The eleventh edition of LET’S GO Social Entrepreneurship Program once again met us with inspiring people. We will never stop admiring the invigorating enthusiasm and stimulus with which a group of dedicated people pursue their dreams. These are modern heroes who dream of living in a better world and know that in order for this to happen, someone must take action. Not only do they know it, but they realize that this someone can be themselves.

It is with such people that we met during this year's edition of the LET’S GO 2021 Program. After more than 130 hours of individual mentoring support, finally 9 organizations joined the race to get a flying start to their value-added business ideas.

We entrusted the final selection to an expert jury with representatives of socially responsible businesses such as America for Bulgaria Foundation, UniCredit Bulbank, TELUS International Bulgaria, Accenture Bulgaria and Rakuten Viber - business experts who have repeatedly proven that they know how to recognize a good entrepreneurial idea at it’s very beginning.

The decision on which 3 organizations will receive financial support of total amount of BGN 30,000 was difficult, because all the ideas are good and with huge potential. However, after long hours of discussion, debate and voting, the jury made its decision. Here are the winners of this year's competition:

• Association "Community, causes and endeavors" / Harakter.bg from Razlog with its idea "Strengths of character: entertaining sets for children and parents" - The first in Bulgaria entertaining set for children aged 7 - 11 and parents on perseverance as a strength of character. It helps children to acquire basic knowledge, skills, and behaviors such as finishing what has been started, to try again after a mistake or failure, to achieve their goals. It also helps parents find the time and resources to be consistent in their efforts in working with their children, giving them ready-made ideas and good practices to use.

 

• Concordia Bulgaria Foundation from Sofia with its idea "One by one, step by step", which will develop a strategy for reaching individual customers by creating a candle shop and offering services in a studio where young and disadvantaged people study and work.

 

• Podobri Foundation from Shumen with its idea "ReBox: a smart container for separate waste collection". ReBox is a "smart" container for separate waste collection (bottles and cans), which measures and visualizes the amount of waste collected, showing its actual recyclable value. It aims to create sustainable habits related to environmental protection and motivate students, young people and their parents to recycle more.

This year's awards ceremony was held as part of the first Festival of Social Entrepreneurship, organized by the Bulgarian Center for Not-for-Profit Law and the platform for products with a cause – DarPazar. Host of the ceremony was Maria Cherneva from the Bulgarian National Television, once again recognized the social entrepreneurial cause.

We want to thank all the participants in the LET’s GO 2021 Program for not giving up on while facing the  series of challenges during the preparation process for the competition. In one way or another, you have reinforced the belief that there really is no limit to how many good things we can do when we are together and look only to the ultimate goal, namely, a better life for all of us.

We continue to be a part of the life of Bulgarian civil society organizations and will continue to look for ways to support and implement ideas that have the potential to change human destinies.

And here is part of the atmosphere in which we were immersed during the Festival of Social Entrepreneurship:

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The LET’s GO entrepreneurship program is implemented with the support of the America for Bulgaria Foundation, UniCredit Bulbank, Telus International Europe and Accenture Bulgaria.