WHERE ARE SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS NEEDED TODAY?

Social Entrepreneurs work with developing sustainable and positive solutions to some of the world’s most challenging issues. As long as social problems such as; poverty, lack of drinking water, and health problems exist, social entrepreneurs will be needed. In today’s society social entrepreneurship has resolved several problems and, new innovative and inspiring ideas have been developed, put in place and improved society. However here are some examples of places in the world where social change is still desperately needed:

 

MILLIONS LACK SAFE WATER
Every single year 3.4 million people die from water, sanitation and hygiene-related causes. 99% of these deaths occur in the developing world, where lack of resources or optimal solutions keeps people from accessing safe water.
780 million people do not have access to clean water. To put this in perspective; that is more than 2.5 times the united states population, or approximately one in nine people.
Today 1 child dies from a water related disease every 21 second. In one hour 171 children will have died from this cause.
Due to limited or challenging access, women spend 200 million hours a day collecting water. These hours represent working hours that the women have to give up in order to provide water for their families, and they are therefore forced to give up jobs that could have otherwise given them important income.
2.5 billion people lack access to improved sanitation facilities that ensure separation of human excreta from human contact. Furthermore 1.1 million are still forced to practice open defecation.

Limited access to safe water or poor solutions for distributing water has lead lack of safe water to be one of the most serious global issues of our time. New ideas and solutions need to be put in place in order for society to overcome this devastating world issue. Social entrepreneurship is needed here, today


HIV AND AIDS
HIV has claimed more than 36 million lives so far.
In 2012 there were between 35 and 39 million people living with HIV.
69% of all people with HIV live in Sub-Sahara Africa. In this region nearly 1 in 20 adults live with HIV.
HIV can’t be cured, but can be treated. Antiretrovial therapy (ART) can ensure that people living with HIV can live healthy and productive lives. However 19 million people who are eligible for ART under new 2013 guidelines do not have access to antiretroviral drugs, keeping them from receiving treatment.
AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV and takes between 2 to 15 years to develop. It weakens the immune system and leaves the body unable to fight of minor infections or viruses. Since the first case of AIDS was recorded in 1981 more than 25 million people have died from the disease.

HIV and AIDS is still a major health problem in society today, especially in developed countries where the majority of the population may be unable to access treatment. With treatment people with HIV and AIDS can live happy, fulfilling lives, therefore action is needed. Social entrepreneurship enabling social change is needed in order to ensure that people tested positive for the disease will get the treatment they need.