Michèle Mischler, Associate Director, Public Engagement, Tel.: +41 79 571 82 25, michele.mischler@weforum.org
Dead Sea, Jordan, 22 May 2015 – Three social entrepreneurs from the Middle East and North Africa have been recognized by the Schwab Foundation as 2015 Social Entrepreneur of the Year Awardees for MENA. The awards were conferred by Hilde Schwab, Co-Founder and Chairperson of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, at the meeting’s opening plenary in the presence of his Majesty Abdullah II bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, her Majesty Rania Al Abdullah, Queen of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, presidents and other distinguished guests from the MENA region and beyond.
The 2015 Social Entrepreneur Awardees for MENA are:
“The three outstanding social entrepreneurs from MENA we selected this year are designing transformative models to create more inclusive societies,” said Hilde Schwab, Co-Founder and Chairperson of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, the sister organization of the World Economic Forum. “As businesses and governments alike try to embrace a creative spirit of disruptive innovation and develop business models that generate truly inclusive growth – the hallmarks of any social entrepreneur – social-enterprise models are increasingly understood and respected.”
The 2015 awardees will become part of the broader Schwab Foundation community of Social Entrepreneurs, which includes more than 300 outstanding social entrepreneurs from 60 countries. Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneurs are fully integrated into the events and initiatives of the World Economic Forum. They contribute actively to and benefit from peer-to-peer exchanges with other social entrepreneurs, as well as interactions with top leaders in business, government, civil society and the media
Awardee Profiles
Amina Slaoui, Founder, Groupe AMH, Morocco
Inclusion of disabled through high social impact products and services
In the early 1990s, Amina had a tragic accident which left her disabled. Amina, who had the means to receive the necessary treatment, realized that the majority of Moroccans did not have this privilege. This inspired her to create the first ever disability rehabilitation centre in Morocco. Today, the Groupe AMH provides care for 1,400 patients, including physiotherapy, speech, occupational therapy and psychotherapy. It also fits prostheses and wheelchairs at up to an 80% discount for low-income patients. Groupe AMH now runs six ongoing projects and companies, with 200 employees and 25,000 beneficiaries.
Maysoun Odeh Gangat, Founder, NISAA Broadcasting, Palestine
Voicing gender equality across the region
NISAA Broadcasting is using media as a tool to debate taboos, challenge traditional roles assigned to women, and present women as capable and assertive actors in society. NISAA, which means “women” in Arabic, has three radio frequencies and listeners across Palestine with plans to expand in the region. NISAA’s unique mix of Western and Arabic music and talk shows is designed to be attractive to both male and female listeners, because it is central to NISAA’s philosophy to actively engage men in the conversation about gender.
Pierre Issa, CEO, Arc en Ciel, Lebanon
Creating win-win situations across the region by empowering the disabled
Arc en Ciel runs 13 service centres throughout Lebanon, providing healthcare, waste management, tourism sites and education, and producing disability aids. In 2014 alone, 80,000 people were reached by Arc en Ciel’s 500 staff members. The revenue generated by its business units, such as tourist sites, waste management and production of high-quality mobility devices, helps the organization achieve sustainability at scale. Arc en Ciel has recently expanded its work to Syria, supporting people left disabled by the conflict.
To nominate a social entrepreneur or to apply for the 2016 award, please visit www.schwabfound.org
Notes to Editors
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About the Schwab Foundation
The Schwab Foundation, co-founded by Klaus and Hilde Schwab in 1998, manages the largest network of late-stage social enterprises in the world: more than 320 organizations with operations in 70 countries.
The World Economic Forum is an international institution committed to improving the state of the world through public-private cooperation in the spirit of global citizenship. It engages with business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
Incorporated as a not-for-profit foundation in 1971 and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Forum is independent, impartial and not tied to any interests. It cooperates closely with all leading international organizations (www.weforum.org).