With only six minutes and 40 seconds of presentation time each, speakers from five social enterprises at the Be An Idea Vision 1.4 event rose to the occasion and shared stories of initiating positive social change.
Held on the last Wednesday of each month, the event is the fourth in a series organised by Be An Idea, a social news portal. Hosted at the cosy Artistry Café situated in Jalan Pinang, the event’s main objective is to introduce enterprises and individuals dedicated to highlighting and improving social issues happening in Singapore and beyond. It is also a platform for changemakers to meet likeminded others and inspire do-gooders to take their endeavors to new heights.
Richardo Chua, founder of events agency Adrenalin, kicked off the evening with an energetic presentation of his company’s journey. Adrenalin was started with the intention of using events as opportunities to do good for society. This social mission has led to them employing around 100 physically challenged, deaf and youth-at-risk beneficiaries and involving them from a range of full-time engagements to project-based events.
“I hope Be an Idea events can bring people from different fields together.”
Renyung Ho was next. The founder of social lifestyle brand, Matter, focuses on using fabrics for sustainable living and brings together ethnic tribes that weaves cloths and traditional fabric printing factories to produce pants “to see the world in”. “I hope Be An Idea events can bring people from different fields together,” she said. “The same disciplines can bring the same crowd but a team of different disciplines can bring more things together.”
The third speaker was Ashwin Subramaniam, co-founder of Gone Adventurin’, a social enterprise with sustainability and social responsibility as part of their business model. Gone Adventurin’ crafts adventures for companies and their customers to connect to the communities they are making a difference in. These adventures are then documented to serve as inspirational stories.
“What can I do for future generations?”
Envisage’s Stanley Chia was the following speaker. Sharing with the crowd his hilarious yet endearing thoughts on existential questions he was confronted with while growing up, the path of social entrepreneurship started with this lingering thought: “What can I do for future generations?” His experiences with social projects encountered in his polytechnic and university years geared the direction of Envisage, shaping it as an educational enterprise that empowers youths through their holistic development. Through Envisage’s programmes, youths are educated on urban poverty with the higher purpose of creating positive social change.
Serene Ow of Shop For Social was the last speaker. Through marketing social enterprises and non-profit organisations with publicity platforms, Shop For Social is a social business that creates a positive impact on the social value chain. Serene admits that the business is not an easy one as their social angle results in a unique product line for the company to market. “It is good to have such an event to gather people and resources together so that we can stay informed.”
Aside from the speakers for the night, past Be An Idea Vision attended the event to show support for the event and cause. Karin Aue, the Head of Communication from Aiducation International, was one of the speakers for Be An Idea Vision 1.2. “I came for this event to get inspiration and ideas and also catch some of the speakers in real life,” she said, “I am glad to know that such events are kept running.”