This event is organised by General Assembly (GA) as part of Made in Singapore 2022, a week-long free virtual event series celebrating inspiring leaders and iconic local businesses making a positive difference to the nation and beyond. Check out the full lineup at madeinsingaporega.com.

How far can your dollar go? It’s no secret that running a social enterprise takes hard work, and more importantly, heart work. Beyond the price tag, the goods and services sold by social entrepreneurs have a special story behind them, making each purchase meaningful and purposeful.

Today, social enterprises and their networks are springing up all over the Lion City! Driven by distinct social goals, such enterprises in Singapore are now playing an increasingly important role in addressing social challenges we face as a nation. From online marketplaces to brick and mortar stores, these are the businesses that do good.

Join us to hear from our panellists who will share their personal journey of what it takes to build a social enterprise from scratch. Come get a better understanding of how innovation, entrepreneurship, sustainability and social good fit together. Find out if it’s truly possible to make a positive difference while simultaneously ensuring business continuity and even prosperity.

About the Speakers
Nur Suliani Md Noor
Programme Director & Co-Founder, Kowabunga! Global Pte Ltd
Suliani is an educator and co-founder of Kowabunga! Global which has developed companies with sustainability and social missions. Its aim is to nurture aspiring changemakers to create a better world, a better future. The company is now managing several brands of education programmes. Together with her husband, she built up the business from square one since 2007 while raising a family of 5 young children. In 2018 and 2020, her team emerged as Brands for Good Champions. In 2021, the company was awarded the President's Challenge Social Enterprise of the year. She is the recipient of the Dewipreneur Award conferred by the Singapore Malay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SMCCI) in 2019. Suliani is also involved in a ground-up project, Bloom for Moms, to support enterprising mothers to pursue their passion. She has a Master degree in Education specialising in nature based learning.

Vanessa Paranjothy
Co-founder, Freedom Cups
Vanessa Paranjothy is one of three co-founders of Freedom Cups. Freedom Cups gets reusable menstrual products to women. They have also worked with underprivileged women from 30 under-resourced communities across Asia, Africa and the US.

Vanessa has been listed on the Forbes 30 under 30 Asia list, Tatler's Generation T list, was awarded the Commonwealth Youth Award for Excellence in Development Work representing Asia, has talked about the importance of sustainable periods with 8 different Heads of State, was selected as one of twelve in the inaugural cohort of Obama Foundation Scholars at Columbia University and has a Master's in Public Administration from Harvard University.

About Our Partners
The Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise, raiSE
raiSE is a sector developer and membership body for aspiring social entrepreneurs, existing social enterprises and other individuals and organisations that are interested in contributing to the development of the Social Enterprise sector. raiSE was set up to raise awareness of social entrepreneurship and raise support for Social Enterprise in Singapore.

Kowabunga! Global
For 15 years, Kowabunga! Global has developed companies with sustainability and social missions. Its aim is to nurture aspiring changemakers to create a better world, a better future.

Focusing on educating the young and training educators, Kowabunga! works closely with organisations and government agencies to develop programmes for children, youths and adult learners focused in sustainability and environmental education to create positive social impact.

The purpose-driven company has enabled it to be named the Champions for the Brands for Good Awards in 2018 and 2020. In 2021, they were awarded the prestigious President's Challenge Social Enterprise Award.