Friends named a ‘successful example of Social Entrepreneurship’ at high-profile NYC event.

Our recently appointed US Funding Officer, Iris Sagi, was in attendance to hear the work of Friends-International being praised at a high profile social entrepreneurship event held last Friday in New York City.

(from left) Patricia Finn, (Sundance Institute), Bill Drayton (founder, Ashoka) and Amlan Ganguly, (founder, Prayasam)

The event was the premiere of the movie “The Revolutionary Optimist”  and it was followed by a conversation with the host,  Bill Drayton. Bill is the founder and current chair of ‘Ashoka: Innovators for the Public’, a world renowned nonprofit organization dedicated to finding and fostering social entrepreneurs worldwide. He was named by US News & World Report as one of America’s 25 Best Leaders in 2005 and he is also the man responsible for the rise of the phrase “social entrepreneur”,  a concept first found in print in 1972.

Event moderator Patricia Finn from The Sundance Institute singled out Friends-International in her remarks, praising our work as a successful example of social entrepreneurship in action, and following a short talk about our social business to the audience from Iris, Mr. Drayton also offered Friends the opportunity to benefit from his sage advice and practical help  on fundraising, particularly on his home turf of NYC.

Bill Drayton, founder of Ashoka, addresses NYC audience.

All in all, a great result for Friends-International in The Big Apple!