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The very concept of social entrepreneurship was founded on the notion that business should not just be about profit, but instead, about creating positive social impact and lasting change. Inspired by this notion, professional trainer turned social entrepreneur Assia Riccio-Smith has been working on a social entrepreneurship idea that could very well change things.
Originally from Italy, Assia moved to Dubai about three years ago. When she first arrived, she was doing trainings in the hotel industry that focused on leadership, presentation and communication with hotel staff. After conducting several of the trainings, Assia realized that it was mostly women who were showing up to the trainings. Once the courses were over, she decided to create a Facebook page to stay in touch with the people who had attended the trainings. She discovered that within the group there was such a desire, especially shown by women, to learn new skills and develop existing skills so the page became a platform in which Assia acted as a link, connecting a person who say, has Microsoft Office skills, to another person who is yearning to learn. From there, Assia decided there existed a real desire to learn and grow, and began to work on developing an online platform connect all these desired skills in one platform. It would become an online platform for women who want to fast track their career with training, guidance and marketable skills and have a positive impact by doing good every time they move up their professional ladder.When a member joins the site, they will find various elements that serve to fast track their development. The interactive engagement part of the platform is very engaging, as the business model itself is 70% social, meaning that 70% of the people you would engage with are actually social entrepreneurs or professions involved in the social aspects.
Assia wanted to create an environment where you don’t only connect, but you learn from others who are actual social entrepreneurs themselves, creating a cycle of sustainability and mutual growth. Once the business is off the ground, Assia hopes to also team up with Hopes for Women in Education, an organization that provides similar trainings and scholarships for women in the region to continue their education and development.
Read more about other innovative ideas and social entrepreneurs, on C3’s official website, and follow them on Twitter @WeGrowwithC3.