Brazil Social Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 Awarded in Sao Paulo
Yesterday, November 9th 2011, over 400 leaders from the business, arts, civil society and academic fields gathered in the MASP (Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo), one of Latin America's premier art museums for the annual awards ceremony for the Brazil Social Entrepreneur of the Year. The Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship works closely with Folha de S. Paulo, one of the largest media conglomerates in Brazil, not only for the awards ceremony but also for the search and selection process.
Gisela Solymos (Photo: Renato Stockler/Na Lata) of the Centro de Recuperação e Educação Nutricional (CREN) was awarded the prize for her work. CREN has pioneered new methods for tackling malnutrition through first transforming the way that malnutrition is measured among young children and then providing a comprehensive treatment approach that includes medical examinations, home visits which strengthen the family`s efforts to create healthy environments, and community workshops on nutrition. CREN’s activities have already benefited more than 50,000 children since its establishment.
The six finalists were selected from 272 entries from the criteria according to innovation, sustainability, direct social impact, influence on public policy, social entrepreneur profile, reach and scope and multiplicability. They are: Claudia Vidigal (Making History Institute), Dagmar Garroux (House of Zezinho), Gisela Solymos (Center for Nutritional Recovery and Education), Iraê Cardoso (Association of Friends and Parents of Special People), José Campos (Center for Popular Education and Social Training) and Luciana Quintão (Food Bank).
Marisol Argueta de Barillas (Photo: Danilo Verpa/Folhapress), the Head of Latin America for the World Economic Forum, spoke at the ceremony on the role of social entrepreneurs in improving the state of the world in Latin America through the World Economic Forum`s platforms.
Prior to the awards ceremony, the social entrepreneurs presented their initiatives and were introduced to social and environmental leaders from the previous years, with the aim of forming innovative partnerships in pursuit of greater direct social impact and replicability.
Gisela Solymos, the 2011 Social Entrepreneur of the Year for Brazil, will be invited to attend the World Economic Forum on Latin America in 2012 and recognized for her contributions to improving the state of the world through the social innovations of CREN that address nutrition, food insecurity and youth wellness.
Editor's note
Abigail Noble, Head, Latin America and Africa, Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship
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