We had the pleasure of hosting a group of 21 social enterprise leaders and supporters from Scotland and England at SEWF 2019 in Addis Ababa on 23-25th October. Our events team co-ordinated a week-long programme for the group to experience the rich and vibrant Ethiopian culture, social enterprise scene and peer engagement over and above the official SEWF 2019 programme of events.
The SEWF, supported by Scottish Government, offered a platform for many of the group to share Scotland’s expertise in social procurement, education, capacity building and rural engagement, but moreover an opportunity to learn and make connections for future growth.
This year’s theme was ‘Local traditions, fresh perspectives’ and heralded a number of firsts for the SEWF: the first time it was held in a developing economy, the first where the majority of speakers were female (53%) and the first to host delegates from 70 Countries. The atmosphere was one of celebration, where every Ethiopian speaker, exhibitor and delegate talked about hope and resolute change for the future with social enterprise raising the country out of poverty – a far step from the country we all remember and associate with famine from the 1980’s!!! For a taste of the event, watch the closing video.
Read a full article on the event – https://sewfonline.com/sewf-2019-changing-the-course-of-history/