NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Hilde Schwab, Co-Founder and Chairperson of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, and Precious Moloi-Motsepe, Co-Founder and Deputy Chairman of the Motsepe Foundation, announced a three-year, 1 million Swiss franc partnership on the opening day of the World Economic Forum on Africa. The objectives of the partnership are to advance the social entrepreneurship agenda in Africa by raising awareness, engaging the media and celebrating proven social innovators; contribute to research initiatives on best practices and scaling strategies; and build the capacity of African social enterprises through peer-to-peer exchanges.

“All over the world, social entrepreneurs are implementing solutions to some of our most intractable social and environmental challenges,” said Hilde Schwab. “As the International Institution dedicated to public-private cooperation, the World Economic Forum is ideally placed to bring the talent and the passion of social entrepreneurs who have created proven, cost-effective models together with decision-makers in government and corporations who have the resources and infrastructure to take those solutions to scale. Given the Motsepe Foundation’s longstanding commitment to entrepreneurship and the economic empowerment of all of South Africa’s citizens, they are an ideal partner to accelerate the potential of social entrepreneurship across the African continent,” she said.

“Social entrepreneurs can make a unique contribution to job creation, poverty alleviation and improving the living conditions and standards of living of poor and marginalized Africans,” said Precious Moloi-Motsepe. “There is a huge potential in Africa to identify, promote and showcase social entrepreneurs who are doing outstanding work and can inspire the next generation of social entrepreneurs. The Motsepe Foundation has been promoting the development and growth of entrepreneurs – particularly female and youth entrepreneurs – in the 26 Development Forums that it has established throughout South Africa. We are committed to working with the Schwab Foundation to develop and promote social entrepreneurship on the African continent,” she said.