Making the Future Possible

Our Story

Yunus&Youth exists to make the challenge of social entrepreneurship easier. Y&Y was inspired by the work of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus and his belief that companies and entrepreneurs can engage in business models that create real, sustainable social impact. People around the world struggle with social problems: some lack access to safe drinking water while others struggle with unemployment or insufficient health services (to name a few). Here is where social business comes in. These early stage start-ups drive social change because their founders are close to the problems they’re solving and the communities they’re helping. Like GreenChar in Kenya, where Y&Y Fellow Yina sells affordable charcoal briquettes that reduce the risk of contracting respiratory illnesses. Or Bella Handmade Jewelry, founded by Y&Y Fellow Walaa, which offers employment opportunities to women in refugee camps in Palestine. What makes social businesses unique is that they are for-profit, but they’re not profit-driven—they’re driven by their vision to improve society.

We know that social businesses have the power to improve communities and change the world. But we also know that successfully combining business skills, financial sustainability, and social impact is hard. That is why we exist. Y&Y started when a group of people from around the world came together in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to connect with leaders in social business. That’s where we saw a huge potential: What if the current generation of business leaders shared what they know with the next generation of social entrepreneurs? A funny thing happens when ambitious young people declare they need help shaping the future. People help. Since that conference in Malaysia, the Y&Y network and team has grown—and it keeps getting bigger.

Our Team

Our global team of young professionals is fueled by the desire to build a better future. We come from eight different countries and from many different walks of life. We’re graduate students and consultants, journalists and graphic designers. Our team includes people who have worked for Google, McKinsey & Company and Grameen Bank, along with Rhodes and Fulbright scholars, engineers, and poets. At first glance, we might not have much in common. But we’re all part of a global community advocating for social business. We believe that empowering young people to become social entrepreneurs is crucial to solving the problems we care about. We faithfully believe that this is the most effective way to foster progress and economic growth worldwide.