LinkedIn Connects Chilean Social Entrepreneur with Kenya

Sebastian Salinas Claro, a young social entrepreneur from Chile is headed to Kenya to help launch a social entrepreneurship program. This event came about through the leading social networking website for professionals, LinkedIn.

Sebastian, who founded a small social enterprise called Emprediem earlier this year. The company conducts workshops in entrepreneurship and social innovation. Sebastian's Kenya endeavor began when a friend informed him that he was connected with Alex Osterwalder, the creator of the Business Model Canvas, on LinkedIn. Sebastian simply got in touch with Alex through LinkedIn and let him know about his Emprediem venture.

To his complete surprise, Sebastian heard back from Alex who invited him to share his story on an influential blog called Business Model Innovation Hub. This platform enabled Sebastian to present the purpose and mission of Emprediem before an influential audience. Learning about the mission of Emprendiem, a leading non-profit called Kenya Works got in touch with Sebastian. Josh Bicknell, Executive Director of Kenya Works showed keen interest in Sebastian's enterprise.

Kenya Works helps improve the lives of Kenya's poorest children. Josh met Sebastian and realized that there was an excellent synergy to be exploited if they worked together as a team. Josh was impressed by Empredium's unique education tools, which could be used effectively to further Kenya Works' efforts in Kenya.

Kenya Works aims to help the underprivileged sections of the population in Kenya to emerge with the help of social entrepreneurship possibilities. Sebastian's main focus in Kenya will be to create spaces for these people to find entrepreneurial opportunities, and actually make those opportunities happen. After the completion of the program, the participants will present their ideas and plans for their entrepreneurship ventures before the government of Kenya in order to obtain financial and other support to implement their projects.

Josh says that Kenya has an unemployment rate of more than 40 percent. This is a gloomy scenario for the country that Josh and Sebastian hope to reverse with their implementation of their unique entrepreneurship program.

Photo Credit: Spekulator