2022 news highlights

Highlights of 2022

As 2022 draws to a close, we reflect on a restless year. Yet, despite all the difficulties and uncertainties, we look back with hope and gratitude towards all that we have achieved together. We've gathered the most important highlights from our work during 2022 for you.

expertise 2022 Ethiopia blogpost

Creating a green and equal future through social entrepreneurship: The case of Ethiopia

As developing economies like Ethiopia face the biggest challenges in the world with youth unemployment, high levels of inequality, and are the ones feeling the impact of the changing climate the most, we asked Lemlem to reflect on how social entrepreneurship is an important tool to tackle them and to share some of the inspiring examples and lessons learned from her work.

Lemlem Sinkineh

2022 news change leaders Senegal

Supporting 5 new climate innovations in Senegal

In Senegal, we've been partnering up with Kosmos Energy since 2019 to develop the Kosmos Innovation Center with the aim to strengthen the ecosystem for social entrepreneurship. This year our focus is on supporting innovative solutions for climate adaptation and mitigation.

2022 impact story change leader story Ethiopia

Staying true to your dreams and identity against all odds

After all the challenges Hamere is now one of the most successful women in Addis Ababa, an example and inspiration for others. Hamere’s dream is to help children rediscover traditional values, bring out their talents and foster a culture of peace, tolerance, and respect.

2022 change leader story impact Bulgaria

Overcoming prejudice through family love

When Silvena Hristova and Krasimir Lambov had a daughter with Down syndrome, they were advised by their doctor, like many other parents in Bulgaria, to place the child in foster care and move on with their lives without her.

ghana 2022 change leader impact story

Transforming the lives of street teens

“I started having sex at age eleven,” Naomi shared with me in tears. Talking to her, I learned that Naomi’s mother had died and her father was nowhere to be found. Naomi also took care of her four siblings: “I can only do this when I am able get two to five Ghanaian Cedi from men I sleep with, some who are older than me,” she said. Naomi’s future looked bleak. She was highly exposed to what could curtail her education and expose her to sexually transmitted diseases. So, I put my arm around her and told her that someone cares about her.

2022 change leader impact story Sweden

Dolls that bring us all together

Fatma Guettou and Hamid Noroozian's passionate commitment to children and young people cannot be mistaken. However, they never planned on starting their own business. Fatma has a background in biochemistry and Hamid - as an engineer in urban planning. But then they had their first child, and that changed everything.

Sweden network ecosystem Baltics

New peer learning network for Swedish-Baltic social entrepreneurs

Reach for Change Sweden, Social Enterprise Estonia, Social Entrepreneurship Association Latvia and the Lithuanian Social Business Association will pilot The Baltic Sea Impact Network - a new transnational network for peer learning between social entrepreneurs from the Baltic Sea region.

global 2022 news

Summer 2022 at a glance

Capture the magic of the hottest summer updates before we all get lost in the autumn weekdays. Check this article for more information.

ghana education partnership

Reach for Change and the Jacobs Foundation announce the finalists of the collaborative support program in Ghana

Today, Reach for Change and the Jacobs Foundation are proud to announce and showcase ten social entrepreneurs who have the potential to positively influence the education system in Ghana. The finalists will join a customized support program to strengthen their innovative solutions in order to improve educational outcomes for children and youth in Ghana.

global news

Spring 2022 at a glance

Explore the highlights from spring to get inspired by our social entrepreneurs across different markets. Good vibes only!

global 2022 change leader

Change Leader Visit Day

The 17th of June was no ordinary day for us at Reach for Change. It was a Change Leader Visit Day - a time for everyone in the organization to go and visit a social entrepreneur from our portfolio. A moment to pause in order to reconnect with our mission, and understand better the successes and challenges of our Change Leaders.

2022 change leader story

Sustainable clothing for children with diabetes

“I never planned that I would be making clothing in my life, but around 6 years ago my friend’s little boy was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. I wanted to step in and to fill the gap in the market. We couldn’t find anything similar.” - shares Simona Koncyte, a founder of a sustainable clothing brand for children with diabetes.

expertise 2022 blogpost strategy

Can all entrepreneurship be social?

With the new global strategy we developed in 2021, we want to take further steps to leverage the power of entrepreneurship to reduce child poverty, inequality and environmental issues.

Shifteh Malithano

ghana 2022 impact story change leader story

Reclaiming the life of a slave child

When James Kofi Annan was 6, the youngest child of an illiterate family, he was sold into child slavery. He worked as a child fisherman in Lake Volta in Ghana. His working day started at 3am and ended at 8pm, and was full of physically demanding work. He was malnutritioned, abused, didn’t have access to medical care, education. He didn’t have any rights.

2022 impact story change leader story Bulgaria

Turning one of the poorest regions in the EU into an attractive digital industry hub

Emiliyan Kadiyski and Teodor Kostadinov were born in Vratsa, Bulgaria - one of the poorest regions of the European Union. There are almost no functioning large businesses, educational levels are low and the entrepreneurial spirit is lacking.