MANILA, Philippines - The British Council — in partnership with Starbucks and in collaboration with Social Enterprise Development Partnerships Inc. (SEDP) and the Ateneo de Manila University — has launched the “I Am a Changemaker” competition. “I Am a Changemaker” is a social enterprise a business plan competition that aims to look for young entrepreneurs who can make an impact in their communities by spotting social problems and issues as well as finding innovative ways to address them.
Social entrepreneurs act as change agents for society, seizing opportunities others miss, improving systems, inventing new approaches and creating solutions to change society for the better.
The nationwide competition is open to organizations with members between 16 to 28 years of age. The competition will have a total of four winners: Luzon, one winner; Visayas, one winner; Mindanao, one winner; and NCR, one winner.
Each winning team will receive P100,000 as seed capital for its business proposal. Finalists will also have an opportunity to attend a four-day training course on Social Enterprise Planning and Development wherein they can also get some useful tips to help them prepare for the final presentation. Apart from the cash prize, winners also benefit from a business incubation facility to help increase their venture’s viability.
The deadline for applications is on April 15, 5 p.m. Applications may be submitted by e-mail to changemaker@britishcouncil.org.ph. For information on the competition guidelines and application procedures, visit www.britishcouncil.org or call the British Council at 914-1011 to 14.