Yunus&Youth exists to make the challenge of social entrepreneurship easier. Y&Y was inspired by the work of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and his belief that companies and entrepreneurs can engage in business models that create real, sustainable social impact. People around the world struggle with social problems: some lack access to safe drinking water while others struggle with unemployment or insufficient health services (to name a few). Here is where social business comes in. These early stage start-ups drive social change because their founders are close to the problems they’re solving and the communities they’re helping. Like GreenChar in Kenya, where Y&Y Fellow Yina sells affordable charcoal briquettes that reduce the risk of contracting respiratory illnesses. Or Bella Handmade Jewelry, founded by Y&Y Fellow Walaa, which offers employment opportunities to women in refugee camps in Palestine. What makes social businesses unique is that they are for-profit, but they’re not profit-driven—they’re driven by their vision to improve society.
We know that social businesses have the power to improve communities and change the world. But we also know that successfully combining business skills, financial sustainability, and social impact is hard. That is why we exist. Y&Y started when a group of people from around the world came together in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to connect with leaders in social business. That’s where we saw a huge potential: What if the current generation of business leaders shared what they know with the next generation of social entrepreneurs? A funny thing happens when ambitious young people declare they need help shaping the future. People help. Since that conference in Malaysia, the Y&Y network and team has grown—and it keeps getting bigger.
Step 1: We select bright individuals with innovative business ideas that tackle the world’s most pressing problems. Y&Y Fellows are passionate young entrepreneurs running early-stage social businesses. They are visionaries, talented, eager, and proven drivers of change determined to fight major social issues.
Step 2: Once Fellows are selected, we connect them to experienced business experts that will support them on regular one-on-one mentoring sessions providing the support they need to start up, grow, become investment ready and create sustainable social impact. Each stage of the curriculum takes Fellows through the next step of development. Our sustainable and wide-scale approach involves sets of activities based on lean start-up principles, allowing Fellows to execute a unique and valuable strategic position.
Step 3: We immerse Fellows in a social business training ground where they receive all the resources they need to develop a strong business plan. Entrepreneurs have access to a wide-scale online platform involving sets of activities based on lean startup principles, each stage of the curriculum takes Fellows through the next step of development.
Step 4: The Fellowship Program ends with a Virtual Pitch Competition. Entrepreneurs have the opportunity to work on developing their pitch decks and present them to real-life social impact investors during an online competition.
Candidates may apply by using the online application form. Application deadline is 18 February 2019. https://yunusandyouth.com/