Social enterprises no different from normal businesses and must be viable

Evelyn Choo, Channel NewsAsia 20 Oct 09;

SINGAPORE: A new association was launched on Tuesday evening to support businesses that help the disadvantaged and needy.

At the ceremony, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Vivian Balakrishnan, said the Social Enterprise Association will provide opportunities for networking and mentorship to develop the sector. Dr Balakrishnan said this is important to help it succeed.

His ministry has committed S$5.5 million to fund 73 social enterprises since 2003. But of these, one-third are no longer active.

Dr Balakrishnan said social enterprises must be viable businesses and urged the public not to treat them as charities.

He added: "We're not asking for special favours. Don't give the contract simply because it's a social enterprise. But be open-minded, look at what they're offering, if they offer good value for money, give them a chance. That's all we're asking."

Some 130 businesses, entrepreneurs and organisations have joined the new association. The association was formed following recommendations made by a government-appointed Social Enterprise committee in 2007.

Social enterprise Bridge Learning runs an education centre for children with learning disabilities. It sets aside funds to subsidise the programme fees of children from low-income families.

Bridge Learning executive director, Areena Loo, said: "It can be a pretty lonely journey as a social entrepreneur. It's the less-travelled path, whereby people don't understand why you are so crazy. What makes you want to do that? Why do you earn money and then you give it away? It's not something everybody can understand."

The business was started in 2003 with seed funding from the government. But it was self-sustaining after its first year and has grown at an average rate of 150 per cent yearly.

It currently enrols about 220 students a year and has assessed more than 3,000 students since inception in 2003. - CNA/vm