MUMBAI and SINGAPORE, April 6, 2018 /PRNewswire/ --
16 aspiring social enterprise teams have been shortlisted to embark on an eight-month journey with the Singapore International Foundation's (SIF) Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) programme. These shortlisted teams, comprising 38 youths from eight countries, presented the strongest social business ideas. They were assessed based on the social enterprises' innovativeness, social impact, as well as the sustainability and scalability of their business model. For the next eight months, the teams will continue to sharpen their social business plans guided by assigned mentors and have the opportunity to learn from and interact with leading social entrepreneurs, business professionals, and youths who are keen on social innovation. This YSE 2018 cohort will reconvene in Singapore for a study visit in June, as well as for the YSE Pitching for Change session in October where teams will pitch to a panel of judges for a chance to receive seed funding of up to S$20,000.
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The shortlisted teams were selected from an initial pool of 47 teams representing 12 countries and territories - Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and the United States - at the YSE 2018 Workshop held from 21 to 24 March this year. During the Workshop, all participants went through an intensive programme itinerary consisting of business clinics, mentorship sessions, cross-cultural peer learnings, a fireside chat discussion, and business presentations to a panel of judges. Launched in 2010, the SIF signature programme has crossed its ninth-year mark in inspiring, equipping and enabling youths from all over the world to start or scale up their social enterprises in Singapore and beyond. For more information and updates on YSE 2018, please visit www.sif.org.sg/yse .
The 16 shortlisted teams are:
- Greennovations (India) - Greennovations, headed by Indian Tanvi Mittal, aims to eliminate plastic waste from the environment by virtue of transforming the plastic waste into high-utility products, such that the benefits are used to improve the wages of the waste collectors' community. The SE aims to create both high social and environmental impact in tandem.
- Involve (India) - Involve, headed by Indians Divanshu Kumar and Samyak Jain, aims to create an affordable and accessible ecosystem where students are empowered with 21st century skills and are motivated to learn from each other through peer teaching. They train and mentor senior school students (Educators) in their formative years of age 12-16 to teach their juniors (Learners) in a uniquely designed classroom structure. They offer after school academic support in low-income private schools at a very affordable cost.
- MANRAM (India) - MANRAM, headed by Indians Vishnu Harikumar, Ajmal Muhammad and Vijaya Kumar, is a millet-processing-cluster with its own farmer producer organizations (FPOs) and produces a gluten-free millet-based-snack. MANRAM collectivizes millet farmers and provide them a fair price, necessary technology and training.
- The Kisan Union (Singapore and India) - The Kisan Union, headed by Singaporeans Ho Jing En, Kannan Venkataramanujam and Indian Nikhil Mukkawar, believes that solutions for the poor should not be poor. It aims to bridge the gap between the government and rural areas by extending the reach of information and aid to the very last mile. People in rural India travel miles to access e-governance services and basic health services. The Kisan Union hopes to empower underprivileged individuals in rural areas by providing equal access to information and services. Their mobile Smart Solar Kiosk is designed to close this gap by providing access to government policies, information, and health services at their doorstep.
- Cricket One (Vietnam) - Cricket One, headed by Vietnamese Nam Dang and Bicky Nguyen, produces sustainable and affordable future food from crickets by developing technologies to rear crickets intensively and vertically on agricultural by-products.
- Everybody Eats (United States) - Everybody Eats, headed by Americans Imani Majied and Muhammad Ansari, is a food delivery service that aims to fight hunger and reduce food waste. Similar to the TOMS business model, every meal ordered through the Everybody Eats platform will help subsidize the cost of a meal for someone in need locally.
- Elvish (Indonesia) - Elvish, headed by Indonesians Ali Zaenal Abidin, Irham Mulkan Rodiana and Azmi Roqi, aims to improve the standards of living of Indonesian fishermen (the ones with small boats) by escalating their income from fishing up to 90%. They plan to do this by converting their old diesel motor into electric solar powered motor, thus decreasing their operational cost. They also plan to sell electrical systems consisting of an electric motor, battery, solar panel, inverter and lighting which can be easily installed on existing boats.
- Khemdro Dairy (Bhutan) - Khemdro Dairy, headed by Bhutanese Sherab Dorji, is a cooperative value chain based in central Bhutan that works with local dairy farmers to not only boost profitability but also empower women. It provides grants and microcredits to member farmers to incentivize dairy development besides directly sharing parts of its profit. Khemdro Dairy seeks to form a farmer-centric value chain that delivers strong financial returns to member farmers while supplying high quality local dairy products to consumers.
- Junior Art Lab (Singapore) - Junior Art Lab, headed by Singaporeans Aminur Rasyid Bin Mohamed Anwar and Siti Zarifah Binte Zaini, is an edu-tech social enterprise committed to creating unique learning experiences to nurture creative confidence and empower learners through art, design and technology. They are focused on giving access to children from less privileged backgrounds baseline ICT skills and creative thinking through art and design.
- Kon Chhlat (Cambodia) - Kon Chhlat, headed by Cambodians Kieng Lyheang, Chea Sreysrors and Mang Keomonita, aims to provide food with high nutritional value to children. Banana nutrient instant porridge is made from fresh banana with drying process technology, mixed with other natural ingredients such as dried cereal and green vegetable. The drying method is conducted differently according to characteristic of each type of raw material by ensuring that the final product has high quality, high nutrient, convenience, acceptable price and is safe.
- Musimpanen Indonesia (Indonesia) - Musimpanen Indonesia, headed by Indonesians Erdi Pratama, Gilang Indy Ashari and Alif Oktafian, is an agricultural enterprise focused on plantation, agricultural land management, and transforming neglected commodities to valuable goods. They have a goal to integrate upstream and downstream sectors, while focusing on sustainability of the environment. They currently have 2 projects where they convert corn and citronella into snacks and toiletries for sale.
- Pinkcollar (Malaysia) - Pinkcollar, headed by Malaysians Zenna Law and Cadence Cheng Shi Hui, is a registry-based matchmaking website for the recruitment of live-in domestic workers in Southeast Asia, with increased transparency through the use of technology to support the just treatment of workers. It is disruptive innovation, envisioned as a digital website and mobile app that directly connects two user groups - domestic workers, and employers of domestic work - into ethical work arrangements.
- Project Paplet (Malaysia) - Project Paplet, headed by Malaysians Chong Chen Fung, Siva Nagappan and Marissa Asfirah, aims to curb excessive wastage of paper. They encourage the general public to make full use of paper by utilizing both sides of the paper before discarding or recycling it. Project Paplet collects one-sided used paper from institutions such as universities and local corporations, then compiling them into booklets to promote efficient use of paper. The booklets made, called "Paplets", are sold to interested parties and also distributed to unfortunate people such as orphanages and refugees throughout Malaysia.
- Scan Book (Cambodia) - Scan Book, headed by Cambodians Thao Puthearith, Ly Sophea and Nhev Chanpenhpunloeu, plans to create an app that scans black and white pictures in high school student books which then links to resources on the internet such as images, videos and 3D models for students to see. In addition to that, this app teaches student to self-research on internet which is crucial skill for this century.
- TreeDots Enterprise (Singapore) - TreeDots Enterprise, headed by Singaporean Jong Kai Jie Tylor, is a B2B marketplace for under-appreciated food items to be peddled at a discounted price to participating F&B companies, non-profit associations, and members of the public. Their mission is to minimise the amount of food waste starting with Singapore, and eventually worldwide, through a self-sustaining ecosystem via the aggregation of F&B businesses on different points of the value chain within TreeDots.
- UglyFood (Singapore) - UglyFood, headed by Singaporeans Yeo Pei Shan, Augustine Tan Jun Hui and Lee Zhong Han, focuses on reducing wastage due to cosmetic filtering. UglyFood partners with fresh produce retailers and purchase their possibly rejected fresh produce at lowered prices for their customers. This also reduces stress on environment and carbon footprint.
About the Singapore International Foundation:
The Singapore International Foundation makes friends for a better world. We build enduring relationships between Singaporeans and world communities, and harness these friendships to enrich lives and effect positive change. Our work is anchored in the belief that cross-cultural interactions provide insights that strengthen understanding. These exchanges inspire action and enable collaborations for good. Our programmes bring people together to share ideas, skills and experiences in areas such as healthcare, education, the environment, arts and culture, as well as livelihood and business. We do this because we all can, and should do our part to build a better world, one we envision as peaceful, inclusive and offering opportunities for all. Find out more at www.sif.org.sg
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