Awards for social entrepreneurship

Prize recipients received awards on social entrepreneurship “Random Kindness 2014” (Impuls Dobra)

16 May 2014

Moscow

On May 15, the third “Random Kindness” award ceremony organised by the ‘Our Future’ foundation of Vagit Alekperov, took place in Moscow. Among the award winners were social entrepreneurs, government leaders, and business and media representatives acknowledged for their contributions to the development and promotion of social entrepreneurship. One of the winners is Elena Topoleva, ASI Director.

Vagit Alekperov said that the concept of social entrepreneurship is now widely recognised within Russian society: “It was difficult to explain at first what social entrepreneurship is, however we are shaping the generations that carry the responsibility for themselves and others’.

40 regions took part in the competition. Three prizes were awarded in the category ‘for personal contribution to social entrepreneurship’: in 3rd place was Rashid Kachemasov for a project for improving escalator access for the disabled; in 2nd place was Andrei Smirnov from NGO “Growth’ (Rost) for a primary education project, and taking 1st place was Alexei Mavrin for developing a chain of private sanatoriums for the elderly.

The winner said that he wanted to build a project focused on caring for the elderly, and said he hoped that he’d created a peaceful environment for the elderly.

Natalia Larionova and Elena Topoleva were awarded prizes in the category “Leadership to promote social entrepreneurship”. “It’s a great honour to receive this prize. It seems so long ago when we first started talking about social entrepreneurship, but it’s only been 6 or 7 years. I am happy this concept has taken off, and I am confident the support will grow!” says Topoleva.

Omsk Oblast and the Republic of Tatarstan have been noted in the category “For the best programme to support social entrepreneurship”. For the first time in Russia, a department for social entrepreneurship was created within the Ministry of Economics in Omsk Oblast. Social entrepreneurs in Omsk Oblast provide services in such sectors as primary education, health, gerontology, and rehabilitation. The government of Tatarstan is working closely with NGOs, and focusing on addressing the region’s problems.

Other nominees include: The Finance University under the Government of the Russian Federation, a 24/7 information channel Moscow-24, Evgenya Belova for creating a children’s health centre in Moscow Oblast,  the Sibir Coal Energy company for educational projects to train social entrepreneurs; Rusal company for creating an education centre to train social entrepreneurs.

“The concept of social entrepreneurship has become vital for the whole country. We have to move forward, develop, involve more and more people in these initiatives throughout the whole of Russia. We must develop the infrastructure, create more community foundations, learning support centres and educational programmes” said Vladimir Yablonsky, Director of the social projects programme of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives.

By Yulia Vyatkina

http://www.asi.org.ru/news/v-moskve-nagradili-laureatov-premii-v-oblasti-sotsialnogo-predprinimatelstva-impuls-dobra-2014/

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