SASE awards 

The Southern Africa Social Entreprenuership (SASE) Awards application forms are now available on the website.

The categories are:

• Woman Social Entrepreneur Award
• Youth Social Entrepreneur Award
• Pinnacle Award
• Emerging Social Entrepreneur Award
• The event will take place on the 21st of March 2009.

Download the Application forms from here 

The Southern Africa Social Entrepreneurship (SASE) Awards

The field of development, especially in Southern Africa, has a history of strong donor dependence that has forced a shift away from local community needs as drivers of social change. In the last 20 years there has been a demonstrated move away from this tradition towards a search for sustainability. The debates that fuelled this move have challenged civil society and presented alternatives that have shaken the very core of the sector. Social Entrepreneurs are visionary individuals who are motivated to evoke social change in a sustainable way. Though they recognise the gaps in service delivery and are constantly innovating solutions to developmental challenges, they are also seeking ways in which to make these projects viable and independent of donor funding. Ashoka Innovators for the Public provides venture capital funding for these social entrepreneurs for a period of three years. In conjunction with this Ashoka links Southern African Social Entrepreneurs with an international network of similar individuals in 60 countries across the globe. Ashoka Southern Africa has existed in the region for 16 years and has in that time identified and supported 120 social entrepreneurs across all developmental sectors.

The recent advent at GIBS of the Colloquium for Social Entrepreneurship (CSE) has brought the attention of corporate South Africa to social entrepreneurship. It has become clear that there is a definite link that both entrepreneurs and social entrepreneurs are actively engaging through the programmes of the CSE. These synergies are embraced and showcased by the GIBS/Ashoka partnership.

It is often said that Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Ghandi were the forerunners in terms of social entrepreneurship in the world. The fact that they both worked in South Africa is remarkable but not surprising. Often social entrepreneurs in the region are the exceptions rather than the rule in the region and tend to be forward thinking individuals who are motivated by a burning social issue. More recent advents in the social entrepreneurship field are equally strong in their commitments to social change and community benefit. Ashoka Fellows Garth Japhet, Zachie Achmat, Kovin Naidoo, Gcina Mhlope, have trail blazed their way against almost impossible odds to evoke positive social change. The work of these amazing individuals reflects strategies and innovations that if reflected on and replicated would revolutionise conventional thinking around development.

It was with this in mind that the concept of the SASE Awards were founded. The SASE Awards intends to:

• Celebrate and recognise models of excellence in the field
• Present innovative alternatives to traditional developmental practices
• Establish alternative non donor generated income streams for development visionaries
• Focus investment on sustainable innovative development projects.