoose.org, and Jacquelline Fuller, Director of Google Giving. The event will also include a networking lunch with panelists, alumni, faculty, and professionals; interactive workshops with mini-case studies; a new speaker series entitled "10 Minutes to Change the World" featuring bold ideas on how different industries are rethinking impact; and an evening cocktail reception.
WHEN: Friday, February 22, 2013, 8:30AM-6:30PM
WHERE: NYU Stern School of Business, 44 West 4th Street, Paulson Auditorium
TICKETS: $30 Early / $40 Student / $60 Professional BUY YOURS NOW >(Includes breakfast, interactive workshop panels, networking lunch, and cocktail reception)
To see theschedule and full list of speakers, click here.
After 10 years, 4,400 events around the wold featuring 44,000 presenters in over 600 cities, they're now set to bring us another awesome next 10 years. They're starting with the launch of their new and improved website:
Mashable is one of social media authorities that I've relied on to keep me updated on not only the latest trends but also how non-profits can make use of them. So imagine how excited I was to find out that on UN Week, Mashable is co-hosting the Social Good Summit here in New York City.
What's the summit about?
The Social Good Summit is a three-day conference where big ideas meet
new media to create innovative solutions. Held during UN Week from
September 22-24, the Social Good Summit unites a dynamic community of
global leaders to discuss a big idea: the power of innovative thinking
and technology to solve our greatest challenges. The most innovative
technologists, influential minds and passionate activists will come
together with one shared goal: to unlock the potential of new media and
technology to make the world a better place, and then to translate that
potential into action.
What if you're not in New York? Join the summit in other cities
Good news for my friends back home in Asia! They're taking the summit to Beijing on September 24th! They'll be in Kenya, too, on the same day.
Join a meetup
Several meetups have been planned in multiple cities around the globe. Check out their site for the full list. Not to be left out, Manila has one on September 22nd at the Asian Institute of Management. You will need to register in advance to attend, get more information here, and be sure to follow @TweetupMNL to stay updated.
Join us online
They'll be livestreaming the summit online, and anyone talking about the conference will be using the hashtag #SGSglobal. (I'll most probably be live tweeting so be sure to follow @emilydy).
Día del libroManila is an annual celebration held at the Instituto Cervantes de Manila (ICM) which I would liken to a book fair slash open house of sorts. They plan a whole day of interactive fun for all ages - games for kids, competitions for adults, plus film screenings, poetry reading and a concert for those who just want to sit back and join the audience.
Last April 21 marked the día del libro Manila for 2012. This year they had their usual mix of contests: No tan trivial (trivia game about knowledge of Spanish language and culture), Dibujo rápido (on-the-spot speed drawing contest), La foto del Día (on-the-spot photography contest), Cadena de poesía (chain poetry activity) and many more. Above are photos of my favorite entries to the Dibujo rápido competition.
On top of the competitions, there was the open-house part of the day which gave people a sneak peek into what it's like to enroll in / be a member of the Instituto Cervantes de Manila. They held sample 30-minute classes for the curious (clase de demonstración gratuita), Spanish proficiency diagnostics (examen de diagnóstico de nivel) for those who have already had some background in the language, introductory session to the DELE (Diplmas de Español como Lengua Extranjera) certification for proficiency in Spanish. I'd say these are the basic things you would need to try out to help you decide if you would enjoy enrolling at the ICM language school.
There was also a guided tour of the premises, including a visit to the Miguel Hernández Library - my favorite part of ICM! The library has an extensive collection of fiction and nonfiction books as well as magazines, movies, telenovelas (of course!), comics, and audio lessons. P800.00 gets you an annual membership, which entitles you to take out 4 items at a time for a duration of one month. Students and senior citizens get it at a discounted price of P500.00 per year while students of Spanish classes at the ICM get a free 6-month membership starting from their first month of class. If you are proficient in Spanish or are trying to be, you will love this library.
I have been going to the día del libro for a few years now and my favorite parts have always been the bits were the cultural programs. Bersong EuroPinoy is a poetry recital featuring different European languages and several Filipino poems. The first Bersong EuroPinoy I attended was three years ago which, to date, is still my favorite one. At the opening of the show, the director said something to the effect of "Don't worry if you don't understand what they are saying when they read the different European poems. Just sit and listen to the words because poetry is not only about the meaning but also about the choice of words, the beauty in the way it sounds." That's always stuck with me. (And anyway, they hand out these booklets that have the poems in both the original language and the English translation.)
After the poetry recital, there was a screening of Celda 211 - intense prison movie that will leave you feeling heavy! I thought I was in for a light enjoyable day but well... this movie changed that.
There was also an awesome guitar duet which I now regret not capturing on video. To console me, my friend recommended that I just go on YouTube and look for Diablo Rojo by Rodrigo y Gabriela. Awesome recommendation! Now imagine hearing something somewhat like this live.
And of course what is the día del libro without the mercadillo de libros (book fair) happening in the open grounds all day. I love this coming together of an interesting mix of publishers and bookshops which offer items you cannot find, or at least are not highlighted, in mainstream bookstores.. Among my favorites are Anvil, La Solidaridad bookstore and a couple of museum / foundation shops.
The book fair featured many mainstream books, Spanish books as well as Spanish learning tools and most offered a 20% - 25% discount plus a rose for each purchase. The first 200 visitors to arrive at the Instituto Cervantes de Manila were given vouchers to claim their free books, plus more books were given away to those who signed up for membership on the day itself.
My haul:
Re-viewing Filipino Cinema by Bienvenido Lumbera
Pinoy Jazz: The Story of Jazz in the Philippines by Richie Quirion and Collis Davis
Breve Antología de La Poesía Filipina (Poetas de habla española) por Pablo Lalso y Raúl Guerrero Montemayor.
When Britain Ruled the Philippines: 1762 - 1764 by Shirley Fish
Books, poetry, film, music... all for free! How could you resist?
Special thank you to the wonderful Mexican friend who translated and shared endless cultural notes to help me appreciate the programming so much more :)
Last 28 February 2012 brought us to the Asian Institute of Management Conference Center to listen to a former Starbucks Coffee International president give a talk about leadership. AIM, Starbucks, Asia Society... you'd think you were in for an afternoon of talking about innovative R&D, pushing global supply chain management, dominating the market...
The United Nations has declared 2005 to 2015 as the Water for Life Decade, with aims to promote efforts to fulfill international commitments made on water and water-related issues by 2015.
Water is important on so many levels. First of all, as a basic human necessity:
"Many millions of people around the world face water shortages and a daily struggle to secure safe water for their basic needs. Millions of children continue to die every year from preventable water-borne diseases. Water-related natural disasters such as floods, tropical storms and tsunamis exact a heavy toll in human life and suffering. And all too regularly, drought afflicts some of the world’s poorest countries, exacerbating hunger and malnutrition." (Former UN Sec Gen, Kofi Annan)
And on another level, water is also a contributor to development:
"It is a major source of energy in some parts of the world, while in others its potential as an energy source remains largely untapped. Water is also necessary for agriculture and for many industrial processes. And in more than a few countries, it makes up an integral part of transport systems. With improved scientific understanding, the international community has also come to appreciate more fully the valuable services provided by water-related ecosystems, from flood control to storm protection and water purification."(Former UN Sec Gen, Kofi Annan)
Doing their Part:
Embassy of France to the Philippines and the Alliance française de Manille
Doing their part to contribute to the Philippines, the Embassy of France to the Philippines and the Alliance française de Manille put together the "Water for Life, Tubig at Buhay!" week-long festival last 21 - 26 November 2011.
It used a variety of activities held at multiple locations to engage every sort of audience and at different parts of Manila.
From the heavier, more academic events such as the conferences and roundtable discussions on "Integrated Coastal Management"(which gave Filipino scientists a chance to pick the brains of two French experts, Mr. Yves Henocque and Alain Miossec), to the lighter cultural activities featuring performances by our very own PETA and an exhibit featuring the work of French photographer Yann Arthus Bertrand, they made sure everyone had a chance to get involved. Even the kids could join in on the fun at several kid-friendly partner organizations - Museo Pambata, Manila Ocean Park and the Quezon City Interactive Science Center.
Check out their jam-packed schedule of activities below:
It's not the first time I've seen the Embassy of France / Alliance française de Manille involved in such efforts. I recall catching the launch event of last year's SineSiyensya 2010, the first Scientific Film Festival in the Philippines, and the film they showed was a beautiful contribution from the French filmmakrs, Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud: Oceans. The AfM was also a venue for several film screening sessions in November 2010. It's great to see that they continue to support education on environmental and scientific awareness :)
- - -
“Water for Life, Tubig at Buhay” is organized by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, the Alliance Française
de Manille with the support of Institut Français, Air France-KLM, University of the Philippines (Diliman and Los
Baños), Museo Pambata, PETA, Science Discovery Center, the Quezon City Interactive Science Center, FELTA, Manila
Ocean Park , ABS-CBN Foundation, E-Media and lightwater.
For more info about the festival “Water for Life, Tubig at Buhay!”,please contact Ms Julie Blazy, Scientific
Attaché of the French Embassy (julie.blazy@diplomatie.gouv.fr or call +63 8857 69 36) or Ms. Sabrina Durand,
AFM the Cultural Coordinator (sabrina@alliance.ph). You may also visit the followings websites: www.ambafrance-
There's a PhP 100,000.00 check waiting to be claimed by the right kind of Changemaker who can use it to turn a good social change idea into a reality.
Are you ready to be that person?
What sort social change are you ready to fight for?
And how far are you willing to go?
If you've got a one-weekend feeding program for your local public school, then you're not the one I'm looking for.
On the other hand, if you've got something that digs a little bit deeper into problems and puts forward a solution that's more sustainable, then please, read on. You just might be the Changemaker I'm talking about. You see, there's a specific type I'm looking for - the Social Entrepreneur.
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS
They are a new breed of Changemakers with a bigger vision, no longer content to just dole out a few care packages every Christmas season. Instead they see that, in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr. :
True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.
On top of seeing that there are problems with systems is the recognition that traditional ways of "helping" also have their flaws. Nobel Prize winner, Muhammad Yunus says, (rather harshly, but hey, he has a point!)
When we want to help the poor, we usually offer them charity. Most often we use charity to avoid recognizing the problem and finding the solution for it. Charity becomes a way to shrug off responsibility. But charity is no solution to poverty. Charity only perpetuates poverty by taking the initiative away from the poor. Charity allows us to go ahead with our own lives without worrying about the lives of the poor. Charity appeases our consciences.
So, if charity is not quite cutting it, and we're up against a vicious system... then what?
Well, enter the Social Entrepreneurs - people who have the innovative ideas to change the system, and crazy enough to dare and go against the system. My favorite definition is from a man named Bill Drayton who founded an organization called Askoha. And it goes:
Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they revolutionize the fishing industry.
Social entrepreneurs act as change agents for society, seizing opportunities others miss and improving systems, inventing new approaches, and creating solutions to change society for the better.
They change the face of business by spotting social problems and issues and finding innovative ways to address them.
They are ambitious and persistent, tackling major social issues and offering new ideas for wide scale change.
Rather than leaving societal needs to the government or business sectors, social entrepreneurs find what is not working and solve the problem by changing the system, spreading the solution, and persuading entire societies to take new leaps.
From 1 June 2011 to 23 September 2011, they are hoping for a continuous flow of your awesome ideas in the form of business plan proposals. The ones that wow them the most get seed money to turn those plans into reality, as well as training and mentoring opportunities.
Oh, and that's one winner each for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and NCR. (Yes, at PhP 100,000.00 per winner).
On top of that, there's an additional PhP 100,000.00 towards seed capital for the plan that bags the Starbucks Shared Planet Award.
So if you are a Filipino citizen between the ages of 16 and 28, and feel like you are the social entrepreneur type, then get crackin' on that business plan!
They'll stop accepting entries at precisely 5:00 PM on September 23, with the shortlisted proposals announced on October 7th.
Shortlisted teams will travel to Cebu to receive training from an expert flown in from the UK prior to the semi-final round of presentations on October 27th.
Final presentations and awarding will then follow on the 28th.
If there's anything else you want to know but isn't available on the links mentioned above, then you can email changemaker @ britishcouncil.org.ph or call Ana Tan / Jennifer Domingo at (02) 9141011 - 14.
WANT TO LEARN EVEN MORE?
Since I've been talking about social entrepreneurship in theory throughout this post, I thought I'd leave you with some actual businesses to read about.
Check out the winners of the "I Am a Changemaker 2010" Competition: NCR Winner: The Good Food Company Luzon Winner: Isla Culion Souvenirs Visayas Winner: The Gasa sa Guso Group, Pangan-an Island (3GPI) Mindanao Winner: Entrepreneurs Responding through Social Service (ERSS)
And here are some of my personal favorite social enterprises in the Philippines. (Click on the names to go to their websites.)
If you're really captivated by the idea, then I suggest picking up a copy of How to Change the World: Social Entrepreneurs and the Power of New Ideas. Here's my review on it.
Happy reading, and good luck to all those who decide to join the competition. I hope to meet you at the final presentations!
UPDATE!
I just confirmed that the UK expert being flown in for the training is Tommy Hutchinson, Founder & CEO of i-genius.
i-genius is a world community of social entrepreneurs with members in over 90 countries. Its aim is to provide support to social entrepreneurs, encourage them to connect with one another and inspire more people to become social innovators.
i-genius Academy provides business training courses for entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs.
I have been following film festivals in the Philippines for a few years now. I've heard of indie film fests, foreign film fests and silent film fests... but a scientific film fest? Cue flashback to all the boring documentaries you forced yourself to sit through back in elementary school because you had to do a reaction paper afterwards.
Well here's the good news... that initial picture in my head cannot be farther from the truth!
I was fortunate enough to have been invited to the opening ceremonies of the festival, which included the screening of their opening film, the French documentary, "Oceans", by Jacques Perrin and Jacques Cluzaud. It was amazing! Nothing at all like what I used to watch as a kid.
The quality of the film was really good. And the two Jacques seem skilled at making their point without shoving it down your throat. Indeed, they understand that "show, don't tell" is an essential rule to getting your point across without bordering on preachy.
If this film is any indication of what the festival has in store for its viewers, then I can guarantee you that you will have a great time.
As H.E. Christian-Ludwig Weber-Lortsch, Ambassador of Germany, puts it:
"Educational institutions are usually faced with a big challenge of presenting scientific concepts in a manner that the students will appreciate. While teaching methods such as classroom discussions, outdoor/interactive activities or laboratory experiments may offer many opportunities for learning, students, too often, remain wanting of creative ways by which they learn various science and technological topics."
Science, along with History and Math are often those challenging subjects that, for most kids, need an extra boost in the fun factor. While more people refer to subjects such as literature or arts as the "creative" classes, I think Science calls for its own brand of creativity as well. It's a fact often forgotten (or overlooked?) by a lot of people. But just take a look at all the inventions that have made our world the world that it is today -- we owe a lot of it to the creativity of inventors and innovators in the scientific field.
It's exciting to see that efforts such as this are being made to make scientific knowledge a lot more accessible and engaging for a wider audience. "Science communication", as the SineSiyensiya programme called it.
The festival will run from November 16 to 30, and screening will happen in nine different venues showcasing local and foreign films. So do drop by if you have time, it'll be worth your while :-)
"The role of science and education in achieving sustainable development cannot be overemphasized.. I am convinced that the MDGs will not be achieved by merely a 'more of the same' approach. In other words, the MDGs call for creativity and innovation (a key role for Science) and for a boost in capacity via training and education (a key role for education)."
-- Dr. Hubert Gijzen, Director of the UNESCO Regional Science Bureau for Asia and the Pacific, Jakarta Office
SCREENING DETAILS
Venue: ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)
Screening Dates: Nov 16 - 19 and 22
Address: 3F, ERDB Building, University of the Philippines (UPLB) Forestry Campus, Los Baños, Laguna
Telephone: +6349 536 2865 +63928 550 9808
Venue: Alliance Française de Manille
Screening Dates: Nov 16, 18, 23 and 25
Address: 209 Nicanor Garcia Street (formerly Reposo Street), Bel-Air 2, Makati City
Telephone: 8957585 or 8957441
Venue: Escaler Hall, Ateneo de Manila University
Screening Dates: November 22 - 26
Address: Loyola Heights, Quezon City
Telephone: 4266001 loc 5350 and 5351
Venue: Karapatan Hall, Museo Pambata
Screening Dates: Nov 16-18, 23-25
Address: Roxas Boulevard corner South Drive, Manila
Telephone: 5231797-98 or 5360595 local 103 (Programs Department)
Venue: National Library of the Philippines
Screening Dates: Nov 18, 20, 24, 26, 29
Address: T.M. Kalaw Street, Rizal Park, Manila
Telephone: 5242737
Venue: National Museum
Screening Dates: Nov 17-21
Address: T. Valencia circle, Rizal Park, manila
Telephone: 5270278
Venue: Philippine Science Centrum
Screening Dates: Nov 16-20, 22-27, 29-30
Address: E-Com Building, Riverbanks Center, marikina City
Telephone: 9425136
Venue: Quezon City Interactive Science Center
Screening Dates: Nov 16-19, 22-26, 29-30
Address: Quezon City Division of City Schools Compount, Nueva Ecija Street, Barangay Sto. Cristo, Bago Bantayan, Quezon City
Venue: NIDO Fortified Science Discovery Center
Screening Dates: Nov 17-20, 29-30
Address: Southside Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City
Telephone: (Ticket Reservations) 5562153 (Group Booking Inquiries) 5560331
The Ateneo Center for Social Entrepreneurship announced the dates for Beyond Bottomlines 3: An Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship.
I attended one back in 2007. As someone who was then only vaguely familiar with the concept of social entrepreneurship, I found it a very interesting seminar.
It started off with an overview of the whole concept of social entrepreneurship, then we had some case studies of actual social enterprises in the Philippines, and ended with some workshop activities. Since most of the people in the audience were either social entrepreneurs or people from the nonprofit sector, it was also a nice place to meet other organizations and find out what other people are doing. I went home with a copy of How to Change the World by David Bornstein, learning about the story of Bill Drayton and the Ashoka Foundation.
That was my real introduction to the world of social entrepreneurship, and I was fascinated. The social entrepreneur is this interesting mix of a businessman with a clear social advocacy, a uniquely creative problem-solving capability and the tenacity to keep trying until he gets things right. First and foremost, he was a visionary. As Bill Drayton said:
Social entrepreneurs are not content just to give a fish or teach how to fish. They will not rest until they have revolutionized the fishing industry.
I've been following interesting social enterprises since then and am very convinced by its power to make some lasting change in the Philippines. After all, we are already a country of SME's. Why not make it a whole sector of ethical and socially aware SME's while we're at it?
I highly recommend this to those who are curious, slightly interested, or are dreaming of starting a social enterprise but are hesitant for any number of reasons.
For those of you who have no clue what it is but want to learn a little more before you decide to part with that P950.00 registration fee, check these websites of some of my favorite social enterprises to get a better idea:
And if you do decide not to go,
you can always read the book -
here's my review on it :D
More info about Beyond Bottomlines 3:
Beyond Bottomlines 3: Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship September 22, 6 - 8 PM, Ateneo Professional Schools, Rockwell. October 14, 6-8 PM, Centennial Room, Club Filipino, Greenhills. Registration Fee: P950.00 per person. Inclusive of snacks. For inquiries call 4341458 or email ateneoylse@gmail.com
For those of you in Cebu, hope you can drop by my friend's event on March 6th.
Celebrate the month of empowered women at ANTHILL Fabric Gallery! See the works of participating artists as they "offer a personal yet crucial contribution in liberating women from a labyrinth of issues and concerns whether self- inflicted or dictated by society."
Yet again, YTRiP brought us a fun evening of getting to know the Philippines better - Philippine wines in particular! In the evening of October 18, Frank and I found our way to quaint and cozy little Rafa's Deli and Cafe in QC. The original plan was to have a wine and cheese party, but some problems came up with sourcing the cheese. But hey, we were quite contented to have just the wine! Besides, Rafa's has yummmmm food!
It was good to see the whole gang again, as well as meet some new friends. The usual suspects were there: [1] Clare, co-founder of YTRiP, [2] Diane, the mastermind behind this evening and designated YTRiP tanggero, [3] Kara, the deceptively demure tomador [4] Kuya Leo of Sanghabi who taught us at the Pintig and Baybayin workshop a few months ago, [5] yours truly, [6] Anne, resident poshness queen, [7] and of course, Frank, designated driver for the night.
After the hi's and hello's, we all sat down to start the official tasting - 10 different native wines from various parts of the country. As they appear in the picture above (and to the best of my meory), our selections for the night were: Tapuy Rice Wine from Banawe; Pineapple Wine from Albay; Grape Wine from Benguet; Rice Wine from Cebu; Strawberry Wine also from Banawe; Duhat Red Wine of Laoag; Camote and Pineapple wine from Banawe, Bugay Wine form Benguet; 90 Proof Lambanog from Sariaya, Quezon Province; Tostadong Tapuy of Banawe, a twist to the original Tapuy as this one's made of toasted rice.
After all the tasting came the judging. As Diane placed her hand above each bottle, the crowd voted for their favorites through their clapping.
Losers for the night --Pineapple wine and the Grape Cooler. Pineapple Wine because it smelled awful (although we have a suspicion that the particular bottle we got was made from overripe pineapples.) And Grape Cooler simply because it tasted like a juice more than wine.
Crowd Favorites were the 90 Proof Lambanog and the Tapuy Rice Wine, athough people had differing opinions on which was the better version - original or tostado. My vote went to tostado. Tasted and smelled like coffee! Mmmmmmm....
And when voting was over and done with, we decided to end by finishing the bottle of Quezon Lambanog by re-enacting the traditional Lambanog Tagayan Ceremony. Ever since we learned this form Tita Tina on her Kulinarya Tagala Tour, we just couldn't get enough of it! Na'ay po!
And as wonderful nights go, it had to end... 'til next time, YTRiP! :-)
Credits: Thanks once again to Albert Bainto for the great pictures! You're forgiven for using your "photographer on duty" excuse to keep you form drinking that night.
To learn more about YTRiP you can check out their website or their multiply site.
Mashable is one of social media authorities that I've relied on to keep me updated on not only the latest trends but also how non-profits can make use of them. So imagine how excited I was to find out that on UN Week, Mashable is co-hosting the Social Good Summit here in New York City.
I have been going to the día del libro for a few years now and my favorite parts have always been the bits were the cultural programs. Bersong EuroPinoy is a poetry recital featuring different European languages and several Filipino poems. The first Bersong EuroPinoy I attended was three years ago which, to date, is still my favorite one. At the opening of the show, the director said something to the effect of "Don't worry if you don't understand what they are saying when they read the different European poems. Just sit and listen to the words because poetry is not only about the meaning but also about the choice of words, the beauty in the way it sounds." That's always stuck with me. (And anyway, they hand out these booklets that have the poems in both the original language and the English translation.) 
Social entrepreneurs act as change agents for society, seizing opportunities others miss and improving systems, inventing new approaches, and creating solutions to change society for the better.
On top of that, there's an additional PhP 100,000.00 towards seed capital for the plan that bags the Starbucks Shared Planet Award.
