“Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we have been waiting for” – Barack Obama
We cannot always fold our arms and wait for the central government to solve the numerous challenges that militate against our wellbeing as individuals or as a society. Every now and then, we need to make contributions to make the world a better place.
If only each individual would regard him or herself as a tool for development, our country would have moved steps beyond the current state. Every society needs to survive on the laps of people possessed with ideas – world changers, better known as social entrepreneurs.
Rather than leaving social needs to the government or business sectors, social entrepreneurs are people who find what is not working and come up with solutions to the problem to achieve positive results.
Every institution, every environment, every nation, needs people who can recognize problems and use entrepreneurial principles to analyze, create and manage a venture to make things better. Our quality of life would improve if we encourage more people to nurture innovative solutions to society’s most pressing problems. We need people who are possessed with ideas and commit their lives to changing the status quo.
Mother Theresa of blessed memory once said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
Have you ever dreamt of changing the world or making a difference in your domain? What is your contribution? What are you adding up?
Poverty rates continue to increase, chronic and infectious diseases keep claiming lives at very alarming rates, plus social vices are on the rise. All of these will fade off if we combine innovations, resourcefulness and opportunities to address these critical social challenges. The ideas are embedded deep within us.
However, dreams should not always be motivated by profit margins and returns. Enterprises should not always be another fundraising strategy for profits. Our difficulties compound when we begin measuring performance in profit and returns. Rather, the main aim, as it is originally known of social entrepreneurship should be to further social and environmental goals. It takes a mind of vision and an unwavering passion to make things happen.
Everyone must leave something behind when he dies, something your hand touched. It does not matter what you do, so long as you change something from the way it was before you touched it. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with finer spirit of hope and achievement.
“You are here to enrich the world. Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world” – Harriet Tubman
One of the great liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenges of change.
Let us change the world!
Lessons Learned
• Find a problem
• Think about an innovative solution
• Be committed
• Do not be overly focused on making profit
• Leave a positive legacy
By Patrick Fynn Bondz
