Michael Norton OBE, launched the SA arm of his UnLtd organisation in South Africa earlier this month.

This organisation will establish a fund for social entrepreneurs in South Africa, similar to what they are already doing in the UK.

According to their website, UnLtd is a charitable organisation set up by seven leading organisations that promote social entrepreneurship.
UnLtd - the Foundation for Social Entrepreneurs - wants to support and develop the role of social entrepreneurs as a force for positive change in the United Kingdom. In the short to medium term UnLtd will achieve this by providing:

• Awards to social entrepreneurs
• A UK wide Fellowship of people who have received awards
• Research into the impact of social entrepreneurs on society
• UnLtd Ventures

A social entrepreneur, says Norton, according to this interview with Business Day is one person, having one idea. It’s that simple. Sort of. “A good idea has to address a need or solve a problem,” says Norton. “It’s about brains versus wallets; the former will trigger the idea that creates change, which is helped by the latter.”

It is great seeing more of these initiatives launching in South Africa and Africa as a whole.

This, I believe, is the only way to secure the future of young Africans.

According to an article in this week’s Business Report, the South Africa Black Entrepreneurs Forum (SABEF) has set up a programme aimed at inspiring and mentoring small businesses.

The Sabef provincial director for the Western Cape said that “our organisation will facilitate the entry of black entrepreneurs into prominent sectors of the South Africa economy and abroad”

Sabef was launched by Lebu Gunguluza and others on Gauteng last year.

So, if you want to get involved learn more about SABEF on their web site for more information.

Why don’t you find a way to support Eden Campus, on the Western Cape Garden route, near Wilderness?

These guys are doing great things and can certainly do with your assistance, be it money, resources, supplies or indeed your own time.

Read more about Eden Campus and how you can help at edencampus.co.za/help

This is great news for any-one especially those citizens of Africa. We really require a the world to have whole new way of thinking about Africa, its people and its place in the world.

Thematic Pillars of the Programme
Next year’s programme will focus on the following six areas of inquiry and their global, regional and industry dimensions:

• How to Strengthen Economies
• How to Mitigate Global Risks
• How to Ensure Sustainability
• How to Enhance Security
• How to Create a Values Framework
• How to Build Effective Institutions

The programme is continuously updated to reflect the latest developments around the world.

The co-chairs of the event will be:

Josef Ackermann, Chairman of the Management Board and the Group Executive Committee, Deutsche Bank, Germany; Member of the Foundation Board of the World Economic Forum
Azim H. Premji, Chairman, Wipro, India
Peter Sands, Group Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered, United Kingdom
Eric Schmidt, Chairman of the Executive Committee and Chief Executive Officer, Google, USA
Ronald A. Williams, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Aetna, USA
Patricia A. Woertz, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), USA

To learn more about the event and follow its various initiatives go to WEFORUM

” Eden’s 2 year program is unique, in that it prepares students in such a way that they are actually enabled to participate in the South African economy when they graduate from Eden.

The key mission of Eden Campus: Uplifting young persons from impoverished, rural communities through education, entrepreneurial skills and relevant work experience.”

They can always do with financial support, though things like stationary, old computers, clothes, sports gear and even guest lecturing will be appreciated.

I will be meeting with the General Manager and going to visit the campus.

Contact me if you want to get involved.

See Eden Campus for more.

http://www.entrepreneurship.co.za/

http://www.theinnovationhub.com/

http://www.raizcorp.co.za/

http://www.believe-begin-become.com/

know of any to share?

The session’s panel consits of:

• Jacob Zuma
• Graca Machel
• Maria Ramos
• Graham Mackay
• Soud Ba’alawy
• and chaired by WEF founder, Klaus Schwab

What actions are we supposed to take, having heard everything being said over the last 2 days:

• MacKay: we require investment and infrastructure. Investments are safe in Africa. Producing growth and results. Building 4 new breweries in Africa. Africa more protected than rest of the world. Not enough business being represented at conference. Lots of energy in Africa. Not all doom and gloom
• Ramos; 3 key areas to focus on:

1. leadership and values
2. investment in infrastructure and telecoms, climate change
3. implementation: we are capable! we are doing all the World Cup developments. We are capable of building schools, clinics. We need our imagination, we can implement.

• Machel: big business needs to bring in a new breed of entrepreneurs. Bring women, bring young people. We need women to be part of G20. We need to redesign the way we do things. Leaders need to know how to take continent out of crisis and position Africa as leaders. People count. Too much focus on profit. We need longer term goals and vision. Main session at next event for women and girls.
• Ba’alawy: Africa is a “land” of opportunities. Young, vibrant citizens. They need jobs. What does it take to monotise opportunities? A new financial architecture for Africa is required. Protectionism from within ( Africa) needs to be addressed and not just external protectionism. Capital today is available from China and Gulf countries. We need Foreign Direct Investment from those regions and make it easy for them to invest in Africa. Infrastructure required. Schools very important. “In life the biggest risk is never to take risk” ( leader of Dubai). Africa needs to take risk. Less plans and more execution. Africans needs to look up to entrepreneurs not just political leaders.

What does the audience want to say to Zuma, about what is required to make Africa succeed;

• Jaco Maree: We need to profile African champions, African entrepreneurs and achievements.
• Anant Singh:  we have a window of opportunity, we have to act and act quickly.
• Some other points were raised about what can be done to improve Africa’s image and the lives of the people.

Zuma’s response:

We need a frank discussion of  how African economies can work together. There are opportunities in Africa but are the leaders seeing the opportunities? What are the various regions within Africa doing and how are we identifying joint opportunities.

The new government will do everything in its power to eradicate crime.

The (credit) crisis affects all of us.  We  need partnerships of common programmes we need to follow on the basis of our agreements. In SA we have NEDLAC that includes government, business, labour and civil society. We need to apply extra-ordinary measures to address the crisis. We need to emerge with common programmes that can address Africa’s problems. Once again infrastructure is raised as an important element for improving Africa’s welfare.

Five key priorities have been identified by the SA government

• education
• health
• crime
• rural development
• infrastructure

all in all a great 3 days!

I hope to be back in 2010