UABC Yunus Centre for Social Business and Wellbeing

On April 26 and 27, 2018, we organized the "FIRST SOCIAL BUSINESS MEETING 2018" held at the facilities of "Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, San Quintín". The students of university presented their experiences with social business and presented their social entrepreneurship proposals.

The first Social Business meeting was a successful experience that attracted the attention of different profiles of local activists. Thanks to this, in addition to sharing the results of the projects operated by the Yunus Centre for Social Business and Wellbeing (Training for social business and integral model of combating poverty and food insecurity), it was possible to learn from various social businesses and social ventures, in order to help the development of their communities and the wellbeing of the population.

Example of this is the social business type 1 "Agricultural Production San Juanito", which through the production of strawberries based on certified sustainable processes, is a company that supports people in the region offering sources of monetary income, food and projects of community development.

Other examples are the social businesses undertaken by young university students, who use the social networks and basic information and communication technologies, to undertaken a type 2 social business for the sale of footwear, as well as beauty and makeup accessories. The majority of footwear and beauty accessories are produced by small local businesses. Thanks to this it has been possible to continue with their studies, providing sufficient monetary income for their maintenance and tuition payments.

A further example is the social entrepreneurship project "Cimarroncitos Emprendedores", in which children from the rural community of San Quintín, Baja California are supported and taught in subjects associated with entrepreneurial culture, by dynamic games and simulations of business. With the support of university students from the School of Engineering and Business of San Quintín, this project has supported more than 20 children in various summer courses.

Thanks to the success of this first meeting, in these weeks a second social business meeting is being planned, with a greater regional scope, taking place in the state of Sonora, with the collaboration of the Autonomous University of Baja California and the University of Sonora.