Social entrepreneurship gains ground in Romania

Social entrepreneurs are emerging in Romania and trying to fill the void left by the state, which is currently pursuing austerity measures that significantly impact the social services provided to people in need. This was one of the pronouncements made last week, during a full-day event organized by Rotract Triumph Club, called Rotract Sparks.

The Motivation Romania Foundation, which started activity in 1995, opened the Motivation Medical Recovery Clinic this September, after taking out a loan from BCR. Manager Corina Bimbasa said patients are charged regular rates, and a percentage of the revenue is used to fund free treatment for financially challenged disabled patients.

Magor Csibi, country manager at conservation and environmental NGO WWF Romania, argued that the term “social enterprise” was not applicable as it unites two contradictory things. “Enterprise is a word focused on individualism, while social implies talking about community.”
Csibi also gave the results of a WWF Romania campaign to save the country’s virgin forests. In one month around 100,000 people signed a petition calling for the protection of 250,000 hectares of forest and 13,000 species. The next step will be to deliver the petition to the Ministry of Environment, which the NGO hopes will act.

Julie Caulier-Grice presented the UK’s experience of social entrepreneurship through the Dialogue Cafe, where she acts as program manager. It uses video conferencing technology for the public good. There are three such cafes in Amsterdam, Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro through which topics such as the Arab Spring, aging and work styles have come under discussion. The purpose of this program is both educational and cultural. Caulier-Grice added that there are 62,000 social enterprises in the UK which contribute GBP 24 billion to the GDP and employ 800,000 people.

Iulian Vacarean, of the Beneva Association, presented the initiatives he has taken in improving the lives of Romania’s disadvantaged. He raised EUR 30,000 through selling lemonade, with the funds helping the Marie Curie Hospital open a new facility. Vacarean also turned Matasari Street, formerly the scene of criminality, into a cultural hub.