SEB partners up with social entrepreneurship support organization Reach for Change

SEB Latvia has become a long-term partner of Reach for Change, a non-profit organization focusing on developing social entrepreneurship. Reach for Change organizes an annual business idea competition "Goodwill entrepreneur" to find and support the best social entrepreneurship ideas aimed at creating a better world for children.

This year the "Goodwill entrepreneur" competition will take place for the fourth consecutive year. This year SEB Latvia has joined of supporters of this initiative: TV channels TV3 and 3+. The winners of competition will receive a EUR 15 000 prize for implementing their idea, and one of the shortlisted ideas will receive a special prize awarded by a children's jury: EUR 5000 from SEB.

Ieva Tetere, CEO of SEB Latvia is convinced: "In any well-developed economy there is space for companies striving to create a better world for children, people with special needs or other groups, instead of focusing on profits. I am certain that such companies can be successful in Latvia, and create a sustainable business model to support their activities and gain independence from donations or any other external source."

"We have been supporting "Goodwill entrepreneur" competition in Latvia from the very start, both by helping young social entrepreneurs to realize their ideas and by spreading the word about their projects in the wider society. Our experience so far confirms that the principle "give a fishing rod, not fish" is justified. Our task is to continue this journey by noticing new and brave social entrepreneurship projects and help them gain some traction. And, of course, by telling their stories to our viewers, and they are inspiring and lifting stories," says Baiba Zūzena, CEO of MTG TV Latvia.

Jevgenija Kondurova, Reach for Change Country manager in Latvia points out that with each year the number of social entrepreneurship ideas with potential to become sustainable businesses is growing. In the previous year, we selected Ilze Dzonsone and Diana Elekse from the Ulubele pet shelter as the winners with their project Humanity school. Within a year they managed improve their project, and it was attended by 42 children, and another 500 children attended the 'humanity hour' event and had a chance to learn emotional intelligence through care for pet animals.

Anyone willing to implement their social entrepreneurship idea is welcome to apply for the "Goodwill entrepreneur" competition in website Skaties.lv from October 18 until November 17.

"Goodwill entrepreneur" competition is an initiative by Reach for Change, a non-profit organization, and their partners SEB Latvia and TV channels TV3 and 3+. Its purpose is to support social entrepreneurs with ideas how to improve the lives and well-being of children in Latvia. This initiative is a part of a wider cooperation of Reach for Change and Game Changers organizations, taking place in multiple countries across Europe.