Written By: Michael Onoja
Merely looking at my backyard ,I would not need anyone to motivate me to make change; the environment itself preaches changemaking, as there are hazards that confront individuals, families, and even companies as each day unfolds
Growing up in a not so comfortable side of the society, I have come to realize that unless we do something, nothing gets done. Entrepreneurs have been able to generate income by selling their products and services overtime, but now they have to add social value to the societies they
belong to via their entrepreneurial strategies, hence the need for social entrepreneurship.
A former U.S president, John F. Kennedy said “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”,that is the goal of social entrepreneurship. Social entrepreneurship is a business approach where effective solutions are developed and implemented
with the aim of driving social progress. In other words, while entrepreneurs seek to make a living, social entrepreneurs strive to make a difference. These individuals don’t just solve primary problems, but tackle even the primary and tertiary ones.
In most societies, the governments are not able to solve certain problems because there is a breach of communication between the masses and those who hold decision-making offices. My
country, Nigeria, for example is one where vast social issues exist, and this has negatively affected the standards of living of many.
With problems such as high rate of out-of-school
children and environmental pollution which affects a part of the population which the governments can’t account for, social entrepreneurs come in as intermediaries, penetrating the
hardest hit, and communicating with the highest seats.
Social entrepreneurs are dogged in their quest to change the status quo, and they believe in the innate ability of everyone to contribute to this change. They enable people become agents of their own development. While entrepreneurship in itself is not bad, those who practice it should add some level of social responsibility to their actions. This way, not only will the economy see improvements, the citizens will as well be given a sustainable environment in which to thrive.