Social Enterprise 101

What is Social Enterprise?

This must be the question on top of our minds at the moment? Let us try to explain in digestible bits.

It is the latest socio-economic buzz word that many of us perhaps do not pay much attention to. Perhaps the easiest way to explain it is to dissect the term : social + enterprise; and see if the marrying of these two words bring a clearer meaning to the term. 

Tulungan

Tulungan. 

Depending on how one pronounces it, the word tulungan (pronounced too-loong,an) connotes two similar meanings. If pronounced with accent on the -loong-, the word means "to help".  If pronounced slightly faster with a hint of emphasis on the -an, it connotes the communal spirit of helping each other which is the essence of bayanihan. 

Ano raw meron?

"Ano raw meron?"

A common phrase used by someone who had just joined the conversation. "Ano raw meron?" in English translates to "what have we got?" or "what's it about?".

On the 25th of August, Saturday, a group of initial convenors hopes to gather the Filipino community in Cape Town to brief and put forward a plan to organise a social entrepreneurial initiative. The idea sprung from reactions for a final research project gathered by UCT masteral student Irina Velasco out of interviews from Filipinos currently living in Cape Town. A handful of respondents, inspired by their common dream and vision of not only unifying the otherwise fragmented community but also of creating a business endeavor. The five-member convening body made up of Boody Ramos, Mel Deslate, Mae Fe Ancheta-Templa, Sonia Vergara Chu and moderator Irina Velasco has been meeting regularly, exchanging ideas, planning and channeling positive energies towards the fulfillment of their communal goal.

Tara SA kanto -

"Tara sa kanto..."

"Kanto" is the Filipino word for street corner. "Tara sa kanto", loosely translated to mean "come let's go to the street corner", is what a friend would usually say to another; an open invitation to meet up with other friends. The street corner was the spot where friends meet to chat and trade stories of how their day went, make small talk, or simply spend time watching the world go by. In the olden days, it was one form of social networking so to speak.