I didn’t know what a social entrepreneur was

I just returned home to Israel following a whirlwind round of meetings in the United States. In my travels I introduced many people to the concept of a Social Entrepreneur. In all honesty when I started United Hatzalah with a goal to bring emergency medical responders to people in need within 2-4 minutes I didn't know what a social entrepreneur was and I certainly didn't think that I was becoming one.

The realization hit me during the heady days of the World Economic Forum on the Middle East in Marrakech where I met an amazing array of people who facilitate real social change through their vision and actions. They have the same type of clarity and commitment as the people who launch hi-tech startups or other for-profit product or service oriented enterprises.

By interacting with these like-minded people I was able to better hone my own ideas. My meeting with David Rubenstein from the Carlyle Group gave me some really good ideas on how our operational model can be utilized in other areas. The global village needs the grass roots social movers and shakers to identify the needs and jump in to resolve those needs with creativity, ingenuity, and lots of hard work.

The United Hatzalah emergency first response model can be a critical component of any national emergency program. Local emergency medical service volunteers are always on the front lines. They can and do make the difference not only in less developed areas like earthquake ravaged Haiti and Chile but even in flooded Australia or the snow-bound New York that I had just escaped.

Eli Beer

Editors Note
Eli Beer. Founder and President, United Hatzalah of Israel, Israel;
Social Entrepreneur of the Year, Israel, 2010

United Hatzalah provides life-saving medical assistance immediately after an accident or life-threatening event, even before the arrival of an ambulance. Within a single year the organization’s trained volunteers treat more than 180,000 people and save lives on a daily basis.