World Economic Forum announced in a press release yesterday that Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship has selected Anshu Gupta as the India Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2012, for the great work accomplished through his social entrepreneurial venture, Goonj.
“The solution is lying in your cupboard”
Best practice social enterprise: eye for scale & increasing impact
I had the great pleasure of interviewing Anshu Gupta and visiting the Goonj facilities in Delhi for my master thesis research some years back, and was even then very impressed with their work. They showed strong commitment, an innovative dna, great organizational structure and systems, professionalism and a sharp eye for scale and increasing impact. In my research Goonj stood out significantly, due to these reasons, as exemplary in their way of doing social business and with their potential for impact. They definitely have found some of the keys to create and run a succesful social enterprise. I am very happy on Goonj’s behalf for the honors and awards that keep coming their way, but not surprised.
By the words of author David Bornstein you can read more about Goonj in the article “Bridging the Clothing Divide” featured in The New York Times.
India’s Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2012
Announcing Anshu Gupta as the social entrepreneur of the year in India, World Economic Forum writes on their website:
“New Delhi, India, 6 November 2012 – The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, a sister organization of the World Economic Forum, in partnership with the Jubilant Bhartia Foundation announced Anshu Gupta, Founder and Director of Goonj, as the winner of the 2012 India Social Entrepreneur of the Year award. The award was conferred in New Delhi at a celebration attended by over 200 participants in the presence of Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
Goonj channels excess resources in urban households to impoverished rural and disaster-prone areas. Materials include clothes, furniture and electronic equipment. The company collects and delivers 1,000 tons of material every year through an extensive network of 500 volunteers and 250 partners across 21 states of India. Goonj also supports village and slum communities in infrastructure/local development projects”…Read the full press release here.
Under the headline “Goonj founder this year’s top social entrepreneur” Hindustan Times also covered the story.
Video: Not Just a Piece of Cloth & TED-talk
Video: Not Just a Piece of Cloth
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Anne Sofie Fischer - 2plus2is10
November 11, 2012
The story covered in the Indian news: http://www.moneycontrol.com/video/special-videos/goonj-way-to-enlighten-peoples-lives_780714.html
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