Give2Asia Giving Forum

Transformational Social Entrepreneurs

By Betsy Merzenich, Give2Asia

Across the globe, social entrepreneurship is on the rise. In Asia and elsewhere, entrepreneurial individuals are directing their efforts at complex social issues, finding new solutions to meet difficult problems. These social entrepreneurs are characterized by an ability to identify new opportunities and a willingness to bear the inherent risks. Just as entrepreneurs transform business, social entrepreneurs have the potential to revolutionize society by seizing opportunities, inventing new approaches, improving systems, and transforming the status quo. Given the exciting and promising nature of the work of social entrepreneurs, we are interested in bringing visibility to their efforts, and have done so a number of times on this blog. This week we are profiling a collection of social entrepreneurs whose successful innovations are positively impacting millions of people throughout Asia.

Cutting-Edge Mental Health Projects in Asia

Sleek and sumptuous, Hong Kong offers a glamorous, turbo-charged life. But the fast-paced culture, like that of other major cities in the world, papers over the reality that tens of thousands suffer from chronic mental illnesses. Services for people with schizophrenia, for example, remain limited both in availability and depth of care. And too often, family members, critical to a patient’s re-socialization, are not involved in the patient’s treatment plan.            

Interested in addressing this important issue, Johnson & Johnson recently supported The Hong Kong Family Link Mental Health Education Program. This progressive, holistic effort emphasizes greater communication between patient, family, and healthcare practitioner in order to reduce patient stress and increase awareness of the needs of mental illness sufferers. Since the donation, close to 250 patients and their families have graduated from the program.