People. Planet. Profit: Social Enterprise World Forum in Ethiopia 2019

Attending the Social Enterprise World Forum 2019 in Ethiopia solidified my decision to return to Africa over ten years ago. I wanted to be part of the change I sought and to be purposeful in reimagining Africa. I connected with a diverse and impactful network of organizations, donors, academics, bankers, and experts to shift mindsets, improve economies, and raise awareness of social issues. I took my ideas, hopes, dreams, & wishes from paper to real-life experiences, being my authentic self.

Having excelled in the financial Industry, working for Fortune 500 companies in the US, as well as being part of senior management in setting a successful international bank, and being raised in a socially conscious family and country (Ethiopia), my soul felt more at ease when volunteering for communities, serving on the board of minority-owned businesses, and advising impactful & sustainable enterprises I can learn from.

When I created Deldeyoch in 2010, my intentions was to serve where I fit best. I had saved enough money to invest in my passions and in things I felt could make me a kinder, wiser, and more conscious leader. This allowed me to transfer the tools I learned in the extreme private sector (US) and understand that I was a believer in a socio-capitalist economy, especially after traveling in Ethiopia and around Africa.

Thus, my experience of attending #SEWF2019 went beyond networking, panel discussions, and policy and academic forums. Learning more about impact investment in social enterprises confirmed that I wasn’t alone in my vision of strategizing for a more equal playing field that is sustainable for all. Meeting smart, generous, and awakened people from Australia, Uganda, New Zealand, Canada, Sudan, Kenya, South Africa, Scotland, Hong Kong, the UK, and locally in Ethiopia, who are doing profound things in government, international organizations, the private sector, and NGOs, reenergized my belief in humanity. It showed me that if we all commit to putting our minds and hearts together, we can create a new Earth where we all prosper equally, considering our environment and its inhabitants, taking care of the one Earth we all call home.

My take on #SEWF2019:

Academic Symposium: Meeting academicians, school administrators, and social entrepreneurs in the education field gave me an opportunity to engage, be aware of, and strive to see how we in Ethiopia can better equip ourselves to introduce social enterprise in high schools, universities, and our leadership and entrepreneurship trainings. Considering Ethiopia was the host country, I would have been excited to see commitments from African academicians on further collaborations. I am grateful to the British Council Ethiopia team for the invite.

Policy Forum: By far the most exciting part of SEWF was the discussions around policy. In Ethiopia, social enterprise, if not defined as such, is ingrained in our entrepreneurial mindset. Learning from other countries about their processes, means, and ingenuity in designing their social enterprise frameworks with all stakeholders was eye-opening. Realizing the need to switch to impact investment by funders from the aid and free money syndrome that has handicapped most emerging nations was refreshing. It was exciting to see so many conscious leaders passionate about finding a middle ground, social enterprise, between civil societies and capitalism-driven policies. I look forward to participating next year. Grateful for the British Council Ethiopia for the invite.

SEWF2019 Main Forum: I am inspired and motivated by the global #SolEnt community @_SEWF! The opening was delightful. When social innovators, policymakers, impact investors, and academicians from all over the world (1,200 delegates, 70 countries) took over @UNECA to awaken our collective responsibilities as leaders for a conscious shift in doing business. Opening speeches by Dr. Hirut Kassaw, Minister of Culture and Tourism, H.E. Dr. Tilaye Gete, Minister of Education, Per Heggenes, CEO of IKEA Foundation, and Hélène Malandain, Board Chair of SEWF, were inspiring. Social entrepreneurs showcasing their products at @UNECA was wonderful.

It would have been great to include the Minister of Trade Ethiopia, as that’s the direction of social enterprise in Ethiopia. The panel discussions were timely and interesting. I am a true believer that innovative technology can play a critical role in leveling the playing field. I wished you had reached out to all of us in Ethiopia who are experts in the social enterprise field to represent Ethiopia on all the panel discussions, especially more government bodies in Africa. Innovative social enterprises play a critical role in addressing many of Africa’s socio-economic challenges, and SEWF2019 gave us an amazing opportunity to highlight that to the global community and local stakeholders. I bought my ticket to come in, and it was worth every penny.

Furthermore, #SEWF didn’t end at 5 pm. It was such a joyful connection that I attended the networking event at Reach for Change @Radison and danced the night away at the African night @BritishCouncilEthiopia. Extending friendship to people from all over the world over food and drinks at the Social Enterprise Ethiopia event was priceless. As a true Ethiopian, hospitality is a must, making sure people got to their hotels safely and sharing travel ideas about our uniquely beautiful country Ethiopia even after the forum ended, reconfirmed my global citizenship.

The most significant treasure that SEWF2019 gave me was the #SocEnt family I formed, be it Social Enterprise Ethiopia, the supportive team at British Council Ethiopia, and the resilient owners of social enterprises in the Ethiopian private sector, as well as the champions of #SocEnt in the Ethiopian government, academicians, international organizations serving Ethiopia, and NGO leaders willing to shift their strategies. 🇪🇹

Looking forward to collaborating more locally and globally, as well as comparing notes at #SEWF2020, in one of my favorite countries, Canada!




By Dutchess @Deldeyoch