Social Entrepreneurs @ Work is a book that shares the stories from leading social entrepreneurs around the world and collects advice for tomorrow's social entrepreneurs and change makers. The book is currently in the making. Read some selected interviews below... Are you a social entrepreneur and think that you should be interviewed, too? Then submit your case here. |

John Hope Bryant
Operation HOPE
John Hope Bryant is an American financial dignity and poverty eradication activist, "silver rights" leader, author and social entrepreneur. Bryant is the founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE (HOPE) and President and CEO of Bryant Group Companies.
Operation HOPE
John Hope Bryant is an American financial dignity and poverty eradication activist, "silver rights" leader, author and social entrepreneur. Bryant is the founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE (HOPE) and President and CEO of Bryant Group Companies.

Alex Budak
Start Some Good
StartSomeGood empowers people from around the world to become social innovators, by connecting them with the financial and intellectual capital they need to transform an idea into a reality, to improve the world. Similar to what Kickstarter does for creative projects, StartSomeGood taps into the power of the crowd, allowing social entrepreneurs to ask for small amounts of money from supporters from around the world.
Start Some Good
StartSomeGood empowers people from around the world to become social innovators, by connecting them with the financial and intellectual capital they need to transform an idea into a reality, to improve the world. Similar to what Kickstarter does for creative projects, StartSomeGood taps into the power of the crowd, allowing social entrepreneurs to ask for small amounts of money from supporters from around the world.

Dr. Vera Cordeiro
Associação Saúde Criança
Dr. Vera Cordeiro, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, MD General Practitioner graduated from The Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in December 1975. From 1978 to 1998, she worked at the Hospital da Lagoa, founding in 1979 the Psychosomatic Department. In 1991 she founded the Associação Saúde Criança, an NGO based in Rio de Janeiro, with the purpose of restructuring the families of less privileged children suffering with chronic or acute illness, helping their families achieve self-sufficiency.
Associação Saúde Criança
Dr. Vera Cordeiro, born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, MD General Practitioner graduated from The Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro in December 1975. From 1978 to 1998, she worked at the Hospital da Lagoa, founding in 1979 the Psychosomatic Department. In 1991 she founded the Associação Saúde Criança, an NGO based in Rio de Janeiro, with the purpose of restructuring the families of less privileged children suffering with chronic or acute illness, helping their families achieve self-sufficiency.

Andrea Cornejo
Coderise
Andrea Cornejo, of Peruvian descent, is founder and director of Coderise, an organization that helps high school children obtain critical IT skills that will not only enhance their employability but more generally speaking help them reach a promising future.
Coderise
Andrea Cornejo, of Peruvian descent, is founder and director of Coderise, an organization that helps high school children obtain critical IT skills that will not only enhance their employability but more generally speaking help them reach a promising future.

Jeannie Javelosa
ECHOsi
ECHOstore is a tri-concept including a store, café and market that sells fair trade, green, organic, artisan-made products. The non-profit ECHOsi handles the development work all over the country, including product development, design & packaging intervention, preparing artisan products for market readiness through financial literacy, etc.
ECHOsi
ECHOstore is a tri-concept including a store, café and market that sells fair trade, green, organic, artisan-made products. The non-profit ECHOsi handles the development work all over the country, including product development, design & packaging intervention, preparing artisan products for market readiness through financial literacy, etc.

Jay Kimmelman
Bridge International Academies
Bridge International Academies is a leading education innovation organisation founded in Kenya in 2008, working with governments and parents across Africa and Asia to create access for all children to a high-quality education needed to progress and thrive. Bridge operates over 470 nursery and primary schools in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, India and Liberia. Bridge uses technology to streamline school administration, deliver lesson plans to teachers, facilitate classroom management, and track learning gains in real time.
Bridge International Academies
Bridge International Academies is a leading education innovation organisation founded in Kenya in 2008, working with governments and parents across Africa and Asia to create access for all children to a high-quality education needed to progress and thrive. Bridge operates over 470 nursery and primary schools in Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, India and Liberia. Bridge uses technology to streamline school administration, deliver lesson plans to teachers, facilitate classroom management, and track learning gains in real time.

Zhihan Lee
BagoSphere
BagoSphere has addressed the issue of youth unemployment by providing a training program for rural youth in the Philippines to get employed. The organization provides a unique arrangement of training in communicating, critical thinking and life skills.
BagoSphere
BagoSphere has addressed the issue of youth unemployment by providing a training program for rural youth in the Philippines to get employed. The organization provides a unique arrangement of training in communicating, critical thinking and life skills.

Sebastian Lindstrom
What Took You So Long Foundation
WTYSL is a foundation that tells the stories of unsung heroes in the international aid community. WTYSL works in collaborations with NGOs and is contracted for freelance work.
What Took You So Long Foundation
WTYSL is a foundation that tells the stories of unsung heroes in the international aid community. WTYSL works in collaborations with NGOs and is contracted for freelance work.

Kikuo Morimoto
The Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles
In 1996, Morimoto founded IKTT (the Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles) in a suburb of Phnom Penh to tackle revival and activation of tradition textiles in Cambodia. "I will never forget the faces of the grandmothers when I delivered the [silkworm] eggs or the way they drew the thread so efficiently, just how they used to -- their fingers knew exactly what to do."
The Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles
In 1996, Morimoto founded IKTT (the Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles) in a suburb of Phnom Penh to tackle revival and activation of tradition textiles in Cambodia. "I will never forget the faces of the grandmothers when I delivered the [silkworm] eggs or the way they drew the thread so efficiently, just how they used to -- their fingers knew exactly what to do."

Dr. Florian Kapitza
Aiducation International
Aiducation International is a for-impact organization, dedicated to giving people access to education. Founded in 2007 by parts of Kenya’s civil society, the organization awards merit-based high school scholarships to bright and needy students in developing countries (current focus is on Kenya).
Aiducation International
Aiducation International is a for-impact organization, dedicated to giving people access to education. Founded in 2007 by parts of Kenya’s civil society, the organization awards merit-based high school scholarships to bright and needy students in developing countries (current focus is on Kenya).

James Norris
Self Spark
James was born in Houston, Texas, and is the founder of Self Spark in 2012, which provides services in Professional Training and Coaching. Its goal, based on the concept of self-actualisation, is to help people live happier, healthier and become more productive, using open source behavioural science and emerging technology.
Self Spark
James was born in Houston, Texas, and is the founder of Self Spark in 2012, which provides services in Professional Training and Coaching. Its goal, based on the concept of self-actualisation, is to help people live happier, healthier and become more productive, using open source behavioural science and emerging technology.

Ranjan Ojha
Nepal Music Festival
The Nepal Music Festival is not only a celebration of music, but of the different cultures and communities in Nepal. The festival unites people both domestically and internationally, highlighting that the Nepalese society can corporate despite major differences.
Nepal Music Festival
The Nepal Music Festival is not only a celebration of music, but of the different cultures and communities in Nepal. The festival unites people both domestically and internationally, highlighting that the Nepalese society can corporate despite major differences.

John Roberts
Open University Western Africa
The Open University of West Africa (OUWA) was founded in founded in Ghana the November 2011 and currently 40 students are enrolled in their first undergraduate program, which are expected to graduate in 2015.
Open University Western Africa
The Open University of West Africa (OUWA) was founded in founded in Ghana the November 2011 and currently 40 students are enrolled in their first undergraduate program, which are expected to graduate in 2015.

Eiji Han Shimitsu
The Happy Movie
Eiji is a serial entrepreneur in filmmaking and animations. He is the producer of the Happy movie, a feature-length award winning documentary about the secrets of happiness.
The Happy Movie
Eiji is a serial entrepreneur in filmmaking and animations. He is the producer of the Happy movie, a feature-length award winning documentary about the secrets of happiness.

Jack Sim
World Toilet Organization
Jack Sim, Founder of the World Toilet Organization (WTO), has been a successful businessman since age 24, in a range of areas such as real estate development, international schooling and construction materials. Having achieved financial success in his 40s, Jack felt the need to change his direction in life and give back to humanity – he wanted to live his life according to the motto “Live a useful life”.
World Toilet Organization
Jack Sim, Founder of the World Toilet Organization (WTO), has been a successful businessman since age 24, in a range of areas such as real estate development, international schooling and construction materials. Having achieved financial success in his 40s, Jack felt the need to change his direction in life and give back to humanity – he wanted to live his life according to the motto “Live a useful life”.

Patrick Struebi
Fairtrasa
Patrick is a serial social entrepreneur. After a series of corporate jobs, he decided to leave and have a social impact. In 2005, he pioneered Fairtrasa to create a scaleable business model that lifts farmers out of poverty. For his work, he received the Ashoka Fellowship, the Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Yale World Fellows Award, and the Endeavor High Impact Entrepreneur Award.
Fairtrasa
Patrick is a serial social entrepreneur. After a series of corporate jobs, he decided to leave and have a social impact. In 2005, he pioneered Fairtrasa to create a scaleable business model that lifts farmers out of poverty. For his work, he received the Ashoka Fellowship, the Schwab Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, the Yale World Fellows Award, and the Endeavor High Impact Entrepreneur Award.

Dr. Christoph Sutter
South Pole Carbon
Dr. Christoph Sutter is co-founder of South Pole Carbon. In 2006, South Pole Carbon’s strategic focus is on projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions incl. renewable energy, forestry, energy efficiency, waste management and methane avoidance.
South Pole Carbon
Dr. Christoph Sutter is co-founder of South Pole Carbon. In 2006, South Pole Carbon’s strategic focus is on projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions incl. renewable energy, forestry, energy efficiency, waste management and methane avoidance.

Mechai Viravaidya
Population and Community Development Association
Mechai Viravaidya is a former politician and activist in Thailand who promoted condoms, family planning and AIDS awareness in Thailand.
Population and Community Development Association
Mechai Viravaidya is a former politician and activist in Thailand who promoted condoms, family planning and AIDS awareness in Thailand.

Konstantina Zoehrer
Loft2Work
Konstantina Zoehrer is co-founder of Loft2Work. Her mission is to rebuild emerging ecosystems, like Greece, by fostering social change.
Loft2Work
Konstantina Zoehrer is co-founder of Loft2Work. Her mission is to rebuild emerging ecosystems, like Greece, by fostering social change.