Many people from all walks of life believe that business should be about more than generating profits. They feel it can be a way to initiate positive change, provide services for those in need, or develop innovative solutions to some of the world’s most pressing issues.
This philosophy has particularly resonated with women, who make up 45% of the world’s social entrepreneurs – a significantly smaller gender gap than in the traditional professional world.
Yet in social entrepreneurship, women still encounter many gender specific obstacles (financial, cultural, etc) and difficulties to get their projects off the ground. More than ever they need successful and accessible role models to encourage and inspire them and future generations of girls.
We are certain that you will find these stories inspiring, and we encourage you to share them using #WB4G and bring women’s creativity and initiatives to tackle global problems.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!
Helping to finance dreams in post-conflict Angola
During the past two decades, Veronica Jose has transformed the lives of thousands of Angolans through micro financing projects in some of the poorest and most remote parts of the nation. Already some 20,000 people, mostly women, have benefited. Back in 1991, when she...
An earthquake jolted her into action
It took only 45 seconds. In the early hours of 17 August 1999, an earthquake struck Turkey’s Marmara region, killing tens of thousands of people, including Selma Demirelli’s husband. Like the millions of other survivors, her life would never be the same. After getting...
This doctor is cooking up a storm in the food industry
Geneviève Moreau, 52, endorses a health-conscious and sustainable diet, that’s good for both our bodies and the planet. A former general physician, she now runs training courses for professionals and individuals at her institute. Moreau set up the Institut-SIIN, or...
The ‘sheroes’ in women’s lives
Sairee Chahal is the founder and CEO of SHEROES, a digital platform that works towards creating and enhancing flexible work options for women from all walks of life. She is a lifelong entrepreneur who started her professional career while in college and is recognised...
Beauty is as beauty does
“From the beginning, we were committed to hiring the working poor,” said Anna Meloto-Wilk. That was in 2007, when she and her sister, Camille Meloto, founded Human Nature, a unique social enterprise that produces health and beauty products. The sisters were certain...
Going all out to help young caregivers
Ms Melissa Chan was only 14 when her father was diagnosed with early-onset dementia at 54. In a sudden reversal of roles, she became one of Mr Henry Chan's caregivers, along with her mother, older brother and younger sister. She found herself having to skip classes to...
Doctor with a different approach to end-of-life care
Anggel’Dom, a home-based care service that’s designed to improve living conditions for elderly people wishing to remain in their own homes, was launched in 2017 and one of the four co-founders is a woman: Nicole Mourain-Jacquin. Having spent a quarter of her life in...
She is behind blood delivery start-up that saves lives
Temie Giwa-Tubosun is the 32-year-old creative force behind LifeBank, an innovative approach to healthcare that can mean the difference between life and death. Having had a patient died from post-partum haemorrhaging with no blood available, Giwa-Tubosun was...
The ‘app’ way to fight eating disorders
Overcoming an eating disorder can often take years of struggle. Having lived through it herself and with the help of two apps, Ekaterina Karabasheva hopes to help people suffering from or at risk of developing the condition. It started when Ekaterina was 16, the...