We are happy to share that the SIF’s Young Social Entrepreneurs (YSE) 2013 application is open .

The YSE programme seeks to inspire, equip and enable youths of different nationalities to embark on social enterprises in Singapore and beyond. The programme nurtures a network of social entrepreneurs, where the power of ideas, know-how and resources can be harnessed to enrich lives and effect positive change for a better world.

We have seen very good ideas from over 80 applicants this year from Cambodia, Canada, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. Ten outstanding teams were selected from the three-day workshop in March to continue on the mentorship scheme led by consultants from McKinsey & Company, as well as overseas experiential study visits to India and Thailand in June, in partnership with Ashoka and Population and Development International respectively.

The six-month YSE programme culminated with the YSE: Pitching for Change session where a total of four teams received S$10,000 each for their projects funded by Asia Philanthropic Venture.

By Mark Kuroski

My name is Mark Kuroski, and for 100 days people called me an Eco-Warrior.  I was selected from applicants around the world to be part of a group of 11 people to live in the jungles of Borneo as Eco-Warriors, but I didn’t really feel like one.  It wasn’t until the end of the 100 days that I finally realized what it meant to be an Eco-Warrior.

On June 6^th, 2012 Qi Global launched the Urban Eco-Warrior movement in Singapore, and invited the 11 of us to join them on the 100^th day of our program.  The event took place at Singapore’s most sustainable mall, 313@Somerset.

The Urban Eco-Warrior movement aims to create cool and conscious consumers.  Promoting the message that fashion and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.

While the 11 of us were dealing with the culture shock of suddenly finding ourselves in the middle of urban Singapore, we were sharing our stories of living in the jungle for 100 days with the malls shoppers. 

Part of the Urban Eco-Warrior movement is to empower urban dwellers that they don’t have to give up the comforts of daily life and travel deep into the jungle to make a positive difference for the planet…everyone can be an Urban Eco-Warrior! 

There are three basic rules to being an Urban Eco-Warrior, according to founder and chief executive of Qi Global Mette Kristine Oustrup…buy organic, buy local, and buy handmade.  There are many fashionable companies working to make their products in a more sustainable manner.  The Urban Eco-Warrior facebook page highlights these companies to help develop conscious consumers.

As the mall event progressed I finally discovered the meaning of what it means to be an Eco-Warrior, urban or not, thanks to the inspiring words of my teammate Kodi Twiner.  It’s actually very simple.  She told me an Eco-Warrior is someone who does what is right for the planet.

Whether a person lives in the jungles of Borneo, or the concrete jungle of Singapore, we all have a choice as a consumer.  We either support companies who are working to become more sustainable, or we support companies that could care less about the environment and their negative impact upon it.

Now that I’ve finished my 100 days in Borneo and am back living in the United States, I ‘ve made a choice to become an Urban Eco-Warrior…and it’s my hope that you will too. 

Joing the community of cool and conscious consumers HERE. 

By Mark Kuroski

It’s June 5^th, 2012.   I wake up to the harsh sound of the hotel alarm clock.  My blurry eyes barely make out the illuminated numbers reading 5:30am.  I jump out of bed to head to the local market of Pontianak…a city on the western coast of Indonesian Borneo.

My name is Mark Kuroski.  I was selected to live in the jungles of Borneo for 100 days as part of Qi’s good friend and film director, Dr. Cathy Henkel’s documentary “Rise of the Eco-Warriors”.  Through her project I learned of Qi and became involved in the Rainforest Cuisine Movement.

Today was my final day in Borneo, which meant that it was also the day to collect ingredients to bring back to Singapore for the Rainforest Cuisine dinner preview.

Fast forward to the night of June 7^th and the ingredients have been transformed into works of art by Chef Andre Chiang whose restaurant ranks on San Pellegrino’s list of top 100 restaurants in the world.  Chef Andre is the first chef to test the idea of conservation gastronomy with a roomful of interested fine diners…and the concept is a success!

Conservation gastronomy involves using ingredients from rainforests in fine dining, then using the profits to fight deforestation in Borneo, one threatened village at a time.  These benefits are currently under development, but may include working with local NGOs to install solar panels, water pumps, purchase fuel, fund fire fighters to stop wildfires from destroying rainforests, and to create additional income to combat the heavy financial need for locals to cut down their forests.

Chef Andre’s preview dinner proved that fine diners want to experience exotic meals featuring sustainably-sourced ingredients from endangered forests.  Dishes such as “Ikan Umpan” brandade Champignon sauvage which feature small fish from pristine waters deep in the heart of Borneo, or garlic flower stem with pickled Kecalak were just some of the stars of the nine course meal.

There’s a common saying that claims the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.  After the success of the Rainforest Cuisine preview dinner I realized that couldn’t be more true.  People were falling in love and creating affinity with the disappearing forests of Borneo with each bite. 

Now, I look back over my 100 days in Borneo and think of the villages I travelled to.  I think about what a difference Rainforest Cuisine can make in their desperate situations…caught between preserving their forest and the unyielding pressure to cut it down to make a meager income.  Conservation gastronomy can make a real difference in these communities. 

It already shows so much promise, and this is only the beginning…

Along with Parco, The Everyday Revolution will launch “Everyday Belonging” in August to commemorate Singapore’s Independence Day. The event will see a collaboration the crème of Singapore’s up and coming fashion designers and artists with special needs from The Everyday Revolution coming together to create one-of-a-kind fashion pieces for women and men. The unique fashion pieces will be based off an artwork by an artist from The Everyday Revolution.

Each of the 23 designer’s pieces (ranging from casual to evening men’s and women’s wear as well as accessories) will be sold during the launch and after. The proceeds of the sale will go towards support the mission of The Everyday Revolution and supporting local fashion design talent.  Public viewing of the art pieces that inspired the fashion designers will be shown at Parco from August 3^rd to 13^th.

Just to add more fun to the event, Tung Seng, an Everyday Revolution artist will retail a children’s storybook illustrated with his beautiful works at the event.

Win a pair of invites to “Everyday Belonging” by signing up HERE. We have 4 pairs of invites to give away!

As of June 2012, Qi has incubated its first external project, The Everyday Revolution. Inspired by the art of three autistic youths, The Everyday Revolution believes that special needs individuals have the ability to contribute to their own financial sustainability. The organization assists by connecting autistic artists and the Singapore community through art-inspired everyday experiences.

“We believe in our artists' talents. We believe in their art, and that their works can be used to help create a better everyday. Most importantly, we believe that their art can inspire society to think differently and inclusively about special needs.” – Sophia Tan, Founder of The Everyday Revolution

The Everyday Revolution launched its maiden campaign, called “Everyday Friends” at Cafe Baumkuchem in Raffles Place on 30 May 2012. It was a small, cozy affair with a few friends over a yummy bowl of chilled Japanese noodles. “Everyday Friends” was born out of the desire the team had to renew communications with their friends and to introduce a new and meaningful initiative. With that in mind, three of artist Looi Siao Siang's artworks were turned into postcards and fellow artist, Kenny, hand- packed of them into sets of 4 to sell! The postcards are also available for purchase online HERE.

The organization is powered by a close group of volunteers who were recently put to the test by during a volunteer orientation in June where they surprised everyone with their spontaneity and resolve. Agnes, one of the volunteers, shares her motivations as such, “I wanted to be actively involved in social work again. It is something I enjoy doing because it gives me a sense of accomplishment. Without doing it, I feel like there is something missing in life.”

Photography by Wilson Wong

Local social enterprise Qi Global has launched a new movement, Urban Eco-Warriors (UEW), to educate consumers who desire to shop ethically without compromising on style.

At the launch event on June 6 at 313@somerset, shoppers were asked to pledge to become an Urban Eco-Warrior (UEW). "It is heartening to see so many young shoppers pledging to be Urban Eco-Warriors. Our target is to have a regional community of 'cool and conscious' consumers who use the UEW Facebook platform to get updates on the latest conscious products and interact with each other," said Mette Kristine Oustrup, founder and CEO of Qi Global.

Shoppers were urged to take a photo flashing the UEW hand sign. For every picture taken at the event and for each "like" on the UEW Facebook page, Qi Global will plant one seed in Borneo.

The Eco-Warriors at the launch event came from around the globe to promote their cause. They had spent 100 days in the jungles of Borneo to film the global documentary 'The Rise of the Eco-Warriors'. There was also a fundraiser event that night, where for each ticket bought to the 40 for 40 A Rainforest Rehabilitation party, 40 seeds will be planted in Borneo.

Eight shoppers also took part in the Urban Eco-Challenge at 313@somerset, where they discovered the green features of the mall which has earned a BCA Green Mark (Platinum) Award for sustainability.

Qi Global is aiming for 10,000 "likes" on the UEW Facebook page in order to build an online directory of eco-friendly products. Visit their page at www.facebook.com/TheUrbanEcoWarriors for more information on eco-friendly products.

Read the full article HERE.