The Rise In Social Entrepreneurship

Christoff Oosthuysen (middle) with Aoarna Ashok & Roshan D'Souza of UnLtd India in Mumbai

I can say with conviction that this study trip to learn from social entrepreneurs from southern India is one of the highlights of my life. Not because of any profound experience during the trip, but rather through the combination of inspirational meetings with social entrepreneurs, shared with five other people who are now my close friends!

India is a harsh country compared to most other places of the world that I’ve been to… the weather, the congestion of people, the near-collision traffic streams, the ongoing noises, the strong foods and the bodily responses to unfamiliar digestion, the pollution and ever-present waste, the contrasts between rich and poor, the in-your-face mix of it all… And then the fabulous people we met. The purpose-driven, the soulful, the complete people, each living what they have defined as their connected life.

Most of all it is the contrast between the hard environment and the soft people! That is what made this trip special for me. But most of all India is unpredictable. Around each corner is a surprise… some disappointing, others uplifting, but always growing on you!

This trip was not a holiday. It was a study trip – and learn did we indeed!

We’ve learnt that social entrepreneurs show up in various places and come in various forms. We’ve seen how social enterprises make a real difference in the lives of the people they aim to support. We’ve heard of different strategies to create income streams and ways of attracting donations. We’ve experienced that love is expressed in different ways – some focussing on connecting with a few, while others multiplying their love to achieve wider impact. We’ve realised that there are many ways and approaches, none of them more valid than the other, each with a place and reason to exist.

Now, at the end of the trip I’m under the impression of the rise in social entrepreneurship and the potential for social entrepreneurs to solve problems no government or corporation can address. I’m still left with some observations to complete my journey on exactly how we describe these “social entrepreneurs”; and how we understand best practice in social enterprise.

I have time available before presenting a workshop on Achieving Results Through Purpose-Based Business Planning at UnLtd India. And what better place than the work area for social entrepreneurs at The Hub in Mumbai to think through these questions. About a dozen social entrepreneurs are busy on their laptops, each with his or her own business correspondence… I join the focussed attention to my laptop screen… and my thoughts flow onto the pages…

The Social Entrepreneurs

Social entrepreneurs show up in different places and in different contexts. Some are running their own businesses; while others are working in not-for-profit organisations; some may even be employed within a large corporation; and others may be solitary operators, moving from ad hoc project to project. Social entrepreneurship is not defined by the nature of organisations they work in.

Social entrepreneurs distinguish themselves as problem-solvers who find new ways of improving people’s quality of life. This “open” definition purposefully allows many kinds of contributions to be included in the category of social enterprise.

While, within the wide scope of social business, entrepreneurs are finding their own best way and the most appropriate approach for themselves, it is my contention that social entrepreneurs have a responsibility to be conscious of ways they can increase their impact and develop sustainable interventions. With this emphasis in mind, I would define “responsible social entrepreneurs” as:

Problem-solvers who develop sustainable ways of improving people’s quality of life on an impactful scale and with lasting effect.

Every-one may not agree with this way of seeing social entrepreneurs, but I do believe that the only way for social entrepreneurs to make a real difference is by creating sustainable models with wide impact.

Best Practice In Social Enterprise

During our study trip to southern India, we met many social entrepreneurs from whom others can learn. In learning from what works, we can participate in a discussion on “benchmarks” or “best practice” which may help start-up social entrepreneurs to achieved improved success rates.

We found that the social entrepreneurs we met used similar words in describing their different approaches towards achieving positive change. They all spoke about two “forces”, namely “Love” and “Power”; however they did not all have the same emphasis in combining these two forces into their work (or perhaps I noticed them talking about these two forces because I read Adam Kahane’s book on this topic at the start of our trip).

We can think of the two forces for change (Love and Power) as two dimensions on a graph, where the vertical axis represents Love and the horizontal axis Power. Both axes cover a continuum from one extreme to the other:

• Power ranges from (on the left) seeking out current opportunities, relying on the goodwill of supporters, and achieving most possible out of the present “now”; to (on the right) seeking lasting sustainability through future-oriented self-generated income and systemised operations.
• Love ranges from (at the bottom) deep connection with people and beneficiaries through the concentration of attention; to (at the top) maximising wide impact through multiplication of developed models.

The Forces Of Change Framework (above) consists of four quadrants:

• In A entrepreneurs follow current opportunities & goodwill. They live what is possible in the “now”. And they achieve wide impact through the multiplication of the models they developed.
• In B social entrepreneurs are focussed on current opportunities, as in A. However, they achieve meaningful connection with the people they serve by concentration of their attention on those people they can reach and offer continued quality support to.
• In C social entrepreneurs shift away from immediate opportunities and are focussed on lasting sustainability over the long-term. They develop systemised operations & create income streams they have control over themselves. As with B, social entrepreneurs in C achieve connection with their audience through concentration of attention.
• In D social entrepreneurs are concerned with long-term sustainability through systemised operations and self-generated income, like in A, however, they aim to achieve wide impact through multiplication of their models, similar to that of C.

Interestingly, when the social entrepreneurs we met are plotted on the Forces Of Change Framework, many fall into quadrants B and D, few fall into A, and none into C. In fact, there seems to run an invisible line between the bottom-left and the top-right of the graph.

This line may very well represent a trend or shift (see graph below) from the left-bottom (Opportunity/Connection) to the top-right (Impact/Sustainability). However, such alleged trend is untested, and should not be taken as a fact before research confirms a historic trend towards impact and sustainability.

It is my contention that sustainability, impact and lasting effect should be key components for social entrepreneurship to be a powerful force in creating a better world to live in. With this in mind, we should be looking at what quadrant D social entrepreneurs are doing, how they are achieving success and with whom they are working. Impact and sustainability is where we should seek to identify benchmarks and pointers towards best practice in social entrepreneurship.

For me, it’s time to return home after a most fascinating study trip. I’ve learnt that there are many perspectives on social enterprise, but that there are definite preferences that will lead to bigger improvement in the quality of life on our planet. And this trip also inspired me to actively seek out ways for me to participate in promoting and practicing impactful and sustainable social entrepreneurship.

Social Enterprise Is Not Welfare

Vajantha from Nirman

I’ve been visitor to slums before – or rather “squatter camps” as the shanty towns in my native South Africa are know. But I was not prepared for today’s visit to Dharavi, Mumbai’s renowned slum area where some say up to 1.2 million people live. Perhaps I was surprised for some unexpected reasons… I’m not shocked by the conditions people have to live under here. I’m rather impressed with the well organised structures and pockets of clean environment compared to the general level of pollution. And then, the surprise when we see the economic activity of small “sweat shops” where migrant workers produce products for local use (such as various foods for daily sale) and as part of a sophisticate supply chain (including as the hidden suppliers to contractors supplying to international brands). Within hot, confined spaces young people work and live. Apparently they work seven days a week for at least 10 hours a day and, of course, for a pittance. I’m really surprised by the level of economic activity and the conditions locals are prepared to work under. This is not what would happen in a slum area in South Africa!

We are hosted by a local NPO called Mirman. They support migrant workers through programmes focussing on safety in the workplace, skills development, health, personal finance and setting up cooperatives in the construction industry.

Vajanntha, Nirman’s Director explains their work and approach. They operate as a trust, with funded programmes each under the control of a manager. “Becoming more self-sufficient is a major issue,” she says. While Nirman is able to collect some money when delivering programmes (such as charging for the condoms they distribute), they find it impossible to generate funds for operations and staffing. And there are no real opportunities for them to create other revenue streams.

As a not-for profit society, Nirman is involved in addressing the conditions of the most vulnerable people. They are offering “welfare services” where it is difficult, if not impossible, to generate funds as part of their own operations. They are essentially a welfare society, not a social enterprise; and they are likely to remain dependent on grants and donations for all their work.

Interestingly, the Indian government is in the process is finalising legislation that will compel companies to contribute 2% of their after tax profits to social purpose organisations as part of their corporate social responsibility. For welfare organisations such as Nriman, this may become the space where they will have to compete for funds with other NPOs in the welfare field. It may very well become a predictable source of income, which could sustain their operations into the future – but as a welfare organisation, not a social enterprise.

What Support Do Social Entrepreneurs Need?

UnLtd India investees Rahul Pol & Venkat Venkatachalam

Last night we flew into Mumbai (rather than take the scheduled 20 hour train trip!), which gives us a bit of extra time to arrange a meeting with UnLtd India.

We meet Tej Dhami, an associate who runs their social enterprise incubation programme. UnLtd India provides both financial support and advice to their social entrepreneur investees. Currently they have 60 social entrepreneurs who receive support based on their needs within three levels.

Level 1 investees are starting out with an idea and receive support in clarifying their business model. They also qualify for a small start-up grant. Level 2 investees are already in business and showing growth. They receive ongoing mentorship from an assigned UnLtd India associate and they qualify for loan financing and grant funding to prove the business model. Level 3 investees are running businesses where the model is proven and where growth happens by scaling the model. They also receive mentorship from an assigned UnLtd India associate and qualify for loan financing. Other than with levels 1 and 2, level 3 investees may be based outside of Mumbai.

The selection process for investees is rigorous. Applications are received and screened. A selection panel then considers the application and, if approved, the social entrepreneur is taken on as an investee.

UnLtd is the first organisation we meet on our study trip purposefully working towards creating an environment supportive to social business. Like with other small businesses, establishing and running a small social enterprise is perhaps one of the most difficult projects to take on and without support, it is practically out of reach for most. Amazingly, the social entrepreneurs we met over the past week or so who have been able to move towards self-reliance and generation of their own income, have achieved results without much support.

Tej experienced the challenges of starting a social enterprise herself after she left the corporate world in London where she worked as a hedge fund manager. Even with the skills she acquired within the corporate environment, she found it hard going, but not impossible since the tools used in mainstream business can help social entrepreneurs too. As she says: “You can have a social mind and a corporate mind. You can have both so that you apply your skill and approach gained from your corporate work to social projects.”

Her journey eventually led Tej to return to the country of her parents where she joined UnLtd in Mumbai to apply her experience to the success of other entrepreneurs. Her role as associate is to provide guidance to UnLtd investees, which she finds very rewarding since she can apply what she learnt in a corporate environment to businesses with a social impact.

The success of UnLtd’s incubation programme is largely dependent on the quality of support provided by associate mentors. As a result the associates are carefully selected and they receive training to enable them to provide support and advice appropriate to their clients. For this development of internal capacity to support social entrepreneurs UnLtd is dependent on assistance from experts in various fields such as marketing and productivity.

I leave the meeting with Tej with thoughts about the potential of social enterprise to make huge contributions towards solving social problems. However, much more attention should be given to creating a conducive environment for such social businesses to thrive. Support to social entrepreneurs, specifically during the start-up phase, should become a priority within the broader picture of stimulating economic growth.

It is noteworthy that most of the social entrepreneurs we met over the past week are already at a stage of development beyond the focus of services offered by UnLtd. However, they also have business development needs which remains largely unaddressed. And, of course, UnLtd itself is looking at ways to increase its capacity to offer high standard, which underlines the need to also offer the development practitioners and mentors with opportunities to increase their capacity.

Organisational Choices In Combining Commercial And Social

Chitra, founder of Ecohomes

Indian cities such as Bangalore are facing massive challenges with water management, and in rural settings the nature of the challenges may differ, but water is also becoming a hugely important consideration in achieving healthy living environments.

Today is our last day in Bangalore, but time enough for a visit to one of the ground-breaking design firms in die field of water harvesting. They are called Ecohomes.

This architectural firm is based in a quiet part of Bangalore, with leafy streets and neat buildings. They are known for the buildings they design to make optimum use of materials available from the site itself such as clay for making bricks. Their designs are also based on environmentally friendly technologies such as eco-friendly sanitation methods and sun energy.

One of their main building design focus areas is in water harvesting for consumption. All their designs for households now include efficient water-collection into under-ground tanks, methods to ensure the harvesting of clean water only; and purifying and feeding of grey water back into the ground water reservoirs.

We meet Chitra, one of the founders of Ecohomes. She says that while the design of water and sanitation systems as part of architectural projects is fully paid for by their clients, Ecohomes realised that they would not be able to make an impact on the challenges in addressing broader water and sanitation needs, and specifically within rural communities. It is within this context that Ecohomes decided to launch a Trust to operate parallel to their business so that they could channel sponsorship from large corporations into the development of water harvesting and management systems for both urban and rural settings.

Marginalised woman and children from rural communities are the main benefactors of the trust’s work in introducing new ways of managing water and sanitation, which is why the trust is able to attract sponsorships. But, notes Chitra, while the logistical work of the trust is mainly subsidised through these sponsorships, their architects and engineers also contribute some of their time towards the work of the trust.

In combining a for-profit company with a not-for-profit trust, Ecohomes is able to have an impact on consumers who can pay for the services through home design projects, while also working with poorer communities where they are able to have an impact on the lives of rural woman and children with the help of sponsors.

This “dual model” creates two structures for social entrepreneurs to work with (a) consumer through commercial relationship, and (b) benefactors of development projects through sponsored developement projects. However, during several previous discussions the past week I noticed suspicion towards such dual model. It is some-times viewed as an under-hand practice for self-enrichment (not to say that Ecohomes is under suspicion of any such practices).

Some of the social entrepreneurs we met, like Aravind Srinivasan who runs an eye clinic, manage to combine both commercial and cross-funded work within one business structure. He has full control over their income streams, including the subsidised work. The greatest advantage of this “cross-subsidy” model is that the social entrepreneur stays in control of all the income streams and can therefore plan for a predictable future – it increases sustainability!

Others, like Narayaman Krisnan who runs a feeding programme, prefers a “sponsorship model” where private contributions, corporate donations and government grants are collected. Krisnan’s emphasis on financial transparency (he insistently showed us the receipts and financial records when we met) illustrates the vulnerability of being dependent on the continued support from external sources. Shifts in sentiment (even unfounded rumours) may lead to the sudden death of a much needed social impact project. This is why I believe all social entrepreneurs should explore new ways of doing things where they create predictable income streams.

The choice to follow a sponsorship model, cross-subsidy model or dual model is dependent on the circumstances and individual preferences of the social entrepreneur. Each of the three models have advantages, but I remain convinced that the future of social enterprise lies in combining various income streams and actively decreasing reliance on sponsorships. The social entrepreneur of the future will opportunistically combine various sources of finance so that over time they create predictable and sustainable cashflow.

Social entrepreneurs create win-win solutions

Our drive out of Bangalore to visit one of the Rural Shores centre brings pleasant relief from the bustling busyness of Indian city life. The open road leads us swiftly past neat vineyards and striking hilltops and after an hour or so we arrive at the school building, of which Rural Shores rents a portion.

Rural Shores brings income to rural communities by employing young people for the capturing and processing of information on behalf of their clients. Most of their clients are from corporate India, but they are increasingly receiving interest from large companies from abroad too.

The head office in Bangalore acquires Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) contracts for their ten centres scattered throughout rural India to fulfil. At these centres young people are trained in computer use and then employed to turn hard-copy forms into digital information. In this way they create a win-win solution for all.

The rural communities receive income through the wages earned by the young people working at the centres, as well as through the rental of facilities for the operations of the centres; and the corporate clients achieve efficiencies through the cost-effective outsourcing of non-key processes. In short, the corporate clients reduce costs and save time; while young people from rural communities get an income and gain dignity.

We are fortunate to be invited to the home of one of the employees. She lives with her husband and two young children in a tiny two-roomed house in the nearby village. As we enter the house, I notice a lifeless body on the floor. She stiffens in her tracks, then she steps over her sleeping drunk husband, as if he does not exist. And when she eventually speaks tearfully, we hear the sad story of a young woman who is making a life for her children against many odds.

Rural Shores created an opportunity for her to feed her family and, from what she manages to save every month, she is paying towards an education policy for her children. What a powerful illustration of the effect this company (and for that matter social entrepreneurship) has on the lives of people.

This company was launched by business professionals who wanted to make a contribution towards creating win-win solutions – in this instance by contributing towards the country’s rural development priorities, by creating income for people living in rural areas, and by offering companies cost-effective outsourcing options.

Here we have a great example of how a little out-of-the-box thinking can lead to the establishment of a social enterprise where a sustainable business is created. This business does not only address a dire need in under-developed communities (in the form of jobs and income for young people); it also provides compelling commercial benefits to the paying customers (in the form of cost- and time-effective business process outsourcing).

Praise to the business professionals who initiated Rural Shores! Or shall we call them social entrepreneurs?

Here we see how initiative by a few social entrepreneurs, who are already involved in other business activities, can create a new social enterprise with great impact. Their experience and involvement in other businesses – perhaps even large corporations – elevates the capacity of the social enterprise to achieve great results.

Innovation Can Kick-Start Social Enterprise

Dr Rajah Vijay Kumar

An overnight train trip in “Three Tier AC” delivers us to Bangalore – the “heart of (the) triumvirate of technology”, as described in one of the travel guides.

No surprise that our first appointment in Bangalore is with an innovator extraordinaire.

But first we make a stop-over at Koshy’s Restaurant, where the ever-generous Prem greats us with the overflowing warmth we already had the privilege to taste in Konni. Along with his brother, Santos, he owns several businesses in Bangalore, including the reputable Koshy’s. Our small snack turns into a fabulous meal topped by the best coffee I’ve had thus far in India!

Prem introduces us to Sugatha, who shares with us her story of unattached living, travelling the country, caring by sharing her passion for organic farming. “I’m enjoying it. So I’m just doing it”, she says. Sugatha finds her happiness by connecting with others around issues that creates a healthier world; and today she’ll do that by being our guide along with Prem, who drags himself away from his customers at Koshy’s to look after us.

We meet Dr Rajah Vijay Kumar, the chairman of Organization De Scalene. Most of the 60 staff members are engineers and doctors whose focus is mainly on medical technology, but they are also producing results in other areas such as renewable energy, which is where our main interest lies.

The doctor at first strikes me as remote and cold. He talks about their research, the science they practice and their creations. Everything he says is about the technology. Nothing he says is about the social challenges we face around energy. This is a scientist, an innovator, who is dedicating himself to his research and the practical application of his science.

About nine years ago Scalene started their work in the field of alternative energy. Here they focused on bacteria induced break-down of organic material which produces bio gas. They developed a multi-stage system that produces methane gas from plant material and organic household waste. And they developed an ignition system that allows normal diesel engines and generators to run on this gas. As the doctor explains, what sets their system apart from others is that they achieve a 98% efficiency rate of turning waste material into gas. The by-products of this process are vapour and fertiliser pellets. It sounds too good to be true! And my head is spinning!

When the doctor takes us around their premises, demonstrating the technology in action, he warms to us. They’ve installed an industrial size system, feeding off the invasive plant material over-growing the adjacent lake and wetland. The result… a production of sufficient gas to cook and electricity to run all appliances and lighting, plus providing excess to the grid.

Manufacturing is the task of their business partners and they are pleased with the progress on getting governments to subsidise their system. In India, the system is produced for $670, of which the Government of India will subsidise $380. And after the microbes have been introduced to the system, it will continue working for as long as it is feed with a healthy supply of organic waste or plant material.

I leave Scalene with an active mind, thinking about the potential of such systems, how it can be applied to solve energy problems and specifically how it could be used in delivering inexpensive energy to underdeveloped communities. This is where the social entrepreneurs have to step in and apply their innovative thinking; where feasible business models need to be developed so that the take-up of the technology is not dependent on government grants, but rather on the drive of social entrepreneurs who want to make a difference to the world, while creating profits for shareholders or producing surpluses for use in other social interventions.

Here lies a challenge to confront:

“How do we connect competent social entrepreneurs with technology innovators?”

And:

“How do we support social entrepreneurs to develop and implement sustainable business models?”

These are big questions, which I cannot answer here, but which will remain a priority for all of us interested in creating conducive environments for social entrepreneurship to thrive. A starting point is to expose entrepreneurs to the impressive innovations such as what Scalene is achieving.

Increase Your Impact Or Find Your Happiness

Dr Aravind Srinivasan

After yesterday’s long travel – back on the road to Trivandrum, where we caught the train to Madurai –  I was looking forward to a good night’s rest, but I’m abruptly hauled from my deep sleep at five in the morning when the corner shop starts the day with an excessively loud tape of Hindi songs, played to distortion-high volume.

A bad start to a great day which includes an early morning visit to the impressive temple complex (dedicated to Shiva and Pavati) and two inspiring meetings with local social entrepreneurs.

First we meet Dr Aravind Srinivasan of the Aravind Eye Clinic (www.aravind.org). The clinic is named after his uncle, who shared his name.

Aravind strikes me as a calm and collected young man, comfortable with the responsibilities he inherited from his uncle who launched the clinic several decades ago and where they are now doing more than 360 000 eye operations a year. In addition to the hospital in Madurai, they also have 42 community vision centres, developed cost-effective lens manufacturing capabilities (which enables them to make lenses at a fraction of the commercial cost) and are expanding with new projects such as a geriatrics hospital.

The 120 doctors employed by Aravind Eye Clinic sees 2 000 patients a day – by the time we meet it is 497 thus far for the day, which is the figure he reads off the real-time information system on his PC.

What sets this eye clinic apart is that it is fully self-reliant while still able to offer two thirds of their patients a free service. The power of systems and good administration allows Aravind to speak with confidence about their achievements and their plans for the future.

When the clinic launches a new project, they follow some basic guidelines to ensure success. They start out by attracting the right people into the project. They make sure they learn from what others have already done in similar projects. They emphasise that they should rather do things right than fast; and be able to change direction. And they are flexible in where they draw their resources such as finance from – even contributing themselves!

Aravind is a qualified doctor, but went back to university to complete an MBA when he realized that he enjoys seeing things come together organizationally. And he seemingly is doing a good job at managing the hospital since he took over the reins in 1993. He ascribes their success to an approach based on a clear vision of self-sustainability with a split of 60/40 for free vs paid services; measuring their success in the number of people who received sight back, rather than financial metrics; leadership based on the contribution each can make, not financial rewards; and a subtle spirituality, which underscores the values embedded in their culture.

This is not the words of a strict administrator, who exercises power to get things done! He makes use of the power of good administration, but his words are also full of love! Aravind may just be the social entrepreneur I’ve been seeking to meet who understands the subtleties of balancing love and power into a world-improving project?

Can we replicate Aravind? Can we create more social entrepreneurs like him who clearly understand the need for balancing your mission (love) with good systems (power)? With this in mind, I ask him what advice he would give a young professional, like a lawyer, doctor or engineer, who wants to make a difference to the world. And this is his advice:
– Get into the flow. Do not resist the direction life is taking you into.
– Have aspirations to achieve something good and set yourself clear goals.
– Do not allow distractions to prevent you from taking risks. Its OK to take risks!

Our visit was short – much too short , I feel as we step into the bright light outside the hospital. I wish I could spend the rest of the day shadowing Aravind, learning from him in finding the balance between love and power.

Narayaman Krisnan

NOW the bar is set high, so it is with much anticipation that I enter the office of Akshaya Trust (www.akshayatrsut.org) to meet Narayaman Krisnan. Not only is he recipient of the CNN Top 10 Hero award, he is indeed also the hero of the 450 destitute people he feeds and care for every day.

While Aravind, who we met just 30 minutes earlier, was reserved and calculated in his words, Krishnan immediately strikes me as running over with passion. He loves what he does and it shows when he speaks!

Akhaya offers food and care to “mentally destitute and elderly people” who are not cared for by their families. In the nine years of their existence Akhaya served more than 1.8 million meals, and this they do with only 3 paid staff and a few volunteers.

Krisnan is adamant that their income focus is, and should remain, on public donations, with little foreign grant money too, but that no government funds or corporate donations should be accepted. He is also not interested in creating income streams that could make Akhaya less vulnerable to his involvement and the ongoing support of do-gooders. I ask him, would he see it as an opportunity if another chef comes along and makes an offer to run a high-end restaurant, where middle class clients pay a surplus to fund his work. No, he says, convincingly. This will distract his attention away from what he loves doing – the feeding and caring of the destitute. He is now doing what makes him happy and if he would have to develop other income streams, he would be distracted from doing what he loves.

As a 20-year old, after completing an MBA and studies in hotel management overseas, Krisnan returned to India. When witnessing a man eating human waste, he quit his job and started feeding the needy in Madurai. And he has not looked back since, especially after receiving international recognition for his work and experiencing an increase in public donations.

The increased support allowed Akhaya to start building a new rehabilitation centre, which is already 70% completed. The centre will house 300 people and represents the progress Krisnan is making in helping mentally affected and old people from Madurai.

As Krisnan says: “I’m designed to do this. According to me, doing this is happiness. Some-one else may see success differently and he’ll laugh at me, but doing this is success for me. I don’t want to dilute myself. I won’t break my head on logistics. Love does not need logistics.”

And with these words, this inspirational care-giver, leaves me with a dilemma, since I’ve come to believe that impactful projects need both love and logistics (power). I cannot find fault with Krisnan’s insistence that “what must happen, will happen” and that he finds his happiness in “living in the moment”. He makes a massive difference in the lives of nearly 500 people. He’s changed their worlds. This is commendable and deserves support. And clearly he finds immense happiness in what he does!

However, should he not take up the responsibility of replicating his work, so that so many more people can benefit – that so many more lives can experience his love? For this he will need love and logistics! And this remains my priority: to find ways to combine love and power into a balance of achieving significant impact in the improvement of the quality of life of the people of the world.

Today we met two very inspiring social entrepreneurs. The one is optimising impact, the other living his happiness. Who am I (or you) to judge their way of making a difference? So, while my (and Aravind’s) choice is to increase our impact through social enterprise, others (like Krisnan) may choose to focus on finding their happiness in their help to others. Both are worthy ways of making a difference.

Planting Seeds From My Inner-Self

Unlike yesterday Indian surprise, today’s surprises are all good and uplifting! But let me start at yesterday – the last day of 2011!

We made our way to Konni (again through near-collision traffic which I’m now already used to) where Varkey George, the sixth member of our team, joined us. Varkey grew up in Konni and his family is preparing for the wedding of the last unmarried cousin in the family, so we had the opportunity to attend the groom’s “last supper” where we met dozens of very interesting family members, including Prem Koshy, who will be our host in Bangalore next week.

I have long looked forward to the day that I can face or touch my favourite animal – the elephant. And now I had that opportunity to do so! Plus I got a ride on an elephant’s back. But our visit to the local elephant sanctuary was unfortunately not an uplifting experience… majestic animals, chained by their feet, showing signs of stress, continuously swaying from side to side while they wait for… nothing!

But thanks to the kind help of the hotel staff, who organised four King Fisher lagers after the town already shut down, we could end 2011 with a positive thought by lifting our glasses on new friendships made during this trip! How fortunate am I to be travelling in the company of such lovely people — curious, informed and happy are they indeed!

And then today, the first day of 2012, arrive with pleasing Indian surprises.

First we attend the wedding of Varkey’s cousin. It is a Christian wedding, however the church proceedings are heavily influenced by Hindu ritual – rich experience for the outsiders we are. More than a thousand people come to the wedding lunch. They are all fed with the most lovely briyani dish. There is seemingly no bad meal in India!

In the afternoon we go for a swim in the river-bend where Varkey played as a child, a stone’s throw away from the start of thick rain forests in the national park. We visit his mother’s house on her rubber plantation, where we are served the most delicious banana fries and cashew nuts.

Prem leads us in group meditation where we “plant seeds” from our inner-selves. What a lovely alternative to making new year resolutions! No empty promises… just three seeds I planted for myself, my loved ones and the universe! I’ve planted my seeds and will be sure to water them and nurture the growth in the coming year.

Who Are The Social Entrepreneurs?

It did not take long to learn that India is unpredictable and full of surprises. Today our driver arrives early and soon after breakfast we are on our way to Alleppey, where we are to spend the afternoon and night on a house boat. This part of the trip is for us to experience the beauty on offer by Indian tourism, more so than to gain new insights on social entrepreneurship.

To get to our house boat takes five hours of near-collision driving. On the way I’m interested to see the followers of a local Hindu guru gathering along the way, all in bright yellow; and surprised to encounter our first elephant in India as part of the cargo-bearing traffic. But what makes the trip even more remarkable is the discussions amongst ourselves. And of course we speak about entrepreneurship – or more specifically what makes a person an entrepreneur.

Yesterday I ended my note by saying that the purpose-driven people in NPOs should think more like entrepreneurs. Which leads me into asking a very important question in context of our study trip:

“What makes a social entrepreneur?”

There is already a healthy debate about social entrepreneurship, which I’ve followed for several years now and I must say that attempts by others to define social enterprise have, in my opinion, mostly tended to narrowing the focus based on the perspective of the person who is doing the defining. What if we rather take an inclusionist approach? Would that not serve us better in solving social and ecological problems through enterprising work?

However, I do think it is immensely useful to understand who the people are that show up as social entrepreneurs. So rather than focus on the organisational formations, we should focus on the people who are enterprising. Who are these people?

We can then rephrase the question as:

“Who are the social entrepreneurs?”

Are they passionate leaders of organisations, companies and networks, or are they also out of the limelight implementers? Are they found in small businesses only, or are they also present in non-profit-organisations and larger corporations? Are they working on innovative ways of solving social and ecological issues, or are they also implementing tried-and-tested interventions? Are they working for both their own gain and social good, or are they focussed on their contribution to a better world?

By the end of this study trip I hope to be able to write a sensible note on this question! I sense it has something to do with a balance between love and power in creating a better place for the people of the world to live in. For now I’m happily enjoying the luxury of our house boat…

Social Entrepreneurs Find Balance In Love And Power

Shridar "The Toxic Reporter"

I’m in southern Kerala, close to the most southern parts of the Indian sub-continent. Today at 8 am our Social Enterprise Study Trip starts – or rather was supposed to start… The driver is (some may say predictably so) delayed! And this offers me the opportunity to finish another chapter of Adam Kahane’s “Power & Love” while we wait at our hotel in the lovely, but busy, Kovalam beach.

I received this book as an early birthday present from my publisher sister, which now seems like a very appropriate gift as I set out on this trip of learning from social entrepreneurs in India. I sense that there was some synchronicity at play here; that it is a meaningful coincidence that my sister gave me this gift of reflection on “Solving Tough Social And Organisational Problems” (as the sub-title explains) while I’m setting out to learn from purpose-driven individuals who are committed to changing and improving the world.

A quote in the book from Martin Luther King Jnr strikes a chord:

“Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic.“

In the context of our study trip I’m asking myself important questions about love (the intention to improve the world) and power (the ability to make an impactful difference). Will we meet social entrepreneurs on this study trip who understand and have mastered the dynamic balance between love and power? Are we going to find people who are not only driven by a bigger purpose, but who have also created the capacity to deliver sustainable results?

But let me not get ahead of myself!

Of course our driver eventually arrives and delivers the five of us to Aries Travel in Trivandrum, the organisers of our travelling for the next two weeks. This is where we meet our guide for the day. Her name is Catherine Lee, originally from Austin in the US and now living 10 months of the year in Trivandrum as retired journalist. She volunteers at various local NPOs and, while we make our way to our first appointment, she tells us about her experiences in India, the effects of the growth in the Indian middle class and the social challenges the local society and the world at large is facing today.

But soon we found ourselves to be lost in the busy streets of Trivandrum. Rickshaws and scooters are weaving around us, with our driver not sure where to go… as it continued for the remainder of the day! “He is from outside”, explains Catherine, “and he clearly does not speak English!” Thanks to modern technology (in the form of her mobile phone) we get directions (several times over) and finally arrive at an organisation called Thanal (www.thanal.co.in).

In the cool front room of the Thanal office we meet Sridhar “The Toxic Reporter”, as he is apparently known. We each find a seat next to two massive batteries of the solar energy supply, and is served a cup of hot water to cool us down.  And what followed was also full of energy, covering the hot topic of healthy living environments and sustainable food production.

My first observation is of Sridhar’s passion. He clearly believes that chemicals used in industry and farming is causing imbalances, not only for the people who are suffering health problems when exposed to these toxins, but also for sustainable economic activity. His energy is warm and his vibrancy high. He pulls me into his world with stories and statistics. This guy can talk! And he talks with love!

My second observation is of Thanal’s connectedness. As a small organisation of about ten, they are able to not only connect people on a local level through for instance an Organic Farming and Consumer Society; they are also leading in national initiatives such as the Coalition for a GM Free India and are occasionally called upon to provide expert input even beyond the boundaries of India.

My third observation is of Sridhar’s openness. He is not hiding anything. He shares his all and that of the people he works with. His openness allows an easy flow of our conversation, at first focussing on their work in eliminating the use of damaging toxins and their struggle against the spread of GM technology in agricultural production. They are covering a lot… from cotton as the traditional industry of India to organic agriculture as the food security of the future… from advocacy on the international stage, to implementing projects at community level. And eventually the discussion flows away from his topic of expertise towards how Thanal can sustain its work.

Which leads me to my fourth observation. Thanal is totally dependent on the grants it can gather and the time offered by volunteers; and they do not seem to have a plan to become self-sustainable. Yes, they have initiated a drive to receive donations from local individuals and they did sell us some calendars (as they perhaps do with many others), but such efforts are not likely to result in a significant shift towards self-reliance. However, within their current resources they have farm land, which they could use to grow organic foods. These could be sold to retailers supplying middle class consumers who are increasingly prepared to pay a premium for healthy foods. “It would be difficult to do,” Sridhar says. Difficult, but perhaps crucial to secure a sustainable future for Thanal.

As we conclude the inspiring meeting with Sridhar, one of Thanal’s volunteers passes by, which leads me into my last observation about Thanal. The volunteer is a retired military man who is helping out with HR and other organisational administration. I ask him what the difference is between the military and an NPO? He says that in the military everything is structured and you follow your instructions to fulfil your specific responsibilities. In an NPO there is very little structure, he says, and everyone has something to say. It is noteworthy that this systems guy showed up to volunteer his time. He sees that he can make a difference by introducing a bit more organizing into the organisation; but is Thanal ready for the growth pains of formalizing? Are they ready to become more structured so that their impact can increase and so that they can reduce their dependency on donor funding? Thanal has at its disposal some very feasible income streams. But will they be able to optimism this potential towards their own financial sustainability?

After lunch we make brief stopovers at two more projects – the Sakhi Woman Resource Centre (www.sakhikerala.org) and Zero Waste, a Thanal initiative. Again we see lots of “love” but seemingly very little “power”. At Sakhi they empower woman through improved access to information and at Zero Waste the involved woman earn some income through selling the products they make from recycled materials.

The resource centre is 100% dependent on grants and donations; and to make matters worse, they do not seem to have any ideas on how to create other income streams. Zero Waste also has a massive dependency on grant support and guidance from Thanal; however they already have products they are selling – perhaps not through enough channels or at a good price, but at least there is potential in turning what they are already doing into a substantial income stream to support the rest of their work.

Like many NPOs, if not most, the continued operation of the three organisations is fully dependent on donations or grant money.

A shift is needed towards understanding the need for a dynamic balance between their mission (love) and the ability to sustain themselves through entrepreneurial activity (power). They need to start think like entrepreneurs. They need to understand the need for a dynamic balance between power and love so that they can make a real impact as social entrepreneurs.