What is Social Entrepreneurship?

A Student Discussion at Omah Limasan, August 9, 2014

   

"An entrepreneur is one who dared to be independent and creative to get something”, said Y. Endro Gunawan, often called Endro, a freelance consultant in several NGOs, particularly in Community Development. Furthermore, the additional word ‘social’ to ‘entrepreneur‘ emphasizes the efforts that enable to solve social problems, and also bring welfare to society. The discussion about the understanding of social entrepreneurship held on Saturday, August 9, 2014 at Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta secretary is the opening series of Social Entrepreneurship Training.

Trustha Rembaka, Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta coordinator shew an interesting video about a creative social service done by dr. Gamal Albinsaid, a young doctor, graduated from Brawijaya University in Malang. He pioneered a clinic financed through a junk-based insurance. The clinic allows its members to pay with dry waste such as bottles, paper, cardboard or plastic that can be recycled. Through one organization, Indonesia Medika, many people afford the health services such as blood pressure checks and other else checks. This brilliant idea started from the case of the death of a scavanger’s child because of diarrhea and no hospital treatment for no enough money to pay the cost. It drove dr. Gamal to think an idea to provide health care for those who can not afford it. It should be recognized that the action is not focused on financial profit that known by all members.

Social Entrepreneurship is a bussiness activity however, it means profit, but it comes from the understanding to solve social problems that occur in a particular time and place. Social entrepreneurship demands a creative person, and ability to understand a context of social problems that occur in a particular place by optimizing all potencies. Furthermore, Y. Endro Gunawan added that there are three types of entrepreneur, that is, entrepreneur, social entrepreneur, and volunteer entrepreneur. An entrepreneur will be the creator of ideas and activities to attract and develop the potential advantage. A social entrepreneur doing business for profit but its profit will be returned to community. While a volunteer entrepreneur devoted his volunteer ideas and his work for society welfare.

There are many social problems in people's live that need to be solved. The activists of Stube-HEMAT Yogyakarta and young people everywhere are asked to take part. This discussion provide a new understanding of the social movements of a young man. Everyone is required to dare to see the problem, study it, and see problems as a challenge and an opportunity. Furthermore, the courage drives to creativity and self-reliance to face, to maintain dan produce something new, and bring benefits to society.

A social entrepreneur starts from a concern, then thinking and moving positively from the simplest ways. *** YDA