Stephan de Beer

Victor "Global X" d'Allant
Former Executive Director, Social Edge

Stephan de Beer was elected an Ashoka Fellow in 2007 for his work with the Tswane Leadership Foundation, which he launched to help communities connect and work together in South African cities.

"People are often displaced through urban renewal processes," he says and the foundation helps them get back on their feet. He mentions a woman who was living on the street with her two children. The Tswane Leadership Foundation was able to place her in a shelter, give her a job in a laundromat and find a day care center for her younger child –a holistic approach. She is now the manager of the small laundry business.

Stephan de Beer grew up himself in the inner-city. He created a shelter for boys, but one of them died when the shelter burnt, forcing Stephan de Beer to ask himself big questions "on issues of inclusion and exclusion, who is welcome in the city and who isn’t, and this led me to a commitment to build healthy communities where even the most vulnerable are welcome."

His advice to fellow social entrepreneurs: "There is no shame in saying I don’t know. We surround ourselves with people with different experiences and expertise who help us find the right answer."