Social Entrepreneurship

A couple of weeks ago a group of Belarusian activists released a free mobile app (at the moment for Android only)— CarbonFreeTravel. The app helps to offset the user’s carbon footprint after a trip by plane or a by a car. Three years ago the team took part in the Biz4all Social Entrepreneurship School with this idea. Using the support they received for their project, the team managed to launch the app after the school.

We continue our series of articles on social entrepreneurship. What are the appropriate terms? Which criteria make the enterprise a social one? Social entrepreneurship in Belarus, the region and the world: cases, interview, analytical data. Today’s article is about the social impact, which is something social entrepreneurs put before profits, and about ways it can be measured. However, first we will try to understand who these social entrepreneurs are and what makes them different from other businessmen?

Text by: Alyona Lis
“Social investment”, “conscious investment”, “ethical and responsible investment”, “impact investment”… All these terms are used to define a new trend in financial investment, which is gaining popularity all over the world. The investors today are ready to get a lower level of income from their financial investment, provided they achieve some positive social changes or improve the environmental situation.

On May 28, Minsk welcomed the Third Belarusian Social Business Forum, a platform to exchange best practices and discuss how businesses can contribute to solving social and environmental problems. This article contains an overview of new social enterprises and forms of cooperation with large businesses.

On May 28, Minsk welcomed the Third Belarusian Social Business Forum, a platform to exchange best practices and discuss how businesses can contribute to solving social and environmental problems. This article presents an overview of the development of social entrepreneurship in Belarus and Russia, the possible adoption of a Belarusian social entrepreneurship legislation and of the situation in Latvia, which adopted a similar legislation last year.

Aksana Bernatskaya, a graduate of our Biz4all-2 social entrepreneurship school, is working tirelessly together with her colleagues to shape up the local community and create an inclusive, welcoming space for everyone. “EcoZhizn” (“EcoLife”) leisure centre for adults and children has grown to include a mini kindergarten, a theatre studio and an inclusive workshop, as well as many other activities held all year round.

Another team of graduates from our social entrepreneurship school Biz4all-2, Hanna and Andrei Verbitsky, live in the village of Mikhalova near Lahoisk and are owners of the Dymki creative space. The family moved to the village from the city, and they have been trying to bring the local community together and make suburban life more diverse. Over the past 10 months since the space opened, the Verbitskys have set  up the first playground in the village, organized a big family picnic and alternative New Year performances, and have regularly welcomed guests from the capital city.

Centre for Active Ageing (CAA) has operated in Minsk for more than a year now. It was set up by graduates of the first Biz4all social entrepreneurship school who have experience both in business and the social sphere. In early spring, the Centre has changed location, and the selection of courses and master classes has been expanded. Yelena Dziamidava, director of the Centre, has spoken to ODB Brussels about their top course which is really popular — “Modelling”.

Almost a year has now passed since participants of the Biz4all-2 social entrepreneurship school finished their training. It is always a pleasure for us to watch the resulting projects grow, and today ODB Brussels has spoken to Karina Sitnik, director of “Walk to Folk”travel company, about their new Chernobyl route, team collaboration and sources of inspiration.

In summer 2018, Minsk welcomed an interesting social initiative —  art café “Insider”. Kseniya Halubovich and Ulliana Drazhina came up with the idea during another day at the office. Kseniya and Ulliana work in an organization called “Kanikuly”, which provides support to adults receiving treatment in the Navinki psychoneurological department in Minsk.