Social Entrepreneurship: Too Anglo-Saxon?

The Chronicle of Philanthropy has an article questioning whether the social entrepreneurship movement is inclusive enough. In particular, they pick up on an discussion from the Skoll Foundation's Social Edge website which asks whether or not there are too many Anglo-Saxons involved. If most of the people writing and speaking about social entrepreneurship are British and American, does that limit learning opportunities, access to innovative ideas, and beneficial give and take with people from other parts of the world? (Photo is of Nobel Laureate Wangai Maathai and full disclosure requires me to admit that, as an American, I'm yet another Anglo-Saxon working in this area).

Ashni Mohnot of Stanford's Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Institute believes that in fact there is an undesirable disparity in social enterprises. As reported in the story, she says:

“The field of social entrepreneurship, as currently structured, is tending to exclude from participation and representation the following: people without finance experience and/or MBA’s, young college students and recent graduates, the poor and disenfranchised, who form the very clientele of social ventures, and people of color and/or practitioners from countries other than the U.S. or the U.K.”

This is certainly not the case at Indego Africa, but Indego is distinctive in many ways. Other organizations may be different. But wouldn't it be counter-productive to keep creative people, whether young, old; with MBAs or without; or people of color out of an organization whose mission is to do the most good possible? As with any business, aren't social enterprises looking for the best people they can find?

A very cursory review of exceptionally innovative social entrepreneurs includes Maria Otero (founder of Accion), Muhammad Yunus, Mo Ibrahim, Jocakin Arputham (of India's slum dweller's association) and Wangai Maathai. So, while there may be enormous interest in social entrepreneurship among Americans and the British, key innovators in the field come from across the globe and every walk of life. There is no entrance exam or club membership required to be a social entrepreneur -- instead, social entrepreneurs need vision, drive, and talent -- not qualities confined to the Anglo-Saxons by a long shot.

- Karol