"Social Entrepreneurship Herald"

October 2025

Social Entrepreneurship Herald

October 2025 Newsletter

From Crisis to Opportunity: Social Enterprises in Disaster Response.

Dear Social Entrepreneurship Enthusiasts,

welcome to the October 2025 edition of The Social Entrepreneurship Herald! This month, we’re spotlighting the theme From Crisis to Opportunity: Social Enterprises in Disaster Response, focusing on the critical role social entrepreneurs play in times of upheaval and recovery.

Around the world, social ventures are stepping up in crisis zones responding to natural disasters, conflicts, and humanitarian emergencies with agility, compassion, and innovation. These bold initiatives are not only providing urgent relief but also laying the groundwork for long-term resilience and regeneration in affected communities.

In a featured article, “Pivoting for Impact: Inspiring Stories of Social Entrepreneurs in Crisis Zones,” powerful narratives are shared of individuals and organizations that have turned adversity into action. Their stories reflect courage, adaptability, and the unwavering commitment to serve those in need, even in the most challenging circumstances.

Let this edition be a tribute to those who see the crisis not just as a setback, but as a catalyst for meaningful, lasting change

Pivoting for Impact: Inspiring Stories of Social Entrepreneurs in Crisis Zones🗺️

When Crisis Meets Courage.

Crisis has a harsh way of revealing character. Whether unleashed by natural disasters, armed conflict, pandemics, or forced displacement, adversity tests not just systems but the people behind them. Yet, across continents and cultures, social entrepreneurs answer the call, demonstrating that nimble innovation and heartfelt empathy can turn raw emergency into resilient opportunity. Their stories born of grit, grounded in community, resonate far beyond immediate relief; they illuminate new paths forward.

In the Eye of the Storm: Building Back Better with Build Change.

In the chaos that followed the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Build Change emerged as a force for resilience. Founded by Elizabeth Hausler in the wake of the disaster, the organization helps communities rebuild safer structures, homes and schools that can withstand future quakes or windstorms. By 2019, Build Change had reached nearly half a million people across 24 countries, with a significant focus on post‑earthquake efforts in Haiti and Nepal.

When Haiti was struck by disaster again, they stayed. By training local laborers and government officials, and weaving engineering with policy and financing tools, Build Change enabled over 7,200 Haitians to live in disaster‑resilient homes. In Nepal, following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, their largest effort to date shielded more than 120,000 people from future devastation.

What’s striking here is not just the engineering but the deep trust cultivated with communities. Homes built are not just shelters, but symbols of agency and shared pride. Families sleep a little easier knowing resilience is crafted by neighbors and supported by design.

When Connectivity Becomes Lifeline: NetHope in Disaster and Displacement.

During the 2010 Haitian earthquake and again during Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines (2013), NetHope, an alliance of tech‑savvy global NGOs, stepped in to restore vital communication networks. With partners including Microsoft, Cisco, and Intel, they deployed Internet connectivity and VoIP services to help humanitarian groups coordinate lifesaving support. When the Philippines reeled from Haiyan, NetHope again stepped in through the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster, delivering VSAT and VOIP capabilities to remote regions.

Their most remarkable pivot came during the 2015 Syrian refugee crisis in Europe. NetHope installed wireless networks and mobile phone charging stations across the migration route operating 76 sites in Greece, the Balkans, and Central Europe. This humanitarian network supported over 600,000 devices, becoming the largest purpose‑built digital network for displaced people at that time. In these fleeting moments of restlessness, connectivity meant more than access; it meant reassurance, coordination, and dignity.

Tech That Heals: Field Ready’s 3D Innovation.

The humanitarian aid system is often bogged down by slow logistics. Field Ready, a social venture that turned the limitations of supply chains into a creative advantage using 3D printing. Born in Haiti (2013), Field Ready produced medical supplies such as umbilical clamps and solar panel parts in situ, responding faster than traditional aid convoys.

They didn’t just print; they trained locals to design and produce essential items themselves. When the 2015 Nepal earthquake struck, Field Ready set up a digital manufacturing lab in Kathmandu, trained over 600 workers, and produced more than 5,000 needed items. Their reach expanded across South Sudan, Syria, Jordan, Turkey, Fiji, and beyond, creating rapid solutions, leveraging local materials, and building long‑term capacity.

Every printed piece represented something deeper, self-reliance, creativity, and the belief that affected communities can be active authors of their own recovery.

Emergencies in War: Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms.

Amid the grinding violence of Sudan’s civil war, ordinary citizens formed extraordinary networks. The Emergency Response Rooms (ERRs), born from the country’s resistance committees, operate via WhatsApp chat groups to deliver aid, evacuate civilians, and maintain vital services such as clean water and communication.

By 2024, ERRs had helped over 11.5 million people, facilitated tens of thousands of evacuations, and even kept hospitals stocked amid bombardments. Yet, their bravery came at a cost, volunteers face kidnapping and worse; some have been killed while aiding others. Still, their recognition, including a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in October 2024, signals how mutual aid redefines humanitarian action born from within crises, not imposed from outside.

Refugee Entrepreneurs: Inkomoko’s Lift in Displacement.

Inkomoko, founded in Rwanda (2012), was originally a business‑support organization but it pivoted when the refugee crisis deepened. By 2016, they had shifted to support refugee entrepreneurs via training, coaching, and financing. Today, they’ve uplifted over 100,000 businesses across Africa, primarily run by refugees or displaced people, distributing over $24M, creating more than 60,000 jobs, and boasting a 96% loan repayment rate.

Women, who comprise over 60% of their clients, have especially benefited. Backed by the Audacious Project and recognized among Africa’s fastest‑growing companies in 2025, Inkomoko demonstrates how crisis response can pivot into economic inclusion and dignity not charity.

Pandemic as Pivot: COVID‑19 Innovators Around the Globe.

When COVID‑19 disrupted lives, chef‑humanitarian José Andrés and his World Central Kitchen (WCK) delivered meals to vulnerable communities, especially low‑income neighborhoods in New York. Known for disaster response, WCK again proved nimble, providing hot meals, employing local chefs, and using pre-existing supply chains highlighting empathy as an ingredient.

Community Ventures: Diverse Empathy in Action.

Across cultures, social entrepreneurs refused to wait.

In Brooklyn, Zenat Begum turned her coffee‑bookstore Playground into a community hub installing outdoor community fridges and a free library during lockdowns, blending survival and solace.

In New York’s Chinatown, Heart of Dinner (Moonlynn Tsai & Yin Chang) transformed restaurants into food relief for elders, providing both meals and work for local businesses.

Diaspora Co. in Oakland presold orders to support Indian farmers during lockdown, paying them in advance even at cost to the founder to uphold trust.

Digital Pioneer Youth Enterprises.

Young social entrepreneurs took to digital platforms with uncanny speed:

Fiji’s Fusion Hub transformed into a zero‑waste business, pivoting from tourism to pandemic waste management.

Thailand’s Prism tripled its user base to nearly 30,000, offering safe online space for LGBTQ+ community amid isolation.

Bangladesh’s Moner Bondhu quickly launched free online counseling serving over 18,000 people during lockdown.

Alliance and Regional Responses.

The Covid Response Alliance, a coalition of 60 social‑sector organizations, mobilized support for over 50,000 social entrepreneurs whose impact touches nearly 1 billion people through food, energy, services.

In India, Goonj distributed millions of meals, masks, sanitary pads, and rations. SEWA advocated for income support. Glocal Healthcare offered free telemedicine showcasing organized grassroots solidarity.

In Addis Ababa, Temsalet Kitchen pivoted to feed the homeless collaborating with artists and channeling proceeds to sustain community feeding efforts. In Indonesia, Ecodoe began producing PPE by employing shoemakers and garment workers, then expanded into micro-lending and digital support services.

These stories underscore the agility of social entrepreneurs, adaptive, values-driven, digitally empowered, and deeply rooted in the communities they serve.

What Social Entrepreneurship Teaches Us in Crisis.

Through these stories, a few powerful truths emerge:

Local over External: whether Build Change building quake‑safe homes, or ERRs organizing evacuation via WhatsApp, effective crisis response often arises from within communities, not outside imposition.

Innovation Meets Empathy: field Ready’s 3D printing, Inkomoko’s refugee programs, or WCK’s meals, each pivot describes empathy in innovation, not efficiency alone.

Ecosystem of Support: networks and alliances amplify impact. Youth‑led digital pivots in Fiji and Bangladesh, or PPE production networks show how solidarity scales response.

Transition to Resilience: many pivots evolve beyond stop‑gap fixes. Build Change integrates resilience; Inkomoko fosters economic inclusion; Ecodoe builds broader enterprise support.

Costly Courage: ERR volunteers risk their lives to save others. That sacrifice reminds us that social entrepreneurship isn't just business, it's moral action.

From collapsed buildings to collapsing economies; from broken communities to isolation, social entrepreneurs around the world teach us that crisis, though terrifying, can be a turning point towards innovation, inclusion, and hope. Their resilience matters as it reminds us that humanity is strongest when it responds not with panic, but with purpose. In every story, whether of code and connectivity, ink and empathy, or sweat and smiles, there lies an unwavering truth: when society meets crisis with heart, communities don’t just survive, they thrive.

Upcoming Events📅:

21 October

The Gap in Between Annual Summit

- Valencia, Spain

27-29 October

SOCAP25

- San Francisco, CA, USA

27-31 October

Social Enterprise World Forum and

SEWF Week 2025

- Taipei, Taiwan; online and at

Community Hubs (locations to

be announced).

29 31 October

Global Social and Solidarity Economy

Forum 2025 (GSEF 2025)

- Bordeaux, France, at the Palais 2

l’Atlantique, with additional events at Hangar

14 in the city centre.

29 -31 October

SWITCH (Singapore Week of Innovation

and Technology)

- Singapore

30 October

ImpactFest 2025

- Hague, Netherlands

30 October

International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship

and Innovation (ICSEI)

- Paris, France

31 October - 4 November

The Rural Social Enterprise Gathering

2025

- Kota KInabalu, Malaysia

News Briefs📰:

On September 30 to October 2, the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) held its Global Annual Conference 2025: Building Tomorrow’s Ecosystems in Quintana Roo, Mexico. The event brought together a dynamic community of thought leaders, policymakers, corporate partners, innovators, and change-makers from across the globe. Over the course of three days, participants explored bold strategies to drive sustainable development, strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems, and tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing inclusive economic growth today. The conference served as a powerful platform for connection, collaboration, and action shaping the future of entrepreneurship for impact.
On September 30 to October 3, the FEBEA Annual Conference was held at Hotel Seepark in Thun, Switzerland, bringing together experts and leaders in Ethical Finance and the social economy from across Europe and beyond. The event provided a valuable platform to discuss the evolving challenges and opportunities facing ethical finance actors amid shifting social and political landscapes. Attendees exchanged insights on advancing financial practices that prioritize social justice, transparency, and sustainable development, reaffirming their commitment to using finance as a tool for positive, long-term impact in local communities.
On October 1–2, the third Social Innovation Forum took place in Brussels, Belgium, focusing on building resilient societies across the EU through social innovation under the theme “Towards a Stronger Europe: Investing in People and Empowering Citizens for Social Change through the ESF+.” The event brought together participants from the ESF+ Communities of Practice and the ALMA Network for plenary sessions, workshops, and showcases that highlighted promising social innovation practices. Attendees engaged in deep discussions on systemic change, social inclusion, migrant integration, skills development, and resilient material support systems, collectively shaping strategies to empower citizens and strengthen Europe’s social and economic future.
On October 1–2, the Partners for a New Economy Annual Gathering took place in Lyon, France, bringing together a diverse group of individuals committed to transforming economic systems in service of both people and nature. Through a mix of inspiring speakers, thought-provoking panels, and participatory workshops, attendees engaged in deep dialogue and collaborative exploration around bold approaches to systems change. The gathering fostered new connections, surfaced fresh ideas, and strengthened a shared commitment to building economies that are regenerative, just, and sustainable for the long term.
On October 7–9, the GIIN Impact Forum convened in Berlin, Germany, bringing together over 1,600 impact investors from around the world. Organized by the Global Impact Investing Network, the event featured keynote speeches, dynamic panel discussions, and interactive sessions that explored the evolving landscape of impact investing. Attendees, ranging from pension funds and venture capital firms to government agencies and NGOs, came together to share strategies, insights, and innovations aimed at mobilizing capital for lasting social and environmental change.

On October 8, the sixth edition of The Road to Impact took place in Madrid, Spain, hosted by SpainNAB, the country’s National Advisory Board for Impact Investment. The event brought together impact investors and key stakeholders from across Spain’s impact economy to reflect, learn, and connect around the shared goal of advancing a more sustainable and equitable future. Through a day of discussions, networking, and collaborative exploration, participants strengthened the momentum behind Spain’s growing impact investment movement.
On October 9–10, the International Conference on Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ICSEI) was held in Tokyo, Japan, bringing together global experts, practitioners, and researchers to explore the intersection of social entrepreneurship and innovation. Organized by the World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology, the conference covered a wide range of topics including micro-financing, poverty alleviation, diversity, corporate social responsibility, sustainable development, and technology-driven social enterprises. Through digital presentations and interactive sessions, participants shared insights on funding social ventures, supporting minority entrepreneurs, addressing global environmental challenges, and leveraging technology for social impact, fostering collaboration towards more inclusive and sustainable communities worldwide.
On October 9–10, the Institute for Social Value (ISV) Annual Conference was held in a hybrid format, with the first day taking place in Birmingham, UK, and the second day online. Centered around the theme "Fairer Systems, Stronger Voices," the event brought together senior professionals and decision-makers from sectors including construction, technology, energy, housing, and the non-profit space. Organised by the ISV (formerly Social Value UK), the conference featured panels, debates, and roundtable discussions focused on amplifying lived experience, promoting shared leadership, and redefining value beyond profit. Attendees exchanged best practices and forged connections to advance purpose-led work across industries.
On October 11–14, the Hellenic Impact Investing Conference and Impact Weekend took place in Athens, Greece, marking the largest impact event in Southeast Europe. Organized by the Hellenic Impact Investing Network and GSG Impact’s national partner, the conference brought together local and international investors, government officials, experts, fund managers, and development finance institutions. Over several days of panels, workshops, and roundtables, preceded by an “Impact Weekend” of side events, participants explored how impact investing can drive inclusive growth, reduce inequality, enhance access to education and healthcare, and support job creation within emerging sustainable industries in Greece.

On October 13–15, the GAIL Annual Summit was held in Mexico City, Mexico, showcasing groundbreaking legal work from around the world. The event brought together members and non-members of the Global Alliance of Impact Lawyers to foster collaboration, innovation, and thought leadership in the field of impact law. Through dynamic sessions and networking opportunities, attendees advanced conversations on how legal frameworks can support social and environmental impact globally.

On October 13–17, the Global Network Week took place across multiple campuses worldwide, including in Brazil, China, and the United States, as part of The Global Network for Advanced Management’s ongoing commitment to experiential learning. The October edition featured immersive modules focused on social entrepreneurship, such as "Social Entrepreneurship in Brazil" and "Bay Area Innovation & Entrepreneurship." Participants from leading global business schools engaged in on-the-ground learning, exploring innovative approaches to entrepreneurship, sustainability, and social impact within diverse cultural and economic contexts.

*Our Book Club📚:

This October, we recommend ‘’The Upside of Down: Catastrophe, Creativity, and the Renewal of Civilization’’ by Thomas Homer-Dixon. A thought-provoking exploration of how breakdowns in our systems from economic, ecological, and political, can also be the catalyst for renewal. Drawing on history, science, and geopolitics, Homer-Dixon argues that crises, while disruptive, open pathways for transformative change. With compelling examples and deep insight, he challenges us to see instability not as an end, but as an opportunity to rethink and rebuild. For changemakers, social innovators, and community leaders, this book offers a powerful lens for understanding how moments of collapse can spark bold, regenerative solutions and why building resilience today is key to shaping a better tomorrow.

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Writing this piece left me humbled and inspired. These stories are not just examples; they are invitations, to act, to listen, and to care. Let us carry these voices forward and be part of the impact they ignite,

Dr. Agatha K. Rokicki, D.B.A., B.S.

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